Key Resources for Faculty and Staff
What is Virginia Tech Advantage?
Virginia Tech Advantage is a university-wide initiative to expand financial and academic support resources and enhance student success for all students. It provides for basic needs, such as emergency funds and food, and offers additional support for experiential learning. Students are able to take part in research, study abroad, and internships with fewer financial barriers while staying on track toward graduation. In addition, Virginia Tech Advantage provides scholarships to in-state students if they meet specific financial eligibility requirements.
How does Virginia Tech Advantage support student scholarships and academic resources?
A significant commitment of Virginia Tech Advantage is to expand scholarship support for undergraduate Virginia residents who are eligible for federal and state grants based on their household income. These students also receive additional academic support services through the Scholar Support team in the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs. Currently, about 4,000 undergraduate students are supported with these resources, for which they are automatically designated when they fill out their application for federal student aid.
One goal of Virginia Tech Advantage is to double the number of students in the Presidential Scholars Initiative. These students are selected based on academics, leadership, and financial need, and they receive funds for tuition, fees, food, housing, and study abroad.
What do the scholarship-supported students receive through the initiative?
In-state undergraduate students who receive scholarships and financial aid through Virginia Tech Advantage are served through Scholar Support, which provides access to peer mentors who understand financial aid and scholarship requirements and other resources to support their academic achievement. Students also receive reminders by email, texts, and the Canvas site of important university dates and deadlines.
More information is available on the Scholar Support website in the Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs.
What do students who are not supported by scholarships receive through the initiative?
Virginia Tech Advantage is a university-wide initiative to expand financial and academic support resources and enhance student success for all students. Access to learning experiences such as paid internships, research, and study abroad are important for all students, and Virginia Tech Advantage is increasing the financial support necessary for students to participate in these opportunities. In addition, support for basic needs, such as emergency funds and food, is available to all undergraduate and graduate students.
How can I tell if a student is part of Virginia Tech Advantage? Is there a list of students I can access? Or do I need to wait for a student to offer that information?
Due to federal privacy laws, the university can’t disclose which students are eligible for the initiative, and a faculty or staff member should not ask a student if they are served by Virginia Tech Advantage. It’s the choice of individual students to disclose if they are receiving financial and academic support through the initiative.
Does Virginia Tech Advantage mean that we’re recruiting students only based on need and not on merit?
We continue to recruit students based on merit. The scholarship program of Virginia Tech Advantage is designed to enhance access and affordability for in-state undergraduates with financial need, and the other aspects of the initiative are designed to enhance access and affordability for all students.
I have a student in my class who is struggling academically. How can I help?
For faculty, the Early Academic Referral System (VT EARS) continues to be the best way to support any student who is struggling with their coursework. You can review how to submit a referral here.
If the student has disclosed that they are receiving scholarship support through Virginia Tech Advantage or are a part of Scholar Support, faculty can refer them to Scholar Support through Navigate. Staff will contact them within two business days to create an action plan that connects them with the appropriate campus resources.
The term “Virginia Tech Advantage” is being broadly applied across the campus and not just for students in the Scholar Support program. Why?
Virginia Tech Advantage is a university-wide initiative to expand financial and academic support resources and enhance student success for all students. For example, access to learning experiences such as paid internships, research, and study abroad are important for all students, and support for basic needs, such as emergency funds and food, is available to all undergraduate and graduate students.
Virginia Tech Advantage also provides scholarships to in-state undergraduate students who meet specific financial eligibility requirements. The initiative includes a fundraising component to raise $450 million for scholarships and $50 million for basic needs and student support. Overall, the university will continue to enhance its ability to meet students’ needs through philanthropic support, institutional funds, and governmental funds.
Students have done research in my lab for years. Is my program now considered part of Virginia Tech Advantage?
Our faculty have done important work developing opportunities for experiential learning, and we know students are having great experiences doing research, studying abroad, or working in paid internships. The goal of Virginia Tech Advantage is to build on that work and remove barriers to those high-impact practices and make them available to a wider range of students.
We have scholarship-supported students working in our office as interns. Is there money available to pay them?
A student with a documented financial need may qualify for the Federal Work-Study program. Under FWS, employers only pay 25 percent of a student’s wages. More information is available here.
Career and Professional Development also offers intern wage matching through Campus internEXP. Current funding extends through the 2026-27 academic year. More information about the program is available here.
I’m developing a new internship (or study abroad or undergraduate research) program that will be available to Virginia Tech Advantage scholarship-supported students. Are grants available to fund this work?
Virginia Tech Advantage doesn’t offer faculty grants. However, there are several funding sources and student scholarships available elsewhere on campus.
The Office of Undergraduate Research provides faculty grants to help scale and increase research opportunities for students. (Applications are available here). A list of competitive grants and scholarships for students is also available here through the Academy of Experiential Learning.
Does Virginia Tech Advantage apply to graduate students?
Virginia Tech Advantage includes resources that support both undergraduate and graduate students, particularly in areas such as basic needs and student support services.
Some components of the initiative, including certain scholarship programs, are focused on undergraduate students. However, the broader commitment to reducing barriers and supporting student success extends across the university.
Does Virginia Tech Advantage reduce tuition costs?
Virginia Tech Advantage does not change tuition rates. Instead, it focuses on reducing financial barriers through a combination of scholarships (for eligible students), expanded financial support, and increased access to resources that help students succeed.
This includes support for basic needs , as well as funding and opportunities that make experiences like internships, research, and study abroad more accessible.
Are out-of-state students eligible for support?
Many aspects of Virginia Tech Advantage benefit all students, including out-of-state students. These include access to basic needs resources, experiential learning opportunities, and student support services.
How is Virginia Tech Advantage different from financial aid?
Financial aid is one component of Virginia Tech Advantage.
The initiative takes a broader approach by combining financial support with academic resources, basic needs assistance, and expanded access to high-impact learning experiences such as internships, research, and study abroad.
Together, these elements help reduce barriers and support students throughout their time at Virginia Tech.
How is Virginia Tech Advantage funded?
Virginia Tech Advantage is supported through a combination of philanthropic contributions, institutional investments, and public funding. The initiative includes a significant fundraising effort to expand scholarships and strengthen support for student success, including resources for basic needs and experiential learning.
Virginia Tech is raising $500 million over a 10-year period, including $450 million for scholarships for in-state undergraduates with demonstrated financial need and $50 million for student success (basic needs, career preparation, transformational learning experiences). To learn more about supporting student scholarships and other parts of Virginia Tech Advantage, contact the Donor Relations team at donorrelations@vt.edu or 540-231-2801, extension 2.