West Virginia PROMISE Scholarship

PROMISE is West Virginia's merit scholarship for students who graduate from a West Virginia high school and attend an eligible public or independent two-year or four-year college in the state. It pays the lesser of $5,500 a year or the cost of tuition and mandatory fees, with the maximum set annually by the Higher Education Policy Commission and dependent on legislative funding. For the class of 2027, applicants need at least a 3.0 GPA and an ACT composite of 21 or SAT total of 1080, earned by the July ACT or June SAT test date. The student and the parent on the FAFSA must have lived in West Virginia for 12 months before the deadline, and at least half of high school credits must come from a West Virginia school. Only full-time first-year students can receive an initial award. To renew, scholars need a 2.75 cumulative GPA, 30 earned credits per year and continuous full-time enrollment. Awards last up to eight semesters for a bachelor's degree and must be used within six years.