Leadership Scholarships
The Leadership Scholarship application is usually available in October for the upcoming academic year. The deadline to apply for the Leadership Scholarship for the current 2024-2025 academic year has passed.
In recognition of outstanding achievement, West Virginia University provides a scholarship to incoming first-time freshmen who have achieved the highest levels of honor or leadership within certain nationally acclaimed organizations.
The Leadership Scholarship is valued at $500 per academic year (fall and spring).
For consideration for other financial aid such as grants, scholarships, Federal Work-Study, and federal loans, please submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Visit our Completing the FAFSA webpage for additional information.
Requirements
Funding for this scholarship is limited and will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Students should take action to meet the requirements as early as possible.
- For consideration, students must be a degree-seeking incoming freshmen who have a high school GPA of at least 3.0.
- Students must submit verification (i.e. certificate or letter of proof) showing they have achieved the recognized honor from one of the listed organizations to the WVU Hub. The information may be scanned and submitted online. Please include the student name and WVU ID number with the information sent.
- The deadline for consideration is August 1 for the upcoming academic year.
- Starting with the fall 2019 semester, students may receive this scholarship while attending WVU at Beckley, Keyser, or Morgantown.
- Students must be enrolled full-time to receive this scholarship.
- The Leadership Scholarship may usually be used in addition to other WVU-offered scholarships.
- Students who are pursuing an online program are not eligible for this or other institutional scholarships. Students who are incoming freshmen for the fall 2021 semester and beyond and are enrolled in an on-campus program who then enroll in an online program will lose their institutional scholarship. Please note that in order for a program to be considered an online program, it must be administered entirely online. Registering for an online course will not impact your institutional scholarships.
- Students may renew the scholarship for future academic years by maintaining a minimum overall GPA of 2.75 and earning at least 30 credit hours each academic year. See our Renewal Requirements page for additional important information such as how repeated coursework can impact renewal.
- Students enrolled in a first associate degree program may receive this scholarship up to a maximum of 4 semesters, or until completion of a first associate degree, whichever comes first. Once admitted into a bachelor's degree program, they may receive any remaining semesters up to a total of 8 semesters, or until completion of a first bachelor's degree, whichever comes first.
Eligible Organizations
- Boy Scouts of America: Eagle Scout Rank
- Girl Scouts of the USA: Gold Award
- 4-H: Selected by home state to attend the National 4-H Conference, be a delegate at the National 4-H Congress, or received a charting pin in West Virginia.
- Civil Air Patrol: Amelia Earhart Award
- Boys and Girls Nation: Be selected and attend
- American Heritage Girls and Boy Scouts of America Venturing: Stars & Stripes Award
- DECA: Be president of the high school’s chapter.
- Student Body President: Be president of the high school’s student body or student government association.
- Future Farmers of America (FFA): Must hold the State or American degree.