PROMISE Scholarship Rules of Eligibility
High School Eligibility Requirements for the Class of 2005
Application deadline for the 2005 graduating class is March 1, 2005.
To be eligible for a PROMISE Scholarship, high school students (those with zero to fifteen credits from an institution of higher education, excluding credits earned in advanced placement and dual credit courses while the student is enrolled in high school) seeking a degree at an institution of higher education must have completed the high school degree requirements after September 1, 2001. A student must graduate with a minimum of a 3.0 grade point average (whatever is locally considered a “B” average, weighted grades may be used), in both the core courses and in his/her overall grade point average. Students will be able to use their 8th semester grades to meet the grade point average requirement (3.00) for the PROMISE Scholarship. The core grade point average will be computed based on the number of core courses the student completes. (A complete listing of the courses that constitute the “core” may be found at the bottom of this page.) All core courses completed by the student will comprise the core grade point average. The core requirements (minimum) are:
- English/Language Arts – (4 credits)
- One credit each
for English 9, English 10, English 11, English 12.
- Mathematics – (3 credits)
- Two of the three
credits must be algebra 1 and above.
- Social Sciences – (3 credits)
- One credit each
for American History (United States History to 1900), World History
(World Studies to 1900), American Government (Twentieth Century).
- Natural Sciences – (3 credits)
- One credit each for Coordinated and Thematic Science 9 (CATS 9), Coordinated and Thematic Science 10 (CATS 10) and one course above Coordinated Thematic Science 10 (CATS 10). Biology, Chemistry, Physics or other approved course by the high school may substitute for CATS 9 or CATS 10.
A high school student must apply for and receive the PROMISE Scholarship during their senior year in high school. Once a student has graduated from high school, a student may not apply for and receive a PROMISE Scholarship.
In addition, all students (GED, Home-schooled) must attain a composite score of 21 (with a minimum ACT sub score of 20 in all subject areas) on any single ACT test date or a combined SAT score of 1000 (with a minimum score of 490 on the verbal section and a 480 on the math section) on any single SAT test date. Students who do not graduate from high school meeting the academic criteria are not eligible to enter the PROMISE Scholarship program later in their college careers even if they earn a 3.0 average in college.
Applicants with a GED must have earned the GED after September 1, 2001, and within two years of the date his or her high school class would normally have graduated and apply within two years after he or she attained the GED. A minimum score of 2500 on the GED exam is required for PROMISE eligibility. Home-schooled students must have earned the equivalent of a high school diploma after September 1, 2001 with a minimum score of 2500 on the GED exam. The GED must be earned within one year of the time of completion of instruction, but not later than twenty years of age.
If a student has entered the United States Armed Services within two years after he or she graduates from high school, the student is eligible to apply for a PROMISE Scholarship within seven years of the time he or she enters military service. Provided, however, that once discharged from the military, the student is only eligible to apply for a PROMISE Scholarship for one year from the date of discharge.
Minimum requirements may be set for all students as well as additional objective standards the Board considers necessary to promote academic excellence and to maintain the financial stability.
All
students must file the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA). That form must be received by the Federal
Student Aid Program on or before
Residency Requirements
All applicants must have lived in West Virginia for a minimum of twelve months immediately preceding the final date of application for a PROMISE scholarship or the renewal of a scholarship. One half of the credits required for graduation must have been completed in a public or private high school in West Virginia. Resident students from West Virginia who commute daily to an out-of-state private high school are also eligible to apply for PROMISE. Home-schooled students must have been provided instruction in West Virginia for two years immediately preceding application.
Family Income
The PROMISE Scholarship is a merit-based program. Scholarships are based on academic performance, not ability to pay. Therefore, there are no income requirements.
Post Secondary Options
Students are eligible to receive a PROMISE Scholarship at a public college or university, or an equivalent dollar scholarship to a private college (including community and technical colleges) or university, in West Virginia . The student must have graduated from a high school, or have received a GED, before PROMISE funds can be awarded to seek a degree at an institution.
Participating Institutions
| Alderson - Broaddus College Appalachian Bible College Bethany College Bluefield State College Concord University Davis & Elkins College Eastern WV Community & Technical College Fairmont State Community & Technical College Fairmont State University Glenville State College Marshall Community & Technical College Marshall University Mountain State University New River Community & Technical College Ohio Valley College Potomac State College of WVU Salem International University |
Shepherd University Community & Technical College of Shepherd Southern WV Community & Technical College University of Charleston West Liberty State College WV Northern Community College West Virginia State University WV State Community and Technical College West Virginia University West Virginia University Institute of Technology Community and Technical College at WVU Tech West Virginia University at Parkersburg West Virginia Wesleyan College Wheeling Jesuit University |
Renewal Requirements for Degree Seeking Students
The Scholarship will automatically be renewed by the college if the student has at least an overall 2.75 GPA at the end of the first twelve-month period on college work attempted. Thereafter a 3.00 cumulative GPA is required.
A student must complete thirty credit hours over a twelve-month period, beginning with a student’s first year on a college campus. A student may use subsequent summer sessions to complete the thirty hour requirements. [NEW (November 2004) - Due to funding constraints, the PROMISE Board will not be implementing the policy of allowing students to use the scholarship for the payment of summer school classes. Any college credit (as well as the GPA for those credits) earned prior to the actual enrollment in college does not affect the student’s eligibility for renewal for the scholarship. Only those credits and grades earned while the student is a PROMISE Scholar count for purposes of determining renewal eligibility. Please remember that students who lose the PROMISE Scholarship will not be able to regain it later on.
Length of Scholarship Requirements for Degree Seeking Students
The Board will establish renewal eligibility requirements that reflect academic progress towards completion of a degree at the undergraduate level.
- An eligible student seeking an associate degree may be eligible to receive a PROMISE Scholarship equal to the length of the two-year program.
- An eligible student seeking a baccalaureate degree may be eligible to receive a PROMISE Scholarship equal to the length of the four-year degree program.
- An eligible student may be enrolled in a specific undergraduate PROMISE Board approved degree program which is designated as a five year program.
Transfer Students
Students transferring from one PROMISE eligible institution to another can maintain PROMISE eligibility.
Coordination of Financial Aid
The amount of a PROMISE Scholarship awarded in combination with aid from all other sources shall not exceed the cost of the education at the institution the recipient is attending. (This restriction does not apply to those members of the WV National Guard, recipients of an Underwood-Smith teacher scholarship, and recipients of a West Virginia engineering, science and technology scholarship). The PROMISE Scholarship will not pay an amount that exceeds the cost of tuition at state institutions of higher education.
All students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and be on file with the Higher Education Policy Commission by March 1st when submitting an initial application. Students do not need to file an additional application to renew their PROMISE Scholarship.
Core
Courses for Promise Scholarship Calculation of GPA
2004-2005 School Year
| Name of Course | 2001-2002 WVEIS Codes | 2002-2003 WVEIS Codes | Substitute
Courses 2001-2002 |
Substitute
Courses 2002-2003 |
|
| X | English 9 | 4009 | 4009 | ||
| X | English 10 | 4010 | 4010 | ||
| X | English 11 | 4011 | 4011 | AP Eng Lang & Comp
4022 |
AP English 4041 AP English 4042 International English Language AP 4043 |
| 1 | English 12 | 4012 | 4012 | AP Eng Lit & Comp 4021 | AP English 4042 AP English 4041 |
| X | Algebra I | 3031 | 3021 | Applied Math I (3029) and
II ((3078), or
Algebra I (A) 3033 & (B) 3034 |
Applied math second half 3023 |
| 0 | Geometry | 3052 | 3045 | Applied Geometry (3051) | 3043 Applied Geometry |
| 0 | Algebra II | 3035 | 3041 | ||
| 0 | Conceptual Math | 3110 | 3044 | ||
| 0 | Trigonometry | 3054 | 3048 | ||
| 0 | Probability and Statistics | 3076 | 3047 | ||
| 0 | Pre-Calculus | 3044 | 3046 | ||
| 0 | Calculus | 3046 | AP Calculus
(AB) 3048
AP Calculus (BC) 3049 |
3031 AB AP Calculus
3032 BC AP Calculus |
|
| 0 | Integrated Math | 3143-3148 | |||
| 0 | Discrete Math | 3110 | |||
| X | US History to 1900 | 7031 | 7009 | 7013 AP American History | 7046 AP US HIstory |
| X | World Studies to 1900 | 7037 | 7010 | 7026 AP European History | 7045 AP World History |
| 1 | 20th -21st Century History | 7033 | 7011 | ||
| X | CATS 9 | 6061 | 6009 | ||
| X | CATS 10 | 6062 | 6010 | ||
| 00 | Biology I Advanced | 6215 | Biology
II 6220 Biology 11/12 6226
Biology II Adv 6222 AP Biology 6223 |
6101 Biology Technical
Conceptual
6102 Advanced Biology 6121 AP Biology |
|
| 00 | Chemistry | 6520 | Chemistry Technical/Conceptual 6529 | 6301 Chem Technical conceptual
6302 Advanced Chem |
|
| 00 | Chemistry II | 6524 | AP Chemistry 6526 | 6321 AP Chem | |
| 00 | Env. Earth Science | 6065 | 6201 | ||
| 00 | Human Anat. & Phys. | 6202 | 6103 | ||
| 00 | Physics | 6540 | Physics-Technical
Conceptual 6546or 6560
AP Physics 6547 |
6303 Physics Technical
conceptual
6323 AP Physics |
|
| 00 | Adv. Physics | 6545 | 6304 |
0 - must have at least one credit from this group of math courses
00 - must have one credit from this group of science courses
1 - core GPA may not include both these courses due to block scheduling
X - Required Courses
Contact Information
Lisa DeFrank-Cole, Ed.D. ● Executive Director
PROMISE Scholarship Program, Suite 700 ● 1018 Kanawha Boulevard, E. ●
Charleston, West Virginia 25301
Telephone: 304.558.4417 ● Toll Free: 1.877.WVPROMISE ● Fax: 304.558.3264 ●
E-mail: promise@hepc.wvnet.edu
©2003 State of West Virginia. All rights reserved.
Site maintained by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission