Scholarship and Grant Programs in Kentucky
Feeling a Little Broke Before Class?
The Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority administers grants and scholarships designed to assist all residents of the state.
General Scholarships and Grants
The main portion of Kentucky's state-funded grants is the Kentucky Tuition Grant. This need-based program offers students enrolled at a college or university within the state between $200 and $2800 per academic year. Qualified applicants will be pursuing a full-time associate or bachelors degree program. Apply by filling out the FAFSA.
The Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship rewards those academically motivated students whose goals include a college education. Programs such as these award scholarships to a wide array of students across a range of scholastic aptitudes. Students must earn at least a 2.5 GPA to qualify and complete a FAFSA. Students must be pursuing a degree at one of 30 state colleges.
Grants offered through the College Access Program are awarded to the most financially disadvantaged students. There are economic criteria and students may attend any state college or university, public, private, even technical. Maximum awards are around $2000 per academic year. Apply by filling out the FAFSA.
The Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship awards hundreds of scholarships to academically talented students across the country each year. Dozens of graduating Kentucky high school seniors are chosen by school officials. Qualified students must have GPAs of 3.5 or above and have earned top ACT scores. Officials also look for leadership qualities and activities with a community service focus. Recipients must be accepted to a four-year college or university program anywhere, except for a military academy. Maximum awards are $1500 and renewable for up to 3 years pending academic performance.
Specialized Studies Programs
Students pursuing teaching degrees are in the catbird seat as far as tuition goes. Many states offer attractive incentives to educate and retain qualified teachers. In exchange for tuition forgiveness or repayment, participating students must agree to teach within an underserved public school within Kentucky following graduation. Kentucky offers two such programs:
- KHEEA Teacher Scholarship provides undergraduate teaching students who are academically talented. Students must be enrolled in a state college or university to qualify. Awards may be as much as $5000 per academic year.
- Students majoring in early childhood development may wish to explore the Early Childhood Education Scholarship. The goals of the program are to more adequately and comprehensively train early childhood educators. Eligible students may earn up to the cost of their program's tuition.
- See other national scholarships for teachers.
Kentucky offers an attractive scholarship to students pursuing a degree in osteopathic medicine - Osteopathic Medicine Scholarship. Specifically students are eligible to apply if they are enrolled in the Pikeville College program. Recipients must agree to practice medicine in Kentucky for a specified length of time. Apply directly through the school. See other national scholarships for medical students.
Go the the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority website for applications and further information.
