“By asking more of our children, from preschool through their senior year, we will better prepare them for success and productive citizenship in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.” — Billy K. Cannaday, Jr. Former Superintendent of Public Instruction
Virginia higher education agencies
Virginia higher education institutions
- Virginia Public Colleges and Universities
- Private and Out-of-State College & Universities (certified to operate in Virginia)
- Council of Independent Colleges
- Private Vocational Institutions
(certified to operate in Virginia) - Distance Education Options
- Virginia Graduate Schools and Programs
State financial aid programs
Virginia offers a variety of financial aid programs such as grants, scholarships, and other awards for students who want to further their education beyond high school.
- Financial aid programs for undergraduate students and graduate students.
- Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program is designed to assist Virginia residents who attend accredited private, non-profit colleges and universities in Virginia for other than religious training or theological education.
- Fairfax County Public Schools Scholarship Database contains information about scholarships submitted to high school career centers in Fairfax County Public Schools.
- Academic Common Market (ACM) is an arrangement among Southern states allowing students to pay in-state tuition rates at out-of-state schools while studying in select programs not available at Virginia public institutions.
To qualify for federal and other sources of financial aid, you must file the FAFSA. Check with your financial aid administrator for school deadlines.
Benefits for veterans
- Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program
- Virginia Troops to Teachers assists eligible military and reserve personnel transition to a new career as public school teachers in schools serving students from low-income families.
Publications
Special programs
- Early College Scholars Program allows eligible high school students to earn at least 15 hours of transferrable college credit while completing the requirements for an Advanced Studies.
- GEAR UP Virginia! provides resources for students from low-income families to prepare for college.
- Virtual Virginia (VVa), a program of the Virginia Department of Education, provides long-distance learning for middle and high school students.
- Path to Industry Certification Program encourages students to earn an industry certification while still in high school. Often, this technical preparation will continue after graduation from high school.
- Virginia's Automated Labor Exchange (ALEX) offers job seekers several options for a self-directed job search in specific Virginia cities and counties, a national job search by state, military specialty, government jobs, and other national sites for jobs and employment information.
