Grants

Grants are based on financial need and generally do not need to be repaid. Grant amounts may differ from year to year for each grant program and the total amount of grant aid awarded rarely covers a student's total cost of attendance.

Federal and state grants are typically awarded only to undergraduate, degree-seeking students who have never earned a bachelor's degree; university grants may be awarded to graduate, professional, and law students as well.

Information provided on the FAFSA determines eligibility for many grants. To be considered for grants with limited funds, a student must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible.

 




Available grants

The Federal Pell Grant is a need-based grant that is funded by the federal government. Undergraduate students working on a first degree with an EFC below 6656 may be eligible for a Pell Grant for the 2023-24 school year.

  • Deadline: No deadline.
  • Award: $6,895 (for 2022-23), $7,395 (for 2023-24).

The CFH scholarship is a federally funded grant for Pell-eligible students with a Pell-eligible EFC whose parent or guardian died in the line of duty while performing as a public safety officer.

  • Deadline: No deadline.
  • Award: Varies.
  • Additional instructions: To see if you might be eligible, contact your financial aid counselor.

The Federal TEACH Grant is funded by the federal government and is not need-based. After program completion, you must be able to be licensed as a full-time secondary or elementary "Highly Qualified Teacher" and at least 51% of teaching time must be in one or more of the following content areas: mathematics, science, foreign language, bilingual education, special education, reading specialist, or other high need field as designated by the U.S. Department of Education. Because of the 51% requirement, most elementary teachers will not be eligible.

  • Deadline: Not listed.
  • Amount: $4,000/year maximum.
  • Eligibility: Be an eligible U.S citizen or eligible non-citizen; score above the 75th percentile on the ACT, SAT, or GRE, or graduate from high school with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 and then maintain a 3.25 cumulative GPA in a TEACH Grant-eligible program; complete TEACH Grant counseling and sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve each academic year.
  • Additional instructions: Complete a TEACH Grant Eligibility form; be admitted to a program deemed TEACH Grant-eligible by the KU School of Education; be enrolled or ready to enroll in coursework that will allow you to begin a teaching career in an approved content area.
  • TEACH Grant-eligible programs: STEMTeach KU; 5-year teacher education program (math, science, foreign language for middle and secondary licensure); graduate licensure program (math, science, special education, foreign language); curriculum and instruction master's program (reading specialist and bilingual education).
  • Service requirements: Within eight years of finishing a degree, recipients must teach in a high-need subject area for four years as a full-time secondary or elementary teacher at a school serving low-income students as designated by the U.S. Department of Education. Failure to do so will irreversibly convert the grant to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan with interest accrued from the date of the first disbursal of the funds.

The KUISTG is a limited-fund, need-based grant for F1 or J1 visa students. Undergraduate students must have an expected family contribution (EFC) as calculated via the International Student Need Analysis Worksheet (ISNAW) of less than $13,000; graduate students must have an EFC of less than $5,000. The KUISTG will not be available after the 2023-24 school year.

  • Deadline: March 1, 2023 priority date for the 2023-24 school year. Not available for the 2024-25 school year.
  • Amount: $2,000/year maximum; varies by year and need.
  • Eligibility: F1 or J1 visa students enrolled in at least 6 credit hours who have successfully completed any combination of a full fall semester and full spring semester; undergraduates must also have a cumulative KU GPA of 2.0 or higher

The Federal SEOG is a limited-fund, need-based grant that is funded by the federal government. Undergraduate students working on a first degree with an EFC of 0 may be eligible for a SEOG for the 2023-24 school year. SEOG funds are limited.

  • Deadline: File the FAFSA by mid-April
  • Amount: $1,000 maximum.

The KCG is a limited-fund, need-based grant that is funded by the State of Kansas. Undergraduate students enrolled at least 12 hours, working on a first degree, and with an EFC of 0 - 6500 may be eligible for a KCG for the 2023-24 school year. KCG funds are limited.

  • Deadline: April 1 or before.
  • Amount: $2,500 maximum.

The BIA Tribal Grant is a need-based grant administered by American Indian tribes who are eligible for the special programs and services provided through the BIA.

  • Deadline: No deadline.
  • Award: Varies.
  • Additional instructions: Contact your tribe to complete the financial need analysis and/or application form available from the tribe.

The University of Kansas Student Senate allocates funds from the EOF for programs on the Lawrence campus. Financial Aid & Scholarships must apply for funds to support the child care grant on an annual basis. Child care costs are added to the estimated cost of attendance (COA); if you miss the priority date for requesting the grant, you may still submit the Childcare Grant Request form in order to have your COA adjusted (and to be wait-listed for the grant if funds become available). If you indicate an interest in loans on the form and you have remaining federal loan eligibility, you will be awarded additional loans. Once grant funds have been disbursed each year, the grant application is replaced by the Childcare Budget Adjustment Request form, which will be available for the remainder of the academic year. If you are attending KU during the summer, a separate budget adjustment request must be submitted to the FAS office.

  • Deadline: No deadline.
  • Award: Varies.
  • Application instructions: Submit a complete Childcare Grant Request form; international students must complete the International Student Need Analysis Worksheet.

The Pell Advantage will not be awarded to any students that start after Fall 2021. Students that currently have Pell Advantage will have it as long as they meet renewal criteria — file your FAFSA by Feb 1 each year, be Pell Grant eligible, and maintain a 2.5 KU GPA with 24 earned KU hours each year. 

Pell Advantage is available to Pell-eligible students that enrolled prior to fall 2022 and are enrolled in a minimum of 12 KU hours each semester who are responsible for paying their own tuition and fees. Students whose tuition and fees have been waived — because of participation in ROTC, for example — do not qualify for the Pell Advantage.

  • Deadline: File by mid-april
  • Amount: Remaining tuition and campus fees (excluding course fees) not covered by scholarships for each fall and spring semester of 15 credit hours through four years.
  • Eligibility: Kansas resident, 3.25+ GPA, 22+ ACT or 1100+ SAT, federal Pell Grant eligible.
  • Additional instructions: To maintain a Pell Advantage grant, a student must complete a minimum of 24 KU hours each academic year and maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA; eligibility can be regained if lost.