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Home » Financial Aid » Scholarships » Kentucky Scholarships
Graduates of high school in Kentucky, as well as other residents looking to return to school, may face financial hardships as they try to reconcile their budgets with the cost of a higher education. Affording college can be difficult, and officials of the state are aware of this problem, noting that education is important and all individuals should have an equal opportunity for achievement. This is the goal of Kentucky scholarships, offering state residents funding to help offset the expenses of college tuition and fees.
The Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority is responsible for the administration of scholarships that are state funded. One of the more common awards based on need and merit is the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship, rewarding academically motivated students who complete a FAFSA and maintain a GPA of at least 2.5 with financial assistance for a state college or university.
The College Access Program targets the most financially disadvantaged students and offers awards of around $2000 for those who qualify by completing a FAFSA and choose to attend any state college or university (public or private) or a technical or vocational school.
The Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship is a national scholarship that offers awards of up to $1500 (renewable for up to three years) for students who maintain a GPA of at least 3.5 and have top ACT scores. Leadership qualities and community service activities are a big focus for qualification, and students must be accepted at a four-year college or university program. While the awards are offered to students throughout the country, several top students from Kentucky receive the award annually.
Paying for school is not easy, but we are here to help. OEDb's student finance section will help you find the money you need to pay your tuition and other college expenses. We cover scholarships, college grants, and student loans. Scholarships and grants are both forms of "free money", meaning they don't need to be paid back. Scholarships are typically awarded by businesses or individuals, with the money being earmarked specifically for tuition. They can be awarded based on a student's location or by religious affiliation, such as Catholicism or Islam. Grants are typically awarded by governments or non-profit organizations and the money often can be applied to several different expenses a student may incur, not solely tuition. They can be awarded based on location or ethnicity, for instance African American or Hispanic. Loans are not considered "free money", because unlike scholarships and grants, they do need to be paid back after graduation. Common federal loans include Perkins and Stafford. Loans are also available by location.