College Foundation of West Virginia (CFWV)

For a student to retain or have the PROMISE award renewed each year, the student must:

• Be continuously enrolled as a full-time student.
• Maintain a 2.75 grade point average on a 4.0 scale the first year and a 3.0 cumulative grade point average in subsequent years.
• Complete and earn a minimum of 30 credit hours in each 12 month period.

Scholars are not required to reapply to the scholarship yearly. Scholarships are automatically renewed if students meet the renewal requirements at the end of a year of enrollment. Scholars may use subsequent summer sessions at their own expense to meet the requirements for renewal.

Eligibility for renewal is determined by the scholar's institution at the end of a year of scholarship utilization, based on first-time semester enrollment. For example: Scholars enrolling in their first semester of college during the fall semester will have the fall, spring, and summer semesters to meet the renewal requirements. Scholars enrolling in their first semester of college during the spring semester are considered "off track" and will have the spring, summer and fall semesters to meet renewal requirements.

Terms of Eligibility

A student seeking an associate degree is eligible to receive a PROMISE Scholarship for no more than four total semesters of a two-year degree program. Associate degree students must maintain the cumulative 3.0 required of students enrolled in baccalaureate programs.

A student seeking a bachelor's degree is eligible to receive a PROMISE Scholarship for no more than eight semesters of a four-year degree program.

Summer Credits

If a student enrolls in summer school to attain the minimum 30 credit hours required, or achieve the grade point average required, he or she shall not receive a PROMISE scholarship for that summer school enrollment. Such summer school enrollments must be completed before the commencement of a regular semester at the PROMISE eligible institution the student regularly attends. Summer school credits may be obtained from an out-of-state institution, with approval of the home institution.

Credits included/excluded from the cumulative GPA calculation

College credits earned prior to the first semester of enrollment are not considered when determining the student's eligibility for renewal of the scholarship.

All college credit hours and corresponding grades beginning with the first semester of regular enrollment (fall or spring semester following graduation from high school) must be counted in determining PROMISE Scholarship eligibility, regardless of whether or not the college accepts these credits.

Credit for a course taken again during the same award year, including the summer, to improve a grade, or for any other purpose, will only be counted once towards meeting the hours requirement.

Frequently Asked Questions