I thought that last year it was the Friday before Christmas? So I’ll still be keeping a close eye out tomorrow, but after that I think it’ll probably be mid Jan.
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Crickets so who knows.
I keep looking here, online, wherever I can think. Feels like maybe no December surprise.
It looks like they are doing fall graduation today, maybe folks are just too busy to finalize and hit the button?
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Me too. I was really hoping for something today!
S25 won’t qualify for need based aid. He keeps getting emails from VT to apply for FAFSA. He has filled a general scholarship application. Then got email asking to apply for Honors scholarship. Seems asking too much to do before decision. For other institutions, we haven’t filled out FAFSA yet but have got merit scholarships. Do all applicant submit FAFSA to VT to be considered for merit scholarships?
We are same boat not qualifying for aid but submitted FAFSA. We visited in the fall and my notes say that in order to qualify for max aid you need to submit by 1/22. Didn’t want to leave anything on the table so filled it out and submitted!
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Should the student (EA applicant) update the SRAR with grades for courses completed in the fall semester?
In order to receive scholarships the FASFA needs to be submitted. I have three Hokies and that’s how it’s been for the past four years.
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The email VT sent yesterday (that I also had a mini heart attack receiving thinking it was an admissions email) stated: “Those opting not to complete the FAFSA can be considered for non-need-based college and departmental scholarships only.”
Since we won’t qualify for any need based $, we are not filling out the FAFSA.
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VT is famous for not giving Merit aid unfortunately. The general scholarship one has nothing but a submit button. I am fearful that for us it is going to come down to who gives us the most Merit aid at the end of the day. She worked so hard for her grades and some of the schools have been generous where we are getting basically instate tuition.
I thought it was the opposite - they were encouraging you to fill out the FAFSA even if you didn not qualify for need based so that you would be considered for merit scholarships.
Seems to me - to even do the general scholarship app and not sure if they have merit (not need) scholarships via that app - but they want the FAFSA.
Why wouldn’t someone do it ??
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Unless I’m reading that email wrong, I don’t think so. VT is by no means a safety for my S25 so we’re not expecting anything regardless.
The email that we got didn’t say anything about FAFSA. It said:
Greetings,
For maximum financial aid and scholarship consideration, students should complete the 2025-26 General Scholarship Application by January 22, 2025.
To complete the General Scholarship Application, students may access Scholarship Central through their Applicant Portal.
The General Scholarship Application:
- Takes less than 5 minutes to complete
- Allows you to be considered for more than 3,200 Virginia Tech scholarship opportunities supported by donors
Questions? Visit our Scholarships page, email finaid@vt.edu, or give us a call at 540-231-5179.
And that may be correct but their webpage infers you need to do the FAFSA too - but perhaps it’s just a suggestion.
It’d be odd for merit to require FAFSA.
Whelp. We already did FAFSA - it was incredibly easy.
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This is the email returning parents received. It’s definitely unclear about requiring the FAFSA for all/some/any merit awards but we did it anyway because like another post said why not. We don’t qualify for need and got $0 as an incoming freshman. For sophomore year we received a decent merit award from the general scholarship application. No idea if we would have received it without the FAFSA but wasn’t taking the risk.
Dear Hokie Parent:
November is National Scholarship Month. Encourage your student to start the month off right by completing Virginia Tech’s 2025-26 General Scholarship Application today.
The General Scholarship Application:
● Takes less than 5 minutes to complete
● Allows your student to be considered for over 3,000 Virginia Tech scholarship opportunities supported by donors
General Scholarship Application can be completed by logging in to Scholarship Central.
For maximum scholarship consideration, your student should complete the General Scholarship Application and the 2025-26 FAFSA (available December 1st) by January 22, 2025.
Students must complete the FAFSA to be considered for need-based scholarships or any scholarship administered by the Office of University Scholarships and Financial Aid. For this reason, we strongly recommend completing the 2025-26 FAFSA even if you do not think you will qualify for federal gift aid.
Those opting not to complete the FAFSA can be considered for non-need based college and departmental scholarships only.
Questions? Visit our Scholarships Page, emailfinaid@vt.edu, or give us a call at 540-231-5179.
Go Hokies!
The Office of University Scholarships & Financial Aid
I have a senior Hokie (we are OOS). She has a small renewable merit scholarship, and we’ve had to submit the FAFSA each year in order to keep receiving the scholarship. We don’t qualify for financial aid.
My daughter also fills out the general scholarship application each year but hasn’t received anything despite keeping a high GPA (although she did receive another small award when she studied abroad).
Once admitted, students can apply for the many individual scholarships that are also located under the general scholarship application. These are very specific to major of study, town/city/county of residence, income level and other specific criteria (lots of family memorial trust scholarships) so it’s not likely there will be too many that a student qualifies for, especially if you are OOS.
VT doesn’t offer large incentive merit awards because they don’t have to. It’s a STEM-leaning university (although its finance/business school is also very popular). It’s a competitive admit that attracts academically talented students.
My junior OOS Hokie had a small renewable award as well ($3K), which we had to fill out the FAFSA to get each year. They pulled that when she got money from her major Dept this year. Her Dept practically begged the students to all apply because some years there was money left unawarded. She got about $7500 from them this year which was appreciated.
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Anyones knows VT’s regular decision acceptance rate last year? I assume it is lower than EA but how much lower.