First-time Freshman Scholarships - Undergraduate Admissions

First-time Freshman
Scholarships

Over 92% of freshmen receive grants or scholarships.

We award scholarships based on criteria like academic merit, financial need, leadership and service. In-state and out-of-state students — including test-optional applicants — can qualify. And best of all, some scholarships “stack,” which means you can get more than one.

See what scholarships you could receive (and how to qualify).

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Scholarship FAQs | Need Help?

We automatically review your for merit scholarships.

No Separate Application

Most merit scholarships do not require a separate application. We automatically review your admissions application to see if you're eligible.

Other 51��׻�� scholarships, such as leadership scholarships, require a separate application.

Deadline: August 1

First-time freshmen must be admitted by August 1 to be considered for merit scholarships. See our merit deadline FAQ for answers to common questions.

Other 51��׻�� scholarships may have different deadlines.

Update Your Scores

After you're admitted, you may submit an updated GPA or test score through August 1.

GPA changes for admitted students require submission of the .
To submit new scores, see our .

Explore Scholarships Frequently Asked Questions

Fall 2025 Merit Scholarships

When you , we automatically consider you for merit scholarships. The Climb Higher Scholarship is offered based on high school grade point average (GPA) — and only for the highest level, GPA plus ACT or SAT scores.

Climb Higher Scholarship	In-State Amount	Out-of-State Amount
Level 1 (3.8+ GPA and ACT ≥30 or SAT ≥1360)	$5,000	$17,000
Level 2 (3.8+ GPA)	$3,500	$14,000
Level 3 (3.5-3.79 GPA)	$2,500	$11,000
Level 4 (3.0-3.49 GPA)	$1,500	$8,000

Note: We use a weighted GPA if provided on the high school transcript. 51��׻�� rounds high school GPAs to the second decimal point (e.g., 4.195 is rounded up to 4.2 while 4.19 stays at 4.19). Applies to 51��׻�� Morgantown. Learn more at .

You’ve done the hard work. Now let us reward you — without any extra effort on your part!

Our merit scholarships are:

Automatic. When you apply for admission, we check your academic record for scholarship eligibility. It’s that simple. No separate application. No recommendations or essays.
Non-competitive. That means if your GPA/test score qualifies, you get the scholarship. You’re not competing against other applicants.
Renewable. These scholarships renew past your freshman year, as long as you maintain certain requirements.

Go in depth and learn more about 51��׻�� scholarships.

You may also be eligible for other scholarships within the University. Application procedures and deadlines vary by scholarship.

51��׻�� Pledge Scholarships

No additional application required.

The 51��׻�� Pledge is a new scholarship program that will automatically be offered to fall 2024 incoming freshman students who are West Virginia Promise Scholarship recipients and meet eligibility criteria.

Leadership Scholarships

Requires a separate application.

Leadership Scholarships are offered to students who’ve achieved the highest levels of honor or leadership within certain nationally acclaimed organizations (4-H, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, etc.).

Departmental or College Scholarships

May require a separate application.

Many 51��׻�� academic units offer scholarships to students in certain majors. Some are available to first-time freshman students; others are for returning students (sophomores, juniors and seniors).

Sources outside 51��׻��, such as federal and state programs, can help fund your education.

Federal Student Aid for 2025-2026

The FAFSA is available to all students. 51��׻��'s priority deadline for the FAFSA is March 1 and our FAFSA code is 003827.

Promise Scholarship for West Virginia Residents

The Promise Scholarship is sponsored by the state of West Virginia. To be considered, you must be a West Virginia resident and complete the Promise application and the FAFSA. 51��׻�� scholarships usually are offered in addition to Promise. The Promise application deadline is typically March 1. Stay tuned for the 2025 application release date.

Reduced Tuition Benefits

Do you live in Ohio or Washington, D.C., or study at Garrett College in Maryland? You may be eligible for reduced tuition.

Reduced Tuition Benefits

External Scholarships

You should also investigate other scholarship sources to help fund your education. Use our external scholarship resources to search for scholarships and learn how to send your scholarship checks to 51��׻��.

State Grants and Scholarships

State higher education agencies often have grant or scholarship programs for residents of their state. Learn about grant programs commonly received by 51��׻�� students.

We're here to help every step of the way.

Financial Aid

Already admitted to 51��׻��? Our Financial Aid staff can help you with questions about the FAFSA, your aid offer, accepting aid, submitting external scholarships to 51��׻��, etc. Use the to request assistance.

Admissions Counselors

Have questions about submitting your application for admission? Or about your next steps after being admitted? Your 51��׻�� admissions counselor is an expert on these topics (and many more, so ask them anything!).

Office of Admissions

Our Admissions staff can assist with any questions or issues you encounter as you apply to 51��׻��. Business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:15 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. (except University holidays). Call us at 304-293-2121 or fill out our .

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