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Types of Summer Financial Aid

Scholarships, Grants, and Waivers

Scholarships, grants, and Waivers are a type of financial aid that is not repaid and is considered gift aid.

Grants

Grants are offered based on financial need as determined by data students report on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Some grants also have a merit component.

Summer Federal Pell Grant

This grant is for undergraduate students only (those who have not earned a bachelor's degree). Visit our Summer Federal Pell Grant webpage for additional details.

Summer Federal TEACH Grant

Summer TEACH Grant is only available for students who have not used their full eligibility for TEACH. The amount is based on enrollment and will be adjusted if enrollment changes. Students must submit a FAFSA for 2025-2026 and the institutional TEACH Grant Application available on our Federal TEACH Grant webpage.

Scholarships

Scholarships are offered based on criteria such as merit, financial need, leadership, service, submission of an application, or various other criteria.

Institutional Scholarships

In most cases, merit awards offered by the institution are not available for summer sessions. Exceptions may be made for students graduating in summer or the upcoming fall. Should those criteria apply to you, you may submit the Part-Time Scholarship Appeal Request. In order to be eligible for a summer scholarship, students must be graduating in August or December and be meeting the renewal requirements at the conclusion of the spring semester.

Promise Scholarship

Promise scholars may be able to use Promise for summer if renewal requirements have been met as of the end of the spring semester. Visit our Summer Promise section for more information.

External or Private Scholarships

Students are encouraged to seek private scholarships from third parties to help fund educational expenses. Visit our External Scholarships webpage for tips on applying for scholarships as well as scholarship search engines.

Waivers

Waivers are a type of aid that "waives" a portion of a student's cost of attendance.

They may be awarded based on financial need, merit, submission of an application, or various other criteria. Students should contact the provider of the waiver to determine if it is applicable for summer. Visit our Waivers webpage for more information.

Loans

Loans are a type of financial aid that must be repaid - usually with interest, and is considered borrowed aid.

Important Information for Federal Loans

This information applies to Federal Direct Loans (Subsidized and Unsubsidized) and Federal Direct PLUS Loans.

  • Students must be making satisfactory academic progress for financial aid eligibility for federal aid - including federal loans.
  • Students must be enrolled at least half-time in federal aid-eligible courses for summer for federal loan consideration and loan disbursement.
  • An origination fee is retained by the federal government, so the offered amount and disbursed amount will differ. Please visit our Origination Fee webpage for more information and an origination fee calculator.
  • A borrower has 120 days to return any portion of a federal loan to the institution without being assessed any interest or fees by the federal government on the amount returned.

Federal Direct Loans

Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans

Subsidized loans are only a potential option for undergraduate students. Unsubsidized loans are a potential option for both undergraduate and graduate levels.

PLUS Loans (Application Required)

The parent PLUS loan is a credit-based loan option for parents of undergraduate dependent students.

  • Please read the Important Information for Federal Loans section above as that pertains to these loans.
  • Graduate-level students may consider applying for the graduate PLUS loan. For the graduate PLUS loan, the student is the borrower, not the parent.
  • A new application can be completed on the Federal Student Aid website. For summer 2026, the borrower must complete the application for the 2025-2026 financial aid year (for May 2026 through August 2026).
  • Approved borrowers may borrow up to the cost of attendance (budget) for summer, minus other financial aid.
  • If approved, the borrower will be notified to complete a PLUS Master Promissory Note (MPN) on the Federal Student Aid website. They may also need to complete PLUS counseling. Funds cannot disburse until the MPN has been received.
  • If the parent of a dependent undergraduate student applies and is denied, the student may be eligible for additional unsubsidized loan funding if they did not utilize their full eligibility during fall and spring.

Private Loan (Application Required)

It is highly recommended that students use all federal financial aid options before borrowing from private lenders.

  • Private loans are non-federal, credit-based educational loans offered by private lenders.
  • Apply for a private loan with a credit-worthy endorser/cosigner to ensure the best interest rate and terms.
  • Pay close attention to when the credit check will expire. Your summer courses must begin before the credit check expires to remain eligible for the loan.
  • Most private loans require at least half-time enrollment.
  • Depending on the lender, satisfactory academic progress for financial aid eligibility may also be required for the loan.
  • You have the right to select the private lender of your choice. Each lender has different eligibility requirements, interest rates, fees, and repayment terms. You can use the ELM Select private loan search tool to compare loan products from lenders students have used in the past.
  • There are also loans available from some state agencies that you may consider. Visit our Private Loans webpage for additional details.
  • Neither WVU nor the WVU Hub intends any specific endorsement of private lenders. Students are not limited to the loans listed on ELMSelect and may pursue private educational loans from lenders of their choosing.