New Students

When can I apply?

The Hope Scholarship Board is closed to new applications for the 2025–2026 school year. The last day to apply was February 28, 2026. If you are interested in participating in the Hope Scholarship Program, please apply for the 2026–2027 school year.

2026-2027 School Year

Existing Hope Scholarship students wishing to continue participation in the program for the 2026-2027 year will be able to complete the continued participation confirmation process from January 5, 2026 to June 15, 2026. Applications for new students will open on March 2, 2026. The Hope Scholarship Board will accept applications year-round, but the timing of submission of the original application for the program will determine the amount of the Hope Scholarship received for the student’s initial year of participation in the program. The application windows for 2026-2027 and the corresponding funding amounts are outlined in the chart below:

Application Window
Funding Amount
Mar 2, 2026 – Jun 15, 2026
100% of Scholarship
Jun 16, 2026 – Sep 15, 2026
75% of Scholarship
Sep 16, 2026 – Nov 30, 2026
50% of Scholarship
Dec 1, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027
25% of Scholarship
After Feb 28, 2027
No funding for 2026-27 but can apply for 2027-28 year.

 

ELIGIBILITY

To qualify for the Hope Scholarship for the 2026-27 academic year as a NEW applicant, a student must meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • The student must be eligible to be enrolled in a West Virginia public school in grades K-12.
  • For incoming kindergarten students, the student must be at least five years old prior to July 1.
  • The student cannot have already successfully completed a secondary education program.
  • The student must be under 21 years of age.

If you are a current Hope Scholarship recipient, you must renew your application annually. Click here for more information.