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Scholarship FAQs

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Applying for Scholarships

Receiving Scholarships

Other Financial Aid and Institutional Scholarships

Summer School

Related Resources

Promise Scholarship for Residents of WV

Maintaining Scholarships


Applying for Scholarships

What scholarships are available?

There are multiple scholarship opportunities for students — from WVU (institutional), departments from within the University (departmental), and from sources outside the University. See our Scholarships webpage for a full breakdown of scholarships. Some scholarships students are automatically reviewed for after they are admitted, and other scholarships may require students to submit an application.

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How do I apply for WVU scholarships?

Applying for scholarships depends on the type. For most institutional scholarships, no separate application is required. Students are automatically considered for eligibility if they are admitted by the required deadlines listed for the scholarship. Please note that for scholarships that list grade point average (GPA) and test score requirements, both criteria must be met.

Some scholarships — such as departmental, Leadership, Diversity, and Dependent Employee - do require additional information. In most cases, students receiving in-state tuition rates through equivalency are not elgibible for merit scholarships — including, but not limited to, programs such as Ohio Reciprocity.

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How do I submit my GPA for institutional scholarships?

Incoming First-Time Freshmen

  • Your high school GPA used to determine scholarship eligibility is based on information from your official high school transcript submitted with your admission application. If self-reporting courses and grades on either the Common Application or the WVU application, the GPA will be updated upon receipt of the official transcript — which is required if you self-report grades. This update may impact eligibility for scholarships for the value of the award.
  • The most recent overall/cumulative GPA on your official transcript or self-reported at the time of application is used when determining initial scholarship eligibility.
  • WVU does not recalculate the GPA and will utilize a weighted GPA if it is provided on your official transcript. Percentage scales, including international transcripts, are converted to a 4.0 scale using the WVU Admissions GPA calculator.
  • High school GPAs are not automatically updated by WVU Undergraduate Admissions upon receipt of any updated transcript, including mid-year transcripts, unless a request is made by submitting the GPA Update Request Form.

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Incoming First-Time Transfer Undergraduate

  • Your transfer grade point average (GPA) used to assess scholarship eligibility is determined by WVU Undergraduate Admissions and is based on an overall GPA that includes all institutions attended.
  • Scholarships may be adjusted or canceled as additional transcripts are evaluated by WVU Undergraduate Admissions, based on the updated transfer GPA.

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What test scores determine my eligibility for institutional scholarships?

  • WVU provides institutional scholarships for applicants who submit test scores as well as those who choose test optional. Submit your ACT or SAT scores to WVU Undergraduate Admissions. Only official test scores submitted by the testing agency are accepted. Self-reported scores reported on the Common App (for admission) are not accepted.
  • Not all institutional scholarships require test scores. For scholarships that list GPA and test score, both criteria must be met.
  • WVU “Super Scores” for scholarship consideration, so be sure to submit all scores. Please note that super scores are obtained from multiple submissions of the ACT or multiple submissions of the SAT — not a crossover of ACT and SAT.

Please be mindful of institutional scholarship deadlines and processing times when submitting test scores. Scores may take 2-3 weeks to receive and process.

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Will I be considered for a scholarship or increase to my scholarship if I have an increased GPA or test scores?

  • Students who have an increased GPA or ACT/SAT score may submit that information to WVU Undergraduate Admissions.
  • High school GPAs are not automatically updated by WVU Undergraduate Admissions upon receipt of any updated transcript –including mid-year transcripts—unless a request is made by submitting the GPA Update Request Form.
  • Submit your ACT or SAT scores to WVU Undergraduate Admissions . Only official test scores submitting by the testing agency are accepted.
  • Please be mindful of institutional scholarship deadlines and processing times when submitting test scores. Updated scores and transcripts may take 2-3 weeks to receive and process. Students can see updates to their scholarship amounts online through the Financial Aid Information via their WVU Portal after the new information is processed by Undergraduate Admissions.

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What are the deadlines?

Admission deadlines and deadlines to submit updated information for institutional scholarship consideration vary. Deadlines for scholarships that require an application also vary. For institutional scholarships, please pay careful attention when reviewing the information for each scholarship on our website. For other scholarships, check with the department or scholarship provider. WVU must receive the information by the deadline for consideration.

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Is my institutional scholarship offer guaranteed?

Most institutional scholarships are offered to incoming students automatically upon admission. However, the offer is estimated and not guaranteed. The offer could change as more information becomes available. Examples of changes that could affect your scholarships include, but are not limited to:

  • Submitting an updated high school transcript that reflects a different GPA than originally reported or self-reported on your admissions application.
  • Submitting transfer transcripts that have a lower overall GPA than what was previously submitted.
  • Submitting test scores after being admitted under a test-optional admissions application or additional scores that change your Super Score.
  • Changing into a different degree program or academic major.

For continuing students, renewal of this scholarship is contingent upon meeting renewal requirements each year. Check out our Renewal Requirements webpage for more information.

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How do I write a thank you note for my institutional scholarship?

Scholarships are made possible by generous donors. You may provide a statement of thanks to the donor who made your scholarship possible. The process is fast and easy to do on the WVU Foundation Thank You website.

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Will I receive scholarships if I am in an online program of study?

WVU has programs that allow students to get their degree completely online. Incoming students majoring in a degree program offered by WVU Online are not eligible for institutional scholarships. Students beginning in on-campus majors will lose their institutional scholarship eligibility if they switch to an online program of study at any point.

Students who are in traditional, on-campus programs who are taking one or more classes online are not in an online program of study. This refers only to students in a degree program offered by WVU Online.

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For international students receiving full sponsorship from a government, corporation, or any other agency, scholarships will not disburse to you. Instead, we bill your sponsor a discounted tuition amount, if applicable.

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Receiving Scholarships

Can WVU scholarships be used in addition to other scholarships?

Please remember that financial aid cannot be more than the student's cost of attendance for financial aid purposes. If students have need-based financial aid (such as grants or a subsidized loan), those may be impacted by other "free money" such as scholarships. External scholarships can be used in addition to institutional scholarships as long as it doesn't put the student over their cost of attendance or impact their eligibility for need-based aid. The institution will defer to whatever will provide the best financial aid available to the student while following regulatory requirements. For example, if a student could be eligible for a $3,000 scholarship if a $2,000 grant is canceled — and there are rules preventing the student from receiving both — the grant will be canceled so the student can have as much free funding as allowable.

See below for information on "stacking" institutional, college, and/or Promise scholarships.

Institutional Scholarships

The following University scholarships may not be combined with each other:

  • Foundation Scholarship
  • Bucklew Scholarship
  • University Merit Scholarship
  • Climb Higher Scholarship
  • Scholarship of Distinction
  • Distinguished Achievement Scholarship
  • Go First Scholarship
  • Building Toward Success Scholarship
  • Transfer Scholarship
  • International Scholarship

If a student is eligible for more than one of these scholarships, or more than one level of a scholarship, the student will be offered the one scholarship with the highest dollar value.

Innovators Scholarship

WVU partners with certain colleges on the Morgantown campus to offer an additional scholarship within their certain academic programs. These are offered to students automatically based on their admissions application and are within an academic major offered by one of the following Morgantown colleges:

  • Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design
  • Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
  • Chambers College of Business and Economics
  • Reed College of Media

Departmental or College Scholarships

Students may also apply for departmental/college scholarships through their program of study. Students may find information about these scholarships by visiting our Departmental or College Scholarships webpage.

Promise Scholarship for WV Residents

For using institutional scholarships in combination with the WV Promise Scholarship, see our Promise FAQs webpage.

Note: If you have financial aid that applies directly to a charge, you cannot have financial aid that exceeds that. For example, if you have aid programs — such as Promise and the HSTA Waiver — that must be paid directly to University tuition and fees, the combined total of the two cannot exceed your tuition and fee charges.

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When do institutional scholarship offers begin?

For first-time freshmen, scholarship offers are made on an ongoing basis beginning approximately in December for the upcoming academic year.  For first-time transfers, scholarship offers usually begin in March. 

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What if I am eligible for the same amounts for the Go First Scholarship and the Scholarship of Distinction?

If upon initial review of scholarship eligibility, the student is eligible for the same amount in the Go First Scholarship and the Scholarship of Distinction, Scholarship of Distinction will be offered. If new test scores or GPA information is received, the student's scholarship offer will only be adjusted if the new information makes them eligible for an increased award. That adjustment could include changing the offered scholarship from the Go First Scholarship to the Scholarship of Distinction or vice versa.

When and what steps do I take to accept my aid offer?

After you receive your aid and/or scholarship offer, you will need to accept or decline your aid. Accepting aid is not a commitment to attend WVU, and you can always decline previously accepted aid later! See our Accept or Decline Aid webpage for instructions.

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Is my institutional scholarship offer for the full year?

Your scholarship offer is for the fall and spring semesters of the academic year. This means that your disbursement of money will occur in increments of 50% for the fall semester and 50% for the spring semester.

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Does accepting a scholarship mean I’ve committed to attend WVU?

Accepting scholarships is non-binding and is not a commitment to attend WVU, and you can always decline previously accepted aid later! See our Accept or Decline Aid webpage for instructions.

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What happens to my scholarship if I change campuses within the WVU System?

Morgantown, Beckley, and Keyser each have their own scholarship values that differ based on the campus. For scholarships that are portable to the other WVU campuses, the amounts will be adjusted based on the amounts for that campus.

Portable scholarships include:

  • Climb Higher Scholarship
  • Scholarship of Distinction
  • Go First Scholarship
  • Transfer Scholarship
  • Leadership Scholarship
  • Building Toward Success Scholarship
  • Diversity Scholarship

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What if I have an Innovators Scholarship and I change my major?

WVU has agreed to partner with certain colleges on the Morgantown campus to offer additional scholarships within their academic programs. Innovators scholarships require you to remain within a major offered by that college to remain eligible. Innovators scholarship colleges include:

  • Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resource and Design
  • Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
  • Chambers College of Business and Economics
  • Reed College of Media

If you change your major to enroll in a college not listed above, the Innovators Scholarship will be canceled.

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What if I have a Dean’s Scholarship and I change my major?

WVU has agreed to partner with certain colleges on the Morgantown campus to offer additional scholarships within their academic programs. Dean’s scholarships require you to remain within a major offered by that college. Dean’s scholarship colleges include:

  • Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resource and Design
  • Chambers College of Business and Economics
  • Reed College of Media

For students who entered in the fall 2018 semester or later, if you change your major to another college listed above, you may be awarded a similar scholarship in that college. If you change your major to a college not listed above, the Dean’s scholarship will be canceled. As of fall 2024, these scholarships will no longer be offered.

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What if I have an engineering excellence scholarship and I change my major?

The Engineering Excellence Scholarship requires you to remain in an academic major offered by the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources on the Morgantown campus. If you change your major to something outside of the Statler College, your Engineering Excellence Scholarship will be canceled. As of fall 2024, these scholarships will no longer be offered.

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What happens to my institutional scholarship if I am a non-resident but then I receive in-state tuition rates?

If you qualify for residency reclassification after a scholarship offer has been made — or you are switched from paying non-resident to resident tuition and fees — the original aid offer will no longer be valid. The change in tuition and fees is a big reduction in your educational costs. You will be re-evaluated to determine aid eligibility.

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Other Financial Aid and Institutional Scholarships

I've been offered scholarships. Do I still need to submit a FAFSA?

The short answer is that you probably should. You never know what else you may be eligible to receive! Also, some state, institutional, and/or external scholarships or grants may require a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file. Submit your FAFSA via the Federal Student Aid website.

Visit our Preparing for the FAFSA webpage for information on how to get started.

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Can other financial aid impact my institutional scholarship?

Maybe! Please remember that financial aid cannot be more than the student's cost of attendance for financial aid purposes. If students have need-based financial aid (such as grants or a subsidized loan), those may be impacted by other "free money" such as scholarships. External scholarships can be used in addition to institutional scholarships as long as it doesn't put the student over their cost of attendance or impact their eligibility for need-based aid.

The institution will defer to whatever will provide the best financial aid available to the student while following regulatory requirements. For example, if a student could be eligible for a $3,000 scholarship if a $2,000 grant is canceled — and there are rules preventing the student from receiving both — the grant will be canceled so the student can have as much free funding as allowable.

See Can WVU scholarships be used in addition to other scholarships? above for information on "stacking" institutional and college scholarships.

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Are there other scholarships available outside of institutional scholarships?

Yes! There are multiple scholarships — from your department, external resources, for dependents of employees, and more. See our Scholarships webpage for options.

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Summer School

Can I use my institutional scholarship or Promise Scholarship for summer school?

In most cases, merit awards offered by the institution are not available for summer sessions — although there are a few exceptions.

  • Students who are graduating early may request to use their scholarships in the summer if they are graduating in the current summer or upcoming fall semester and are enrolled in at least six credit hours.
  • Students in majors that are structured as 3-year bachelor’s degree programs may request to use their scholarships in summers they will be enrolled full-time. This does not include students attempting to graduate early by optionally taking summer classes.
  • Students meeting these criteria who wish to utilize a semester of their scholarship in summer must submit the appropriate Scholarship Exception Request form for review at least three weeks prior to the start of the summer session. Requests are reviewed on an individual basis, and approval is not guaranteed. More information is available on our Scholarship Exception Requests webpage.
  • Students must be meeting renewal requirements after the conclusion of the fall and spring semesters to be eligible for summer scholarship consideration. Students cannot use the summer semester to meet renewal requirements and receive their scholarships.

Promise scholars may be able to use Promise for summer if renewal requirements have been met as of the end of the spring semester. Visit our Summer Promise webpage for more information.

For more on overall summer financial aid, visit the Summer Financial Aid section of our website.

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Promise Scholarship for Residents of WV

See our Promise FAQs webpage.


Maintaining Scholarships

See our Renewal Requirements for information on maintaining scholarships from one aid year to the next, including enrollment requirements for disbursement, minimum earned credit hour and GPA requirements, deferment, leave of absence, impact of repeated coursework or withdrawing, and appeal options.

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