First-Time Freshmen

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

How to Apply as a First-Time Freshman

To apply to West Virginia University as a first-time freshman, please complete the following steps. WVU has adopted a test optional application through spring 2023 for students interested in applying without standardized test scores.

Review the application deadlines, admissions requirements and frequently asked questions. To learn more about the process, watch our how to apply video.
To apply for an on-campus program, complete either the WVU Application or the Common App. The fee is $50 for in-state and out-of-state applicants and $65 for international applicants. When submitting the application, you will be prompted to indicate if you are applying test optional.

WVU Application The Common App
To apply for an online program, use the steps for WVU Online Campus applicants.
Send transcripts of previous schoolwork or self-report your courses and grades – options for submitting transcripts.
Submit your ACT and/or SAT scores to WVU, unless applying test optional – options for submitting scores.

WVU has a rolling admissions policy. We will process a decision within 3-4 weeks after receiving a completed application and supporting documents.  Students will receive an email within four days of their decision date, and a letter by mail within two weeks.

Application Deadlines for First-Time Freshmen

WVU has a rolling admissions policy, which means we do not have a specific deadline by which you must apply. Applicants are considered for and informed of admission on a first-come, first-served basis. For you to be considered for first-time freshman admission, all application materials and supporting documents must be received by these dates:

by December 31 for spring semester admission
by August 1 for fall semester admission

We recommend you apply as early as possible.

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.
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.
Students may use our Transfer Equivalency Self-Service (TESS) system to review transferable credit, or request review of a course not available in the system.
The student’s adviser will work with the student to determine final approval for fulfillment of credit towards a WVU degree program.

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 our Mountaineer Hub (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

Students are required to have an official high school transcript or academic record submitted by their high school to the Office of Admissions. Official SAT/ACT scores may be provided directly by the testing agency or high school.

TASC 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 students 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 one TASC exam can replace a singular core requirement. Test optional applicants will be considered. However, it is highly recommended that students 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 or in non-accredited high schools should submit the freshman application, SAT or ACT test scores, and documentation of their academic record.

Home-schooled applicants and applicants who attended non-accredited high schools must furnish documentation to validate learning in the academic areas of English, math, science and social sciences. Additional information about acceptable coursework can be found at First-Time Freshman Admission Requirements. For students who took credits at an accredited high school or college, official transcripts of the units taken must be provided to WVU.

The documentation of the academic record 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.

The courses must be broken down by 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grade years. The documentation must bear the signature of the person who administered the curriculum.

Upon completion of an application file with the required documentation, WVU will review the entire application file of an individual who has been home-schooled or attended a non-accredited high school. All application materials must be received by the regular admission deadline.

Note for West Virginia residents who are home-schooled: The 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). Further questions regarding this should be directed to the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.

Early Admission

WVU will admit a limited number of rising high school seniors who have demonstrated high academic achievement and maturity to enter college before high school graduation. Students who have completed their junior year in high school with a 3.5 GPA or higher, have a 26 ACT composite or superscored Evidence Based Reading/Writing and Math Section SAT score of 1240 and have completed all requirements for graduation from high school except senior English may apply for early admission.

In addition to submitting the freshman admission application and required documents, the principal or guidance counselors must submit a letter supporting the application. The student's parent(s) or guardian(s) must also submit a letter of support for the application.

Once the above requirements are met, an interview with the student will be conducted for the Early Enrollment Program.

Special considerations: Early admits are not eligible for the following forms of aid until they have officially graduated high school:

Title IV Federal Financial Aid - loans and grants
West Virginia Promise Scholarship - for West Virginia residents only

Scholarship Eligibility

You are considered for various merit scholarships by simply being admitted to WVU. To estimate your scholarship eligibility, you can use our Net Price Calculator or the Scholarships section of the Student Financial Support and Services website. Please contact the admissions counselor for your state or region if you have new or updated GPA or test score information for scholarship consideration.

Freshman Class Statistics

WVU’s fall 2020 freshman class had an average cumulative GPA of 3.6 on a 4.0 scale, an average ACT superscore of 24 and an average SAT superscore of 1141. We would encourage you to review our admitted student profile statistics.

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.