Virginia Commonwealth Award (undergraduate)
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV); awarded by each Virginia public college
Need-based grant for Virginia undergraduates at Virginia public colleges and universities, up to the cost of tuition and required fees.
- How much
- Varies by college and need; may not exceed tuition and required fees
- Who qualifies
- Virginia domicile (Code of Virginia § 23.1-502), or eligible military dependent (§ 23.1-505) or Tuition Equity student (§ 23.1-505.1). Admitted to a Virginia public two- or four-year college; enrolled at least half-time in an approved degree, certificate or diploma program; financial need as determined by the college.
- For students starting college, undergrads, transfer students
- Need-based: your FAFSA decides how much you get.
- When to apply
- Apply any time FAFSA/VASA by each college's priority deadline (for 2026-27 most were March 1, some Feb 1 to July 15; see SCHEV's deadline table).
- How to apply
- No separate application
- File the FAFSA (or the Virginia Alternative State Aid / VASA application if you can't file a FAFSA) by your college's financial aid deadline
- The college's financial aid office decides and awards
- What you'll need
- FAFSA only
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (schev.edu), page 2 and page 3
The details
State money appropriated directly to each Virginia public two- and four-year college, which awards it as need-based grants to Virginia-resident undergraduates. By law the awards must be proportional to need, so the students with the greatest need get the largest awards. Undergraduates must be admitted to a Virginia public college, enrolled at least half-time in an approved degree, certificate or diploma program, and show financial need as determined by the college. Award amounts vary by college and available funding and may not exceed tuition and required fees. Renewable (pending funds) with satisfactory academic progress and continued eligibility under the Virginia Student Financial Aid Program regulations. (The graduate side of the program is a separate record.)
More money from Virginia
- Virginia Space Grant Undergraduate STEM Research ScholarshipUp to $8,500 per year
- Virginia Space Grant Graduate STEM Research Fellowship$6,000 per year
- Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant (VTAG)Up to $5,250 per year for undergraduates (2026-27 maximum); $5,000 for eligible graduate health-professions students; higher at Hampton and Virginia Union
- Two-Year College Transfer Grant (CTG)Up to $1,000 per year base; plus up to $1,000 STEM-N bonus; plus $1,000 incentive at NSU, ODU, Radford, UVA Wise, VCU and VSU
- Granville P. Meade Scholarship$2,000 per year for four years (most recent cycle)
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
We list programs; we don't decide who gets them. Always check the official page before you apply. Spot something wrong? Tell us.