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Before You Apply
What is the Community College Access Program (CCAP)?
CCAP is a public/private partnership that pays for up to two years of tuition for high school graduates who meet program requirements, as funding allows. Students may also have the opportunity to receive tuition support for workforce credentials. CCAP supports as many qualified students as possible based on student need and funds available for each locality.
What does CCAP pay for?
As of fall 2024, the CCAP scholarship covers the cost of tuition at Virginia Western for up to two (2) years, including summer between first and second years, while the CCAP student earns either an associate degree, a maximum of two certificates or two job-ready credentials. At the end of the two-year period, CCAP eligibility ends.
CCAP does not pay for textbooks or specific course fees. Students are encouraged to apply for the Educational Foundation’s general scholarships for additional support. For application details and deadlines, visit https://www.virginiawestern.edu/scholarships/.
CCAP is a “last-in” scholarship, meaning it covers the gap in funding between any federal/state financial aid a student is awarded and their overall cost of tuition. If a CCAP student is awarded a general Educational Foundation scholarship, those funds are applied first and CCAP pays for the balance remaining on the student’s tuition bill.
Application
How do I apply for CCAP?
Refer to the 2024 CCAP Checklist with the four steps required to apply for CCAP. The checklist is located at https://virginiawestern.edu/ccap/index.php. The deadline to apply is Feb. 1, 2024.
Can I apply if I miss the Feb. 1 deadline?
No, there are no exceptions to the CCAP application deadline. However, CCAP is only one way to pay college tuition. The Virginia Western Office of Financial Aid, located in Chapman Hall on campus, will be glad to assist you in determining what other funding resources such as scholarships, grants or loans are available. Call 1-855-874-6690 (press 1), email finaid@virginiawestern.edu, or you may make an appointment (phone, in-person, online) at https://www.virginiawestern.edu/advising/.
Must I provide my social security number (SSN) on my Virginia Western application?
Yes, if you have a social security number (SSN), you must provide it on the Virginia Western application so that the Office of Financial Aid can obtain your FAFSA from the U.S. Department of Education. The SSN provided on the Virginia Western application must match the SSN provided on your FAFSA. If you did not include an SSN or included an incorrect SSN on the Virginia Western application, the College cannot determine what financial aid you are eligible to receive. If your financial aid status cannot be determined, you will not be eligible for consideration
of the CCAP scholarship.
How do I know if my Social Security Number (SSN) is on my VWCC Student Center account?
- Log on to your Student Center account.
- Click on the general info tab.
- Scroll down to the section called National ID.
- If 4 digits are listed, then your SSN is on file.
- If you see only Xs, then your SSN is not on file.
How can I add my Social Security Number (SSN) to my VWCC Student Center account?
To add your social security number to your student account, you may do one of the following:
- SUBMIT DOCUMENT ONLINE at: https://mysupport.virginiawestern.edu/ (You will need your MyVWCC credentials, username and password, that you used to submit the CCAP application.)
- DELIVER to:
Virginia Western Community College
Records/Chapman Hall C-107
3094 Colonial Ave. SW
Roanoke, VA 24015
Never, ever give your original social security card away to anyone. Always make a copy to provide. Never email your social security number.
What is the Direct Enrollment Survey?
Virginia Western uses the Direct Enrollment Survey to determine a student’s readiness for college-level English and math courses. Go to https://desurvey.vccs.edu. Log on using your MyVWCC username and password to complete the survey. This is a requirement for CCAP consideration and must be submitted by the CCAP deadline of February 1, 2023.
Eligibility
How do I know if I am eligible for CCAP?
To be eligible for consideration for CCAP, you must:
- Meet certain residency requirements based on locality:
- Botetourt County: Reside in Botetourt County and attend one or more of the county’s public high school(s) or private school for junior and senior years. Must reside in Botetourt County and be homeschooled for junior and senior years.
- Craig County: Reside in Craig County and attend the county’s public high school or private school for junior and senior years. Must reside in Craig County and be homeschooled for junior and senior years.
- Franklin County: Reside in Franklin County and attend the county’s public high school or private school for junior and senior years. Must reside in Franklin County and be homeschooled junior and senior years.
- Roanoke City: Reside in Roanoke City and attend one or more of the city’s public high school(s) for junior and senior years.
- Roanoke County: Reside in Roanoke County and attend a public high school or private school in any of the six localities served by Virginia Western for junior and senior years. Must reside in Roanoke County and be homeschooled junior and senior years.
- Salem: Reside in City of Salem and attend the city’s high school or private school for junior and senior years. Must reside in City of Salem and be homeschooled junior and senior years.
- Graduate high school in spring with the following minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) based on the locality from which you are applying:
- Botetourt County = 2.5 GPA
- Craig County = 2.5 GPA
- Franklin County = 2.5 GPA
- Roanoke City = 2.0 GPA
- Roanoke County = 2.5 GPA
- Salem = 2.5 GPA
- Note: CCAP does not round up the grade point average (GPA) when determining eligibility.
- Meet the February 1, 2024 deadline for submission of all application requirements listed on the 2024 CCAP checklist including:
- Submit a Virginia Western Community College application at https://www.virginiawestern.edu.
- Submit the 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- Submit Direct Enrollment Survey at https://desurvey.vccs.edu
- Complete the online 2024 CCAP application at https://www.virginiawestern.edu/ccap/
- Enroll at Virginia Western in a degree/diploma/certificate program that meets the federal financial aid requirements in the fall semester immediately following your 2024 high school graduation.
If I am not eligible for CCAP, may I attend Virginia Western anyway?
Yes, you may! If you receive notification from the Educational Foundation that you are not eligible for CCAP, it does not mean that you cannot attend Virginia Western. CCAP is only one way to pay college tuition. The Virginia Western Office of Financial Aid, located in Chapman Hall on campus, will be glad to assist you in determining what other funding resources such as scholarships, grants or loans are available. Call 1-855-874-6690 (press 1), email finaid@virginiawestern.edu, or you may make an appointment (phone, in-person, online) at https://www.virginiawestern.edu/advising/.
If I apply for, but am not accepted in CCAP as a high school senior, may I apply for CCAP again next year?
No, only public high school seniors (or equivalent private school or homeschool students in the specified localities) may apply. But you may still attend Virginia Western with other funding resources to pay tuition.
I applied for CCAP during the application cycle, October – February. I am graduating high school at the end of summer semester. May I qualify for CCAP funding?
You may qualify for CCAP funding in the application cycle year if you meet all eligibility requirements including final high school cumulative GPA calculated prior to start of fall semester.
Dual Enrollment
I am a high school senior and dual-enrolled at Virginia Western. How do I apply for CCAP?
Refer to the 2024 CCAP Checklist with the four steps required to apply for CCAP. The checklist is located at https://virginiawestern.edu/ccap/index.php.
If you are a dual-enrolled student at Virginia Western, you have already completed step 1 on the checklist – you submitted the Virginia Western application. Do not submit it again. When you meet with your Virginia Western New Student Advisor, you will complete a Program/Plan Change form prior to course enrollment which will update your Virginia Western student record. The other 3 steps on the CCAP checklist are required for all applicants who are dual-enrolled.
Does my GPA from dual-enrollment classes at Virginia Western affect my CCAP eligibility?
It does not affect your initial acceptance in CCAP, but it does affect your continued eligibility. The Educational Foundation uses your final high school cumulative GPA to accept you into CCAP and your Virginia Western cumulative GPA to determine your continued eligibility for CCAP after you are accepted. If you completed dual enrollment courses with Virginia Western while in high school, you will have a Virginia Western cumulative GPA the fall semester you begin CCAP. Your cumulative GPA determines your continued eligibility for CCAP at the end of each semester.
What is a program/plan change form?
A program/plan change form is a document that a student submits to the Virginia Western Records Office declaring what program of study he/she will pursue while taking classes at Virginia Western. To change from being a dual-enrolled high school student to a Virginia Western college student, this form must be provided by the student to the college. The “Change Your Program of Study” form is located here (PDF).
Financial Aid
Does my family’s income affect whether I get CCAP or not?
Your family’s income is part of the information you are required to provide on the FAFSA. The FAFSA puts all of your information into a formula which generates an Student Aid Index (SAI) number. This Student Aid Index (SAI) number will determine where you rank on the list of qualified applicants for your locality. The higher the Student Aid Index (SAI) number in a locality where there is not sufficient funding to award all qualified applicants may mean that all available funds are awarded before your name is reached on the list.
What is the FAFSA submission deadline for the CCAP application process?
The 2024-2025 FAFSA must be submitted by February 1, 2024 in order for the financial aid review process to begin. The financial aid review process must be completed by June 1, 2024 for CCAP eligibility.
How do I know if my financial aid review process is complete?
Once your financial aid review process is complete, the Office of Financial Aid will send you a financial aid award notification via the Message Center on your student account. You receive this notification even if you do not qualify for any financial aid.
I have completed my FAFSA and enrolled in my classes for the semester. How do I calculate my financial aid award?
To receive financial aid, you first must be admitted to and enrolled in an eligible associate degree or certificate program. Certificate programs requiring fewer than 16 credits do not qualify.
VWCC calculates financial aid eligibility based on the number of credits for which you enroll:
- Full-time: 12 or more credit hours
- 3/4 Time: 9-11 credit hours
- 1/2 Time: 6-8 credit hours
- Less than 1/2 Time: 1-5 credit hours
Credit hours taken for audit do not count in this calculation. You must enroll at least half-time in order to be considered for Federal Work-Study, SEOG, COMA, Federal Stafford Loan, and PLUS support. You must enroll full-time to be considered for VGAP support. You must enroll for 1-8 credits to be considered for PTAP support. The Pell Grant does not have a minimum enrollment requirement, but is prorated based on enrollment level.
May I participate in CCAP even if I am receiving full financial aid?
Yes, if accepted in CCAP, you may participate in the program even if you have full financial aid. The Community College Access Program provides funding for tuition for up to and including 15 credits for CCAP accepted students who have no financial aid or insufficient financial aid to cover tuition. CCAP participants receiving full financial aid do not receive CCAP funds, but are still required to meet all CCAP deadlines and requirements to maintain eligibility for the program in future semesters. It is important to remain in CCAP because your financial situation may change from year to year altering your financial aid eligibility.
Home Schooling
May home-schooled and/or private school students apply to CCAP?
Botetourt County, Craig County, Franklin County, Roanoke County and City of Salem permit homeschooled and private school students to apply for CCAP if the student has resided in their respective locality for a period of time comparable to a public high school student’s junior and senior years of high school. Roanoke County permits its high school senior residents to apply for CCAP as long as they attended high school in any of the schools (public, private, homeschooled) in Virginia Western’s 6-locality service region.
If I am home-schooled or attend a private school in one of the five localities that permits students to apply to CCAP (Botetourt County, Craig County, Franklin County, Roanoke County or Salem) and I am a dual-enrolled student at Virginia Western, how do I apply to CCAP?
Refer to the 2024 CCAP Checklist with the four steps required to apply for CCAP. The checklist is located at https://virginiawestern.edu/ccap/index.php.
If you are a dual-enrolled student at Virginia Western, you have already completed the first step on the checklist – you submitted the Virginia Western application. Do not submit it again. When you meet with your Virginia Western New Student Advisor, you will complete a Program/Plan Change form prior to course enrollment which will update your Virginia Western student record. The other 3 steps on the CCAP checklist are required for all applicants who are dual-enrolled.
I am homeschooled. What do I answer when asked the name of my school?
Some homeschooled students attend an online academy or their parents have self-named their homeschool entity. Where indicated on the CCAP application, answer with the most appropriate name available to you. Keep in mind when you graduate high school, you will be asked to provide a final academic transcript that must include the name of your homeschool or academy.
Notification of Acceptance
What do CCAP conditional acceptance and CCAP final acceptance mean?
When a student completes the CCAP application process, meets the eligibility requirements and sufficient funding is available in the student’s locality, the applicant will be notified that they are conditionally accepted in CCAP. It is a “conditional” acceptance because at the time of notification, before high school graduation, the Educational Foundation will not have received the final high school academic transcripts which verify the final high school cumulative GPAs. Therefore, CCAP acceptance will only be conditional.
Once the Educational Foundation receives the student’s final transcript confirming that the final high school GPA meets the CCAP requirement for his/her locality, and the student has completed the financial aid process by the stated deadline, the student will receive notification of final acceptance in CCAP.
When will I hear if I have been accepted to CCAP or not?
The Educational Foundation will notify students with a CCAP conditional acceptance email.
IMPORTANT: If conditionally accepted in CCAP, you will be required to accept the offer of the CCAP scholarship. Failure to submit this online conditional CCAP acceptance will result in in a loss of CCAP eligibility.
If I complete all parts of the CCAP application process does that mean I will automatically receive CCAP to cover my tuition and fees?
No, it does not. Conditional acceptance in CCAP is dependent on:
- Meeting the eligibility requirements and successfully completing all parts of the CCAP application process.
- Availability of CCAP funding. CCAP is dependent upon support annually from public and private funding sources. The amount of CCAP funds available to award may vary from year to year. Applicants are encouraged to apply for the Educational Foundation’s general scholarships for other support. For application details and deadlines, visit https://www.virginiawestern.edu/scholarships/.
After Acceptance
I have been accepted in CCAP and my student account shows that I have a balance due for my tuition or no anticipated aid. Will my classes be dropped for non-payment?
No. A HOLD or Do Not Drop indicator is placed on all qualified CCAP student accounts until the appropriate time for CCAP student funding to be added to student accounts. This occurs before the start of the upcoming semester classes.
Be aware that when you enroll in classes, a “balance due” is created on your student account for the tuition and fees for those courses. The balance due remains on your student account until which time the college processes financial aid, loans, CCAP awards and scholarships to pay tuition bills each semester.
Maintaining Eligibility
How do I update my contact information if it changed after I applied to CCAP?
It is imperative that you inform the Educational Foundation of any change to your physical address, email address, telephone, or any other important contact information. To update your information for your CCAP record, email ccap@virginiawestern.edu, using the words “Contact Info Update” in the subject line. Include your name and student ID# in body of message. You should also log onto your Virginia Western student account at MyVWCC and update your contact information in your student record.
What additional criteria do I need to meet to REMAIN eligible for CCAP each semester?
The additional criteria that students must continue to meet to remain eligible for participation in the program are:
- The student must maintain a cumulative overall GPA to remain eligible for CCAP funds, based on the locality program for which you are accepted:
- Botetourt County = 2.5 GPA
- Craig County = 2.5 GPA
- Franklin County = 2.5 GPA
- Roanoke City = 2.0 GPA
- Roanoke County = 2.5 GPA
- Salem = 2.5 GPA
- Students who do not maintain the above cumulative GPA at the end of any semester will not be eligible to receive CCAP funds during any subsequent semester.
- A student in CCAP must enroll in and complete a minimum of 9 credit hours in each fall and spring semester of CCAP eligibility (unless otherwise indicated by the Educational Foundation). CCAP will pay tuition for a maximum of 15 credit hours per semester in a specific program of study. CCAP funds may be used only for tuition payment for courses in the student’s program of study.
NOTE: CCAP will pay for up to nine (9) developmental credits (if needed) during the first year of the program. - If, in any semester, a student falls below the required 9 credit minimum enrollment and/or minimum required GPA, the student will no longer be eligible for CCAP funding in future semesters.
- Incoming first year CCAP students are required to attend a Virginia Western Discover orientation session.
- Students must complete a 4 hour Service Learning Project during the fall and spring semesters each year they participate in the program, as determined by the Educational Foundation.
If I am accepted into CCAP and do not fulfill the requirements of the program as detailed in the agreement I signed with the Educational Foundation, what will happen?
If you do not fulfill the requirements of CCAP in a given semester as detailed by the agreement you sign each year with the Educational Foundation, you will no longer be eligible for CCAP in future semesters. You do not repay CCAP for any funds awarded.
You may continue taking classes at Virginia Western, even though you are not in CCAP. You will need to use other funding resources to use to pay tuition then. The Office of Financial Aid in Chapman Hall will be glad to assist you.
I am a current 1st Year CCAP student. Do I submit an application for 2nd Year CCAP?
No, a 2nd Yr. CCAP application is not required. You must meet all CCAP requirements at the end of 1st yr. spring semester. If you enroll in summer classes, you must meet the CCAP requirement for cumulative GPA at end of summer to continue CCAP eligibility for 2nd Yr. CCAP. You must enroll in a minimum number of credits for 2nd yr. fall semester as required by CCAP by a stated deadline to be determined.
If I continue in CCAP for my second year, will I have to complete a 2025-2026 FAFSA?
YES! CCAP students must submit and complete the FAFSA each year of participation in CCAP.
Service Learning
What is the CCAP Service Learning Project?
The CCAP Service Learning Project is a 4-hour volunteer project performed by the CCAP student each semester with a non-profit organization of the student’s choice. A list of available community organizations is provided to the CCAP student at the beginning of each semester.
Summer Classes
Is the cost of summer tuition covered by CCAP?
Yes, CCAP will pay for up to and including six (6) credits of summer courses only for eligible first year CCAP students who 1) successfully complete the spring 2023 semester meeting all CCAP requirements and 2) do not have sufficient financial aid to pay tuition for up to six (6) credits. Courses must be in your program of study. CCAP will not pay for any developmental course credits during the summer semester after your first year of CCAP (fall and spring semesters).
What happens if I don’t achieve the minimum GPA required for CCAP when taking summer classes?
If your cumulative GPA falls below the required GPA for CCAP due to summer class grades, you will not be eligible for CCAP in any future semesters, including your second year at Virginia Western.
General
Will CCAP pay for a qualified student to enroll in a short-term credential or certificate program instead of an academic program of study?
Students accepted in CCAP from Botetourt County, Craig County, Franklin County, Roanoke City, Roanoke County and Salem may enroll in a credential or certificate program. Please contact the Educational Foundation at ccap@virginiawestern.edu before enrolling.
May I take online courses as a CCAP student?
Yes, CCAP students may take in-person, online or hybrid courses if required for their program of study.
Will CCAP pay for me to take courses at another Virginia Community College?
No, if a course is in your program of study and offered at Virginia Western, CCAP will not pay for you to take courses at another college.
The information contained within the CCAP Frequently Asked Questions above is provided by and the responsibility of the Virginia Western Educational Foundation, Inc. This information is subject to change without notice.
Contact Us
540-857-7544
Fax: 540-857-6370
TTY: All users: 711
ccap@virginiawestern.edu