The Virginia Tobacco Commission is currently open to receiving applications for the Virginia Tobacco Scholarship.
New applicants for the 2024 academic year, will be applying for a loan on the terms that they would be eligible to earn forgiveness loans after graduation.
This scholarship program was established in 2002 by the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission (Tobacco Commission) to offer to strengthen the economies of Southwest (SW) and Southern Virginia (SV) through education by assisting its citizens to train for a bachelors degree.
The Virginia Tobacco scholarship is subject to the availability of funds. Since extra funds remain after 2024 awards were made, the scholarship application portal will re-open on Monday, September 17, 2024, at 10 a.m.
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Virginia Tobacco Scholarship Worth
A grant from the Virginia Tobacco Commission provides tuition assistance to former Virginia resident tobacco growers, quota holders, and their family members while they are enrolled at VHCC.
The award cannot exceed the cost of tuition; as such, all other financial assistance programs, including scholarships, must be applied first.
- High school students are not eligible to apply at this time.
- All candidates receiving Tobacco Scholarships must maintain a 2.0 GPA and other requirements for satisfactory academic progress as defined in the VHCC College Catalog.
- Once an applicant is awarded, he/she must update and submit his/her application each year and submit the required documentation by published deadlines.
To be eligible, students who received funding from the 2024 scholarship must reapply online for a 2024 award.
These students will continue to be awarded as returning scholarship applicants if he/she;
- reapplies by logging into his/her account,
- updates/submit the 2024 application,
- provides required documentation by the deadlines published.
Eligibility Requirements.
A lifetime program benefit restricts receipt of this funding to only one degree per student. The Virginia Tobacco Commission does not pay toward graduate-level courses, degrees, or endorsements.
The official award order by region for new 2024 awards follows:
- Juniors and Seniors with STEM-H majors by GPA,
- Other juniors and seniors by GPA
- Sophomores by GPA
- Freshmen by GPA (4.0 to 2.0 GPA order)
Payments can only be made directly to the college/university of your choice after receiving an invoice. Award emails will be issued in priority award order until funds are depleted.
Invoices will not be accepted from colleges until after the last add/drop dates, usually September/October for Fall and February/March for Spring.
Returning and new award recipients awarded a Tobacco Region Loan Forgiveness award will receive an award email and a Master Promissory Note.
The Master Promissory Note will require an electronic signature and must be submitted to the Virginia Tobacco Commission. Once they receive the signed document, they will notify your college/university of the award.
Applicants may have to make other payment arrangements until these funds are released so, please check with your school as to their policies.
Students are advised to check with their school about how this award may affect his/her financial aid package and notify the office immediately if they choose not to accept this award.
Students who use these funds for an associate’s degree at a 4-year college/university not offered by the community college serving the student are not eligible for additional funding towards a bachelor’s degree as this program is structured to help with only one degree per student per lifetime.
All new applicants must also apply online and provide proper documentation to receive the forgiveness loan.
This award is a loan and not a scholarship. The terms to earn possible forgiveness for this loan through employment after graduating with a 4-year degree are provided in the Master Promissory Note.
Applicants awarded will be required to sign the Master Promissory and an Addendum for payments to be made to his/her school.
Please note that if the terms for forgiveness are not met, repayment of the funds will be required. Recipients of the loan forgiveness award can receive assistance for one degree (maximum of 4 years).
Applicants under 21 must have a co-maker who must also sign the Master Promissory Note and Addendum.
For returning and new students who are awarded a loan forgiveness award in 2024, the award will be a loan of $1000 for the Fall semester and $1000 for the spring semester (maximum of $2000 per academic year).
To be eligible, the recipient must be enrolled in at least 9 semester hours per semester.
Eligibility:
Former Virginia resident tobacco growers and quota holders
How To Apply:
To apply for this scholarship, interested applicants should visit the link below
Application Process:
Applicants must complete the online application and submit the Tobacco Scholarship Application form.
Unless the applicant has a Bachelors’s degree from a college or university, he/she must apply for Financial Aid to be eligible for this program.
The Tobacco Scholarship may cover the full cost of tuition for students who do not receive financial aid or those who have unpaid tuition balance after all other financial aid has been applied.
Applicants may apply for Financial Aid online at www.fafsa.gov. and when completing this application, include the VHCCs school code (#007099).
Supporting Documentation:
- Applicants must provide proof of eligibility, which includes both of the following:
- A copy of the 156EZ or MQ24 form, which can be obtained from your local Farm Service Agency, and
- A notarized statement defines your relationship to the grower/quota holder.
Application Deadline:
The 2024 Tobacco Application must be complete and submitted if you wish to attend in
Summer 2024, Fall 2024, or Spring 2024. The 2024 FAFSA must also be on file.
- Summer 2024 – March 1,2024
- Fall 2023- May 1, 2024
- Spring 2024 – October 1, 2024
- 1All Support Documents for each applicant MUST be received in our office no later than Fri May 11, 2024, including a completed FAFSA on file for the 2024 year. Funding would not be guaranteed for applicants who do not meet this deadline.
For Additional Information, Contact:
VHCC Office of Financial Aid/Campus Connection Center (ISC 133)
Lindsey Holman
lholman@vhcc.edu
(276)-739-2463
Or Visit:
Virginia Highlands Community College
100 VHCC Drive, Abingdon, VA 24210
Mail: P.O. Box 828. Abingdon, VA 24212
Tel: (276) 739-2400
Toll-Free:(877) 207-6115
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