WV Promise Scholarship Requirements/Eligibility 2024

Imagine you’re a student dreaming of going to college. You’ve heard about the West Virginia Promise Scholarship, and it sounds amazing – like a bright light guiding you toward your educational goals. But figuring out if you’re eligible for it can be confusing, it’s like trying to navigate through a maze.

In this article, we’re going to break down all the rules and things you need to do to get the WV Promise Scholarship. We’ll make it easy to understand so you can see exactly what you need to do to grab hold of this fantastic opportunity.

WV Promise Scholarship Requirements

There are various requirements for the WV promise scholarship. You must fulfill the below given requirements if you want to qualify for the scholarship. So read it carefully.

1. Residency Requirements

The Promise Scholarship in West Virginia has a rule about where you live. To qualify, you need to have been living in West Virginia for the whole year leading up to the scholarship deadline. But there’s a special rule for people in the military and their families. They might still qualify even if they haven’t been in West Virginia for the full year.

2. Academic Requirements

The Promise Scholarship really values academic success. First, students need to graduate from a high school in West Virginia, whether it’s a public or private one. They also have to take specific classes in English, Math, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences, and earn a certain number of credits in each subject.

But it’s not just about passing these classes. Students need to keep up a good average of their grades, called a GPA. They should aim for at least a 3.0 out of 4.0 GPA, which shows they’re doing well overall. This GPA is calculated by looking at all the grades they get in these important classes. Sometimes, if the school allows it, they might even count grades differently to give more weight to harder classes. This helps to recognize when students challenge themselves with tougher coursework.

Core Course Requirements	Credits
English	4 credits
Mathematics	4 credits
Social Sciences	4 credits
Natural Sciences	3 credits

3. Test Score Requirements

To qualify for the WV Promise Scholarship, students also need to do well on standardized tests like the ACT or SAT. There are specific minimum scores they need to reach on one of these tests, and they have to make sure they take the test by certain dates to qualify. Once they’ve taken the test, they need to make sure their official scores get sent directly to the scholarship office for review.

Here’s the information presented in a simplified table format:

Test Type	Minimum Composite/Total Score	Minimum Subsection Scores	Superscoring Allowed
ACT	21	English: 19 Reading: 19 Science: 19 Math: 19	Yes
SAT	1080	Evidenced-Based Reading & Writing: 510 Math: 510	Yes

• Applicants can use a superscore to achieve the minimum standardized testing scores.
• Superscoring allows students to combine their top scores from subsections of various ACT or SAT exam dates for a higher overall score.
• You can report your test scores yourself when you apply, but to be officially eligible for the scholarship, the ACT or SAT testing agency must send your scores directly to the scholarship program.
• Students need to complete and send in their application for the scholarship and the FAFSA by the specified deadline, even if they haven’t achieved the necessary scores on their standardized tests by that same deadline

4. Additional Requirements

If students aren’t graduating from a high school in West Virginia, like if they’re homeschooled or they go to school in another state but live in West Virginia, there are some extra things they need to do to apply for the Promise Scholarship.

For homeschooled students, they’ll need to fill out a special form called the Homeschooled Grade Report Form and provide a transcript of their grades. This helps the scholarship office understand how they’re doing in their studies.

If they’re eligible commuters – meaning they go to school outside of West Virginia but live here – they need to show proof that they commute to school every day. They also still need to make sure their official test scores get sent to the scholarship office for consideration, just like everyone else.

5. Military Dependents and Armed Services Members

There are special rules for students who are military dependents or members of the armed services.

These students need to show proof of their military status, like a document that confirms they’re part of the military or a dependent of someone in the military. They also need to prove that while they were serving, they still considered West Virginia their home. This can be a bit trickier, but it’s important for them to show they have a connection to the state.

Just like everyone else, military dependents and armed services members need to meet the academic and test score requirements to qualify for the Promise Scholarship. So, they still need to do well in school and on their standardized tests to be considered.

Application deadline

To apply for the West Virginia PROMISE Scholarship, you need to complete the Promise application and the FAFSA by the extended deadline of May 1, 2024.

If you miss the deadline to apply for the scholarship, you will still have a chance to receive it later, but only starting from the spring semester of the following year.

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to get the scholarship for the fall semester of 2024. Whether you can get the scholarship later depends on whether there is still money available for it. You need to apply for the scholarship within two years of graduating from high school, unless you joined the U.S. armed services under Section 5 of the Promise Scholarship Program Rule.

Only full-time, first-year students can get initial awards. If you’re already enrolled in college, you can’t apply unless you meet the requirements outlined in Section 2.1.7.1 of the Promise Scholarship Program Rule.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the WV Promise Scholarship is a fantastic opportunity for students all over West Virginia to pursue higher education. By meeting and understanding the scholarship requirements, students can unlock doors to a brighter future.

Whether it’s excelling academically, meeting residency criteria, or providing additional documentation, fulfilling these requirements is a crucial step toward achieving personal and professional goals through higher education.