Homeschool benefits and savings in Bland or Wythe County
The Wythe-Bland Foundation Scholarship pays the full tuition and fees left after other aid for 5 of the first 6 semesters at Wytheville Community College (WCC), which the college says can save up to $13,000 over two years. Homeschool graduates who meet WCC's entrance requirements and lived in Wythe or Bland County for the two years before graduation qualify.
Who qualifies
Graduates from a homeschool
Homeschool students who meet WCC entrance requirements are eligible alongside graduates of Wythe and Bland County public and private high schools. WCC admits home-schooled students with an application and official transcripts.
Lives in Wythe or Bland
Show proof of residency in Wythe or Bland County for at least the two years before graduation, such as tax receipts or dated bills, plus proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residency.
Files the FAFSA and scholarship application
Your student needs a current Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), a complete financial aid file, and the WCC scholarship application, which covers every WCC scholarship.
Enrolls in an eligible program
A degree, diploma, or certificate program counts, and so does an approved non-credit Workforce Development short-term training program.
What it is worth
WCC charges Virginia residents $179.00 per credit, made up of $175.00 tuition and $4.00 in per-credit fees.
- One class (3 credits)
- $537
- Full-time semester (12 credits)
- $2,148
- Semester at 15 credits
- $2,685
- First year at 15 credits a semester
- $5,370
- Five semesters at 12 credits
- $10,740
Courses in the IncludED Course Fees program carry textbook fees the scholarship does not cover, and some career and technical courses add new per-credit fees from fall 2026, so ask the Foundation Office which charges on your bill it pays.
From applying to keeping it
- Senior year
Apply to WCC
Submit the WCC admission application. Students who took dual enrollment classes may only need a High School Transition form.
- From October 1
File the FAFSA
For the class of 2026, the 2026-27 FAFSA opened October 1, 2025 and covered fall, spring, and summer. A student starting in summer also files the prior year's FAFSA.
- From December 1
Complete the scholarship application
For the class of 2026, the WCC scholarship application opened December 1, 2025. Explain in the essay why your student needs a scholarship.
- Spring before graduation
Register for classes
WCC processes the scholarship only after your student registers; fall 2026 registration opened March 20, 2026. Send the final homeschool transcript after graduation to complete the aid file.
- Each semester
Volunteer and keep grades up
Complete 10 volunteer hours at an approved agency, reach a 2.0 GPA by the end of the first two semesters, and finish 67% of classes to keep the award for year two.
What it pays for
Covered
- Tuition
- Mandatory fees
- Degree, diploma, and certificate programs
- Approved non-credit workforce training
Not covered
- IncludED course textbook fees
- Semesters after the six-semester window
- Students whose other aid already pays tuition and fees
Who pays first
- Financial aid and grants
- Other scholarships
- Wythe-Bland Foundation Scholarship
It is a last-dollar scholarship: grants, financial aid, and other scholarships apply first, and the foundation pays the tuition and fees that remain.
Who to contact
Amanda Pauley, Scholarship Program Manager, and the Foundation Office in Smyth Hall answer questions about the scholarship and the application.
foundation@wcc.vccs.edu 276-223-4719 Scholarship page
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Virginia
You must file the annual notice of intent by August 15. If you move into a Virginia division or begin after the school year starts, notify the division as soon as practicable and complete the filing within 30 days of the notice.
Virginia sets these rules:
- Subjects: Provide a curriculum and include a list of the coming year’s subjects with the annual notice. The home-instruction statute does not require the public-school curriculum.
- Testing: Submit evidence of progress by August 1 after the school year. Children under six on September 30 of that school year are exempt from this assessment requirement.
- Records: Submit the annual notice, subject list, proof of a qualifying route, and required evidence of progress. Keep copies; no routine portfolio or attendance-log filing is required.
- Teachers: Qualify through a high-school diploma, Board-prescribed teaching qualifications, providing a curriculum or program of study, or evidence that you can provide an adequate education.
Read the Virginia homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Virginia
Questions parents ask
- Is the Wythe-Bland scholarship competitive?
- No. The foundation provides full tuition and fees for all qualified residents, though a student whose other aid already covers tuition and fees receives nothing from it.
- Which Wythe-Bland semesters does a 2026 graduate get?
- Summer 2026 through spring 2028, which is six semesters; the scholarship pays for five of them.
- Can my student use it for short-term job training?
- Yes. An approved non-credit Workforce Development short-term training program qualifies, along with degree, diploma, and certificate programs.
- What happens if my student skips the volunteer hours?
- Your student risks losing the scholarship, because volunteer service is a condition of keeping it: 10 hours each semester it is received, with a Volunteer Waiver of Responsibility form on file.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
College classes can cover part of high school. We teach the subjects your child needs alongside them, starting at the right level in each subject.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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