Virginia offers state financial aid for both public and private colleges. At Virginia's private nonprofit colleges, the Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant (VTAG) helps residents regardless of need, with the award amount set each year by the General Assembly. At public colleges, the need-based Commonwealth Award and the Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program (VGAP) help residents with financial need. You apply by filing the FAFSA, and VTAG has its own September 15 deadline.
If your student attends college in Virginia, these programs can cut the bill at both public and private schools. Here is how they work for 2026-27.
What state financial aid does Virginia offer?
Virginia's main programs are VTAG for private nonprofit colleges, and the Commonwealth Award and VGAP for public colleges, all for Virginia residents. They are coordinated by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) and administered through your college. VTAG is not based on need, while the Commonwealth Award and VGAP are.
These work alongside federal aid like the Pell Grant. For how the federal pieces fit together, see our complete 2026-27 financial aid guide.
What is the Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant (VTAG)?
VTAG helps Virginia residents who attend an accredited private, nonprofit college in Virginia, and it is not based on financial need. The award amount is set each year in the state budget, so it can change, and it goes toward tuition rather than religious or theological training. Because it is not need-based, families across income levels can receive it.
The catch is the deadline: you must apply for VTAG through your college's financial aid office by September 15, 2026, and late applications are only considered if funds remain, and not at all after December 1. File early so you do not miss it.
What are the Commonwealth Award and VGAP?
For Virginia's public colleges, the Commonwealth Award and the Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program (VGAP) are the main need-based grants. The Commonwealth Award helps undergraduate and graduate residents with financial need, with recent awards up to about $9,000 a year. VGAP is for need-based entering freshmen who also meet a GPA requirement, and it can cover up to in-state tuition plus a book allowance, with priority for the neediest students.
Both are awarded through your college using your FAFSA, so there is no separate application beyond the FAFSA (or the Virginia Alternative State Aid application for students who are not eligible for federal aid). Funds are limited, so file early.
How do you apply for Virginia state aid?
For need-based aid, file the FAFSA; for VTAG, also complete your college's VTAG application by September 15. The FAFSA qualifies you for the Commonwealth Award and VGAP at public colleges, while VTAG at a private college requires its own form. Confirm each school's process, since deadlines and procedures vary by campus.
Your step-by-step path:
- File the FAFSA as early as possible, or the Virginia Alternative State Aid application if you are not eligible for federal aid.
- If you attend a private nonprofit Virginia college, submit your VTAG application by September 15, 2026.
- Confirm your Virginia residency and your college's specific deadlines at SCHEV.
- Track your college's own aid deadlines.
Your next step
Virginia helps at both public and private colleges, but the programs and deadlines differ, so know which applies to your school. File the FAFSA early for the Commonwealth Award and VGAP, submit your VTAG application by September 15 if you attend a private college, and confirm details with SCHEV. Read our complete 2026-27 financial aid guide for the federal side, then create your free CollegeLens plan to see your real cost at each Virginia school.
You're doing the hard, smart work of claiming every program your state offers. That is how Virginia families make college more affordable.
-- Sravani at CollegeLens