Families Can Still Apply for Some Funding Throughout the Year

State Treasurer Larry Pack, who serves as Chairman of the Hope Scholarship Board, today announced nearly 15,000 students will receive full funding for the Hope Scholarship for the 2025-2026 academic year. This is an increase from the 10,750 students who received some level of funding from the previous year. The Hope Scholarship will open to all school-age children residing in West Virginia beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year.

“It is tremendous that we continue to see exponential growth year after year with more parents taking full advantage of the Hope Scholarship program,” Treasurer Pack said. “We believe this growth will continue as the program goes fully universal in the 2026-2027 school year. My Office stands by to ensure we meet the needs of those families by running an efficient program. At the end of the day, this is all about empowering parents and students to find the education that fits their unique needs.”

A student application submitted within the following dates will receive the associated level of Hope Scholarship funding:

·      June 16-Sept. 15: 75% of Hope Scholarship annual award amount.

·      Sept. 16-Nov. 30: 50% of Hope Scholarship annual award amount.

·      Dec. 1-Feb. 28: 25% of Hope Scholarship annual award amount.

“If you missed the June 15 deadline, we encourage parents or families to still apply for associated levels of funding. We will continue to take applications year-round to meet the needs of our Hope families,” Treasurer Pack said.

The Hope Scholarship award amount varies each school year depending on the amount of state aid funding per pupil provided to county boards of education for public school students. The scholarship amount for the 2025-2026 school year is $5,267.38. 

Program participation grew from 2,333 students during the 2022-2023 school year to and now over 10,000 students in the 2024-2025 school year. The Treasurer’s Office expects nearly 19,000 students will take part this upcoming school year. 

To qualify for the Hope Scholarship, a student must be a West Virginia resident and be either:

·      Eligible to be enrolled in a kindergarten program.

·      Enrolled full-time in a public elementary or secondary school program in this state for the entire instructional term during the current academic year immediately preceding the academic year for which the student is applying to participate in the Hope Scholarship Program.

·      Or, enrolled full-time and attending a public elementary or secondary school program in this state for at least 45 calendar days during an instructional term at the time of application and remain enrolled and attending public school until a decision is reached on the student’s Hope Scholarship application.

In addition to filling out the application, state law also requires participating families to fill out a notice of intent to participate in the program with their local county superintendent. A sample template for that notice as well as Frequently Asked Questions regarding the notice are also available online at the program’s website. 

Families are reminded to notify he Hope Scholarship Board via email at hopescholarshipwv@wvsto.gov if they are awarded the Hope Scholarship for 2025-2026 but ultimately decide to remain in public school.

For more information on the Hope Scholarship, visit www.HopeScholarshipWV.com.