CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Community and Technical College System (WVCTCS) today announced a 7.8 percent increase in total student enrollment for the 2024 fall semester, marking a significant achievement for the state’s nine public community and technical colleges. With nearly 18,000 students enrolled, the system’s growth outpaces the 4.7 percent national increase in community college enrollment.
This positive trend reflects the success of unprecedented actions by Gov. Jim Justice and the West Virginia Legislature earlier this year following the federal government’s delayed rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is the key to unlocking funds for college, for the 2023-24 academic year. The state took quick action to allow students to access state financial aid without a current FAFSA on file, ensuring West Virginia students could continue access and afford college this year.
“We are proud to see this increase in enrollment, which demonstrates the resilience of our students, institutions, and state,” said Dr. Sarah Armstrong Tucker, West Virginia’s Chancellor of Higher Education. “Thanks to the leadership of Governor Justice and the West Virginia Legislature, we were able to remove financial obstacles for our students and ensure that they could continue their education without delay. The increase in enrollment is a direct result of their commitment to the future of our students and the state’s workforce.”
Gov. Justice and the Legislature also made a historic, one-time investment of $40 million this year that allowed the state to double the maximum award for the needs-based Higher Education Grant, from $3,400 to $6,800, for the 2024-25 academic year. An additional $11.2 million was allocated to establish College Access Emergency Grants, which provided eligible students with up to $2,000 in financial assistance. In addition to these one-time investments, the West Virginia Invests Grant allows qualifying students to attend state community and technical colleges tuition-free.
“West Virginia is leading the way in making higher education affordable for all students,” Chancellor Tucker added. “These investments are not just about numbers – they are about empowering all students, regardless of their backgrounds or situations, to succeed and ensuring they have the resources needed to do so.”
For more information about West Virginia’s financial aid programs, including the West Virginia Invests Grant, visit cfwv.com, West Virginia’s free college-planning resource.
The full WVCTCS enrollment report released today can be found here.
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