Top Scholarships for Kansas Students in 2024

About scholarships in Kansas

There are many available Kansas scholarships for permanent residents in this state. Any students currently living in Kansas should apply to these scholarships, as these opportunities will not be open to other students from different states. Applying for these exclusive opportunities may help students gain a better chance of winning money to pursue higher education.

Many organizations offer Kansas scholarships. For example, most public schools have a financial aid program that prioritizes in-state students. Public four-year institutions in Kansas spend an average of 3.1% of their budget on college scholarships and student grants. 

Kansas students and student debt

Every state is affected by student debt, and Kansas is no exception. Although the average amount of debt held by Kansas residents is slightly lower than the national average, many students continue to be affected by student loans and the steep cost of higher education. 

State residents hold $12.5 billion in student loan debt collectively, though only 12.8% of Kansas residents hold student loan debt. This may speak to the problems the rising costs of college create, as just a minority of the population holds a large amount of debt. The average student loan debt is $33,130 per borrower, and 377,300 borrowers currently live in Kansas.   

The demographics of borrowers in Kansas skew towards individuals in early adulthood, which can be expected given the fact that most college students are on the younger side. 53.6% of borrowers are 35 years old or younger. Most borrowers owe between $20,000 and $40,000. About 15% of borrowers owe under $5,000, and a minority of 1.5% owe more than $200,000.

Colleges in Kansas

Many graduating seniors in Kansas high schools choose to continue their education at a college or university of their choice. There are a total of 195,590 college students enrolled in higher education programs in Kansas. Of these students, a majority of  167,018 are seeking an undergraduate degree and 28,572 are enrolled in a graduate degree program. 

Most people follow the traditional path of enrolling as full-time students, but there are many students that choose to enroll part-time as well. In Kansas, there are a total of 115,002 full-time students and 80,588 part-time students. Most full-time students are enrolled in undergraduate programs. Part-time students are outnumbered by full-time students in undergraduate programs, but the opposite is true for the population of graduate students. 

Students in Kansas have a wide array of choices available to them in terms of higher education. The state is home to several prestigious designated Kansas educational institutions, such as Washburn University, Wichita State University, and Fort Hays State University. These institutions usually also provide many forms of financial aid, including access to federal student aid and opportunities to win a Kansas state scholarship. 

It’s notable that in many designated Kansas educational institutions, there is a significant difference between resident and nonresident tuition. In most cases, students that reside in-state will receive a discount, while out-of-state residents will have to pay a higher price for tuition. 

In addition, many Kansas colleges and universities provide aid based on financial need. Students that demonstrate financial need will likely be able to receive aid that meets all or some of their demonstrated financial need. 

One popular choice for Kansas students is the University of Kansas, a public institution with a total undergraduate class size of 19,135 students. The University of Kansas has an in-state tuition of about $11,100, while the out-of-state tuition is more expensive at about $28,000. The median starting salary for graduates of the University of Kansas is $50,100, which is just slightly lower than the average national salary. 

The University of Kansas has an acceptance rate of 91% and a four-year graduation rate of 46%. Psychology, journalism, finance, registered nursing, and marketing are all popular majors. The freshman retention rate is 85%.  

Like many designated Kansas educational institutions, the University of Kansas has an established financial aid program to make education more affordable to prospective and continuing students. According to their self-reported statistics, the university awards $391 million annually in financial aid. A majority of undergraduate students receive financial aid as well, with 69% of undergraduate students receiving help from the financial aid office.  

Another common choice for graduating high school seniors is Kansas State University. The school has an acceptance rate of 95% and a student-faculty ratio of 18:1. The four-year graduation rate is 40%, and the total enrollment at Kansas State University is 20,854. 

Many students at Kansas State University apply for and receive financial aid. 48% of undergraduate students enrolled on a full-time basis received at least some financial aid. The average amount of need-based financial aid is $4,740. The in-state cost of education is $10,466, while students from a different state will have to pay $26,342. Not included in these numbers is the cost of room and board, which is about $10,000 as of the 2021-2022 school year.   

Kansas college demographics

Across the state, most Kansas college students are Caucasian. 122,789 college students are of Caucasian descent, and 22,050 students enrolled in Kansas colleges or universities are Hispanic. 14,375 students identify as African American and 8,059 students report as two or more ethnicities.  

The University of Kansas reflects a similar demographic in its undergraduate population. 70.7% of students enrolled at the University of Kansas are white, followed by 8.6% of the student body that identified as Hispanic. 5.8% of the students reported as international students.  

The graduate student population of the University of Kansas is slightly different from the general demographic represented in most Kansas colleges. The representation of Hispanic students in the graduate student population is twice as much as the percentage of Hispanic students in the undergraduate class. 17.2% of graduate students are Hispanic, and the percentage of Caucasian students is slightly decreased at 60.7%. 

The best scholarships for Kansas students

Finding college scholarships that match your needs can be a difficult and competitive process. However, applying to scholarships that fit your personal identity and interests can help students find more relevant opportunities. Doing this can also decrease the competition students face when trying to win scholarship money, as fewer students will be able to apply to specific scholarships. 

While general scholarships that are open to all students are good opportunities as well, applying to niche scholarships like scholarships in Kansas can help increase your odds of winning. Though this specific type of scholarship may not yet be available on Bold.org, new scholarships and opportunities are added each day. Continue to check for new college scholarships and apply for scholarships throughout the year to find relevant opportunities. 

Additional scholarships students in Kansas should consider

Applying to a mix of general and specific scholarships is helpful in increasing your chances of earning scholarship money. Consider what aspects of your life and educational journey might qualify you for a scholarship. 

Factors like your family background, extracurricular activities, and academic interests could all qualify you for a scholarship closed to other students. 

Scholarships for high school students in Kansas 

High school students can get ahead on scholarship applications so they have more resources to attend college. You can get started with the following scholarships for high school students!

1. Empowering Women Through Education Scholarship
2. Endeavor Design Scholarship
3. Sloane Stephens Doc and Glo Scholarship

Scholarships for Kansas high school seniors

In addition to the scholarships above, high school seniors can take advantage of scholarships specifically for those about to graduate high school and transition to college, such as the scholarships below.

1. Stephan L. Daniels Lift As We Climb Scholarship
2. Nina L. Coleman Memorial Scholarship
3. Ben Bonner Memorial Scholarship

Scholarships for college students in Kansas 

College students can also take advantage of scholarships, including those pursuing a bachelor's degree, graduate degree, or other types of higher education. The following scholarships are a great place to get started!

1. Bold Generosity Matters Scholarship 
2. Toluna No Essay Scholarship 
3. Bold Goals Scholarship

Scholarships in Kansas for minorities

Minority students, such as racial minorities or members of the LGBTQ+ community, should consider scholarships specific to their demographic group. These opportunities will have few eligible students and are less competitive as a result.

1. Pool Family LGBT Scholarship
2. Education is Bling: The Moore the Blingyer Scholarship 
3. Joseph J. Canfora Hospitality Scholarship 

Scholarships in Kansas for Hispanic students

 Hispanic students can consider scholarships open to all BIPOC students but can also look into scholarships exclusively open to Hispanic students, such as the scholarships below.

1. Enrique Castillo Educational Scholarship 
2. Hispanic Empowerment Scholarship 

Frequently asked questions about scholarships in Kansas

When can I start applying? 

There is a wide range of scholarships available to students of all backgrounds and ages. You can begin as soon as you're fourteen years old and in high school! There’s no right or wrong time to start applying for scholarships. However, it may be helpful to start applying earlier rather than later. 

This allows students to have more time to research what financial aid opportunities are available and relevant to their current situation. In addition, beginning the scholarship search earlier allows students to continue to apply for scholarships throughout their academic careers.

This means students will have a longer window of opportunity to apply for scholarships, which can help increase their chances of earning money. The more scholarships you apply for, the more likely you are to win the award money. 

Lastly, applying for scholarships as early as high school can help you plan ahead for the future. Students may not always know what they want to do with their lives, or with their academic careers. That’s normal, but starting to earn scholarship money earlier can help students later in their academic journey if they decide to pursue other educational opportunities, such as graduate school or studying abroad for a semester. 

Whatever the reason, earning scholarship money early can help pay off educational expenses down the road. 

How do I apply for scholarships in Kansas? 

The application process is usually relatively easy and quick. The process is also the same no matter what your grade level is. Graduate students and high school students alike will have to fill out the same application and provide the same information to apply. 

There are two types of scholarship applications in general: essay and no-essay. In terms of format, the main difference is that one requires a written personal statement, usually a few paragraphs, and one does not. 

To apply for a Kansas state scholarship that requires an essay, students will need to furnish a short statement on the topic of the donor’s choice. This topic is likely related to the theme of the scholarship; a nursing student scholarship might require eligible students to write about why they chose to study nursing. 

In many cases, the essay question is simply an opportunity for the donor to get to know the student. This can help the donor make a more informed decision about who they believe should win the scholarship money. 

Both scholarships that require an essay and those that do not will require some personal information from the applicant. This might include the student’s name, current major, family income, or other factors. Typically, this information is used to determine whether the student is eligible, or to allow the donor to get a sense of who the applicant is. 

Making a free profile with Bold.org can help streamline the application process. By inputting some personal information into your profile, Bold.org can match you with the best opportunities for you. Finding an online scholarship platform can also be helpful as these platforms will allow students to access hundreds of scholarships in one place.

To apply, students must match all the criteria listed in the scholarship application, fill out any attached forms, and complete the essay question, if there is one. Typically, these are the only three steps necessary to complete a scholarship application. Some applications may vary, but if so, clear instructions will be provided in the description. 

How do I know if I’m eligible for a scholarship? 

Every scholarship is different. However, every scholarship will maintain a set of criteria used to determine which students are eligible and which are not. Some scholarships will have very few criteria, whereas others will require students to match several requirements.

Eligible students must match all requirements. Matching only a few of the criteria means you are not eligible to apply. However, there are hundreds of scholarships available on Bold.org, and the list continues to grow. There is a scholarship for everyone, so make sure to keep applying as you find relevant opportunities. 

Some common examples of scholarship requirements include GPA, major, demographic, and family income level. Many scholarships are dedicated to making education more accessible or affordable for certain groups of students. This might mean Hispanic students with an interest in business, for instance. In addition, some scholarships take financial need into account. In these cases, students may need to show proof of financial need to apply. 

However, scholarship requirements can also range from students’ extracurricular activities to students’ medical histories. Given the volume of scholarships available, it’s important to determine which aspects of your personal life and academic journey might qualify you for a scholarship. This can help students find relevant financial aid opportunities. 

Are scholarships counted as taxable income? 

In most cases, scholarships cannot be taxed. As long as the scholarship money you earn is strictly used only for necessary educational expenses, your scholarship income will remain tax-free. 

Necessary educational expenses are fees that you could not plausibly graduate without paying. These include tuition fees, mandatory course enrollment fees, and textbooks. As long as your scholarship money is only used in these areas, your winnings will not be taxed.

It’s important to note that travel expenses and housing are not covered in necessary educational expenses. While these fees may be a part of your college journey nonetheless, using your scholarship money in these areas will require you to pay taxes on the money used.