CHARLESTON, WV (LOOTPRESS) – With the application period for the 2023-2024 Hope Scholarship well underway, thousands of students throughout West Virginia have taken the substantial step of applying for the benefits for the upcoming school year.
Beginning on March 1, 2023, the application period for the WV Hope Scholarship will conclude on May 15, 2023. This deadline also applies to students already receiving the scholarship and seeking to renew the benefit.
The amount of the scholarship varies from year to year, and this year will be offered for the amount of $4,488.82. The first portion of the funds will be distributed to approved students by way of the program’s online portal by August 15, 2023 with remaining funds distributed by January 15, 2024.
The West Virginia Treasurer’s Office confirms that, as of Monday, 4,907 student Hope Scholarship applications had already been submitted for the 2023-2024 school year, with 3,338 having already been approved by the Hope Scholarship Board.
LOOTPRESS reached out to Treasurer Riley Moore, who implored students and families to consider the rapidly approaching deadline for submission of Hope Scholarship applications.
“West Virginia families have less than one week left to apply to use the Hope Scholarship for the upcoming school year. Now that the court challenges from last year have been resolved, we are seeing a surge in demand for this program with nearly 5,000 applications submitted so far – more than double the number of people who took advantage of it for the current school year,” said Moore.
“It’s clear there is a strong desire for school choice and educational freedom in West Virginia, and we are working around the clock to ensure that every family that wants to take advantage of this terrific program to educate their children can do so. With the deadline coming up next Monday, May 15, I encourage anyone interested in learning about or applying for the Hope Scholarship to visit www.hopescholarshipwv.com to see how we can help provide educational opportunities for your child or children today.”
Qualifying applicants for the Hope Scholarship must be West Virginia residents and be eligible for enrollment in kindergarten for the 2023-2024 school year, enrolled full-time in a West Virginia public elementary school or secondary school for the entire instructional term of the academic year preceding the academic year for which the student is applying to participate, or enrolled full-time and attending a public elementary or secondary school in West Virginia for at least 45 consecutive calendar days during the current instructional term at the time of application. The student must remain enrolled and attending the public-school program until a decision is reached on the Hope Scholarship application.
Parents applying for the Hope Scholarship for the first time are reminded to submit a Notice of Intent letter to the county superintendent of their county of residence once their application is approved.
The Hope Scholarship website has recently been revamped to make it more informative and easier to use by both families and education service providers. Visit www.hopescholarshipwv.com for more information.