2021 Eligibility Requirements for
Initial PROMISE Award
Important Updates related to COVID-19
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the WV Higher Education
Policy Commission has approved temporary modifications to qualify
for (class of 2020 and class of 2021) and renewal (2019-20) for WV
financial aid programs. Click here for more information regarding
these changes. For information on the free ACT On-Campus
testing opportunity for high school seniors who have applied for
the Promise scholarship, visit ACT On-Campus
Exams - West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission
(wvhepc.edu).
To be awarded the PROMISE Scholarship an applicant must
meet all applicable eligibility requirements by the established
deadline.
1. Deadlines
The PROMISE application and FAFSA must be completed by March 1,
2021.
Applicants who miss the deadline may be eligible for a late
award to begin the following Spring term of the application year,
dependent upon availability of funding.
Students must apply for the scholarship within two years of
graduation from high school, unless the applicant entered the
United States armed services pursuant to Section 5 of the PROMISE
Scholarship Program Rule 
.
Only full-time, first-year students may receive initial awards.
Students already enrolled at a higher education institution are not
eligible to apply except as outlined under Section 2.1.7.1 of the
PROMISE
Scholarship Program Rule .
2. Application
The deadline to apply for the Promise Scholarship is March 1,
2021.
To apply, visit
You must create a West Virginia Student Aid Management (WVSAM)
Account to submit your application.
3. Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
All applicants must submit a completed 2021-22 FAFSA by the
March 1, 2021 deadline to be eligible.
- A student's FAFSA must meet the conditions for processing by
the March 1 deadline.
4. Residency Requirements
A student must have resided in West Virginia continuously for
twelve consecutive months preceding the PROMISE Scholarship
deadline, unless member of armed services or a military dependent
under Section 6 of the PROMISE
Scholarship Program Rule .
5. Academic Requirements
Must complete high school graduation requirements at a West
Virginia public or private high school.
Must complete at least one half of credits required for high
school graduation through attendance at a public or private high
school in the state of West Virginia.
Must achieve a cumulative grade point average of at least a 3.0
on a 4.0 scale or whatever is considered a "B" average, based on
county board grading policies, in both core courses AND overall
coursework required for graduation by the West Virginia Department
of Education.
-
Students attending private high schools must submit a grade report form to
qualify. Private high school officials must verify grades were
maintained through the final semester. Public School students
DO NOT submit grade report forms, unless
requested.
-
The Core grade point average is determined based on the grades
in all core courses a student completes on the core class listing,
not just those required for graduation. Click here
for a complete list of high school course requirements.
-
Students using final grades to meet their eligibility are
responsible for having their school send a grade report form and
official transcript to our office, for consideration.
-
Applicants may qualify with sixth or seventh semester grades but
must maintain the grade point average requirement through the
eighth semester or the scholarship will be revoked.
-
If a student does not have a qualifying sixth or seventh
semester grade point average, they must apply and have a completed
FAFSA submitted by the March 1 deadline to be considered.
-
Grade point average calculations must be determined by a high
school counselor or school official.
-
Weighted grades may be used based on county board grading
policy.
Dual credit and other college coursework.
-
Students can take unlimited amount dual credit coursework prior
to college enrollment and still be eligible for award.
-
College coursework taken in high school will count towards
initial eligibility.
-
All college credits (including dual credit coursework) will be
counted in the cumulative GPA calculation in determining PROMISE
Scholarship renewal eligibility, regardless of whether the college
accepts these credits.
-
Credit hours earned prior to the first fall semester of
enrollment may not be counted toward the credit hour requirement in
determining eligibility for award renewal. See the PROMISE renewal
requirements tab for more information on maintaining scholarship
eligibility.
Must complete the minimum core class requirements for the
complete core class listing. List of
Core Course Requirements.
6. Minimum Test Score Requirements
>>See message above about important changes
due to COVID-19<<
Must meet standardized test score criteria on ACT or SAT
national test by the July test date for ACT and June test date for
the SAT of the application year.
-
ACT Score requirement: 22 composite score with a minimum of 20
in English, Mathematics, Science, and Reading.
-
SAT Score requirement:
- Total score 1100.
- Math 520.
- Evidence Based Reading and
Writing 530.
- The SAT writing portion is not included in the calculation of
the composite score.
Scores must be from a single testing date and cannot be combined
from multiple test administrations.
Students must submit an application and FAFSA by deadline, even
if they have not met the required testing scores by the March 1
deadline.
Last test dates to qualify for PROMISE
7. Additional Requirements for students not graduating from a
West Virginia public or private high school.
Homeschooled Applicants
Homeschooled applicants must achieve a cumulative grade point
average of at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or whatever is considered
a "B" average in both core courses AND overall coursework required
for graduation.
- Homeschooled applicants must submit a homeschooled grade report
form and a transcript to qualify.
Click here to find the home-schooled grade report form.
- The Core grade point average is determined based on the grades
in all core courses a student completes on the core class listing,
not just those required for graduation.
Must complete the minimum core class requirements.
Click here for a complete list of high school core course
requirements.
Home school applicants must provide documentation of
home-schooled status from your county school board office.
Documentation must show that you were homeschooled during the 11th
and 12th grades.
Eligible Commuter Applicants Only
Eligible commuters must submit a grade report form and
transcript to qualify. Grade Report Forms can be found under forms
and must be submitted by a high school counselor or school
official.
Eligible commuters must provide documentation from a high school
counselor or school official that you commuted on a daily basis to
an out of state high school.
If you are taking the ACT/SAT in a state other than West
Virginia, an official score must be sent to our office.
-
To report your official scores to our office use ACT Code:
4539
ACT Residual Test Scores are NOT permitted for the class of
2021.
-
To report your official scores to our office use SAT Code:
3456
Military Dependents/ Armed Services Members Only
Provide documentation of military status.
Military dependent applicants must submit a grade report form
and official transcript to qualify. Grade Report Forms can be found
at
https://secure.cfwv.com/Financial_Aid_Planning/Scholarships/Promise/Forms.aspx
and must be submitted by a high school counselor or school
official.
Military dependent/ Armed Services Member applicants must submit
verification of maintaining legal residence in West Virginia while
serving in the United States armed forces while the student
attended high school.
If you are taking the ACT/SAT in a state other than West
Virginia, an official score must be sent to our office.
-
ACT code: 4539
-
SAT code: 3456
Frequently
Asked Questions