First-Time Freshmen

You are considered a first-time freshman if you are a current high school senior, have a high school equivalency diploma, or haven't attended college since graduating from high school.

How to Apply as a First-Time Freshman

WVU offers rolling admission and a test-optional application.

Review the admission requirements for on-campus majors, including 9-12 grade coursework.

You will be prompted to indicate if you are applying test optional when you complete the application. Learn more about our test-optional policy. Test-optional applicants are eligible to submit scores at a later date. We encourage you to send all score dates due to superscoring.
To apply for an on-campus program for fall 2025, complete the WVU Application or the Common Application. The fee is $50 for domestic students and $65 for international applicants.

WVU Application The Common App
Students applying to a WVU Online program should visit the WVU Online Campus application instructions.

The 2026 application opens mid-August.
WVU Admissions will begin reviewing applications in September. At that time, applicants will receive an admissions decision or notification of outstanding materials.
To ensure that your application is complete, please consider the following:
- Self-reported items are NOT accepted via the Common App, including courses, grades, test scores, and GPA.
- Applicants are required to submit an official transcript to the WVU Office of Admissions and cannot upload an unofficial transcript via the Common App or WVU Application.
- Essays and recommendations are not required.
- Test scores are optional to receive an admissions decision; a few majors and scholarships require test scores.
- Need assistance or have questions? We are here to help!
  - Contact WVU Admissions.
  - Contact your WVU admissions counselor.

Application Deadlines for First-Time Freshmen

WVU has a rolling admissions policy. Students are encouraged to apply early due to the selectivity and capacity restrictions for some majors. For you to be considered for first-time freshman admission, all application materials and supporting documents must be received by the following dates:

By December 1 for spring semester admission
By August 1 for fall semester admission

Dual Enrollment/College-In-High School Courses

Students who have completed college courses at a 2- or 4-year accredited institution while in high school may be eligible to have credit transferred to WVU.

The Office of Admissions will require an official transcript from the institution(s) once courses are completed and grades posted.
The official transcript must be sent by the institution; unofficial college transcripts will not be accepted from the student.
If WVU ACCESS credit, an official transcript is not required.
College credits earned while in high school are considered the same as transfer credits.
Grades earned are calculated as a part of the first semester GPA at WVU. This includes GPA calculation for aid renewal, including institutional scholarships and the West Virginia Promise Scholarship.
You may use our Transfer Equivalency Self-Service (TESS) system to review transferable credit, or request review of a course not available in the system.
Academic advisers will determine credit for transfer for first-time students during New Student Orientation prior to the term start.

Completion of an Associate Degree

Students enrolling at WVU with an associate degree may qualify to have their General Education Foundations (GEF) requirements considered fulfilled.

The information above (under Dual Enrollment/College-In-High School Courses) pertaining to college credit for transfer applies.
Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Science (AS) degrees apply; Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis due to the technical nature of the degree.
First-time freshmen are required to fulfill the on-campus residency requirement and live in a WVU residence hall their first year regardless of college credit earned while in high school. Exemptions to the first-year residency requirement can be found on the On-Campus Residency Requirements page.

Financial Aid Implications for Students with Incoming Transfer Credit

First-time freshman students who have earned an associate degree while in high school are strongly encouraged to work with the Office of Financial Aid once admitted to WVU and aid has been offered.

Credit earned may impact Satisfactory Academic Progress, as well as eligibility for certain types of aid.
Submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and your WVU admissions application as early as possible during your senior year. This will ensure that you will have the time to understand your financial aid and facilitate next steps due to the special circumstances of completing an associate degree while in high school.

Students Who've Taken the TASC, GED, or HiSET

TASC, GED, or HiSET Testing for High School Graduates

Students who have taken the TASC, GED, or HiSET after their anticipated high school graduation date should submit the freshman application for admission and contact the State Department of Education to request that TASC, GED, or HiSET scores be mailed to the WVU Office of Admissions.

Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) - score of 500 on each of the five subtest categories
General Equivalency Degree (GED) - average standard score of 2250 (450) or above
HiSET exam - minimum score of 45

You are required to have an official high school transcript or academic record submitted by your high school to the WVU Office of Admissions. Although not required, if submitting official ACT or SAT scores, please refer to the options for submitting test scores.

HiSET as Credit Recovery for High School Students in the State of West Virginia

The Options Pathway Programs offered to students in the state of West Virginia are not guaranteed to meet WVU’s requirements for admission to the Morgantown campus.

WVU stipulates that students meet 9-12 grade core curriculum requirements to be admissible to the Morgantown campus. Applicants who do not meet the 9-12 grade core requirements will be referred to a divisional campus within the WVU system, or ineligible for admission.
Students enrolled in the Options Pathway (formerly Option 1) or the HSEA Opportunity (formerly Option 3) are strongly encouraged to work with the Office of Admissions in advance to ensure that application requirements are met. Applicants must submit a personal statement explaining their motivation for enrolling in the program. Test optional applicants will be considered. However, it is highly recommended that you submit an ACT or SAT score.
Students enrolled in HSEA Credit Recovery (formerly Option 2) are eligible to apply to the WVU Morgantown campus. However, emphasis will be placed on meeting all 9-12 grade core requirements and only HiSET exam can replace a singular core requirement. Test optional applicants will be considered. However, it is highly recommended that you submit an ACT or SAT score.

Your high school must use the same guidelines for issuing grades as with other credit recovery programs. If using TASC or GED score ranges, WVU will convert to a letter grade using the scale below. Official standardized test scores, ACT and/or SAT, are also required.

GED® Test Score	Letter Grade	TASC Test Score	Letter Grade
600-800	A	650-800	A
500-590	B	550-649	B
410-490	C	500-549	C

Home-Schooled Students

Students educated at home should submit the freshman application. Home-schooled applicants may apply test optional. All students must meet core course requirements.

Home-schooled applicants must provide one item from the list below indicating approval to home school, meeting state/county requirements.

Accepted Documentation

Approval Letter
End of Year Assessment
Home School Registration Card
Most recent Progress Report or Portfolio Review
Home School Instruction Review Letter
WV residents may provide the original letter of intent which is required by the West Virginia Department of Education.

Home-schooled applicants must provide an official academic record. The courses must be broken down by 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade years and bear the signature of the person who administered the curriculum.

The documentation should take the form of a typed manuscript or description and background of classes and must include the following, at a minimum:

The student’s name.
A list and description of courses completed.
Grades earned for the courses completed.
The number of credits earned for each course.

* Applicants who attended non-accredited high schools must furnish an official transcript.

Upon completion of the application students must provide all required documentation and transcripts. WVU will review the entire application file. All application materials must be received by the regular admission deadline of August 1.

Note for West Virginia residents who are home-schooled: The West Virginia Promise Scholarship and the West Virginia Higher Education Grant require that home-schooled students submit a Home-Schooled Grade Report Form and transcript when submitting their Promise application with West Virginia Student Aid Management (WVSAM). The Promise Scholarship is not test optional and will require ACT/SAT. Further questions regarding this should be directed to the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.

Scholarship Eligibility

Admitted students are automatically considered for various merit scholarships. WVU’s first-time freshman merit deadline, without exception, is August 1 for fall semester admission and January 2 for spring semester admission. As a courtesy, WVU permits admitted students to continue to submit updated test scores and GPA calculations until the freshman merit deadline. Changes are not automatic for GPA edits; you must request a review of new credentials by submitting the GPA Update Request form with the WVU Office of Admissions. Test scores are automatically updated if received prior to the deadline via official score report or from the testing center. Select scholarships have an application and a different deadline. Please visit our Undergraduate Scholarship Office for more information.

To estimate your scholarship eligibility, check our First-time Freshman Scholarships. You can also use the Net Price Calculator to estimate your cost of attendance and federal aid eligibility.

Need Help?

Type your question below to find answers to our frequently asked questions. If you don't find an answer, or would like more information, please contact the admissions counselor for your state or region.