FAQs
What is Virginia Tech Advantage?
Virginia Tech Advantage is a universitywide, multiyear commitment to offer a broad educational experience to undergraduate students from Virginia who have financial need. The initiative is composed of four support strategies: providing a significant amount of new scholarship dollars to reduce unmet financial need and increased support for students’ basic needs, career preparation, and transformational learning experiences.
Why is Virginia Tech committed to this?
Offering a rich and full educational experience to all our Virginia students, including those with financial need, is a foundational part of our land-grant mission and a reflection of our university motto of Ut Prosim (That I May Serve).
What should prospective students and families know about Virginia Tech Advantage?
Virginia Tech is fully committed to offering a broad educational experience to all students, including those who have financial need. At scale, the initiative aims to cover the gap between the full cost of attendance and a student’s ability to contribute financial resources. Our goal is for a student with financial need to graduate on time with experiences and a college résumé that are similar to a student without financial need.
How will the scholarship dollars be awarded? Does a prospective student need to do anything differently when they’re applying, in order to benefit from Virginia Tech Advantage?
Prospective students do not need to do anything differently. They will apply as usual, filling out documents such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The Office of University Scholarships and Financial Aid will work to allocate available funds to meet students’ needs.
How does Virginia Tech Advantage impact the Presidential Scholarship Initiative? How do I apply?
One goal of Virginia Tech Advantage is to double the number of students in the Presidential Scholarship Initiative (PSI), from approximately 400 to 800 students. Potentially eligible students will automatically be considered, and they don’t need to do anything differently. There is no application required other than completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). For more information, visit the PSI website.
How will basic needs be met?
Virginia Tech Advantage will expand support for The Market of Virginia Tech, which combats food insecurity, and for emergency funds, which help students maintain their academic trajectories even during times of unexpected financial difficulty.
How do I apply for food assistance from The Market of Virginia Tech?
Visit The Market website, where you’ll begin by contacting the Dean of Students’ office.
How do I apply for emergency funds?
Visit the Student Emergency Funds Contact Form or visit the Dean of Students website to learn more. Virginia Tech is committed to helping students continue their progress toward their degrees during times of financial need.
How many students will be a part of Virginia Tech Advantage?
An estimated 5,500 undergraduate Virginians now at Virginia Tech have demonstrated financial need. We are committed to closing the gap between the total cost of attendance and a student’s ability to contribute their own resources.
When will Virginia Tech Advantage become fully operational?
Virginia Tech Advantage is operational now, although various aspects of the initiative will continue to be built up and scaled over time. Over the next 10 years, Virginia Tech Advantage will be positioned to serve at least 5,500 Virginia Tech undergraduates who are residents of the commonwealth.
Will students know they are a part of Virginia Tech Advantage?
Yes. The university will work closely with students who receive support as a part of Virginia Tech Advantage so that we can effectively offer a range of services.
How much aid does Virginia Tech offer now, and how much will it offer in the future?
In FY23, the university managed $175.5 million in undergraduate student financial gift aid, including federal, state, institution, private, and third-party aid (both need and merit aid). At scale, Virginia Tech Advantage will annually add $51.5 million in need-based gift aid for resident undergraduates. In the first phase of the initiative, an annual increase of $30 million-plus for financial aid will close the gap with the top 20 land-grant institutions, while in the second phase, achieving the full increase of $51.5 million per year will offset the full measure of unmet student need.
Will Virginia Tech Advantage benefit all students, or just in-state undergraduates?
While the new scholarship funding will be focused on in-state undergraduates who are eligible for Pell grants and state grants, the expanded support for in-state students will free up university resources that will benefit all students. Enhanced resources to meet basic needs - such as food insecurity through The Market of Virginia Tech and emergency funds - will be directed toward all students who need support. Expanded resources for career preparation and transformational learning experiences will be directed toward Virginia Tech Advantage students. Additionally, the efforts to streamline curricula and course offerings to speed up time-to-graduation will benefit all undergraduates.
How will the university measure progress toward the Virginia Tech Advantage goals?
The university is developing a variety of metrics, including the number of students who need support and our ability over time to close the affordability gap.
How is the $500 million fundraising effort structured?
The fundraising goal for Virginia Tech Advantage is a part of the ongoing Boundless Impact: The Campaign for Virginia Tech. The fundraising effort for Virginia Tech Advantage is planned for 10 years and will extend past Boundless Impact, which is slated to close Dec. 31, 2027. The $500 million goal is composed of $400 million in endowed scholarships and $50 million in current-use scholarships over 10 years, along with $25 million in endowed funds and $25 million in current-use funds to meet basic needs (food insecurity and emergency funds); enhance career preparation (paid internships and coops, internship costs, mentoring and advising); and offer transformational learning experiences (study abroad, undergraduate research, summer experiences).
How can I give to or support Virginia Tech Advantage?
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. You can also visit vt.edu/advantage/give.