Service Requirement

The post-enrollment service requirement for the WV STEM Scholarship begins after you are no longer enrolled at least half time at any institution. While you are enrolled at an institution at least half time (even if no longer receiving a WV STEM Scholarship award), you will not start verifying your employment but will need to be placed in an in-school deferment. If enrolled at least half time, you may need to complete the WV STEM Enrollment Verification Form.

All recipients will first enter a twelve-month grace period. During the grace period, we will request you complete an exit interview. Then we will send an e-mail requesting you complete a WV STEM Employment Verification Form and submit a letter from your employer confirming your full-time employment in an approved STEM occupation in West Virginia. It is your responsibility to submit the appropriate forms in a timely manner to meet your obligation or else you will enter repayment. If you enter employment in an approved STEM occupations before we contact you, you may go ahead and complete the WV STEM Employment Verification Form and submit.

We will verify your employment and place your scholarship/loan obligation in deferment until you have completed one year of employment. After successful verification of one year of employment, we will cancel one year of your scholarship/loan obligation and defer until you would need to submit documentation again. You will need to work in an approved STEM field in WV for one year for each year that the scholarship is received. It is important you keep your contact information up to date, so you receive all our communications.

In addition to the completed WV STEM Employment Verification Form you will need to submit a letter from your employer, on letterhead, confirming your full-time employment in an approved STEM field in West Virginia.  You can securely upload the documentation through your WVSAM account.

If you receive a billing statement from Heartland ECSI, your scholarship has converted to a loan. If you are enrolled at least half time or employed in an eligible STEM field in West Virginia, do not pay the bill yet, but immediately contact our office at wvstem@wvhepc.edu or 304-558-4618 so your records may be reviewed to determine if you can still submit documentation to fulfill your obligation or must pay back the funds.

It is possible there was an issue with your documentation, and we may need additional or different documents. Contact our office at wvstem@wvhepc.edu or 304-558-4618 to find out what is still required from you.

Your account at Heartland ECSI will enter repayment twelve- months after you dropped below half-time status, did not re-enroll or graduated. One month after the grace period ends, your first payment is due.

You must pay back your scholarship/loan, plus interest and fees, if you are not employed in an approved STEM field in West Virginia or after you are no longer enrolled at least half time. This is true no matter what your circumstances – even if you don’t finish school or your education doesn’t meet your expectations. If you are employed in an approved STEM field in West Virginia, you should not have to pay it back if you provide the employment documentation in a timely manner, regardless of whether you finished your program or not.

Heartland ECSI will send you communications about repayment. You may also set up an online account at https://heartland.ecsi.net/.