CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and Community and Technical College System remind students that the deadlines to apply for the merit-based Promise Scholarship and the need-based West Virginia Higher Education Grant Program (HEGP) for the 2026-2027 academic year are quickly approaching. High school seniors may apply for the annual Promise award by March 1, and the Higher Education Grant annual award until April 15. Current awardees are receiving up to $5,500 for Promise and up to $3,400 in HEGP. The 2026-2027 FAFSA must also be completed by March 1 for the Promise Scholarship and is the only application for the HEGP.
“Each of these programs bring college accessibility and affordability closer to our West Virginia families,” said Dr. Sarah Armstrong Tucker, West Virginia’s Chancellor of Higher Education. “School staff and our staff are ready to support students through these applications. Just a little bit of time can unlock major financial support and help make college a reality for students.”
The Promise Scholarship eligibility requirements for the class of 2026 include but are not limited to:
• ACT: 21 composite score with a minimum of 19 in English, math, science, and reading.
• SAT: 1080 total score with a minimum of 510 each in math and evidence-based reading and writing.
• Please note: students have until the June 2026 SAT and July 2026 ACT to achieve a qualifying test score. Students should apply now even if they don’t currently meet the eligibility requirements.
The Promise Scholarship application and a full list of requirements are available at cfwv.com/promise. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is required to access state and federal financial aid and serves as the application for the HEGP, can be completed online at https://studentaid.gov/. More information on HEGP grants is available at: cfwv.com/wvgrant.
For assistance filing the FAFSA or with applications, students and families are encouraged to call the state’s financial aid hotline at 877-987-7664. Students are also encouraged to sign up for West Virginia’s text-message college counseling program, “Txt 4 Success,” by visiting cfwvconnect.com/txt4-success/.
