West Virginia Hope Scholarship
Education savings account. $5,435.62 expected for 2026-27.
- Award
- $5,435.62 expected for 2026-27
- Read
- Who qualifies
- From 2026-27, any West Virginia resident old enough for K-12 public school.
- Read
- Next date
- Last day for late 2026-27 applications (reduced amount): February 28, 2027.
- Read · all deadlines
- 2026-27 new applications for 100% of the award: opens (passed) source
- 2026-27 new applications for 100% of the award: closes (passed) source
- Last day for late 2026-27 applications (reduced amount) source
Each date read on the official page linked beside it (hopescholarshipwv.gov), checked .
Schools that take Hope Deadlines by state Homeschooling in West Virginia All 143 private schools in West Virginia
How Hope works
Checked against the program's own pages on
| What you get | $5,435.62 expected for 2026-27. Apply late and you get less in your first year: 75% of the award for applications June 16 to September 15, 2026, 50% for September 16 to November 30, and 25% for December 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027 (Hope Scholarship home page, read October 8, 2026). |
|---|---|
| Who qualifies | From 2026-27, any West Virginia resident old enough for K-12 public school. The old rule about attending public school first is gone. |
| How full it is | Nearly 29,000 applications were started for 2026-27, and more than 25,000 accounts were funded in the first quarter, the Treasurer reported in August 2026. There is no cap. |
| When to apply | Opened March 2, 2026. June 15 was the deadline for the full amount. Late applications run to February 28, 2027 at reduced amounts: 50% of the award until November 30, then 25% from December 1. |
| How the money moves | The State Treasurer’s Hope Scholarship Board holds the accounts. Funding is quarterly starting in 2026-27. |
| What it covers | Tuition, tutoring, therapies, exam fees, curriculum, technology and other approved expenses. |
| Federal tax credit, 2027 | West Virginia is on the IRS list of states that opted in to the federal scholarship tax credit (as of September 14, 2026), so scholarship organizations here can take federally credited gifts from January 2027. |
Worth knowing: Parents in Mingo County sued in September 2026 to stop the 2026-27 expansion to all students. The Treasurer is defending it. No ruling had been published as of October 1, 2026, and payments are going out.
We read this on from: West Virginia Treasurer, August 6, 2026, first-quarter funding; West Virginia Treasurer, statement on the expansion lawsuit; Hope Scholarship, FAQ; Hope Scholarship, home page (2026-27 deadlines and reduced amounts). Rules change when the legislature meets, so check the official program site before you count on a number.
Is there an income limit for Hope?
From 2026-27 every student eligible to enroll in a West Virginia public school in grades K-12 can apply, whatever the household income, including students already in private school or homeschool. There is no priority order; for new students, the date of the first application sets the share of the year's award. Source.
Apply for Hope: how it works
- Gather the student's state or county birth certificate, proof of West Virginia residency, grade level and WVEIS ID number. If the child has no WVEIS ID, send the WVEIS ID request form to your county board of education.
- Create a household account and apply in the Hope Scholarship online portal. New 2026-27 applications opened March 2, 2026, and applying by June 15 gets 100% of the award.
- Watch for an email saying the application is Eligible, which means the scholarship has been awarded for that year.
- After the status shows Eligible, submit the Hope Scholarship Notice of Intent to the county board of education where you live. It also withdraws the child from public school at the time you indicate.
- Once Board staff confirm the Notice of Intent is on file, the status changes to Approved and the account is funded in quarterly deposits by August 15, October 15, January 15 and April 15.
- Pay participating schools and providers through the online portal; schools send invoices there.
- To stay in the program, submit the continued participation confirmation each year (January 5 to June 15 for 2026-27) and meet the June 8 attendance or academic progress reporting requirement.
What to have ready
- Child's birth certificate issued by a state or county (not a hospital)
- Proof of West Virginia residency matching the application address (tax records, mortgage or homeowner's insurance, vehicle registration, driver's license with a second proof, current public assistance, or two utility bills under 60 days old), or Plaid ID verification
- Child's grade level for the year applied for
- Child's WVEIS ID number
- Hope Scholarship Notice of Intent filed with the county board of education after the application is Eligible
Go to the official application
Steps and limits read on from: Hope Scholarship Board, home page (2026-27 application windows); Hope Scholarship, new students; Hope Scholarship, application checklist; Hope Scholarship, FAQ. Limits change each year with the federal poverty guidelines, so confirm on the official site before you apply.
Which schools take it
List dated August 10, 2026, checked November 4, 2026
Schools marked here are listed as a school or a microschool, located in West Virginia, on the Hope Scholarship Board’s participating schools table, last updated August 10, 2026. A microschool on the table is marked “Hope participating microschool”: a small learning program the board approved, not necessarily an accredited private school.
The share of private schools on each state's list, West Virginia included.
126 schools on the Hope list, by town Browse private schools in West Virginia The state’s own list
- Private schools in Martinsburg (15 nearby)
- Private schools in Shepherdstown (13 nearby)
- Private schools in Charleston (11 nearby)
- Private schools in Parkersburg (10 nearby)
- Private schools in Wheeling (10 nearby)
- Private schools in Clarksburg (9 nearby)
- Private schools in Morgantown (9 nearby)
- Private schools in Huntington (6 nearby)
- Private schools in Princeton (6 nearby)
- Private schools in Lewisburg (5 nearby)
- Private schools in Ballard (4 nearby)
- Private schools in Elkins (4 nearby)
- Private schools in Weirton (3 nearby)
Related programs
Run your own numbers
What would you pay?
Enter amounts of $0 or more.
We filled in the standard Hope amount. Change it if your award letter says something different. An award can never be more than the school actually charges. This is arithmetic, not a quote.
Approved providers: tutors, therapists and more
782 businesses on the West Virginia Hope Scholarship Board list of approved West Virginia Hope Scholarship providers (dated August 10, 2026), by category and town. Individual tutors and therapists on the list are not shown here.
Published tuition at schools on the Hope list
Prices read on the schools' own websites, October 1, 2026 to October 11, 2026
We verified published tuition at 10 of the 126 schools on the list: prices run from $4,500 to $17,000 a year, and the middle price is $6,798, using each school’s lowest published rate. Compare that with the award above to see what a family might still owe.
| School | Town | Published tuition | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Linsly School | Wheeling | $15,000 to $17,000 | 2026-27 |
| St. Joseph School | Martinsburg | $7,960 | 2026-27 |
| Cross Lanes Christian School | Cross Lanes | $7,095 to $8,095 | 2026-27 |
| St. Michael Parish School | Wheeling | $6,500 | 2026-27 |
| Wheeling Country Day School | Wheeling | $13,900 | not stated |
| St. Patrick School | Weston | $5,500 | 2026-27 |
| St. Vincent de Paul School | Wheeling | $6,000 | 2026-27 |
| St. Joseph Catholic High School | Huntington | $11,770 | not stated |
| Corpus Christi Elementary School | Wheeling | $6,000 | 2026-27 |
| New Hope Christian School | South Charleston | $4,500 | 2026-27 |
Each figure was read on that school’s own website and is linked on its page. These are the schools we have verified so far, mostly larger ones, so treat them as a guide, not an average.
Put the next Hope window in your calendar
Most programs open once a year, and several ran out of money or seats in 2026. Pick your state's program to add its next dated window to your own calendar, with the official link, or subscribe to every program's dates.
February 28, 2027 West Virginia Hope: Last day for late 2026-27 applications (reduced amount).
Every program's dates in one calendar that updates when we confirm new dates: subscribe in Google Calendar · subscribe in Apple Calendar or Outlook · all deadlines
Free. Nothing to sign up for: the calendar file is made in your browser and nothing is sent to us. Dates can change, so confirm on the official site.
Questions parents ask
Answers with a source line are short summaries of the program document named under them. Follow the link for the full wording.
How much does Hope pay in West Virginia?
$5,435.62 expected for 2026-27. Apply late and you get less in your first year: 75% of the award for applications June 16 to September 15, 2026, 50% for September 16 to November 30, and 25% for December 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027 (Hope Scholarship home page, read October 8, 2026).
Who is eligible?
From 2026-27, any West Virginia resident old enough for K-12 public school. The old rule about attending public school first is gone.
Does it cover the full cost of private school?
Not always. The award is a set amount and every school sets its own price. Ask each school for tuition plus fees, then subtract the award. The calculator on this page does the sum for you.
How do I know a school accepts Hope?
Schools marked here are listed as a school or a microschool, located in West Virginia, on the Hope Scholarship Board’s participating schools table, last updated August 10, 2026. A microschool on the table is marked “Hope participating microschool”: a small learning program the board approved, not necessarily an accredited private school.
When do I apply?
Opened March 2, 2026. June 15 was the deadline for the full amount. Late applications run to February 28, 2027 at reduced amounts: 50% of the award until November 30, then 25% from December 1.
How do I apply for Hope?
Gather the student's state or county birth certificate, proof of West Virginia residency, grade level and WVEIS ID number. If the child has no WVEIS ID, send the WVEIS ID request form to your county board of education. The 7 steps are listed under “Apply for Hope” on this page, with the documents to have ready.
Can a student already in private school apply?
Yes. Beginning with 2026-27, all students eligible to enroll in a West Virginia public school in grades K-12 are eligible, including current private school and homeschool students who were shut out in earlier years.
What if we apply after June 15?
New applications are accepted year-round, but the first-year amount depends on timing: 100% for March 2 to June 15, 2026, 75% for June 16 to September 15, 50% for September 16 to November 30, and 25% for December 1, 2026 to February 28, 2027. After February 28, 2027 there is no 2026-27 funding.
Do we reapply every year?
Returning students submit a continued participation confirmation, which ran January 5 to June 15 for 2026-27, with fresh proof of residency. Missing June 15 means filing a new application, and any carryover funds go back to the state.
What happens to money we do not spend?
Remaining funds roll over into the next school year as long as the student stays eligible and the continued participation confirmation is submitted by June 15.
Can my child stay in public school full time?
No. A Hope student cannot be enrolled full time in a West Virginia public school, including a public charter school, but can enroll part time or join extracurriculars, and the public school will charge tuition for them.
Does it cover pre-K or transitional kindergarten?
No. Transitional, junior or early kindergarten counts as pre-K, and Hope funds can only be spent on kindergarten through grade 12. An incoming kindergartner must be at least five years old before July 1.
How much is the Hope Scholarship, and how is it paid?
It changes each year with state aid per public school student. For 2026-27 it is expected to be $5,435.62. From 2026-27 a quarter of it goes into the account by August 15, October 15, January 15 and April 15.
Source: West Virginia Hope Scholarship Board, Frequently Asked Questions, undated page, read October 7, 2026.
What can the money pay for?
Private school tuition and fees, online or alternative programs, public school classes or activities, tutoring, exam fees, therapies, books and supplies, and some technology. Families pay through the online portal; the money is not sent to parents.
Source: West Virginia Hope Scholarship Board, Frequently Asked Questions, undated page, read October 7, 2026.
Can we pay ourselves back for things we bought?
Only in limited cases set by the Board's reimbursement policy, such as off the shelf curriculum. Other purchases must be made through the Hope portal, and other reimbursement requests are denied.
Source: West Virginia Hope Scholarship Board, Frequently Asked Questions, undated page, read October 7, 2026.
Can we use it at a private school in a neighboring state?
Yes, if that school has signed up to take part in the Hope Scholarship program.
Source: West Virginia Hope Scholarship Board, Frequently Asked Questions, undated page, read October 7, 2026.
What happens if my child goes back to public school full time?
The child leaves the program, the money left in the account goes back to the state, and the child cannot rejoin that school year. You can apply again for a later year. Email the program to tell them.
Source: West Virginia Hope Scholarship Board, Frequently Asked Questions, undated page, read October 7, 2026.
What if we move out of West Virginia?
The child can no longer take part. Tell the program in writing so it can close the account; not reporting a move could be treated as fraud.
Source: West Virginia Hope Scholarship Board, Frequently Asked Questions, undated page, read October 7, 2026.
Can a student with a disability use it?
Yes. But taking part counts as a parental placement under federal special education law, and it releases the county school system from its duty to give the child a free appropriate public education.
Source: West Virginia Hope Scholarship Board, Frequently Asked Questions, undated page, read October 7, 2026.
Can the money pay for college after high school?
No. A student who has graduated from high school is no longer eligible. The program is for kindergarten through grade 12 only.
Source: West Virginia Hope Scholarship Board, Frequently Asked Questions, undated page, read October 7, 2026.
School choice programs in every state: 33 of the 50 states and DC have a program that pays toward private school, compared side by side.