There are many school grants and other forms of financial aid available to students in West Virginia. Some of them are: Academic Common Market; Higher Education Adult Part-Time Student Grant (HEAPS) Grant; PROMISE Scholarship Program; and the Underwood-Smith Teacher Scholarship.
The Academic Common Market is a program that allows residents of West Virginia to attend certain cooperating out-of-state academic institutions, yet get a tuition reduction by only paying in-state tuition.
The Higher Education Adult Part-Time Student (HEAPS) Grant can help you if you are a part-time West Virginia college student. You must fill out the FAFSA, and you must demonstrate financial need. The amount of the award is based upon your cost of education at the school you will attend in West Virginia.
West Virginia PROMISE (Providing Real Opportunities for Maximizing In-State Student Excellence) is a merit-based scholarship program that has the purpose of enabling West Virginia students to achieve their college goals. The PROMISE program awards West Virginia high school graduates an amount of up to $4,750 at eligible postsecondary institutions in West Virginia.
You may be eligible to receive $5,000 per academic year through the Underwood-Smith Teacher Scholarship Program in West Virginia. The program is designed for students who want to become a pre-school teacher, primary school teacher, or secondary school teacher. The award is based on merit, and the program is set up so that the student will commit to teach for a predetermined time at a public school in West Virginia after graduation from college. To be eligible for this scholarship, you must: be a resident of West Virginia; plan to enroll at a West Virginia college or university in a program leading to teacher certification at the pre-school, primary school, or secondary school level; agree to teach in West Virginia after graduation from college; agree to repay the scholarship if you don’t teach as agreed at a school in West Virginia; have a 3.25 cumulative GPA at the end of your sophomore year if you are an undergraduate student; or have a 3.5 GPA or above if you are a graduate student.
Grants in West Virginia for 2012
A student in West Virginia can choose to attend a college or university to pursue a higher education leading to a degree. Attending a postsecondary institution can be a gateway to fulfilling your career aspirations. While there are no new grant programs in West Virginia this year here is a review of one of the most popular programs for students:
Tuition Grant Program: This grant program is for residents of the state of West Virginia who want to pursue their education beyond high school. It is not a grant geared at financially needy students nor is it a grant based on academic achievement or merit. This grant program is a first come first served program which is why students are encouraged to fill out their applications early and submit them. The submission deadline is May 1, 2012.
To be eligible for the Tuition Grant Program a student must be an American citizen and must be a permanent resident of the state of West Virginia. They also must be a full-time student. This grant is not available for part-time students. Individuals who qualify for this grant program must be attending (or have definite plans to attend) an accredited public or private college or university in the state. The amount of money awarded to students through this program varies from year to year depending upon availability of funds. Speak with a representative in the financial aid office of your school for further information.
School grants in the state of West Virginia are handled by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. If you do not believe that you can afford to attend an institution of higher learning without assistance from the government then you need to turn your attention to the education grants that are available in West Virginia. Please note that you must be a resident of West Virginia in order to be approved for these grants. Read on for the top picks for West Virginia.
West Virginia Higher Education Grant Program
The West Virginia Higher Education Grant Program was established for residents of the state who are attending (or planning to attend) approved not-for-profit colleges or universities in the state that offer degree programs. This grant program is also open to West Virginia students who decide to attend a college or university in the state of Pennsylvania. To apply for this grant funding students must be American citizens who are enrolled in a postsecondary institution on a full-time basis. This grant can be used during the student’s freshman, sophomore, junior or senior year. It is based upon both financial need as well as academic merit.
Higher Education Adult Part-Time Student Grant Program
If you are a part-time postsecondary student then West Virginia provides grant help for you as well! The Higher Education Adult Part-Time Student Grant program assists financially disadvantaged students who wish to continue their education on a part-time basis. For many people work commitments and/or family commitments make it difficult for them to attend a college or university full-time. If this explains your situation to a tee then this grant program is in place to help you out financially!
This part-time student grant program contains a component in it whereby 25 percent of the funding can be used by the student who is enrolled in a workforce and skill development program. For example this may include students who are attending or wish to attend a vocational center or technical institution.
In summary, the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission has many grants and other forms of financial aid to help West Virginia students reach their goal of obtaining a college degree.