Residency Requirement

After you graduate, drop below half-time enrollment, or withdraw from college, the post-enrollment obligation (residency requirement) you agree to when signing the promissory note begins.

Your residency must be verified three times during the two years after the grace period to prevent the grant from converting to a loan.

This period starts with a six-month grace period. During the grace period, we will request you complete an Exit Interview and first attempt to verify you are a resident with other state agencies. If successful, we will automatically enter you into a deferment. If unsuccessful, we will send an e-mail requesting you complete a West Virginia Invests Grant Program Residency Verification Form and submit documentation as instructed to document you are residing in West Virginia; it is your responsibility to submit the appropriate forms in a timely manner to meet your obligation or else you will enter repayment.

We will verify your residency three times during the two-year post-enrollment period. After the third successful verification, we will cancel the obligation and your WV Invests Grant will remain a grant. It is important you keep your contact information up to date so you receive all our communications.

If required to provide documentation, you will submit two to three forms of documentation. All documents must be in the student’s name, show an address and date (where applicable). Acceptable documentation will be listed on the Residency Verification Form and includes:

• Student’s valid state-issued photo ID
• Valid West Virginia vehicle registration card in the student’s name
• Valid West Virginia Concealed Carry Permit with photo
• Recent West Virginia personal property tax receipt
• Student’s recent signed West Virginia state tax return
• History of Utilities in the student’s name with address showing 12 consecutive payments
• Two Utility bills from the same utility one with the current bill and one dates 12 months prior
• Recent employment records, pay stub, or W-2
• Statement of WV Public Assistance for the last 12 months
• Mortgage payments or rental agreement in West Virginia
• Statement of homeowner’s/renter’s insurance
• West Virginia Voter Registration Car
• Current utility bill
• Recent credit card or other billing statement
• Recent bank statement
• Current WV DNR fishing or hunting license showing Resident status and address

Do NOT submit documentation until requested and after you are no longer enrolled in college at least part time. Instructions about how to securely submit documentation will be included on the Residency Verification Form.

If you receive a billing statement from Heartland ECSI and are enrolled at least half time or living in West Virginia, contact our office at wvinvests@wvctcs.org or 304-558-4618 immediately.

It’s possible there was an issue with your documentation and may we need additional or different documents. Contact our office to find out what is still required from you.

Your account at Heartland ECSI will enter repayment six months after you dropped below half-time status, left school or graduated. One month after the grace period ends, your first payment is due.

You must pay back your grant/loan, plus interest and fees, if you do not live in West Virginia for 2 years after no longer being enrolled at least half time. This is true no matter what your circumstances – even if you don’t finish school or your education doesn’t meet your expectations. But if you are living in West Virginia, you should not have to pay it back as long as you provide the residency documentation in a timely manner, regardless of whether you finished your program or not.

Heartland ECSI will send you communications about repayment. You may also set up an online account at https://heartland.ecsi.net/.

Check out Frequently Asked Questions about the Residency Requirement and more on our FAQs page.