Navigating Higher Education Grants in West Virginia: A Comprehensive Guide
For West Virginia residents aspiring to pursue higher education, understanding the available grant opportunities and their requirements is crucial. This article provides a detailed overview of various higher education grants in West Virginia, outlining their eligibility criteria, application processes, and renewal requirements. Designed to be accessible to a wide audience, from prospective students to education professionals, this guide aims to clarify the path to financial aid for higher education in the Mountain State.
West Virginia Higher Education Grant (WVHEG)
The West Virginia Higher Education Grant is a need-based financial aid program aimed at providing opportunities for West Virginia students with financial need to pursue post-secondary education. The WV Higher Education Policy Commission (HEPC) awards these grants on the basis of economic need. The West Virginia Higher Education Grant is available to qualified residents of West Virginia. For the 2025-26 award year, eligible students attending an eligible West Virginia institution may receive up to $3,400 for the year. Payment will be made directly to the institution listed on the electronic award letter notification. The award may be reduced or canceled by an institution based upon program rules.
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for the West Virginia Higher Education Grant, students must meet several eligibility requirements:
- Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States.
- Residency: Be a WV resident (student and parents) for 12 months immediately prior to April 15 preceding the academic year of enrollment. West Virginia residency for at least 12 months prior to date of application (for dependent students, the legal residence of the parent(s) on the FAFSA is the student’s residency).
- Educational Attainment: Students must be a high school graduate or have earned a TASC (former GED) or high school equivalent certificate and have not previously earned a bachelor’s degree. Graduate students do not qualify.
- Financial Need: Demonstrate an established level of financial need. Financial need is calculated by taking the cost of attendance (COA) of the school the student is attending and subtracting the Student Aid Index (SAI) and other financial aid received, not including student loans or work-study.
- Academic Promise: Demonstrate academic promise.
- Enrollment: Enroll at a participating institution in West Virginia or Pennsylvania as a full-time undergraduate student.
Application Process
To apply for the WV Higher Education Grant, students must:
- Complete the FAFSA each year by April 15. Students must file the FAFSA by April 15, prior to the academic year the student plans to enroll. To apply, students must file the FAFSA as soon as possible and no later than April 15th of the year for which they plan to enroll in school.
- Complete the FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1, and no later than April 15, of the year for which you anticipate enrolling fall semester.
- After completing the FAFSA, if you do not have a WVSAM Account, you may create one to monitor your WVHEG eligibility and award information.
- If you received an electronic WV Higher Education Grant award notification and will attend a different eligible institution than listed, please click the Update My Institution button and complete the form to request the award be transferred to the eligible institution you will attend. Follow the prompts and enter information in the format shown.
Renewal
The grant may be renewed until the student’s course of study is completed, but may not exceed an additional three academic years beyond the initial award.
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Higher Education Adult Part-Time Student (HEAPS) Grant Program
Awarded to part-time WV residents (resident for a minimum of 12 months) who demonstrate financial need and maintain a 2.0-grade point average.
Eligibility Requirements
- Must be a citizen or a permanent resident of the United States and have a high school diploma, TASC (former GED) or high school equivalent.
- Graduate students do not qualify.
- A West Virginia resident for at least 12 months prior to applying
- Citizen or a permanent resident of the United States
- Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at StudentAid.gov/FAFSA
- Have a high school diploma, TASC (formerly GED) or high school equivalent
- Demonstrate financial need as verified through submission of the FAFSA;
- Not be in default on a higher education loan
- Not incarcerated in a correctional facility
- Is in compliance with all Standards of Academic Progress
Renewal
The WV HEAPS grant award can be renewed until the program of study is completed but cannot exceed an additional nine years beyond the first year of the award. HEAPS grant award can be renewed until the program of study is completed but cannot exceed an additional nine years beyond the first year of the award. Renewal consideration will be based on meeting satisfactory academic progress, filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), demonstrating financial need, and completing an institutional application. Awards are contingent upon annual funding of the program by the West Virginia State Legislature.
Award Amounts
For students enrolled part time at APUS, the award is based upon the average per credit hour tuition and required fees charged. Total aid, including a HEAPS award, may not exceed the recipient’s total cost of attendance.Recipients are selected each year by institutions based on the student’s eligibility and the availability of funds. Awards will be made on a first come, first served basis. Students will be made aware of their award through the school.
PROMISE Scholarship
Students receiving the Promise Scholarship must enroll full-time and have the required minimum GPA. The Promise Scholarship is a merit-based program that requires students to meet specific academic criteria.
Eligibility and Renewal Requirements
- You must complete and earn 30 credit hours while maintaining a 2.75 GPA at the completion of each year.
- You can receive no more than eight semesters for a Bachelor’s degree or four semesters for an Associates.
- Students have six years from the date first awarded, to use their Promise award.
- Eligibility for renewal is examined at the end of a year of scholarship utilization, based on first-time semester enrollment.
- A student who does not meet the renewal criteria for the PROMISE Scholarship at the end of the spring semester may make a PROMISE Scholarship Reinstatement Request if the deficiency can be remediated during the summer or courses were taken at another institution.
Appeals
- Promise Scholarship Credit Hour Requirement Appeal - Degree Pursuant Coursework appeal: For those who can be full time in each term during the academic year but won’t be able to achieve the 30-credit hour requirement for renewal purposes. If approved, they are required to complete the number of degree pursuant courses available to them in the academic year. For example, if they have 25 credits available to take, they must complete all 25 to qualify. This will need rechecked at the end of the spring semester.
- Appeal to Waive the Full-Time Enrollment Requirement for State Aid: Full-time waiver enrollment appeal for state aid programs (including Promise) where students cannot be full-time in the term due to not having available degree pursuant coursework. If approved for one semester, they would need to complete the requirements for a one semester award in the academic year, which is 15 credits between fall, spring, and summer in the academic year.
Summer Promise Award
- Only current Promise recipients can receive a Summer Promise award.
- A summer award counts as a semester of utilization toward the maximum number of available semesters.
- A student seeking an associate degree is eligible to receive a Promise Scholarship for no more than four total semesters of a two-year degree program.
- The Summer Promise application opens March 15 and has a May 15 priority deadline. Applications may be submitted after May 15 until the final June 15 deadline. Those who apply by May 15 and are eligible will be notified in June.
- The hours requirement can be waived for students willing to utilize a semester of eligibility towards their maximum number of semesters of eligibility.
- To be eligible for a summer award a student must submit an application by the deadline.
- Summer awards will be made in early June for eligible students who meet the May 15 priority deadline; students with tuition and fees due before June may be responsible for payment.
- Summer Promise eligibility cannot be determined until June, once final grades are determined for the preceding spring term and your home institution notifies our office of your academic eligibility.
- Your eligibility will also depend on whether you are currently registered for the required credits during the summer term(s).
- Summer awards are dependent upon the availability of funding.
West Virginia Engineering, Science and Technology Scholarship (WV STEM)
The West Virginia Engineering, Science and Technology Scholarship (a.k.a. WV STEM Scholarships, not to exceed $3,000 per academic year, are awarded on the basis of academic qualifications and interest in the fields of engineering, science, and technology.
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Eligibility and Application
- You must apply by March 1st.
- A 3.0 cumulative GPA must be maintained.
- The STEM application must be completed each year.
West Virginia Nursing Scholarship Program
The West Virginia Nursing Scholarship Program accepts applications between April 15 through June 1 each year and provides scholarships to students meeting all eligibility requirements for the subsequent academic year. Awards are made through a competitive process.
Eligibility and Application
- You must be enrolled at least half-time in an accredited West Virginia nursing program, be a resident of West Virginia, and be in good academic standing.
- Each year, the GPA (cumulative and nursing) may change thus you must be meeting the GPA requirements required for the Nursing scholarship.
- If you want to be considered for renewal of this scholarship, please be sure to apply during the open application cycle. Because you received an award one year does not mean you are automatically considered for the next.
Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars Program
The Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars Program is a competitive scholarship for recent high school graduates with a passion for teaching and a history of high academic achievement, community service, and active involvement in extracurricular activities while in high school.
Award Details and Requirements
- Recipients will receive $10,000 per year for up to four years (up to the cost of tuition and fees, housing and food, and other approved educational expenses).
- The scholarship may be used at any eligible West Virginia public or private, non-profit college or university offering West Virginia Board of Education-approved teacher preparation programs in math, science, elementary education, or special education.
- Each year, we will accept up to 25 new Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars from a national applicant pool.
- Students must complete the preliminary application before December 31.
- Willing to teach in a West Virginia public school for five years after college graduation in the fields of math, science, elementary education, or special education.
- Must be willing to attend the award banquet and Student Success Summit event in Charleston, WV, in late July.
- Students who meet the pre-qualification applications requirements will be invited to compete in round two.
- If you are then a finalist selected from round two, you will submit a 3-5 minute video highlighting past experiences or future ambitions that have driven you to a career as a professional educator.
AmeriCorps Education Award Waiver Program
This waiver program is a new initiative.
Waiver Details and Eligibility
- The value of the waiver for each student equals their University tuition and University fees minus the value of federal, state, and institutional gift aid (grants, institutional scholarships, other waivers, etc.).
- Students must access their MyAmeriCorps Portal and complete the process to apply for the waiver.
- Students are limited to 8 semesters of combined usage at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
- Students must still meet the other conditions for the waiver.
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