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WVU Guarantee

Application Process

WVU Guarantee is open to undergraduate students across the WVU System who are West Virginia residents, have a family Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $65,000 or less and annually complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Incoming and current undergraduate students for the fall 2025 semester who meet the eligibility criteria by August 1, 2025 will be reviewed automatically based on their WVU admission and Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) information.

Eligibility

Students who meet all of the following criteria by the deadline will be automatically considered. Students must:

  • Be admitted as a WV resident
    • Non-resident students who change to in-state tuition rates (resident-equivalent) through programs such as Ohio Tuition Reciprocity or National Guard assessment, or who change to in-state tuition rates through any other program, are not eligible.

  • Be admitted as a degree-seeking undergraduate (associate or bachelor's degree) student for the fall 2025 semester
    • Have not earned a bachelor's, graduate, or professional degree
    • Students who have earned an associate degree must be pursuing a bachelor's degree to be eligible. A second associate degree is not eligible.

  • Be admitted to the Morgantown, Beckley, or Keyser campus (please note WVU Online students are not eligible)

  • Be enrolled full-time (at least 12 credit hours for undergraduate students) in degree-pursuant coursework each semester.

  • Have submitted a valid 2025-2026 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have a household Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $65,000 or less as reported on the tax year required for the FAFSA. A valid FAFSA means that any outstanding required corrections (such as missing required contributor information or missing high school information) and all outstanding requirements that prevent aid (such as verification requirements) must be completed by the August 1 deadline.
    • Dependent student eligibility will be based on the AGI of parent contributors required on the FAFSA. The student’s AGI will not be utilized
    • Independent student eligibility will be based on the AGI of the student and other contributor (spousal)

  • Have remaining applicable covered costs not covered by other scholarships and grants

  • Continuing students must be maintaining satisfactory academic progress for financial aid

Value

This is a last-dollar-in program, meaning the dollar amount will be determined by how much the student owes for University Tuition, University Fees, and College Tuition charges after scholarships and grants such as the Federal Pell Grant, the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), the West Virginia Higher Education Grant, the WV Promise Scholarship, other institutional scholarships (including departmental scholarships), and other external tuition-specific funding sources pay toward their University Tuition, University Fees, and College Tuition for the fall and spring semesters.

Billable costs that are program-specific and/or are charged in addition to standard University Tuition, University Fees, and College Tuition are not covered. This would include charges such as meal plans, residence halls, lab fees, music lesson fees, Online Learning Student Support fees, New Student Orientation fee, First Day Complete course materials program, textbooks, materials and instruments, computer costs, student health insurance, study abroad charges, and Mountaineer Athletics Advantage fee. However, other aid may be available to assist with these expenses. Submitting your FAFSA will ensure you are considered for other financial aid such as grants, scholarships, Federal Work-Study, and federal loans.

Value Calculation Examples

The WVU Guarantee is a last-dollar-in program, meaning the dollar amount for each student will be determined by how much the student owes for specific billable charges after scholarship and grant programs.

The WVU Guarantee may be adjusted or canceled if:

Review our Potential Cost and Aid Changes webpage for other factors that can impact cost and/or aid eligibility.

Example One:
Student with only grants

Example Semester Charges: (Actual tuition and fees rates can be found at WVU Tuition website)
University Tuition $4,500
University Fees $700
College Tuition $300
Tuition & Fees Due: $5,500
Example Gift Aid by Semester:
Pell Grant $3,697
Total Gift Aid by Semester: $3,697
Example Value of WVU Guarantee:
($5,500 due minus $3,697 total gift aid) 		$1,803

This student could be potentially eligible to receive $1,803 per semester, dependent upon meeting all other eligibility requirements.

Example Two:
Student with only scholarships

Example Semester Charges: (Actual tuition and fees rates can be found at WVU Tuition website)
University Tuition $4,500
University Fees $700
College Tuition $300
Tuition & Fees Due: $5,500
Example Gift Aid by Semester:
Promise Scholarship $2,750
Climb Higher Scholarship $1,750
Total Gift Aid by Semester: $4,500
Example Value of WVU Guarantee:
($5,500 due minus $4,500 total gift aid) 		$1,000

This student could be potentially eligible to receive $1,000 per semester, dependent upon meeting all other eligibility requirements.

Example Three:
Student with grants and scholarships

Example Semester Charges: (Actual tuition and fees rates can be found at WVU Tuition website)
University Tuition $4,500
University Fees $700
College Tuition $300
Tuition & Fees Due: $5,500
Example Gift Aid by Semester:
Promise Scholarship $2,750
WV Higher Education Grant $1,700
Pell Grant $3,697
Total Gift Aid by Semester: $8,147
Example Value of WVU Guarantee:
($5,500 due minus $8,147 total gift aid) 		$0

This student does not have remaining University Tuition, College Tuition, or University Fee costs not covered by other scholarships and grants to receive the WVU Guarantee. The $2,597 overage may be utilized to cover other costs not covered by the WVU Guarantee such a residence hall and meal plan charges.

FAFSA Requirement

The FAFSA can be completed online via the Federal Student Aid website. To be eligible for the WVU Guarantee, students must complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA by August 1, 2025. Visit our Completing the FAFSA webpage to get started.


To renew or be considered for the WVU Guarantee for the 2026-2027 academic year, WVU Guarantee recipients should submit a valid 2026-2027 FAFSA by March 1, 2026.

Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) and other financial information from the FAFSA are not reviewed for renewal of the WVU Guarentee. Once a student qualifies, they will remain eligible as long as they meet renewal criteria each academic year.

Financial Changes Since 2024?

Sometimes the information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) no longer accurately reflects the student or family's financial situation. There are certain circumstances where financial aid professionals can review and update the student's FAFSA.

For consideration, students must submit their SAI Calculation Appeal and all required supporting documentation by the deadline for the semester. Visit our SAI Calculation Appeal webpage for more information.

Renewal Criteria

Students receiving the WVU Guarantee must meet the following criteria to continue to be eligible for the WVU Guarantee for the 2026-2027 aid year.


Must meet by March 1:

  • Submit a valid FAFSA by March 1 for the applicable aid year

Must meet by August 1:

  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress for financial aid
  • Have eligible costs remaining not covered by other aid, as defined by last-dollar-in criteria
  • Maintain enrollment requirements
  • Be admitted as a WV resident
  • Be admitted as a degree-seeking undergraduate student
    • Have not earned a bachelor's, graduate, or professional degree
    • Students who have earned an associate degree must be pursuing a bachelor's degree to be eligible. A second associate degree is not eligible.
  • Be admitted to the Morgantown, Beckley, or Keyser campus (please note WVU Online students are not eligible)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

If a student loses the funding due to not maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), can they appeal to get it back?

Yes. Students may complete an SAP appeal for consideration. Please note that other renewal criteria must also be maintained.


What happens if a student withdraws from a semester while receiving the WVU Guarantee?

Visit our Withdrawal and Aid Changes webpage for information on how the WVU Guarantee may be affected by withdrawing.


Are costs for Winter Intersession, Maymester, or summer semesters covered?

No. Only applicable costs for the fall and spring semesters may be covered.


If a student qualifies for WV Invests at PSC, which program would be offered first?

Due to WV Invests program requirements, WVU Guarantee funding would be offered before WV Invests.



Are Resident Assistant (RA) waivers or Army Room Funds used to calculate the value of the WVU Guarantee?

No. RA waivers and Army Room Funds are for specific charges not covered by the WVU Guarantee, so they are not used to calculate the value of the WVU Guarantee.