April 5th, 2023 by WCBC Radio

The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and Community and Technical College System remind students that April 15 is the deadline to apply for the Higher Education Grant Program (HEGP), the state's need-based financial aid program. The Commission recently voted to increase the award, which helps cover the cost of tuition and fees at two- and four-year colleges and universities, to $3,300 for the 2023-24 school year. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the only application required to be considered for the grant, can be completed online at fafsa.gov.  More information about the Higher Education Grant Program is available at collegeforwv.com/programs/wv-higher-education-grant/. The FAFSA is free and available through the U.S. Department of Education at fafsa.gov.  For assistance filing the FAFSA, students and families are encouraged to call the state's financial aid hotline at 877-987-7664. Students are also encouraged to sign up for West Virginia's text-message college counseling program, "Txt 4 Success," by visiting cfwvconnect.com/txt-4-success/.