Types of Aid

There are lots of ways you can get help paying for college, and most students combine several of them.

Once we get your application, we’ll put together a package for you that typically includes three different types of financial assistance: grants and scholarships, loans, and college employment.

Federal Grants (need based)

The Federal Pell Grant Program is the largest federal grant program for undergraduate students. Awards range from $370 to $7,395 per academic year, for either full – or part-time study. The FAFSA Submission Summary will tell you whether or not you are eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant. It is, however, up to the Office of Financial Aid to determine the amount of your award based on federal guidelines.

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is a need-based program funded by the federal government and administered directly by participating colleges and universities. Award amounts vary by institution and student need. Because funding is limited, priority is given to students with the highest financial need who are also eligible for the Federal Pell Grant.

State Grants

Commonwealth Award

The Virginia Commonwealth Award is a need-based undergraduate grant program for Virginia residents funded by the state government. 

To be considered for an award, students must:

• Complete the FAFSA (US Citizens or Eligible Non-Citizens) or VASA (as applicable to those who qualify)
• Be admitted as a degree-seeking undergraduate
• Be enrolled in six or more credit hours each semester
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen
• Be a domiciliary resident of Virginia
• Demonstrate financial need
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP)

Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program

Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program, or VGAP, is a need-based undergraduate grant program for Virginia residents funded by the state government. 

To be considered for an award, students must:

• Complete the FAFSA (US Citizens or Eligible Non-Citizens) or VASA (as applicable to those who qualify)
• Be admitted as a degree-seeking undergraduate student
• Be enrolled in 12 or more credit hours each semester
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen
• Be a domiciliary resident of Virginia
• Graduate from a Virginia high school
• Have at least a cumulative high school GPA of 2.5
• Maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP)
• Demonstrate financial need

Renewal

Awards may be renewed for up to three additional years provided that the student:

• Complete the FAFSA (US Citizens or Eligible Non-Citizens) or VASA (as applicable to those who qualify)
• Maintains continuous full-time enrollment
• Maintains domiciliary residency in Virginia
• Demonstrates continued financial need
• Maintains a college grade point average of at least 2.0
• Maintains the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards
• Has advanced class levels upon completion of each year of award received (VGAP is restricted to no more than one year - 12 months - per class level - FR, SO, JR, SR)

Two-Year College Transfer Grant

Students who complete their associate degree at a Virginia two-year community college and transfer into a bachelor’s program at UVA Wise may receive the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.

Base Award and STEM-N Bonus Award: 

• Maximum annual base award is $1,000 ($500 for the fall term and $500 for the spring term).
• Maximum STEM-N bonus award of $1,000 ($500 for the fall term and $500 for the spring term) to students enrolled into a degree program within science, teaching, engineering, mathematics, or nursing.
• Each is limited to a maximum of three years combined for the initial and renewal awards. 

Incentive Award:

• An additional $1,000 ($500 for the fall term and $500 for the spring term) for students that enroll at UVA Wise in a bachelor’s program
• Must advance to the next class level: limited to one year of award at Junior level and one year at Senior level for a total of one year of support per class level and a maximum total of two years of support.

To be eligible for the award, students must:

• Complete the FAFSA (US Citizens or Eligible Non-Citizens) or VASA (as applicable to those who qualify)
• Complete the Two-Year College Transfer Grant Application
• Be an in-state student
• Demonstrate financial need
• Graduate from a Virginia public two-year college with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0
• Transfer to UVA Wise by the fall or spring semester following completion of the associate degree
• Submit a final academic transcript to UVA Wise as soon as the associate degree is posted
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP)
• Maintain at least a 3.0 GPA
• Enroll full-time (at least 12 credit hours per semester)
• Have a qualifying Student Aid Index (SAI)

UVA Wise reviews final academic transcripts to determine eligibility. Eligibility will not be established until after the semester has started.

Private Scholarships

Many private scholarships are available to students who attend UVA Wise. Students are encouraged to investigate private scholarship sources on their own. To see what is available, check with high school counselors, trust departments of banks in your hometown, reference departments of libraries, with your employer as well as your parents, business leaders, and local civic organizations.

UVA Wise Scholarships

The Office of Student Financial Aid administers a large number of scholarships from funds that have been provided by generous donors interested in our students. Many of these scholarships are targeted for quality students who demonstrate financial need. Entering freshmen will be considered automatically based on academic information provided by the Office of Admissions. Returning UVA Wise students applying for the first time and incoming transfer students will also be considered based on academic information provided by the Admissions and Registrars Offices. Scholarships will be automatically renewed if students meet the required renewal criteria. Scholarship awards range from $1,000 to $6,500.

Loans

If scholarships and grants do not cover the entire cost of your education, educational loans are generally available. The two primary sources of loans are through the federal government of from private lenders. Generally speaking, federal student loans include many benefits that are not typically offered with private loans, such as income-driven repayment plans. View federal loan interest rates. In contrast, private loans are generally more expensive than federal student loans. We generally recommend students pursue private educational loans only after exhausting all of their federal loan options. UVA Wise will work with you and your family to determine which loans are best for you and the appropriate amounts.

Loan Programs

• Federal Direct Subsidized & Unsubsidized Loans – These are the most popular loan programs that UVA Wise students use. To qualify for the subsidized loan, a FAFSA applicant must demonstrate financial need. The subsidized loan is also only available for undergraduate students. The unsubsidized loan only requires an official FAFSA for eligibility, given a student has not exceeded their aggregate limit. Unsubsidized loans are available to both undergraduate and graduate students.
• Federal Parent PLUS Loans – This type of loan is available to eligible parents of undergraduate students to assist with educational expenses. Credit checks are required during the application process and an approval / denial decision is given immediately.
• Federal Grad PLUS Loans – This type of loan is offered to graduate students if they need additional funding beyond what is offered to them in a direct unsubsidized loan.
• Private Student Loans – These are available to students through private banks, credit unions, or lenders. Please note that students be required to pass a credit check and/or secure a cosigner to be considered eligible. Our office is unable to recommend one lender over the next.

Loan Counseling and Master Promissory Notes (MPN)

Loan counseling and master promissory notes (MPN) are required to be completed during the federal loan process. If you are a first-time federal student loan borrower, you will be required to complete loan entrance counseling and an MPN. When you stop attending school, the federal government strongly encourages students to complete exit counseling because it contains valuable information regarding the repayment process.

Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH)

The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant is a program that provides up to $4,000 per year to students who intend to teach full-time in high-need subject areas for at least four years (within an eight-year period) at schools that serve students from low-income families.  Due to federal sequestration, the maximum TEACH Grant is $3,772 for the 2025-26 academic year. Grant highlights include the following:

• Undergraduate Juniors and Seniors enrolled in the UVA Wise Teacher Education Program who are preparing to teach in a high-need subject area may receive up to four years of non-need grants of $4000 per year ($8,000 total).
• Graduate students enrolled in the Master of Educations licensure or endorsement programs focused on high-need areas are eligible for 2 years of funding at $4,000 per year ($8,000 total).
• Part-time graduate students preparing to teach in high-need areas are also eligible, but the maximum grant will be reduced.

The TEACH Grant actually functions like a loan with a forgiveness component.  You receive the money like a grant while in school.  If you do not fulfill the obligations of the grant, it will convert to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan that you must repay, with interest charged from the date of each TEACH Grant disbursement.
 
Eligibility

To receive a TEACH Grant you must:

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), although you do not need to demonstrate financial need
• Meet the eligibility requirements for federal student aid.
• Undergraduate Juniors and Seniors enrolled in the UVA Wise Teacher Education Program who are preparing to teach in a high-need subject area may receive up to four years.
• Graduate students enrolled in the Master of Educations licensure or endorsement programs focused on high-need areas are eligible for 2 years.
• Meet one of the following academic achievement requirements:
  • Score above the 75th percentile on SATs, ACTs, or GREs, OR
  • Have and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 (on a 4.0 scale) on college coursework.
• Sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve and respond to requests by the U.S. Department of Education confirming your continuing intention to meet the teaching obligation.  This form is available through the University’s Office of Financial Aid.

High-need areas include:

• Bilingual education and English language acquisition
• Foreign language
• Mathematics
• Reading specialist
• Science
• Special education
• Other identified teacher shortage areas listed in the Department of Education’s Annual Teacher Shortage Area Nationwide Listing

Schools Serving Low-Income Students

Schools serving low-income students include any elementary or secondary school that is listed in the Department of Education’s Annual Directory of Designated Low-Income Schools for Teacher Cancellation Benefits. 

Teach Grant Agreement to Serve and Promise to Pay

Each year you receive a TEACH Grant, you must sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve AND complete the Department of Education’s online counseling session. You can access both these forms online. The Agreement to Serve specifies the conditions under which the grant will be awarded and the teaching service requirements.  It also includes an acknowledgement by you that you understand that if you do not meet the teaching service requirements, you must repay the grant as a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, with interest accrued from the date the grant funds were disbursed. 

Teaching Obligation

To avoid repaying the TEACH Grant with interest, you must:

• Serve as a full-time teacher for a total of at least four academic years within eight calendar years after you complete or withdraw from the academic program for which you have received the TEACH Grant.  To qualify as a full-time teacher, you must meet the state’s definition of full-time status and spend the majority (at least 51 percent) of your time teaching one of the high-need subject areas.
• Perform the teaching service as a highly-qualified teacher at a low-income school.  The federal government’s definition of “highly qualified” is available online. Schools serving low-Income students include any elementary or secondary school that is listed in the Department of Education’s Annual Directory of Designated Low-Income Schools for Teacher Cancellation Benefits.
• Comply with any other requirements that the Department of Education determines to be necessary.  For example, you will be sent written requests for information or documentation. These requests will be sent to you while you are still in school as well as once you are out of school.

You will be asked annually to confirm that you either still intend to teach or that you are teaching as required. You must provide documentation to the U.S. Department of Education at the end of each year of teaching. If you temporarily cease enrollment in your program of study or if you encounter situations that affect your ability to begin or continue teaching, you will need to stay in touch with the U.S. Department of Education to avoid having your grants converted to loans before you are able to complete your teaching obligation. If you do not complete the required teaching service obligation, TEACH Grant funds you received will be converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan that you must repay, with interest charged from the date of each TEACH Grant disbursement.

How to Apply

1. All students must reapply for financial aid every year.
2. Apply for a U.S. Department of Education Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) if you don’t already have one.  Your FSA ID will allow you to electronically “sign” financial aid applications and federal loan promissory notes.  Apply for an FSA ID online at StudentAid.gov.
3. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). For the quickest and most accurate processing, students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA (Follow this link for a Spanish version of the FAFSA). The University of Virginia's College at Wise school code for the FAFSA is 003747.
4. Complete the UVA Wise Application for Teach Grant Consideration form.

College Employment

• Federal Work-Study Program: The primary purpose of the Federal Work-Study Program is to stimulate and promote the part-time employment of students with financial need, providing them funds for college and/or living expenses. Work opportunities are available in almost all departments on campus. Eligible students are employed on the basis of qualifications and the availability of openings. Yearly work-study earnings can range from $500 to $2,500 annually. Due to limited resources provided by the Department of Education, employment opportunities are limited.
• Regular Student Employment: For students who do not qualify for the Federal Work study program, a limited number of on-campus, part-time employment opportunities are available through the College. Students apply directly to the employing department and are paid from departmental funds. Hourly regular student employment earnings range upwards from minimum wage, depending upon the skills required for the job. These work opportunities are not associated with the financial aid office in any way.