Eligibility & Requirements

Warren Wilson will award up to 25 full-tuition Milepost One scholarships to students with total family income levels equal to or below $150,000 per year. This means that even families who may not be eligible for federal or state need-based grants still have an opportunity to earn a full tuition scholarship – this includes eligibility for international and DACA students.

All Milepost One winners will be awarded our unique work grant, which will be applied towards tuition per federal guidelines. Milepost One winners who qualify for a federal or state need-based grant will receive the remainder of their tuition free through the Warren Wilson College Milepost One scholarship. Milepost One winners who do not qualify for a federal or state need-based grant will receive the remainder of their tuition free through the Milepost One scholarship. Student loans will not be applied towards the cost of tuition but may be applied towards food and housing.

Requirements

To be eligible, students must:

  • Be admitted to Warren Wilson College for the first-time, as a full-time undergraduate starting during a Fall term (this includes transfer students);
  • Have a minimum 3.0 weighted GPA;
  • Complete the application requirements by the deadline;
  • Have a Total Family Income* equal to or less than $150,000;
  • Live on campus and participate in the Warren Wilson Work Program;
  • File a current FAFSA and send to Warren Wilson College by the Milepost One application deadline (school code: 002979);
  • Students selected for FAFSA verification must complete verification requirements by March 1 (please note your award will not reflect your Milepost One award until you fully complete the verification process);
  • Be enrolled full time;
  • Maintain consecutive enrollment;

The Milepost One Scholarship is guaranteed for up to 4 years. If you do not complete your degree in four years, you may appeal to extend your Milepost One Scholarship eligibility.

*For the purposes of Milepost One Scholarship eligibility, Total Family Income is defined by using the AGI (adjusted gross income) from the same federal tax returns (both student and parent) used to file the FAFSA. Students who have a combined student and parent AGI equal to or less than $150,000 are eligible to apply.

Application Process

Before you apply for Milepost One, you need to submit your admission application.

Deadline to Apply for Fall 2025: February 1, 2025

Selection Process: Following the February 1 deadline, a Milepost One selection committee will review all submissions, analyzing the overall impact of each essay submission. The Selection Committee will have access to each scholarship applicant’s application for admission and FAFSA. Students will be asked to sign a consent form to allow the selection committee to review FAFSA information.

Renewal Requirements

  • File a renewal FAFSA each year before February 1st;
  • Complete verification process (if selected) each year before February 1st;
  • Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress;
  • Be a residential (on-campus) student;
  • Be enrolled full time;
  • Maintain consecutive enrollment.

If students chose to study away during their career at WWC, Milepost One is subject to the same conditions as other institutional aid depending on the study away program

If a student no longer meets the criteria for this plan, we will evaluate your eligibility based on the current renewal policy for returning students for that particular year.

Not Eligible for Milepost One?

Don’t worry! All admitted students are considered for Merit Scholarships, which can be as high as $13,000 per year. Combined with your Work Award and other need-based aid, we’re committed to making Warren Wilson an affordable option.