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Top Affordable Colleges in Virginia
By
Varonika Ware
Varonika Ware is a content writer at Scholarships360. Varonika earned her undergraduate degree in Mass Communications at Louisiana State University. During her time at LSU, she worked with the Center of Academic Success to create the weekly Success Sunday newsletter. Varonika also interned at the Louisiana Department of Insurance in the Public Affairs office with some of her graphics appearing in local news articles.
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Gabriel Jimenez-Ekman is a content editor and writer at Scholarships360. He has managed communications and written content for a diverse array of organizations, including a farmer’s market, a concert venue, a student farm, an environmental NGO, and a PR agency. Gabriel graduated from Kenyon College with a degree in sociology.
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While college is a good opportunity for you to spread your wings, you still have the chance to do that at one of your local colleges! In fact, there are plenty of affordable colleges in Virginia that can put a collegiate education right in the palms of your hands. Keep reading below if you want to learn more about your options in Virginia!
Affordable in-state colleges
University of Virginia
This Charlottesville university meets 100% of student’s financial need! It’s also an amazing option for in-state students since the University of Virginia offers tuition assistance to Virginia residents, and the coverage depends on household income. Aid is also transferable to all eight semesters, as long as students maintain eligibility.
William & Mary
WIlliam & Mary is a public research university in Williamsburg, Virginia. At this institution, over 70% of first-year, in-state students are awarded financial aid. W&M also offers Virginia Alternative State Aid (VASA), which is a financial assistance program offered to Virginia students that have DACA status and therefore, ineligible to file FAFSA. Prospective and current students can even get an inside look into how tuition is spent by W&M to make sure it’s the right fit for them.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
If you’re thinking about applying to this school, then you should learn about the Virginia Tech Advantage. This is a program offered to in-state, academically strong students to cover the cost of college since it can often become a barrier. The Virginia Tech Advantage does more than just cover your cost of attendance, it can also help you get a paid internship or help with the price of study abroad!
In addition to this program, Virginia Tech also offers grants and federal work study. In order to qualify for the grants, you must be enrolled full-time, maintain satisfactory academic progress and file FAFSA by the priority deadline.
Best merit aid
Roanoke College
Roanoke College is a great option for students that are passionate about their grades and extracurricular activities. This school offers both merit-based aid and competition-based awards! They also award $1,000 to incoming students who had at least a 3.0 and 1200 SAT/25 ACT or higher at the time of application, and Virginia residents can potentially get another $1,000 if they visited Roanoke in their junior or senior year of high school.
Roanoke also offers estimates of merit aid you can win based on your GPA. For example, if you have a 3.0 GPA, you can stand to win $14,000. In regards to Roanoke’s competitive scholarship programs, there are four opportunities: the Fellows Program, art scholarships, music performance scholarships, and theatre art scholarships.
Bridgewater College
Bridgewater College bases their merit scholarships on GPA, which means your test scores can be an added bonus! It’s also good to know that 100% of students get financial assistance at Bridgewater College. In regards to merit awards, incoming students can win between $2,500 – $5,000 if their GPAs range from 3.21 – 4.0+.
Bridgewater also offers the President’s Merit Award, a full tuition scholarship open to freshmen students accepted into the Flory Honors Program. In order to qualify for the program, you must have a 3.8 GPA or higher and a record of academic achievement. It also awards an additional $1,500 annual scholarship to all enrolled participants.
Best need-based aid
Washington & Lee University
Like other colleges and universities, Washington & Lee estimates your need-based aid from your family’s annual income. However, over 50% of Washington & Lee’s entering class received aid over $65,000! They also meet 100% of demonstrated financial need without the use of loans.
The Washington & Lee Promise states that undergraduate students with total family income below $150,000 will be guaranteed a minimum grant of tuition if they apply for the grant by admission deadline. Students can even check out their estimated grant aid by parent income before applying!
University of Richmond
The University of Richmond has a need-blind admission policy, which means your application isn’t evaluated by your financial situation or ability to pay. They also guarantee that students will have 100% of their financial needs met. The average need-based aid package is $60,740, which covers over half of the total cost of attendance and doesn’t include any additional scholarships you may receive!
Check out:The Ultimate Guide to Need Blind Admissions
Key Takeaways
Frequently asked questions
What is demonstrated need, and how do I get it?
Is there a way to get in-state tuition as an out-of-state student?
