Planning to attend college in Kansas? The state has a solid range of scholarships for its high school graduates. Here are ten worth knowing. Amounts, eligibility, and deadlines change year to year, so confirm the current details with each program before you apply.
Top 10 scholarships in Kansas for high school students
AABE William Grant Pinkard Scholarship
The American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE) is an organization of African Americans in the energy industry. Its scholarship program supports underrepresented minorities pursuing energy-related fields. Local chapter committees pick local winners, and the National Scholarship Committee chooses national awards.
Students in the Kansas-Missouri Chapter receive an award of $2,000. The top applicant advances to compete for the National AABE Regional Award of $3,000. Scholars can renew the award once more if they keep meeting the criteria.
To be eligible, you must:
- Have a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
- Be a graduating high school senior who has applied to at least one college or university.
- Plan to major in business or a physical science, technology, engineering, or mathematics field.
- Be a member of a group historically underrepresented in STEM.
- Live in one of the counties in the Kansas City metropolitan area:
- In Missouri: Jackson, Clay, Platte, Buchanan, Cass, Lafayette, and Boone.
- In Kansas: Johnson, Wyandotte, Leavenworth, Douglas, Shawnee, Jefferson, and Riley.
- Be a U.S. citizen.
Amount: $3,000 – $4,000
Application: ACT/SAT scores, two letters of recommendation, essay response.
Deadline: Around mid-April each year.
Scott Mecham BBB Student of Integrity Scholarship
The Better Business Bureau Midwest Plains celebrates students with strong values, leadership, and integrity. Fifteen high school seniors are awarded each year, including home-schooled students. Selection is based on leadership and character, not ethnicity or GPA.
To be eligible, you must:
- Reside in the BBB service area, which includes:
- Iowa: Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Pottawattamie, and Shelby
- Kansas: All counties
- Missouri: Adair, Andrew, Atchison, Bates, Benton, Buchanan, Caldwell, Cass, Chariton, Clay, Clinton, Cooper, Daviess, De Kalb, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Henry, Holt, Howard, Jackson, Johnson, Lafayette, Linn, Livingston, Macon, Mercer, Morgan, Nodaway, Pettis, Platte, Putnam, Randolph, Ray, Saline, Schuyler, Scotland, Sullivan, and Worth
- Nebraska: All counties
- South Dakota: All counties
Amount: $2,000
Application: online application.
Deadline: Around early April each year.
Kansas Ethnic Minority Scholarship
This program assists academically competitive students who are members of one of these groups: African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian or Pacific Islander, or Hispanic. Selection is based on financial need as determined by federal methodology, with priority given to graduating high school seniors.
To be eligible, you must:
- Be a Kansas resident.
- Enroll in a qualified program at a Kansas college or university.
- Not already hold an undergraduate degree (unless applying for the Nursing or Teaching Service Scholarships).
- Complete the FAFSA.
- Meet at least one of the following:
- ACT score of 21 or higher.
- SAT of at least 1060.
- GPA of 3.0.
- High school rank in the top 33%.
- Completion of the Kansas Scholars Curriculum.
- Selected by the National Merit Corporation in any category.
- Selected by the College Board as a Hispanic Scholar.
Amount: $1,850
Application: online application.
Deadline: Around May 1 each year.
K-State Scholarships for Campus-Area Students
Kansas State University offers general scholarships for incoming students, plus competitive scholarships for students who live near its campuses. Students near the Manhattan or Salina campus are eligible. Requirements vary by award, so the details below are the general ones that apply across them.
To be eligible, you must:
- Live near the Manhattan or Salina campus.
- Submit the K-State admission application (if you haven’t already).
- Be a high school senior.
Amount: $2,000 – $80,000
Application: online application.
Deadline: Around December 1-15.
Kansas State Scholarship
The Kansas State Scholarship helps students with financial need who rank in the top 40-50% of Kansas high school graduates designated as State Scholars. Each year, the top half of designated seniors qualify.
To be eligible, you must:
- Be a senior at a Kansas high school.
- Have a certificate confirming you completed the required curriculum.
- Have a letter confirming your designation by the Kansas Board of Regents.
- Attend a college in Kansas.
Amount: $1,000
Application: online application, FAFSA.
Deadline: Around August 1 each year.
Want to win the National Merit Scholarship? Here’s a guide on how to do it.
Kansas Financial Scholars Essay Contest
Each year, the Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner runs an essay contest for graduating seniors who plan to study in the state. The essays focus on financial literacy, and the contest is open to any public, private, or home-schooled Kansas high school senior.
Essays are judged on:
- Understanding of and adherence to the essay requirements (30 points): the student demonstrates financial knowledge, conveys why financial literacy matters, and clearly connects the two essay parts.
- Word choice, punctuation, and spelling (30 points): a strong vocabulary and good word choice, with proper grammar and few or no errors.
- Personal expression, fluency, and supporting evidence (40 points): personality in the writing, a clear introduction, body, and conclusion, smooth flow, credible sources, and a positive theme.
To be eligible, you must:
- Be a Kansas high school senior (public, private, or home-schooled).
Amount: $1,000 – $3,000
Application: two-part essay.
Deadline: Around April 1 each year.
Rudd Scholars Scholarship
The Rudd Foundation is a nonprofit in Wichita, Kansas that encourages Kansas students to pursue higher education. Along with the financial grant, the foundation invites scholars to summits and one-on-one meetings with mentors for career advice.
To be eligible, you must:
- Be a graduating senior planning to enroll full-time in the fall.
- Have a cumulative, unweighted high school GPA of 3.0 or above.
- Take the ACT or SAT and submit your score.
- Be a Kansas resident who qualifies for in-state tuition.
- Demonstrate financial need (Pell-eligible).
- Plan to attend Emporia State, Fort Hays State, Kansas State, or Wichita State University.
- Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Amount: Up to $80,000
Application: online application, two essays, ACT/SAT score.
Deadline: Around October to December 1.
University of Kansas (KU) Scholarships
The University of Kansas has scholarships for incoming freshmen, and international students are eligible to apply. There are many awards for students with different merits, needs, and backgrounds.
KU awards many scholarships based on GPA. It uses whichever of your weighted or unweighted GPA (on a 4.0 scale) benefits you most, measured after your sixth high school semester.
To be eligible, you must:
- Apply for admission by December 1.
- Enroll in at least 12 credit hours for both the fall and spring semesters right after high school graduation.
- Be a high school graduate entering KU.
- To renew, maintain a 3.0 GPA and stay enrolled full-time.
Amount: $1,000 – $16,000
Application: online application.
Deadline: December 1.
Wichita State University Scholarships
Wichita State University offers a range of scholarships for incoming freshmen, including merit-based awards, need-based assistance, and scholarships for specific interests.
To be eligible, you must:
- Be a high school senior planning to attend Wichita State.
- Have a minimum 21 ACT or 1060 SAT.
- Have a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Amount: $1,000 – $5,000
Application: see here.
Deadline: March 1.
Washburn University Scholarships
Washburn University offers incoming freshmen scholarships that recognize academic achievement and unique talents. Beyond merit awards, it also has scholarships tied to specific academic departments.
To be eligible, you must:
- Submit your high school transcripts to Washburn University.
- Have and maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0.
- Enroll in at least 12 credit hours for both the fall and spring semesters right after high school graduation.
- Register for Washburn’s New Student Orientation by the stated deadline.
- Complete the FAFSA.
Amount: $1,000 – $5,000
Application: FAFSA, online application.
Deadline: Around May 1 each year.
Want more?
Looking for more ways to boost your scholarship search? Check out our free scholarship guide, full of advice and strategies to maximize your chances.
For even more, see Rishab’s full Scholarship Masterclass. Several students have won competitive merit-based scholarships with the help of this guide.
“As a parent, watching my son navigate the scholarship applications was both daunting and overwhelming. Rishab’s approach was a game-changer for us, providing clear, actionable strategies that made the whole process more manageable and far less intimidating. My son secured several scholarships using these techniques, something we thank Rishab greatly for.”
– RavindraIyer75
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