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Scholarships
Top Kentucky scholarships for you
Find Kentucky scholarships that can help you pay for college.
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What are Kentucky scholarships?
Kentucky scholarships are financial aid for college created specifically for students living in Kentucky or looking to go to school in Kentucky. Kentucky scholarships can help students attain higher education opportunities that otherwise may be out of reach due to financial reasons. All scholarships are free money for college that you don’t have to pay back.
Eligibility requirements for Kentucky scholarships
Before you apply for Kentucky scholarships, make sure you check the eligibility requirements. To qualify for Kentucky scholarships, you’ll most likely need to prove you’re a resident or you’re attending school in that state. Some other common eligibility requirements may include your GPA, community service, citizenship, plan to attend an accredited program, leadership potential, and submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). Scholarship eligibility requirements vary, so don’t assume you won’t qualify. Check them out!
Are Kentucky scholarships worth my time?
Some scholarships are quick and easy to apply for. Others require time and effort. Typically, fewer students apply to scholarships that require work which means you could have better odds of winning.
Pro tip: Don’t skip over Kentucky scholarships with smaller award amounts ($). There’s typically less competition for them—and they add up!
How do I find Kentucky scholarships?
There are many resources to help you find Kentucky scholarships.
Scholarship resources
- The financial aid office at a college or career school
- Organizations (such as professional associations) related to your field of interest
- Federal agencies
- Free scholarship search tools like Scholly Scholarships
- Local libraries, businesses, or associations
Your high school guidance office is a great place to start when looking for local scholarships. You could also try doing a search for your city’s name and “community foundation,” or the county you live in and “foundation.”
Scholly Scholarships
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Hot tip! Smaller scholarships may have less competition, increasing your odds of winning.
Scholarships for Kentucky
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The Scholarships360 $10,000 "No Essay" Scholarship
Due: 6/30/2025
No Essays
$10,000
Kentucky Tuition Grant
Due: Varies
No Essays
No min. GPA Required
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
$3,300
The Kentucky Tuition Grant (KTG) program provides need-based aid to help students attend an eligible private college or university in Kentucky. Students must have no past due financial obligations to KHEAA or to any Title IV program. They must be enrolled in an associate's or bachelor's degree program. To apply for KTG, students must complete the FAFSA for the school year they are needing financial aid. Students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible once the FAFSA is available. KTG funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis by FAFSA completion date. Galen College of Nursing, Lincoln Memorial University campuses in Kentucky, and Union College are also eligible. Please visit the award's website for more information.
Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC, Alberta C. Kaufman Scholarship
Due: 5/10/2025
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
$1,000
The Alberta C. Kaufman Scholarship is for graduating high school seniors and current college students. Applicants must plan to pursue a post secondary degree after high school graduation. Please contact Kaufman and Stigger, PLLC for more information.
University of Louisville Rogers Scholars
Due: Varies
No Essays
No Recommendations Required
$7,500
The University of Louisville Rogers Scholars are open to first-time freshman students residing in Kentucky and Southern Indiana. There are three types of awards for this program. The first type offers $5,000 with a 3.5 GPA and no minimum required test score. The second type offers $7,500 for students with 28-30 ACT or 1300-1380 SAT or comprehensive academic review and 3.5 GPA. The third type offers full in-state tuition for students with 31 ACT or 1390 SAT or comprehensive academic review and 3.5 GPA. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.
Gatton & Craft Academy Scholarships
Due: Varies
No Essays
No Recommendations Required
$7,500
The Gatton & Craft Academy Scholarships are open to first-time freshman students residing in Kentucky and Southern Indiana. There are three types of awards for this program. The first type offers $5,000 with a 3.5 GPA and no minimum required test score. The second type offers $7,500 for students with 28-30 ACT or 1300-1380 SAT or comprehensive academic review and 3.5 GPA. The third type offers full in-state tuition for students with 31 ACT or 1390 SAT or comprehensive academic review and 3.5 GPA. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.
University of Kentucky Distinguished Transfer Scholarship
Due: 11/15/2025
No Essays
No Recommendations Required
$3,000
The Distinguished Transfer Scholarship is awarded to transfer students based on academic credentials provided with their admission application, date of acceptance, and funding availability. Applicants must have completed at least 24 transfer credit hours. The award is made based on the cumulative GPA at the time of admission to the University of Kentucky.
Adam & Julie Boerger Endowed Scholarship
Due: 12/31/2025
No Essays
No min. GPA Required
No Recommendations Required
No Transcripts Required
Amount Varies
The Adam & Julie Boerger Endowed Scholarship was created by a Xavier graduate in appreciation for the education they received. The purpose of the fund is to provide financial support to help Xavier students achieve success academically and professionally. Students should be from Northern Kentucky with preference to a Northern Kentucky catholic high school graduate. Please visit the scholarship's website or contact the Office of Student Financial Services for more information.
University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship
Due: 12/1/2025
No Essays
No Recommendations Required
$5,000
The University of Kentucky Provost Scholarship is available to incoming first-time freshmen students. Completed admission application and all supporting documents, including high school transcript, must be received as soon as possible, but by no later than December 1, 2024, for scholarship consideration. The University has a test-optional admission policy. Students may or may not submit standardized test scores. To be eligible for this award students must have a 3.30 and 26 ACT/1230 SAT or 3.30 and 28 ACT/1300 SAT for traditional criteria, and 3.50 or 3.75 GPA for test-optional criteria.
Missouri University of Science and Technology Border County Award
Due: 2/1/2026
No Essays
No min. GPA Required
No Recommendations Required
Amount Varies
The Missouri University of Science and Technology Border County Award is open to out-of-state students from Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Nebraska, or Tennessee counties immediately bordering Missouri. The award covers 100 percent of the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition and cannot be combined with any institutional or athletic fund that will pay out-of-state tuition. Border County Award cannot be combined with the Groundbreaker Scholarship, Transfer Merit Scholarship, or Athletic Out of State Waivers. The S&T Border County Award is available for students from the following counties: (1) Illinois: Adams, Alexander, Calhoun, Hancock, Jackson, Jersey, Madison, Monroe, Pike, Randolph, St. Clair, Union (2) Iowa: Appanoose, Davis, Decatur, Fremont, Lee, Page, Ringgold, Taylor, VanBuren, Wayne (3) Kentucky: Ballard, Carlisle, Fulton, Hickman (4) Nebraska: Nemaha, Otoe, Richardson (5) Tennessee: Dyer, Lake. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information.
EKU Merit Tier 1 Scholarship for In-State Freshman Students
Due: 8/31/2025
No Essays
No Recommendations Required
$8,000
The EKU Merit Tier 1 Scholarship is open to in-state freshmen with a 3.8 - 4.0 GPA and ACT 28 or above. GSP participants will automatically be awarded the Merit Tier I Scholarship. Please visit the scholarship's website for more information about the award's policies and guidelines.
What types of scholarships are available for students?
Need-based scholarships
These are scholarships for students who have demonstrated a financial need. There’s no universal number or set income level that tells you if you qualify. How each scholarship defines what financial need means varies. The federal government as well as specific organizations, corporations, and colleges/universities/schools offer need-based scholarships.
Merit scholarships
Merit scholarships are for students who have shown high academic, athletic, or extracurricular achievement over their high school careers. Not all schools/colleges offer merit-aid—highly selective schools typically don’t. The process for applying for merit scholarships varies. For merit scholarships offered through colleges and universities, you generally don’t have to do anything other than complete the application to the school itself. For some schools, you need to submit the FAFSA® to be eligible.
Career-specific grants or scholarships
These are awarded to students who know they want a career in a specific industry. Maybe they know they want to be a teacher, a nurse, or an engineer. To be eligible for grants, students must submit the FAFSA®. To find career-specific scholarships, try searching for your major and “association.”
Community or nonprofit scholarships
Nonprofit and community organizations often receive funding from donors to create scholarship programs for students who need them.
Tips for successful scholarship applications
- Pull together everything you need for the application including transcripts, so you can submit a complete scholarship application.
- You may need a recommendation letter or letters for a scholarship. Ask a teacher, employer, or someone else who knows you to write one for you—and be sure to give them enough time to do it.
- If you’re writing a scholarship essay, follow the prompt, answer the essay question completely, and write from your experience. A few well-written essays that you can reuse for different scholarship applications can really pay off.
- Highlight your strengths and achievements in your application.
- Talk about your financial need and what you would use the scholarship money for if you won. How would it help?
- Have to interview for a scholarship? Dress to impress in a professional outfit. And do your research! Look into how/why the scholarship was created. Try to bring up why it’s meaningful to you. Also, don’t forget to send a thank-you note afterwards.
- Keep track of all the deadlines for the scholarships you’re applying to. If you miss one, they may not extend the due date.
- Apply for scholarships year after year, all through college. As you continue your studies, gain more experience, and try new extracurricular activities in college, you might be eligible for more scholarships you weren’t originally qualified for.
Here are more tips that can help you understand all there is to know about scholarships and up your chances of winning.
Frequently asked questions
These tips can help as you get ready to apply for Kentucky scholarships.
When are scholarship application deadlines?
There’s no standard deadline for scholarship applications. Each scholarship has its own deadline, so be sure to keep track of dates and make sure you don’t miss any deadlines of scholarships that you want to apply to.
Do you need to know which college you’re attending?
You don’t need to know which college you’re going to attend before applying for most scholarships. However, once you’re awarded scholarships, some of them may ask for eligibility verification—which can include proof of college enrollment.
Is there a limit on how many scholarships you can apply for?
Absolutely not, so apply for as many as you can to increase your chances of winning free money. Want to find more types of scholarships? There are so many, check them out!
Pro tip: Apply for scholarships each year you’re in college.
Does every scholarship application require an essay?
Not every scholarship will ask you to submit an essay—different scholarships have different requirements. If you’re applying for a scholarship with an essay and need help writing yours, get tips for writing scholarship essays.
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More resources to explore
Tips for writing scholarship essays
Get tips for writing scholarship essays. Learn what makes a good scholarship essay.
Find scholarship resources
Explore our scholarship resources, articles, and guide to get all the tips and tricks to help pay for college.
Fill out the FAFSA®
Learn when and how to apply for the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to maximize your chances of getting federal student financial aid. Get tips now.
*No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Odds of winning depend on number of entries received. Ends 12/31/2025.
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