Requirements

The Promise application and Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be completed by the March 1, 2025, deadline.

Applicants who miss the application deadline may be eligible for a late award to begin the following spring semester but will not qualify for the fall 2025 semester. Late awards are dependent upon availability of funding. Students must apply for the scholarship within two years of graduation from high school, unless the applicant entered the United States armed services pursuant to Section 5 of the Promise Scholarship Program Rule.

Only full-time, first-year students may receive initial awards. Students already enrolled at a higher education institution are not eligible to apply except as outlined under Section 2.1.7.1 of the Promise Scholarship Program Rule.

Learn more about how to apply HERE.

A student and parent or legal guardian must have resided in West Virginia continuously for twelve consecutive months preceding the Promise Scholarship deadline, unless the applicant or applicant’s parent or legal guardian is a member of armed services or a military dependent under Section 6 of the Promise Scholarship Program Rule.

Must complete high school graduation requirements at a West Virginia public or private high school.

Must complete at least one half of credits required for high school graduation through attendance at a public or private high school in the state of West Virginia.

• Limited exceptions are available for students from West Virginia who commute daily to an out-of-state public or private high school and who qualify as a military dependent under Section 6 of the Promise Scholarship Program Rule.

Must achieve a cumulative grade point average of at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or whatever is considered a “B” average, based on county board grading policies, in both core courses AND overall coursework required for graduation by the West Virginia Department of Education.

• Students attending private high schools must submit a Private High School Grade Verification Form to qualify. Private high school officials must verify grades were maintained through the final semester. Public School students DO NOT submit grade verification forms, unless requested.
• The Core grade point average is determined based on the grades in all core courses a student completes on the core class listing, not just those required for graduation. Click here for a complete list of high school course requirements.
• Students using final grades to meet their eligibility are responsible for having their school send a grade report form and official transcript to our office, for consideration.
• Applicants may qualify with sixth or seventh semester grades but must maintain the grade point average requirement through the eighth semester or the scholarship will be revoked.
• If a student does not have a qualifying sixth or seventh semester grade point average, they must apply and have a completed FAFSA submitted by the March 1 deadline to be considered.
• Grade point average calculations must be determined by a high school counselor or school official.
• Weighted grades may be used based on county board grading policy.

Dual credit and other college coursework.

• Students can take unlimited amount dual credit coursework prior to college enrollment and still be eligible for award.
• College coursework taken in high school will count towards initial eligibility.
• All college credits (including dual credit coursework) will be counted in the cumulative GPA calculation in determining Promise Scholarship renewal eligibility, regardless of whether the college accepts these credits.
• Credit hours earned prior to the first fall semester of enrollment may not be counted toward the credit hour requirement in determining eligibility for award renewal. See the Promise renewal requirements tab for more information on maintaining scholarship eligibility.

Must complete the minimum core class requirements for the complete core class listing. Click here for list of Core Course Requirements.

English – 4 credits
Mathematics – 4 credits
Social Sciences – 4 credits
Natural Sciences – 3 credits

The core GPA is to be calculated using ALL core courses on this listing, according to county/school grading policy. Dual credit courses will count toward the overall and core GPA (if applicable). The Promise Scholarship will permit students to use weighted grades if the county/school policy allows the usage of weighted grades.

List of Core Course Requirements

An applicant must meet all listed requirements for the ACT or SAT national test (including sub score requirements) by the July test date for the ACT or the June test date for the SAT. An applicant must qualify on either the ACT or SAT, not both. Students may not combine scores from different testing formats to qualify.

Minimum Test Score Requirements:

ACT Minimum Composite Score of 21 with a minimum of the following in each sub section:

• ACT English score – 19
• ACT Reading score – 19
• ACT Science score – 19
• ACT Math score – 19

OR

SAT Minimum Total Score of 1080 with a minimum of the following in each sub section:

• SAT Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing score – 510
• SAT Math score – 510

The minimum ACT composite score and minimum SAT total score requirements are higher than the minimum score required for the sub sections. Therefore, applicants must achieve higher than minimum subsection scores on some subsection tests to achieve the minimum composite/total score.

Those applying for 2025-26 may use a superscore to achieve the minimum standardized testing scores. Superscoring allows students to take their top score from sub sections of various ACT exams dates or SAT exams date and combine them for a higher overall score. Superscores will automatically be calculated based upon the individual test scores received by our office.

As of April 2025, ACT.org has changed its policy and the science subsection is not required on the ACT exam, but an eligible science sub score of 19 will remain a requirement for Promise eligibility. In addition, the composite reported on the Enhanced ACT and student’s ACT.org account is not reflective of an acceptable composite score for Promise eligibility, which must include the science sub score.

To qualify for Promise, an applicant must have a superscore composite that averages all four required sub sections – English, reading, science and math. The ACT Supescore Composite calculated and reported on the ACT website is not a true reflection of the composite score calculated for Promise. Your Promise Composite Superscore average is calculated by adding together your four highest sub scores in each section and dividing by four then rounding to the nearest whole number. Fractions less than one-half are rounded down; fractions one-half or more are rounded up.

Once an eligible score is achieved, applicants may self-report the score on their application. Official scores must be received from ACT or SAT for the eligibility status to change. Self-reporting is only used to help match the application to eligible test scores once official scores are received.

Students must submit an application and FAFSA by deadline, even if they have not met the required testing scores by the application deadline.

ACT – July 2025

• To report your official scores to our office use ACT Code: 4539
• Please send individual test scores not a superscore report when requesting official scores be sent to our office.

SAT – June 2025

• To report your official scores to our office use SAT Code: 3456

To have your official scores sent to our office use the following codes:

• ACT Code: 4539
• SAT Code: 3456

Homeschooled applicants must achieve a cumulative grade point average of at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or whatever is considered a “B” average in both core courses AND overall coursework required for graduation.

• Homeschooled applicants must submit a Grade Verification Form and a transcript to qualify. The form is first complete by the applicant then forwarded to the homeschool administrator.
• The core grade point average is determined based on the grades in all core courses a student completes on the core class listing, not just those required for graduation.

Must complete the minimum core class requirements. Click here for a complete list of high school core course requirements.

• English – 4 credits
• Mathematics – 4 credits
• Social Sciences – 4 credits
• Natural Sciences – 3 credits

Home school applicants must provide documentation of home school registration from your county school board office. Documentation must show you were registered as a homeschooler during the 11th and 12th grades.

Eligible commuters must submit a Grade Verification Form and transcript to qualify. Grade Verification Forms must first be completed by the applicant then completed by a high school counselor or school official.

Eligible commuters must provide documentation from a high school counselor or school official on letterhead that you commuted daily to an out of state high school and include your dates of admission and current address on record.

If you are taking the ACT/SAT in a state other than West Virginia, an official score must be sent to our office.

• To report your official scores to our office use ACT Code: 4539
• To report your official scores to our office use SAT Code: 3456

Provide documentation of military status.

Military dependent applicants must submit a Grade Verification Form and official transcript to qualify. Grade Verification Forms must first be completed by the applicant then completed by a high school counselor or school official.

Military dependent/Armed Services Member applicants must submit verification of maintaining legal residence in West Virginia while serving in the United States armed forces while the student attended high school.

If you are taking the ACT/SAT in a state other than West Virginia, an official score must be sent to our office.

• ACT code: 4539
• SAT code: 3456

Applicants must be a U.S. Citizen or eligible non-citizen.

A person who successfully completed an alternative educational program, such as the Mountaineer Challenge Academy, approved by the Director of State Financial Aid Programs, may qualify for a Promise award, but only if he or she has passed a state approved high school equivalency examination with a minimum score determined by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. All other requirements, including ACT/SAT test score requirement, must also be met to qualify.

A student passing a state approved high school equivalent examination under other exceptional circumstances may appeal for scholarship consideration.