The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(1) "Council" means the student achievement council.

(2) "Financial aid" means either loans, grants, or both, to students who demonstrate financial need enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a student at institutions of higher education.

(3) "Financial need" means a demonstrated financial inability to bear the total cost of education as directed in rule by the office.

(4) "Institution" or "institutions of higher education" means:

(a) Any public university, college, community college, or technical college operated by the state of Washington or any political subdivision thereof; or

(b) Any other university, college, school, or institute in the state of Washington offering instruction beyond the high school level that is a member institution of an accrediting association recognized by rule of the council for the purposes of this section and that agrees to and complies with program rules adopted pursuant to RCW 28B.92.150. However, any institution, branch, extension or facility operating within the state of Washington that is affiliated with an institution operating in another state must be:

(i) A separately accredited member institution of any such accrediting association;

(ii) A branch of a member institution of an accrediting association recognized by rule of the council for purposes of this section, that is eligible for federal student financial aid assistance and has operated as a nonprofit college or university delivering on-site classroom instruction for a minimum of 20 consecutive years within the state of Washington, and has an annual enrollment of at least 700 full-time equivalent students;

(iii) A nonprofit institution recognized by the state of Washington as provided in RCW 28B.77.240; or

(iv) An approved apprenticeship program under chapter 49.04 RCW.

(5) "Maximum Washington college grant":

(a) For students attending two or four-year institutions of higher education as defined in RCW 28B.10.016, is tuition and estimated fees for 15 quarter credit hours or the equivalent, as determined by the office, including operating fees, building fees, and services and activities fees.

(b) For students attending private four-year not-for-profit institutions of higher education in Washington:

(i) In the 2019-20 academic year, is $9,739 and may increase each year afterwards by no more than the tuition growth factor through the end of the 2025-26 academic year; and

(ii) Beginning in the 2026-27 academic year, is 50 percent of the average of awards for the same academic year granted to students at the public research institutions in Washington.

(c) For students attending two-year private not-for-profit institutions of higher education in Washington, in the 2019-20 academic year, is $3,694 and may increase each year afterwards by no more than the tuition growth factor.

(d) For students attending four-year private for-profit institutions of higher education in Washington, in the 2019-20 academic year, is eight thousand five hundred seventeen dollars and may increase each year afterwards by no more than the tuition growth factor, until the end of the 2025-26 academic year.

(e) For students attending two-year private for-profit institutions of higher education in Washington, in the 2019-20 academic year, is two thousand eight hundred twenty-three dollars and may increase each year afterwards by no more than the tuition growth factor, until the end of the 2025-26 academic year.

(f) For students attending Western Governors University-Washington, as established in RCW 28B.77.240:

(i) In the 2019-20 academic year, is $5,619 and may increase each year afterwards by no more than the tuition growth factor through the 2025-26 academic year; and

(ii) Beginning in the 2026-27 academic year, is $4,150 and may increase each year afterwards by no more than the tuition growth factor.

(e) [(g)] For students attending approved apprenticeship programs:

(i) In the 2022-23 academic year, is the same amount as the maximum Washington college grant for students attending two-year institutions of higher education as defined in (a) of this subsection to be used for tuition and fees, program supplies and equipment, and other costs that facilitate educational endeavors through the 2025-26 academic year; and

(ii) Beginning in the 2026-27 academic year, is 50 percent of the maximum Washington college grant award for students attending two-year institutions of higher education as defined in (a) of this subsection to be used for tuition and fees, program supplies and equipment, and other costs that facilitate educational endeavors.

(6) "Office" means the office of student financial assistance.

(7) "Tuition growth factor" means an increase of no more than the average annual percentage growth rate of the median hourly wage for Washington for the previous 14 years as the wage is determined by the federal bureau of labor statistics.

Finding—Intent—2025 c 395: "The legislature finds that postsecondary education is critical for the economic mobility of Washingtonians. The Washington college grant established an entitlement program to provide financial aid for low-income students. It is the intent of the legislature to continue assessing state financial aid offered to students attending institutions of higher education across all sectors in Washington in order to serve students pursuing postsecondary education. Further, it is the intent to continue assessing the college bound program available to students attending institutions of higher education across all sectors in Washington." [ 2025 c 395 s 1.]

Effective date—2025 c 395: "This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect July 1, 2025." [ 2025 c 395 s 5.]

Findings—Intent—2019 c 406: See note following RCW 43.79.195.

Findings—Short title—2019 c 406: See notes following RCW 28B.92.200.

Findings—2019 c 406: See note following RCW 28B.94.020.

Findings—Intent—2019 c 406: See note following RCW 28C.30.050.

Findings—Intent—2019 c 406: See note following RCW 43.216.135.

Findings—Intent—2013 c 248: "The legislature finds that Western Governors University-Washington, recognized by the state of Washington under RCW 28B.77.240, serves a student population that is nontraditional and geographically diverse. Enrollment in Western Governors University-Washington has grown steadily since 2011 reaching over four thousand three hundred students. These students represent an average age of thirty-seven, sixty-nine percent of whom are classified as underserved, including low-income, ethnic minority, rural, and first-generation students.

The legislature also finds that tuition at Western Governors University-Washington has remained static since 2008 at five thousand seven hundred eighty dollars per year.

Further, the legislature finds that the population served by Western Governors University-Washington deserves to have access to affordable postsecondary education, including baccalaureate degree-granting institutions. Therefore, the legislature intends to provide access to the state need grant program for eligible students attending Western Governors University-Washington.

The legislature also intends that Western Governors University-Washington comply with all reporting requirements established by the student achievement council for state need grant participation, including financial information about students, enrollment, graduation and placement rates, and the institution's standing with its accrediting agency, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, and the United States department of education." [ 2013 c 248 s 1.]

Effective date—2013 c 248: "This act takes effect August 1, 2013." [ 2013 c 248 s 6.]

Effective date—2012 c 229 ss 101, 117, 401, 402, 501 through 594, 601 through 609, 701 through 708, 801 through 821, 902, and 904: See note following RCW 28B.77.005.

Effective date—2011 1st sp.s. c 11 ss 101-103, 106-202, 204-244, and 301: See note following RCW 28B.76.020.

Intent—2011 1st sp.s. c 11: See note following RCW 28B.76.020.

Findings—Intent—2009 c 238: See note following RCW 28C.18.160.

Findings—Intent—2009 c 215: "The legislature finds that a myriad of financial aid programs exist for students at the federal, state, local, community, and institutional levels. These programs enable thousands of students across Washington to access all sectors of higher education, from apprenticeship programs to public and private four and two-year institutions of higher education. The legislature further finds that Washington state is a national leader in the distribution of financial aid to increase college access and affordability, ranking fourth in the nation in 2007 in terms of state student grant aid funding per capita.

It is the intent of the legislature to promote and expand access to state financial aid programs by determining which programs provide the greatest value to the largest number of students, and by fully supporting those programs. Furthermore, it is the intent of the legislature to designate all existing financial aid an opportunity pathway, with the effect of providing students with a clear understanding of available resources to pay for postsecondary education, thereby increasing access to postsecondary education and meeting the needs of local business and industry.

It is the intent of the legislature that the *higher education coordinating board, the state board for community and technical colleges, the office of the superintendent of public instruction, the workforce training and education coordinating board, and institutions of higher education coordinate the development of outreach tools, such as a web-based portal for information on all opportunity pathway aid programs. The information should be communicated in a format and manner that provides an ease of understanding for students and their families and include other pertinent information on institutions of higher education, costs, and academic programs. It is also the intent of the legislature for institutions of higher education to incorporate this information in promotional materials to prospective and current students and their families." [ 2009 c 215 s 1.]

*Reviser's note: The higher education coordinating board ("board") was abolished by 2011 1st sp.s. c 11 s 301, effective July 1, 2012.

Effective date—2009 c 215: "This act takes effect August 1, 2009." [ 2009 c 215 s 17.]

Part headings not law—2004 c 275: See note following RCW 28B.76.090.

Intent—1989 c 254: "It is the intent of the legislature that nothing in this act shall prevent or discourage an individual from making an effort to repay any state financial aid awarded during his or her collegiate career." [ 1989 c 254 s 1.]

Effective date—Severability—1975 1st ex.s. c 132: See notes following RCW 28B.77.060.

Loan programs for mathematics and science teachers: RCW 28B.15.760 through 28B.15.766.