News
Governor Justice declares state of emergency and suspends FAFSA requirement for state financial aid programs
With Governor Justice’s proclamation, students who qualify and apply for the Promise Scholarship by September 1, 2024 will receive an award of up to $5,500 for the 2024-25 academic year.
If a student completed last year’s FAFSA (2023-24) and qualifies for the need-based Higher Education Grant, they will receive the award of up to $3,400 for the fall semester. If they do not have a prior FAFSA on file but are eligible for one of the following programs through the West Virginia Department of Human Services (DoHS) or the West Virginia Department of Health (DH), they may show their eligibility letter from Department to your higher education institution’s financial support office to receive the Higher Education Scholarship:
DoHS
- PHOTOGRAPH
- TANF
- Medicaid
- CHIPS
- Child Care Subsidy Program
HD
If a student or their family needs a replacement DoHS or DH eligibility letter, they can call the Office of Constituent Services customer service hotline at 877-716-1212 to request a new one.
“We know that the cost of attending college is one of the biggest obstacles West Virginia students already face when planning for education after high school, especially our low-income students. That’s why our state has invested so heavily in our own financial aid programs – which, combined, total more than $100 million a year for West Virginia students,” said Sarah Armstrong Tucker, West Virginia Chancellor of Higher Education . “I thank Governor Justice for his strong leadership and allowing students to access these funds this year despite their FAFSA status. And I encourage students to keep working to complete the FAFSA so they can get as much money as possible from other sources, including the federal government.
Students and families can visit https://www.collegeforwv.com/ for more information and to apply for state aid programs, or call the West Virginia Financial Aid Hotline at 877-987-7664.