Kansas Grants for Students
- Certain Kansas student aid programs offer money for college, but require recipients to serve within Kansas in their field of study after graduation. The state offers special scholarships for students planning to enter teaching, nursing, osteopathic medicine and optometry. Scholarships with a service commitment typically require grantees to work one year after graduation for each year they receive scholarship awards. Certain service scholarships require students to attend specific participating schools within Kansas. For example, the Kansas Nurse Educator Service Scholarship provides funding for students attending one of five schools, including Fort Hays State University and Wichita State University. Eligibility criteria and award amounts vary from program to program.
- The Board of Regents awards certain grants only to students with financial need for support. The Kansas Comprehensive Grant awards funding to needy Kansans attending state universities and certain private schools. As of May 2011, the Comprehensive Grant program offers up to $1,500 to students attending public universities and a maximum of $3,500 to students enrolled at eligible private schools. The Kansas State Scholarship program offers support only for needy students who ranked within the top 20 to 40 percent in their high school senior classes. Candidates must graduate from Kansas high schools, hold Kansas residency, and attend postsecondary institutions within the state.
- Kansas offers special grants for Kansans who served in the U.S. armed forces. The Kansas National Guard Educational Assistance program offers support for Army National Guard and Kansas Air National Guard servicemembers. The National Guard grant pays up to full tuition for Guardsmen enrolled in degree, certificate or diploma programs. Members of all branches of the U.S. military who served in Afghanistan or Iraq after September 11, 2001, may qualify for the Kansas Military Service Scholarship program. Applicants must have a financial need for support and the program only provides funding for undergraduate students.
- The state extends eligibility for the Kansas Ethnic Minority Scholarship only to racial and ethnic minority students, including Hispanics, African-Americans, Asians and American Indians. The program extends a preference tofreshmann college students and requires applicants to meet financial and academic guidelines. As of May 2011, the Ethnic Minority program pays a maximum of $1,850 per school year and offers awards for students attending private and public colleges, universities and community colleges.
- Kansans enrolled in vocational education programs may qualify for the state's Vocational Educational Scholarship. The program offers up to 250 awards per year and pays $500 as of May 2011. The Vocational Educational Scholarship program extends eligibility to students attending technical schools, community colleges and certain two- and four-year postsecondary institutions.
