Applications Now Open For Hope Scholarship

Applications are now open for new families seeking to receive the Hope Scholarship for the 2024-2025 school year.

The online application process for new families in the program opened March 1, and the deadline to receive 100 percent of the funding for next school year is June 15. 

The Hope Scholarship Program is an education savings account program available for kindergarten through 12th grade students. 

Last year, the board received more than 6,300 applications during the initial enrollment period. 

Existing Hope Scholarship students are required to reapply each year, and the renewal application period for those students began in January. The deadline for existing Hope Scholarship students to submit renewal applications is also June 15. 

The scholarship amount for the 2024-25 school year will be $4,921.39.

In December, board members approved a new year-round application model that will allow families to apply for the program throughout the school year featuring prorated scholarship award amounts depending on when they apply.

Under this new timetable, a student application submitted within the following dates will receive the associated level of Hope Scholarship funding:

• March 1-June 15: 100 percent of Hope Scholarship annual award amount.
• June 16-Sept. 15: 75 percent of Hope Scholarship annual award amount.
• Sept. 16-Nov. 30: 50 percent of Hope Scholarship annual award amount.
• Dec. 1-Feb. 28: 25 percent of Hope Scholarship annual award amount.

“We’ve seen tremendous interest and participation in the Hope Scholarship over the past school year, and we’re excited to start the application process for new students for the upcoming year,” West Virginia Treasurer Riley Moore said. Moore is the chairman of the Hope Scholarship Board. 

“This will be the first full academic year to feature our year-round application and prorated funding model, which will offer greater access and flexibility for the program and the families who choose to participate in it,” he said.

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 (2023-2024) 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.

Applications are available online at www.HopeScholarshipWV.com.