Tennessee students between 14-18 years old with a high school diploma or equivalent can now enroll in Western Governors University (WGU).

Eligible students can enroll in select bachelor’s degree programs in WGU’s School of Education, Leavitt School of Health, College of Business, and College of Information Technology, the online university recently announced.

“WGU’s teenage students will enroll in the same industry-informed, career-aligned degree programs and courses as currently matriculated WGU students,” the university writes in a press release. “They also will benefit from a specially designed orientation and onboarding process, dedicated points of contact for parents and guardians, and all of the mentoring support, resources, and capabilities of WGU.”

Accepted students will begin classes on March 1, with a capacity for 500 students in this first cohort, according to the university.

“As younger high school graduates and their families are seeking postsecondary options, many are faced with barriers of access and cost,” Kimberly K. Estep, Chancellor of WGU Tennessee said in a statement. “We are proud to serve these young learners and play a role in helping them along their educational journey – we know they will do great things.”

WGU is an online university offering coursework remotely so students do not have to go to a campus location.

WGU Tennessee is an affiliate of WGU established in 2013 between the nonprofit university and the State of Tennessee with a “unique mission to help individuals in Tennessee obtain a quality education.”

As a result of the partnership between WGU and the state, students in Tennessee can receive unique scholarships, financial aid, and other opportunities at WGU. The online university has awarded bachelor’s and master’s degrees to nearly 10,000 Tennesseans across the state’s 95 counties and over 305,000 Americans nationwide.

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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.