Homeschool benefits and savings in Bristol
The Bristol Virginia Promise pays the tuition and fees left after other aid for five straight semesters at Virginia Highlands Community College (VHCC), about $2,148 a semester at 12 credits. Homeschool graduates in the classes of 2026, 2027, and 2028 qualify if they lived in the City of Bristol, Virginia for at least 12 months before graduating.
Who qualifies
Graduates in 2026, 2027, or 2028
The Promise serves recent public, private, and homeschool graduates, starting with the class of 2026. VHCC has committed to the classes of 2027 and 2028 as well.
Lived in Bristol 12 months
Your student must have lived in the City of Bristol, Virginia for at least 12 months before high school graduation, and be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Starts by the next fall
Your student must begin no later than the fall semester right after spring graduation, in a degree, transfer, or workforce training program.
Takes at least 6 credits
Each semester needs at least 6 credits that fit a program of study or credential plan.
What it is worth
VHCC lists an in-state rate of $179.00 per credit hour, which includes the student activity and parking fees.
- Minimum semester (6 credits)
- $1,074
- Full-time semester (12 credits)
- $2,148
- Semester at 15 credits
- $2,685
- Five semesters at 12 credits
- $10,740
- Five semesters at 15 credits
- $13,425
The Promise pays only what other aid leaves unpaid, so these are the most it could cover, and VHCC issues no refunds from it.
From applying to keeping it
- Senior year
Apply to VHCC
Submit the free Virginia Community College System application to VHCC, then file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with school code 007099.
- Each January
Complete the scholarship form
VHCC's scholarship application opens in January. In 2026 it opened January 23 and closed May 15.
- Summer or fall after graduation
Register and start
Register for at least 6 credits. The five semesters run in a row from the summer right after graduation.
- Each year
Do 8 service hours
Complete and record 8 hours of community service a year through VHCC's volunteer hours form.
- After year one
Keep a 2.0 GPA
A 2.0 GPA is required to keep funding in the second year.
What it pays for
Covered
- Tuition
- Fees
Not covered
- Refunds of leftover aid
- Semesters beyond five in a row
- Students who start after the fall following graduation
Who pays first
- Federal and state grants
- Other scholarships
- Bristol Virginia Promise
It is last-dollar aid: all other aid applies to the bill first, and the Promise pays the tuition and fees that remain.
A gift from the Anne & Gene Worrell Foundation pays for the Promise, which VHCC and the VHCC Educational Foundation offer for the classes of 2026 through 2028.
Who to contact
The VHCC Financial Aid Office handles the FAFSA, the Promise, and other aid for VHCC students.
276-739-2400 Bristol Virginia Promise
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
- Can my student go part time on the Bristol Virginia Promise?
- Yes, within limits. The Promise requires at least 6 credits a semester, and there is no credit maximum beyond VHCC's own rules.
- Does a summer start use up a Bristol Promise semester?
- Yes. The five consecutive semesters include the summer term right after graduation, so a summer start counts as the first of the five.
- Does the Promise pay for workforce training?
- Yes. Eligible programs include degree and transfer programs and workforce training programs at VHCC.
- We live in Bristol, Tennessee. Does this apply?
- No. The Promise is for residents of the City of Bristol, Virginia.
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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