Dual credit is on the Hope Scholarship Board's list of qualifying expenses: tuition, fees and materials for dual-credit and college-level courses. For a homeschooled or microschool teenager in the valley, that turns college courses into a planned part of the high school years.
Two public colleges sit close to most metro families. West Virginia State University in Institute runs an Early Enrollment program; in 2021-22 it served 2,415 students from 25 partner high schools in seven counties, and its 2022 announcement listed $25 per credit hour, so ask WVSU for the current rate. BridgeValley Community and Technical College in South Charleston runs dual enrollment taught by certified high school teachers; Clay County and Nitro High School were its largest participants in fall 2023.
Hope also covers AP, college-entrance and other standardized exam fees, plus prep courses for them, and programs that lead to an industry-recognized credential. Ask each college how it bills, because Hope money must be paid to an approved provider inside the portal.
Combining it with other sources
Dual Credit and College Courses can usually be used alongside the school's own aid. Rules differ by source, so the funding check maps which ones fit together for your child.
Common questions
Can a homeschooled teen in Kanawha County use Hope for West Virginia State University classes?
Yes, if the course is dual credit or college-level and the college bills through the Hope portal. The Hope Scholarship Parent Handbook lists dual-credit tuition, fees and materials as qualifying expenses. A Kanawha County family should ask West Virginia State University's Early Enrollment office for the current per-credit price and whether it is set up as a Hope provider.
Does the Hope Scholarship pay for AP exams and the ACT in West Virginia?
Yes. The Hope Scholarship Parent Handbook lists fees for nationally standardized tests, Advanced Placement exams, aptitude tests and college-admission exams as qualifying expenses, along with prep courses for those exams. A Charleston-area student can use Hope for these fees whether the student attends a private school, a microschool or learns at home.