VTAG at Hampton University and Virginia Union University pays Virginia-resident undergraduates up to $12,750 a year in 2026-27 -- more than double the $5,250 Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant at any other private college in the state. The difference is a supplement of up to $7,500 that Virginia's budget reserves for students at its private, nonprofit Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Like the rest of VTAG, it isn't need-based.
How the $12,750 adds up
Virginia's 2026 budget (HB30, Item 131) sets aside $6.75 million a year so that every VTAG recipient enrolled at a TAG-eligible private nonprofit Virginia HBCU accredited by SACSCOC "shall receive an additional award of up to $7,500." Added to the $5,250 base, that's the $12,750 maximum. Hampton's own financial aid office lists the same estimated 2026-27 amount.
| 2026-27 VTAG at Hampton and Virginia Union | Annual | Per semester |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate, in person | $12,750 | $6,375 |
| Graduate (health-related programs), in person | $12,500 | $6,250 |
| New online/distance-only students | $10,125 | $5,063 |
One note on SCHEV's page: its Hampton/Virginia Union table labels both award rows "Graduate." The first row ($12,750) is the undergraduate award -- that's what Hampton itself publishes and what the budget's base-plus-supplement math produces.
Every VTAG amount is an estimate. The state sets the final award based on funding and the number of recipients, and Hampton notes its projections stay estimates until the state budget is final.
Who qualifies
The same rules as VTAG everywhere:
- Virginia student status -- domicile under § 23.1-502, a qualifying military dependent, or Virginia's tuition-equity provision;
- full-time enrollment;
- a program that isn't religious training or theological education (graduate awards are limited to health-related professional programs).
No FAFSA, no income cap. Undergraduates can receive VTAG for up to four academic years.
Deadlines
- September 15: VTAG application to the Hampton or Virginia Union financial aid office for a fall or full-year award.
- October 1: late fall or full-year applications held for consideration only if funds remain.
- December 1: spring-only applications, if funds remain.
The FAFSA deadline is separate. For 2026-27, SCHEV listed Hampton's FAFSA priority date as February 1 and Virginia Union's as March 15 -- see every Virginia college's FAFSA deadline.
How it compares
For a Virginia resident, Hampton or Virginia Union carries a state award no other private college in Virginia matches. Out-of-state students get nothing from VTAG, though DC residents can use DCTAG at private HBCUs nationwide, including both of these, for up to $3,750 a year. Virginia's two public HBCUs, Norfolk State and Virginia State, aren't part of VTAG; Virginia residents there pay in-state tuition and are considered for need-based state grants instead.
What this means for you
- Virginia residents comparing HBCUs: the $12,750 makes Hampton and Virginia Union's net price meaningfully lower than the sticker suggests.
- File the VTAG application by September 15 every year -- it doesn't carry over.
- Still file the FAFSA by the college's priority date for federal and institutional aid, which stacks on top. For more on how HBCUs differ from each other, see what HBCUs are and how they compare.
Sources
- Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant Program — State Council of Higher Education for Virginia
- 2026 Special Session I Budget Bill, HB30 (Chapter 1), Item 131 — Virginia General Assembly
- Virginia Grants and Scholarships — Hampton University Office of Financial Aid
- Financial Aid Deadlines, 2026-27 — SCHEV