WVU Pledge Scholarship
- General Information
- Eligible Students
- Are WVU Online students eligible?
- Do students need to apply for this scholarship?
- What if a student is admitted late or is awarded the Promise Scholarship late?
- What costs will be covered?
- What billable charges are not covered?
- What is a standard amount for housing and food?
- Do recipients of the WVU Pledge have to select the standard options for housing and food?
- Do eligible students’ courses have to be degree-pursuant?
- Is the WVU Pledge renewable?
- Do students need an SAI of -1500 for renewal?
- Can the scholarship offer change?
- How can students submit the FAFSA?
- Will this be offered to freshmen in future years?
General Information
The WVU Pledge is a scholarship program for WV residents. Current scholarship information and values pertain to incoming freshmen for fall 2024 and is not retroactive to previous classes or currently enrolled students. Students entering WVU prior to the fall 2023 semester are not eligible. Future students for fall 2025 and beyond may also have different criteria or values.
The scholarship is for WV residents receiving the Promise Scholarship who have a Student Aid Index (SAI) of -1500 and completed their housing selection to live in a residence hall. It covers full University Tuition, University Fees, and College Tuition, plus a standard amount for a double occupancy residence hall room and meal plan.
Eligible Students
First-time recipients must meet all of the following criteria to be considered for a 2024-2025 Pledge Scholarship.
- Be a WV resident and an incoming first-time freshmen for the fall 2024 semester
- Have submitted their 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the September 1, 2024 Promise application deadline
- Have an SAI of -1500 as derived from the FAFSA
- Be admitted to the Morgantown, Beckley, or Keyser campus by June 1
- Be a Promise Scholarship recipient by September 1
- Live in a WVU residence hall during each semester the scholarship is received. Please note that living in University Apartments does not fulfill this criteria.
If you are a current recipient of the WVU Pledge Scholarship, please refer to the Is the WVU Pledge renewable? section for details on renewing the WVU Pledge Scholarship for the 2024-2025 aid year.
Are WVU Online students eligible?
No. As with other institutional scholarships, WVU Online students are not eligible. This scholarship is available for students attending the Morgantown, Beckley, and Keyser campuses.
Do students need to apply for this scholarship?
No. Students will automatically be reviewed based on their WVU admission, housing, and FAFSA information.
What if a student is awarded the Promise Scholarship late?
The student must be awarded the WV Promise Scholarship from the WV Higher Education Policy Commission by September 1. If awarded the Promise Scholarship after September 1, the student is not eligible to receive the WVU Pledge Scholarship.
What costs will be covered?
This is a last-dollar-in program, meaning the dollar amount of the scholarship will be determined by how much the student owes for specific billable charges after programs like the Federal Pell Grant, the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), the West Virginia Higher Education Grant, the WV Promise Scholarship, and other institutional scholarships pay toward their account. The billable charges that will be used to determine this dollar amount are University Tuition, University Fees, College Tuition — plus a standard amount for a double occupancy residence hall room and meal plan.
What billable charges are not covered?
Costs that are program-specific and/or are charged in addition to standard University fees are not covered. This would include charges such as lab fees, music lesson fees, Online Learning Student Support fees, New Student Orientation fee, materials and instruments, computer costs, and student health insurance.
What is a standard amount for housing and food?
For all campuses, the estimated 2024-2025 standard room and meals would cover a standard amount for up to double occupancy residence hall room and meal plan.
- Morgantown: $6,808 for housing and $6,080 for the Go Anytime meal plan.
- Keyser: $4,658 for housing and $5,766 for PSC 21 meal plan.
- Beckley: $7,116 for housing and $5,360 for WVU IT 21 meal plan.
Do recipients of the WVU Pledge have to select the standard options for housing and food?
No. However, if the scholarship recipient chooses a housing or dining plan that exceeds the cost of the University standard plans, the scholarship will cover up to the value of the standard plan. The student would be responsible for the remaining difference with another form of payment. If the scholarship recipient chooses a housing or dining plan that is less than the standard amount, the scholarship will be reduced to match actual charges.
Do eligible students’ courses have to be degree-pursuant?
Yes. Because Promise eligibility is a condition of this scholarship, and Promise requires full-time degree-pursuant coursework, students must meet those requirements to receive WVU Pledge Scholarship. Exceptions would only be made in situations where students are not required to be full-time for Promise, such as their last two semesters of eligibility.
Is the WVU Pledge renewable?
Yes. Students receiving the WVU Pledge must meet the following criteria to continue to be eligible for this scholarship for the upcoming aid year:
- Meet the Promise Scholarship renewal criteria,
- Live on campus in a residence hall,
- Submit a valid FAFSA by the priority deadline for the upcoming aid year and be eligible for the Federal Pell Grant,
- Have remaining eligible costs not covered by other aid, as defined by last-dollar-in criteria.
Please note the renewal FAFSA submission deadline for continuing recipients is earlier than the standard March 1 priority deadline.
Do students need an SAI of -1500 for future years' renewal?
No. Students only need to remain eligible for the Federal Pell Grant.
Can the scholarship offer change?
Yes. WVU Pledge is a last-dollar-in program, meaning the dollar amount of the scholarship for each student will be determined by how much the student owes for specific billable charges after programs like the Federal Pell Grant, the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), the West Virginia Higher Education Grant, the West Virginia Promise Scholarship, and other institutional scholarships pay toward their account. Therefore, the WVU Pledge Scholarship may be adjusted should additional financial assistance be received.
How can students submit the FAFSA?
The FAFSA can be completed online via the Federal Student Aid website. To be eligible for Pledge, incoming freshman must complete the 2024-2025 FAFSA by the September 1, 2024 deadline required for Promise. To renew the WVU Pledge for the 2024-2025 academic year, current Pledge recipients should submit a valid 2024-2025 FAFSA by September 1, 2024.
Will this be offered to freshmen in future years?
Fall 2023 recipients will be eligible to renew for future academic years.