Webinar Series To Help College Students Through Financial Aid Process Launches In W.Va.

A webinar series aimed at helping West Virginia students and families figure out how to best pay for college is kicking off this week and will continue through the end of April 2021.

The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and the Community and Technical College System of West Virginia will host 20 financial aid webinars to assist prospective students in applying for scholarships and financial aid.

The seminars will cover how to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, and will give updates on specific program, like the PROMISE Scholarship, West Virginia Invests, the Higher Education Grant, the Underwood-Smith Teaching Scholars Program, and the Engineering, Science and Technology Scholarship.

Typically, these workshops are held at high schools in the state, but the sponsor agencies say they are adapting to an online experience because of the coronavirus pandemic.

HEPC and CTC System Chancellor Sarah Armstrong Tucker called the events “critical” to ensure students and families have what they need when planning for college.

“Though our outreach looks different this year, we are hopeful that we can reach more people than ever before through these virtual events,” Tucker said. “I encourage our high school students and their loved ones to join us, ask questions, and learn about the numerous programs that make college affordable and accessible in the Mountain State.”

Financial aid staff will also be available for extended hours to answer questions about the FAFSA. They will offer more than a dozen dates between now and the end of the series to help students and parents learn more.

Click here to download the full calendar of events. Webinars will be held over Zoom and can be found here.

Questions can be directed to the state’s financial aid hotline: 877-987-7664.