CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WVDN) – State Treasurer Larry Pack, who serves as Chairman of the Hope Scholarship Board, today released a revised maximum projected Hope Scholarship budget for the 2026-2027 school year. The program is estimated to cost $230,144,341, an $85 million savings from the original estimate of $315,013,760. The revised number was submitted to the West Virginia Department of Education today.
“We will continue to revise numbers as we get better data. Once we hit universal expansion of the Hope Scholarship program, we will know exactly how many students will take advantage of the program,” Treasurer Pack said. “At the end of the day, it’s better to take a cautious approach to our estimates but we always knew this program would never cost as much as some people thought it would. This new estimate will save the state around $85 million. Regardless of the expected cost, we look forward to helping our parents and students find the right education that fits their unique needs.”
In January, the West Virginia Treasury had projected a total cost of $315,013,760 if 100% of eligible students participated in the Hope Scholarship for the 2026-2027 school year. That number was revised in September to $244,580,215, saving the state of West Virginia around $70 million.
The most recent revision reflects new estimates provided by the West Virginia Department of Education. The projected number of students is decreasing from 42,746 to 40,223, a reduction of 2,523 students. That is primarily due to a decrease in the projected number of students for the 2025-2026 school year that is the starting point to add to the newly eligible students for the 2026-2027 school year.
The Hope Scholarship award amount varies each school year depending on the amount of state aid funding per pupil provided to county boards of education for public school students. The projected scholarship amount for the 2026-2027 school year is $5,435.62.
The deadline to apply for 25 percent of this year’s Hope Scholarship funding amount is February 28, 2026.
The Hope Scholarship will open to all school-age children residing in West Virginia beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year. New applications for that school year will be available on March 2, 2026.
For more information on the Hope Scholarship, visit www.HopeScholarshipWV.com.
