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How to Write the University of Kansas Essays 2023-2024

The University of Kansas does not have any school-wide supplemental essays. However, students applying for the Honors Program or the Engineering SELF Program must submit written responses to program-specific questions, along with their Common App.

Both of these programs have fairly extensive supplemental essay packages, so if you’re applying to one of them, make sure to decide that early, so that you have enough time to brainstorm for, write, and revise your essays. In this post, we’ll break down how you should approach each prompt, so that you can be sure you’re putting your best foot forward and maximizing your chances of acceptance to these prestigious programs.

University of Kansas Supplemental Essay Prompts

Honors program applicants.

Essay: Essays should be intellectually curious, thoughtful, well-organized, proofread, and limited to 500 words. We will evaluate the quality of your writing and your ability to provide an expansive yet focused response to one of these three prompts:

• Option 1: Author Kurt Vonnegut said, “a step backward, after making a wrong turn, is a step in the right direction.” Tell us about a specific moment when you reversed course. What insights about yourself did you gain? How will you apply them to your time at KU?
• Option 2: Author Octavia Butler, whose “Parable of the Sower” is this year’s KU Common Book, said that “habit is persistence in practice.” Where in your life have you shown persistence? What meaningful habits resulted, and how will your specific KU plans benefit from them?
• Option 3: Part of KU’s mission is to “build healthy communities.” Share a community you’ve been part of. Thinking beyond just physical health, what did (or did not) make that community healthy? How will your college plans reflect that experience and contribute to KU’s mission?

Short Answers: Please upload your responses to all three questions as a single Word or PDF document and limit your total word count to 1,200 words combined. Convey the factors that shaped you and demonstrate skills of clarity and brevity when you answer each of these three questions:

• Question 1: List no more than five items — clubs and organizations, employment, community service, awards and recognition, extra-curricular interests, personal or family obligations — in descending order of significance, with the most significant item first. For each, explain your role, time commitment, length of involvement, and responsibilities. Transfer and current students only need to provide three items.
• Question 2: How have your experiences affected your sense of who you are and what you hope to accomplish in college? There are no wrong answers. Transfer and current students do not need to answer this question.
• Question 3: Honors students make the most of available opportunities. Based on course availability at your school, how did you select the classes you took? Is there anything you want the admissions committee to know about your transcript?

Self Engineering Leadership Fellows (SELF) Program Applicants

Prompt 1: The mission of the Madison A. and Lisa Self Engineering Leadership Program is to develop passionate engineering and computer science graduates who are strongly goal-oriented and who bring the business skills and vision needed to guide the technology-based corporations of tomorrow. Explain your own mission and vision, and specifically how you envision embodying the characteristics sought by the SELF Program in your academic career and beyond. (500 words)

Prompt 2: The SELF Program’s primary goal is to develop passionate future engineering leaders in business, industry, and entrepreneurship. Keeping that in mind, tell us why you are interested in becoming a SELF Fellow and what are one or two unique contributions you believe you might make to the SELF program over the course of your involvement. (500 words)

Prompt 3: Describe one or possibly two accomplishments, or activities that you participate in, that best highlight your readiness to become a SELF Fellow. Explain how they do so. (500 words)

The University of Kansas Honors program aims to bring together a diverse, motivated group of students. Students in the Honors program can take Honors courses, receive priority enrollment, and specialized housing, among other perks.

‌While each of these prompts has a different focus, they all seek to know more about your values, and the kind of person you are. Kansas wants to know about your best qualities, and this is your opportunity to showcase them. Spend some time reflecting on the attributes you value in yourself, and any anecdotes that might demonstrate those attributes. You might ask friends or family members if there are any personality traits that they admire about you, or that they think you should feature. Then, you should pick the prompt that allows you to talk about that quality or collection of qualities in the most specific and effective way possible.

Author Kurt Vonnegut said, “a step backward, after making a wrong turn, is a step in the right direction.” Tell us about a specific moment when you reversed course. What insights about yourself did you gain? How will you apply them to your time at KU? (500 words)

This is a great prompt to choose if you want to highlight qualities like self-awareness and humility. Or, you might just have a great story about a time you realized you were wrong, or that there was a better way to approach things. Either way, this prompt calls for a lot of reflection, self-awareness, and imagination. 

First, you’ll want to think of a time that you were mistaken, confused, or decided to change course. Pick a time that mattered to you–this moment should provide insight into you and what you value. Though you’re picking a time you may have said something careless or behaved poorly, keep in mind that you are trying to make a good impression on the Kansas admissions team, so you probably shouldn’t pick something overly shocking or intense. Here are some examples that would work for this prompt, to get you thinking about your own response.

• You might write about not being chosen for an award, recognition, or leadership position, and how this led you to reconsider and positively adjust the ways you showed up in the given space. 
• You could write about an argument with a peer or classmate that led you to reconsider some assumptions you had, or gain a broader understanding of other value systems.
• Maybe you can think of a time you faced a particularly difficult challenge and were inspired to take a step back and try a new approach to problem-solving. 
• You could write about a time that you were wrong, and being corrected provided you with an opportunity to reflect, change, and grow. 

Once you’ve chosen your story, it’s time to start writing. You’ll want to quickly provide the initial framing of necessary background context, then dive into the story itself, why it was meaningful, and how you felt when it happened. These two sections, the introduction and story, should take up no more than half of your allotted words. The rest of the essay should be devoted to what you learned at the time, and how you plan to apply that knowledge to your future, particularly your future at KU. 

Remember to highlight key moments in this narrative, like what inspired you to reconsider or change your opinion, and what you felt when you reflected on it later. Discuss any moments that were particularly hard for you, why they were so difficult, and what this taught you about your values and priorities. Explicitly state the qualities that your story demonstrates, rather than hoping that the admissions committee infers them from your story. 

Being vulnerable is hard, especially with a bunch of strangers who are making a big decision about your future, but that’s what Kansas is asking you to do. They aren’t going to judge you or be critical for honestly reflecting on this challenging moment. On the contrary, they’ll admire your courage and insight to speak openly and honestly about your experience. And if you just don’t feel like you’re able to do that, don’t feel bad–the beauty of option prompts is that you have, well, options , so just pivot to one of the other choices Kansas has provided.

Finally, in writing your essay, consider using a unique narrative structure to stand out from the crowd. Perhaps you want to start your story right at the moment that you decided to change your mind or approach, and then rewind to explain what you used to think or do, and what happened to make you change course. Maybe you could begin by describing the consequences if you hadn’t changed. Or, you could start from the end of your story, after things have gone well, and reflect on what allowed them to turn out that way.

Author Octavia Butler, whose “Parable of the Sower” is this year’s KU Common Book, said that “habit is persistence in practice.” Where in your life have you shown persistence? What meaningful habits resulted, and how will your specific KU plans benefit from them? (500 words)

This is a great prompt to respond to if you want to discuss your endurance and determination, or if you have a commitment or habit that you are particularly proud of or that makes you unique. Once again, KU is asking for a specific example, so you’ll want to frame this essay around a story, or as a summary of a particular aspect of your life. 

There are a lot of different ways to be persistent, so be expansive in your thinking as you brainstorm for this prompt. Maybe you have a long-term commitment to a club, group, or project that is meaningful to you. Maybe you have accomplished a goal or achievement that took many tries, or a lot of preparation. Maybe, as is mentioned in the prompt, you have a habit you’re particularly proud of, or which has really impacted your life. Whatever you choose, make sure that it is something you can reflect on in a meaningful way, and showcases the best parts of you.

In considering potential topics, try to avoid subjects that are likely to be shared by many other applicants . Many student athletes face injuries that require long journeys back to full ability. Many students get bad grades and work hard to bring their overall grade back up. This doesn’t mean that those aren’t meaningful experiences, only that in this context of this particular essay, you’ll do more to set yourself apart from other applicants if you focus on unique experiences that only you could write about.

Even if you don’t feel your story is particularly flashy or exciting, if it’s the only essay on the given subject, it will stand out nonetheless, probably more so than an exciting essay about a common topic.

In terms of structuring your essay, you could write about a single moment that represents a much lengthier effort, or you could write a summary of a longer period of time, using specific details and examples to  anchor your more sweeping points. Consider these two examples of the different approaches below.

“The sound of a phone ringing set me in motion, reaching for the headset next to me and sliding it over my ears. The attached microphone settled in place in front of my mouth, and I spoke the words I knew by heart, infusing them with as much warmth as I could muster. ‘This is the Teen Link crisis hotline. What’s on your mind?’

Well-practiced after six months of answering phones in this way, I slid into the flow of conversation with a stranger, relying on skills I’d learned in hours of training that helped me assess the caller’s emotions, reflect them back to her, and make her feel as understood as possible in the few minutes that we spoke to each other. It was hard to believe that a matter of months ago, I’d been unsure, awkward, the kind of guy who talked so quietly to strangers that it was hard for them to hear me. Now, when I spoke to my caller, a girl roughly the same age as me, she had no hint of my shyness or my uncertainty. She saw me as a beacon, someone whose caring questions and empathetic responses were able to guide her to a place of calm. She had no idea how long I had spent developing the skills that came so naturally to me now.”

This approach is immediately engaging, as we’re put right into the applicant’s shoes while he’s taking a crisis call. One drawback is that it doesn’t allow the student to be quite as specific or give you as much information about his overall involvement with the hotline. Now consider the other approach. 

“I first joined the Teen Link crisis hotline because I figured that talking to strangers over the phone had to be easier than talking to strangers in person. This may sound counterintuitive, but I was shy, wanted to get involved in community service, and getting desperate. The crisis hotline offered not just a way to help other people, but perhaps a way to overcome the self-consciousness that froze me in place whenever I met someone else’s eyes. 

In hours of training, I developed the skills I’d need for the hotline. On the phone, I gained the confidence to use them. Something about the urgency of the voices on the phone unlocked my own voice, and I developed a different way of being. My voice grew stronger, more confident. My questions invited people to share more deeply. My responses were fueled by careful thought, not a panicked desire to say the right thing. I was able to connect with people in a way that I never could before, and even better, I was able to help them while I did.”

A strength of this approach is that it gives a longitudinal perspective on this applicant’s involvement in the hotline, and his development over the course of that involvement. However, he isn’t able to include as many immediate details, and thus loses some of the specificity of the concrete examples in the excerpt above. 

As you plan your own essay, consider what is most essential to your story, and the most effective way to communicate those things. Are the sensory details and specificity the strongest part of your essay, or is it the long view of your involvement or development? Either one can be a strong choice, just make sure that whatever you choose emphasizes your best qualities and your commitment to your topic.

Part of KU’s mission is to “build healthy communities.” Share a community you’ve been part of. Thinking beyond just physical health, what did (or did not) make that community healthy? How will your college plans reflect that experience and contribute to KU’s mission? (500 words)

This is an example of the “Community Service” prompt, which many schools use as a supplement. It’s a good prompt to choose if you want to talk about one of your communities that is especially meaningful to you, or if you’ve done community service that you would like to talk about in more depth. 

Usually, these essays focus on positive impacts you’ve had on your community and what that community means to you, but this KU prompt is a bit broader, as it also allows you to talk about negative aspects of a community that may have caused you to learn or reflect on ways to create more positive communities in the future. You don’t have to be the sole reason your community was healthy, or have solved all or even any of the problems in your unhealthy community, but KU does want you to connect what you learned to your future on their campus. 

Since this prompt focuses more on the community than on the service aspect, you’ll want to pick a community you’ve been part of for a long timme. An afternoon of volunteering may truly have been transformative, but it does not reflect membership in a particular community, and so would not be a good fit for this essay. You’ll also want to pick a story or a setting that allows for deep reflection and a demonstration of your best values. Here are some questions to get you thinking about what aspects of your community you might want to write about.

• Can you think of a time when your perspective on your community changed? What caused the shift? If your perspective hasn’t changed, what has kept your faith in your community constant?
• What does your community do best? Is there something your chosen community does better than others? How does this show up?
• Who are some members of your community that you really admire? What qualities do they have that you would like to emulate?
• What lessons have you learned in this community, good or bad, that you apply to your life now, or will apply in the future?
• What has this community added to your life through your involvement in it? Has it taken anything away?

All of these are great jumping off points for an essay about you and your community. Once you’ve chosen the community you plan to write about and the particular lens you are using, it’s time to write your essay. As you plan it out, think about how to ground your story with specific, compelling anecdotes, and how to show, not tell, the admissions committee what you want them to know about you. Don’t be afraid to talk about specific accomplishments and achievements. It might feel like bragging, but college essays are one of the few places where it’s okay, and even subtly encouraged, to brag!

Devote about a quarter of your essay to describing the community setting you plan to dive into. The remainder of your essay should focus on the strengths and weaknesses you see in that community, how you may have helped it be healthy, and how you will apply this knowledge to your time at KU. This is an opportunity to demonstrate your perceptiveness, your commitment, and your creative approach to problem-solving. Be specific about both what you noticed and what you learned. Consider these examples of hypothetical students who learned from their communities. 

• A student wrote about how her church dealt with the aftermath of a member embezzling community funds, and what that taught her about restorative justice. 
• A student wrote about how his outdoor club at school practiced lateral leadership, and the strengths and drawbacks associated with this style.
• A student wrote about how his hometown responded to a devastating fire, and how he imagined sustaining the initial outpourings of support through the long months of rebuilding. 
• A student wrote about her sports team and how they changed a tradition of hazing new athletes into a supportive and nurturing environment for everyone.

Each of these examples focuses on a specific community and how the values of that community expressed themselves in a time of crisis. Your community does not need to have experienced a crisis to be healthy or unhealthy, but a critical moment can provide an effective setting for demonstrating what your community does or does not do well.

Short Answers

Please upload your responses to all three questions as a single word or pdf document and limit your total word count to 1,200 words combined. convey the factors that shaped you and demonstrate skills of clarity and brevity when you answer each of these three questions:, question 1:, list no more than five items — clubs and organizations, employment, community service, awards and recognition, extra-curricular interests, personal or family obligations — in descending order of significance, with the most significant item first. for each, explain your role, time commitment, length of involvement, and responsibilities. transfer and current students only need to provide three items., question 2:, how have your experiences affected your sense of who you are and what you hope to accomplish in college there are no wrong answers. transfer and current students do not need to answer this question., question 3:, honors students make the most of available opportunities. based on course availability at your school, how did you select the classes you took is there anything you want the admissions committee to know about your transcript.

These questions are meant to let the admissions committee understand you better, and give them a better picture of your background and motivation.

The first question asks you to list the five most important items in your life. The admissions committee is looking to see what is important to you, and why. This space gives you an opportunity to elaborate on some of the extracurricular activities listed in your resume, or let the admissions committee know about a hobby or activity not previously mentioned in your application.

Avoid just listing off the things you have done. Take time to really think about what you have done and why it’s important to you, and give the admissions committee an in-depth view of why you are passionate about the items you listed. For example, maybe you were a guitarist in a garage band, and that was your creative outlet for when you were happy, sad, or frustrated. The few hours you spent every day with your bandmates expressing yourselves through music allowed you to break from your daily routine of schoolwork and chores at home, and you were able to meet many local musicians within your community and develop lifelong friendships.

The prompt also asks you to rank the items in order of importance to you. Why is your part time job at your neighbor’s farm more important than your participation on your high school’s varsity volleyball team? While you learned good teamwork and leadership skills from being the captain of the volleyball team, maybe your time caring for animals helped you develop a lifelong passion for them. Because of that experience, you decided to study animal science, and that’s why that work is more important to you. Elaborate on the significance of each item, and what they mean to you.

The second prompt asks you to talk about your experiences and how they have affected you. This is a very open-ended prompt, and the admissions committee is looking for an extra look into your motivations. Try not to jump around and list off a large list of experiences; make sure all of the topics you talk about are related in some way, and detail how these experiences have impacted your motivations and goals.

For example, growing up, maybe your father took you to go watch a new movie every weekend. You would always look forward to seeing new films and discussing the plot, acting, cinematography, and details of the movies with your father, and this led to a passion for the behind-the-scenes process of creating movies. This has led you to want to pursue the Film and Media studies program at KU.

The third prompt is asking for a deeper understanding of your high school academic path. The admissions committee is looking to see why you chose to take the classes you did, and what inspired you to go down that path. Whether or not the classes you took have relevance to your intended major, there is a reason why you decided to take certain classes and you should dive into those details to answer this question.

Don’t just list off your graduation requirements, make sure to elaborate on your electives and specifically why you took them. Maybe you took all of the Art and History classes your school had to offer because you are interested in evolving art forms. You wanted to understand the creative process across different art mediums, so you took painting, photography, and other art classes offered at your school, and you took history classes because you have a general interest in learning about history, and you’re trying to refine the topic and time periods you’re interested in.

Alternatively, maybe you took a variety of classes spread across different subjects like math, psychology, photography, or others because you wanted to get a good surface level understanding of a variety of different topics because you were unsure of what you wanted to study in college. Make sure to mention specific takeaways from these courses, or specific connections you’ve drawn between seemingly disparate subjects, to give your response a personal tinge that demonstrates the way you approach learning.

If your school also didn’t offer certain opportunities, like specific courses or programs, this is important to mention as well. For example, if you wanted to take World History but only U.S. History was offered, you can mention that. If your school lacked certain Honors classes or an AP curriculum, you can mention that here as well.

Finally, maybe you feel that your transcript doesn’t accurately represent your abilities because of external circumstances. This prompt also invites you to address any discrepancies. Maybe you had a concussion and got your only C ever because you couldn’t focus in school for months after. Or, maybe you had to take care of your siblings, and couldn’t study as much as you wanted. Whatever the situation, simply share the details in a straightforward manner that accepts responsibility for anything caused by your shortcomings.

SELF Program Applicants

The University of Kansas Self Engineering Leadership Fellows (SELF) program allows engineering students to develop a variety of skills, from communication to management, in order to become better leaders across campus and in their future careers.

The mission of the Madison A. and Lisa Self Engineering Leadership Program is to develop passionate engineering and computer science graduates who are strongly goal-oriented and who bring the business skills and vision needed to guide the technology-based corporations of tomorrow. Explain your own mission and vision, and specifically how you envision embodying the characteristics sought by the SELF Program in your academic career and beyond. (500 words)

This prompt is essentially asking you to write a mission statement that encapsulates your plans for college and beyond. That means you should talk about your ideas, values, and goals for yourself through the lens of the SELF Leadership Program .

If you haven’t written a mission statement before, this can be a daunting assignment. Luckily, there are resources out there to help you develop your ideas. If there’s an organization or company that you like, you could check out their mission statement–many websites have them. You could even look at the mission statements and values of Kansas and other educational institutions. The goal is to see how these organizations define their values and set goals that align with those values. 

Once you feel like you have a general idea of what a mission statement looks like, start thinking about your own values. What’s important to you? It can be hard to rank one thing above another, to narrow down your list, or to create a list that doesn’t sound generic. To navigate these obstacles, here are some questions that will hopefully help you start developing your own mission statement:

• What kind of people do you seek to surround yourself with? What behaviors, practices, or opinions do many of your friends and family share? What qualities or practices do you see as “green flags?”
• When faced with a dilemma or difficult situation, how do you approach finding a solution? What do you prioritize when deciding what to do? What are you willing to sacrifice, and what is non-negotiable?
• When people compliment you, what do they say you’re good at? Is there anything that people often come to you for advice about?
• Who are your heroes? What do you admire about them? What qualities of theirs would you most like to emulate?

As you develop a sense of your values and priorities, it’s also a good idea to start thinking about the values of an ideal SELF fellow. SELF Fellows are future-focused, business-minded leaders–what priorities and values of yours fit well with this image? 

Finally, you will want to take your values and shape them into a cohesive mission, or plan for the future. Make sure that your values are connected to the goals you set. If you are an ambitious person, planning to do well in your courses at Kansas may not demonstrate your ambition as clearly as you like, as pretty much anyone applying to this program will be a high academic achiever.

Instead, talk about how you aim to graduate with honors, double major, or achieve particular things during your time in undergrad. A strong answer to this prompt demonstrates a clear vision that fleshes out your key values, is specific in its aims, and fits in with KU’s description of a successful SELF Fellow. Your job is to tell KU how you meet, or even exceed, their expectations for the ideal participant in this program.

The SELF Program’s primary goal is to develop passionate future engineering leaders in business, industry, and entrepreneurship. Keeping that in mind, tell us why you are interested in becoming a SELF Fellow and what are one or two unique contributions you believe you might make to the SELF program over the course of your involvement. (500 words)

With this prompt, the admissions committee is looking to see your commitment to the SELF program and your reasons for applying. To show that you truly want to be a part of the SELF program and let the committee know what you can contribute to the program and community, your response will need to contain lots of specific detail. Research the requirements and perks of being a SELF fellow, and reflect on what aspects of the program you are drawn to based on your past experiences and current interests.

Why are you interested in becoming a SELF Fellow? The SELF program is looking for students with a passion for engineering and who will become future leaders. The SELF program offers many unique opportunities such as participation in workshops, seminars, and meetings with mentors and advisors, scholarship grants, and other opportunities. Make sure to include what specific aspects of the program you are interested in so that your passion for the subject comes across as tangible and genuine.

For example, a hypothetical applicant might write:

As an engineering major with a business background, I plan to use the skills I gain from SELF to take part in product management within startup culture. Through professional development seminars such as “Women in Mechanical Engineering Networking,” I can learn about opportunities that intersect with my identities and forge the relationships I will need for success in the tech-startup field. I also look forward to attending the SELF Speaker series and learning from industry leaders like Beth Ellyn McClendon. Her work in product management for Google was a large catalyst in my own desire to pursue the business side of engineering.

The second part of this question asks for one or two unique knowledge, experience, and outlooks you could contribute to the program. The admissions committee is looking for students who can bring new ideas and be a positive influence on the program as a whole. Make sure to elaborate on what unique things you could specifically bring to the program. You can do this by elaborating on your past experience and current interests.

Here is another example from the hypothetical applicant:

One of the events that draws me to KU’s SELF program is my desire to help organize and run the annual high school design competition. At my high school, I started Her Hackathon, an annual hackathon for girls who are interested in the technology sector. Introducing these concerns at the high school level has allowed me to spread awareness of gender inequity in STEM in my community. I plan to bring this same energy to KU and continue implementing women-friendly programs that will help bridge this gap in our events. During the high school design competition, I will make sure that the design criteria addresses gender inequality and that the students must reflect their understanding of this issue in their submissions. 

Describe one or possibly two accomplishments, or activities that you participate in, that best highlight your readiness to become a SELF Fellow. Explain how they do so. (500 words)

This prompt contains elements of the “Why This Major” and “Extracurricular” essays, so you may want to check out those breakdowns before diving into this prompt. KU wants to know why you’re the right fit for their SELF Fellow program, and they’re asking you to demonstrate your fit through your accomplishments in activities that you’re already involved with. You might be stuck on what to choose, or how to talk about the things you’ve chosen, so let’s take a look at how to write the most effective essay possible. 

The SELF Fellow program seeks engineering and computer science students who are passionate, goal-oriented visionaries, and who will eventually define the future of these industries. To stand out as an applicant, tailor your response to the qualities that KU is looking for. Creative problem-solving, leadership roles, and concrete achievements are all great ways to showcase your readiness for this program. 

What does describing those things look like in an essay? Consider two examples from the same high quality applicant to see how you should structure your own response:

“ When I joined my school’s robotics club, I was fueled by little more than an interest in robots. Over my three years in the club, I’ve learned so much about engineering and computer science that I hope to make a career of it. The people I’ve met and opportunities to travel and compete with the team have enriched my life immeasurably, and I’m forever grateful for what robotics has brought to my life.”

In this example, the student shows she is clearly committed to robotics, and has a deep love for her team. But she hasn’t told us much about herself, her contributions to the team, or why she loves robotics so much in the first place.

“ The year I joined the robotics club, we didn’t enter a single competition. The club was brand-new, and our faculty advisor didn’t know much about robotics, so we mostly sat in the science lab, tinkering with our limited materials, and dreaming big dreams. The robotics club today looks very different. We travel across the nation to compete. Our trophies shine on a shelf in the science classroom we still use as a meeting place. I’m the president now, not just a clueless freshman member, but I’m still dreaming big dreams.”

In this essay excerpt, on the other hand, the student paints herself as committed and ambitious, and as someone who has contributed to the seismic shift in her robotics club over the years she’s been a member. She discusses what specific changes she’s been a part of, and shows her readers that she’s prepared to apply what she’s learned to her future in robotics, at KU specifically. 

Hopefully, you can see that this second example is much stronger. Though the friendships she’s made and the broadening of her horizons don’t feature as prominently, that’s okay. Admissions officers know college essays are limiting by their nature–in fact, part of their job is to decide the word limits–so they aren’t expecting to learn every single thing about your topic. Rather, as you develop your essay, think about what qualities make you the best fit for the SELF Fellow program, and frame your stories, accomplishments, and achievements around those qualities.

Another thing this essay does well is that it is focused on the student, rather than the club as a whole. Though your chosen achievements and activities may involve other people, and their contributions may be compelling stories in their own right, you’re the one applying to Kansas here, so the focus of your essay should be you . What did you bring to this activity? How did you achieve your accomplishments? What qualities are shown in the anecdotes you choose to share? Let these questions guide you to an essay that is specific, focused on you, and grounded in the attributes of an ideal SELF Fellow.

Where to Get Your University of Kansas Essay Edited

Do you want feedback on your Kansas essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

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Awards & Scholarships

The Undergraduate Biology Program is pleased to announce several scholarships and awards available to students pursuing a major in the program. We invite you to take advantage of this opportunity by submitting an online application. Brief descriptions of the scholarships and awards can be found below.

Questions may be addressed to Dr. Tony Fehr, Chair, Awards Committee ( [email protected] )

Undergraduate Biology Scholarships & Awards 

Academic Scholarships & Awards

• One page essay describe your past academic achievements in biology and describe what you plan to do with your biology degree in the future.
• Please provide a Letter of Recommendation from a KU Professor or Lecturer who teaches a science class.
• Approving the Scholarship Committee to access to your Academic Advising Report. 

Research Scholarships & Awards

• One Page essay describing your research project and how the funds would promote (or enable) your research endeavors.
• Letter of Recommendation from your Research Lab Mentor.

Travel Scholarships & Awards

• One page essay describing how these funds would go towards your travel. This must include description of your plans for the award, including a budget statement with an estimate of your total expenses (e.g., registration fee, airfare or mileage, meals, lodging).
• Approving the Scholarship Committee to access to your Academic Advising Report.

Complete the  Undergraduate Biology Scholarships & Awards Application

All application materials are due by 11:59 p.m. on March 31.

Research Awards & Scholarships

The paul a. kitos opportunity in molecular biosciences research.

Established by colleagues and former students in honor of Dr. Paul Kitos, Emeritus Professor of Molecular Biosciences. Dr. Kitos retired from the Department of Biochemistry (now part of Molecular Biosciences) in 1996 after 37 years of teaching. This award is used to enhance research opportunities for undergraduate students working in Molecular Biosciences.

This fund shall be used to provide awards for deserving undergraduates in Molecular Biosciences. These awards are based on achievement in a research laboratory.

Nathan B. Parker, Ph.D., Student Award in Biology

This award was established in memory of Nathan B. Parker, Ph.D., through the generosity of his family and friends. Dr. Parker earned his bachelor’s and Ph.D. in microbiology at KU, after which he began a biology teaching career at Austin Community College in Austin, Texas.

This $1000 award gives preference to graduating biology seniors who are pursuing acceptance to a master’s or Ph.D. program in biology or a related field. Award funds are meant to help alleviate financial costs associated with program application fees, moving expenses, or costs of attending an academic/scientific conference

Howieson Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Opportunity

The Howieson Opportunity Fund has been established to assist KU undergraduate students who wish to travel to off-campus research laboratories, field research sites, or academic/scientific conferences.

Eligibility: Any undergraduate student conducting research in the biological sciences at the University of Kansas is eligible. Priority is given to applications that include active research and/or intent to present papers/posters at scientific conferences. The amount of the award will be based on a budget provided by the student (budget cap of $1500).

Academic Awards & Scholarships

Nelson opportunity award.

The Ken and Helen Nelson Opportunities in the Biosciences Award will be present $1500 to an undergraduate student studying biological sciences at the University of Kansas. Priority is given to applicants with demonstrated financial need.

The Lance S. Foster Outstanding Junior in Biology Award

Established in 1989 through contributions received from family and friends of Lance S. Foster. Lance was a native of Stillwater, Oklahoma, and a transfer from Oklahoma State University. He earned his bachelor's degrees (granted posthumously in 1989) in Systematics and Ecology and Political Science from The University of Kansas. Lance lived in Stephenson Scholarship Hall for three years of his undergraduate studies and was actively involved in scholarship hall government; he also rose to the highest student position of program director at radio station KJHK. Lance supplemented his course work through his involvement with the KU Democrats and Biology Club. He was also voted a life member of Phi Beta Kappa. In his spare time, Lance enjoyed playing guitar, running, and intramural sports. He died on May 7, 1989, at the age of 23. 

Through the generosity of the Foster family, the KU Undergraduate Biology Program will present an award of $1000 to an outstanding KU Junior majoring in biology and planning on further study or work in any area of biology

Robert Tweed Hersh Memorial Scholarship Award in Human Biology

Established in memory of Professor R. T. Hersh to honor an outstanding graduating senior in the Human Biology program whose course of study best exemplifies the interdisciplinary nature of the scientific study of humans, their origins, development, biology, and behavior. The idea for a human-oriented biology curriculum grew from Dr. Hersh's interaction with undergraduate students and discussions with colleagues. Dr. Hersh was Director of the Human Biology Program until his retirement in 1995. During his tenure at KU, Dr. Hersh was chair of the Biochemistry Department (now part of Molecular Biosciences). His dedication to teaching earned him an Outstanding Educator Award in 1973 and the Chancellor's Career Teaching Award in 1991.

The Undergraduate Biology Program will present this award of $1500 to an outstanding graduating senior with Honors in Human Biology, who has demonstrated interest in Fine Arts. This can include: Music, Visual Arts, Theatre and Film & Media Studies.

The Pauline Kimball Prize for an Outstanding Woman Senior in Biology

Established through a gift from Dr. Pauline Kimball Skinner of Newark, Delaware. Dr. Kimball graduated from KU in 1919; she studied for three years and served as an assistant instructor at the University of Iowa. She received her doctorate in 1928 from New York University, after which she became head of the department of biology at Women's College, University of Delaware. Following her marriage to Dr. Glenn S. Skinner in 1930, she retired from teaching and developed an interest in the work of patriotic societies.

Through the generosity of Pauline Kimball, the KU Undergraduate Biology Program will present an award of $500 to a female or female identifying graduate who is expected to go on to a higher degree in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology.

The Smiley Gilligan Family Fund for the Biosciences

This fund will present $1500 to an undergraduate student studying biological sciences at the University of Kansas. Priority is given to applicants with demonstrated financial need.

Other Undergraduate Biology Scholarships & Awards 

The ida h. hyde scholarship for women in science.

The Ida H. Hyde Research Scholarship fund provides up to 8 annual awards for an (upper-class or graduate) woman student in biology to provide an opportunity “…to study in a marine laboratory, or any biological, chemical or physical research laboratory, offering environment and advantages different from those found in the University of Kansas….” (e.g., the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole.)

• Personal statement outlining past accomplishments, a brief description of the research objectives, the study location, and a description of the benefits to be derived from the opportunity to study elsewhere. Also include the date of your trip, and when you would need the scholarship money by.
• Estimated budget, including potential sources of other funding (Ida H. Hyde Scholarship ranges from $500 - $3000)
• Preference will be given to first time recipients 

Submit Application for the Ida H. Hyde Scholarship

This scholarship has a rolling submission and will be awarded throughout the Fall &Spring semesters.

All applications submitted in the Fall Semester must be received by December 1.

All applications submitted in the Spring Semester must be received by May 1.

Erma Reed Peterson Scholarship for Pre-medicine Seniors

Through the generosity of the Peterson family, Undergraduate Biology will present a $1000 tuition scholarship for one semester to an outstanding pre-medicine senior.

All KU pre-medicine seniors graduating in May 2024 are eligible.

The award winner will be chosen primarily based on scholastics, community service, and preparation for a career in health care Preference will be given to students with an interest in genetics, and who come from Saline and McPherson counties in Kansas. Applicants will also be evaluated based their scholastics achievements, community service, and overall preparedness for a career in health care.

• One-page essay outlining past accomplishments and career aspirations. In addition, describe your interest in genetics, and mention any connection to Saline or McPherson counties, if any.
• Please provide a Letter of Recommendation from a KU Professor or Lecturer who teaches a biology class.

Submit Application for the  Erma Reed Peterson Scholarship

Application Deadline: December 4, 2023

Society Scholarships

Do you need help paying Academic Society Dues?

There are multiple scholarships are available through Undergraduate Biology to help pay for Society Dues for Biology Majors

To Apply Please Provide:

• A short essay stating your name and major, a description of the society you wish to join, and why that society will enhance your education or career progression.
• (i.e. you have unmet financial need from a FAFSA report or ISNAW)

Submit Application for the Society Scholarship

Applications are accepted throughout the academic year.

Non-Biology Awards and Scholarships:

Ku academic works.

The KU Academic Works Site only shows active scholarships, so make sure to check back often to see if new scholarships have become available. 

Look for scholarships on KU Academic Works

Research Awards from the Center for Undergraduate Research

Undergraduate Research Awards (UGRAs) are $1,000 scholarships provided to undergraduate students pursuing original research or creative projects under the general guidance of a research mentor. The deadline to apply for an UGRA is in October for spring awards and in March for summer or fall awards.

Find out more about the Undergraduate Research Awards

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Scholarships

The College of Liberal Arts & Sciences is pleased to announce several scholarships and awards available to students pursuing a major in the College. We invite you to take advantage of this opportunity by submitting an online application. Brief descriptions of the scholarships and awards can be found on the CLAS website .

Critical Language Scholarship

Critical Language Scholarship s cover all costs of attending Intensive Summer Institutes through the United States Department of State. Languages offered include: Arabic, Azerbaijani, Bangla/Bengali, Chinese, Hindi, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Punjabi, Russian, Turkish, and Urdu.

Students in all fields are eligible to apply after two semesters of college; additional criteria depend on the language being studied. •    National deadline in mid-November

George Gould Undergraduate Research Award in Entomology (offered by Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology)

Dr. George E. Gould graduated from the University of Kansas in 1929 with a degree in Entomology and was generous enough to bequeath funds from his estate to support KU undergraduate students interested in pursuing research with an entomological focus, under the general guidance of a member of the graduate faculty.  The Gould Award is not intended to provide faculty members with assistants, but students may well be associated with faculty research projects as independent investigators.  The George Gould Undergraduate Research Award in Entomology is awarded on the merit of the applicant's proposal, the applicant's academic record, and recommendations from faculty members who are familiar with the applicant and the proposed project.

Greater Kansas City Community Foundation Scholarships

The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation offers over 250 different scholarships for students in and around Kansas City.

Check the GKCCF site for Scholarship Opportunities

University Women’s Club Scholarship

The University Women's Club Scholarship helps to financially assist academically meritorious undergraduate and graduate women students at The University of Kansas.

Open to all women undergrads at KU with 3.5 GPA, $1500-$2500 per year 

Application:

University Women’s Club Scholarship Application 

QT Scholarships at the University of Kansas

The Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity is honored to be the steward of four QT-centered scholarships which range between $1,000 and $5,000 in non-renewable awards.

• LGBTQ Community Leadership Scholarship
• Chad A. Leat Scholarship
• Damon Kiley Meeker Scholarship
• Mark G. Noller Scholarship
• J.L. Cleland GLBTQIA Non-Discrimination Scholarship (for Incoming Freshmen)

For more information check out the Center for Sexual & Gender Diversity Scholarship Page . 

KC Scholars

KC Scholars supports you on your journey to fulfill your life goals by providing scholarships to college, training programs, and support services to ensure your success.

We invite residents living in six counties to apply for our programs:

Wyandotte and Johnson (Kansas)

Cass, Clay, Jackson and Platte (Missouri)   

Find out more about KC Scholars

For information about scholarships based on academic merit contact:

Financial Aid & Scholarships KU Visitor Center 1502 Iowa Lawrence, KS 66045-7576 785-864-4700 [email protected]

Office of Fellowships

• Enroll & Pay
• Prospective Students
• Current Students
• Degree Programs

The College's Office of Online Programs Scholarship Opportunities

Eligible students must have:

• Applied and been accepted into one of the College's online undergraduate degree programs
• A 2.5 GPA for course work in an in-person or online program (exceptions are made for extenuating circumstances)
• Completed a 400-500 word essay
• Completed the application form

There are two application deadlines:

• April 15 for fall semester scholarships
• November 15 for spring semester scholarships

All scholarships for the Spring 2024 semester have been awarded. Please consider applying for the Fall 2024 term between March 15, 2024 and April 15, 2024. 

Essay Requirements

Select one of the following prompts when writing your essay that explains why you should be the recipient of a College Office of Online Programs scholarship:

• How has attending the College Online benefited your educational goals?
• Please describe an achievement you have completed while in the College Online that you are especially proud of.
• How do you see yourself or someone else benefiting from the completion of your KU degree?

At the top of your essay please remember to include your first and last name and the prompt you chose to address. The 400-500 word essay should be typed in Times new Roman, 12 point font, with one-inch margins and submitted as a .pdf. We cannot accept .docx files. 

• Enroll & Pay
• Summer Housing
• Summer Camps & Conferences

Scholarship Hall Application

Submit a complete application.

Prerequisites.

To be eligible to apply for a scholarship hall, you must have applied and electronically signed a contract for housing, paid the $50 non-refundable housing application fee, and paid the KU enrollment deposit by May 1, 2024.

Students who do not have an active Housing & Residence Life contract for the term for which they are applying will not be able to submit a scholarship hall application.

Short Answer Essay

To submit your short answer essay:

• Visit the  myKU  login page.
• Log in with your KU online ID and password.
• Select "Services."
• Log in to housing.
• Select “Scholarship Hall Application”
• Answer the essay prompt:  "Why do you want to live in the scholarship hall community?" There is a 250-word maximum limit.

GPA and Test Scores

Housing & Residence Life will review your GPA and test scores for academic achievement. You will have already submitted your scores as part of your application to KU Admissions. You do not need to re-send them to KU Student Housing.

Financial Aid

Housing & Residence Life will review your FAFSA to assess financial need. You will have already submitted your information as part of your student financial aid application. You do not need to re-send it to KU Student Housing.

Applicants can be considered without completing a FAFSA.

Apply for Student Housing

• Student Housing Application

Scholarship Hall offers begin going out in March.

If you do not receive a scholarship hall offer for the fall, you may apply for the spring semester. There will be Scholarship Hall openings for the spring semester because students graduate, study abroad, or pursue other opportunities.

If students are not chosen for a spring semester opening, they remain on the list for consideration during spring semester; however, applications do not remain active for the next academic year.

For current residents interested in an immediate move, contact [email protected] to check available space.

• Enroll & Pay
• Prospective Students
• Current Students
• Degree Programs

QT Scholarships at the University of Kansas

Accepting applications from january 22 - february 12.

The Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity is honored to be the steward of several scholarships. Awards range from year to year, but often are between $500 and $5,000, depending on scholarship and available funds. Please select the link below to learn more about these scholarships and to submit an application.

The application process for all scholarship have been designed identically, however you must apply to each scholarship individually. To apply to any scholarship you'll need to write an essay, which can be used to apply to any/all SGD scholarship. This means you should save your essay/response, and reuse it for each scholarship you apply to. 

The deadline to submit a scholarship application for the 2024-2025 academic year is February 12. 

LGBTQ Community Leadership Scholarship

The Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity is administering the award process for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) Community Leadership Scholarship Fund. The fund is specifically for undergraduate or graduate students at the University of Kansas Lawrence campus who have demonstrated support of the LGBTQ community, have financial need, have demonstrated academic excellence, and who will be enrolled at the University of Kansas in the upcoming year. Applicant(s) are eligible to receive up to $1000 in scholarships. The funds will be distributed in equal amounts for both the Fall and Spring semesters. Students are encouraged to apply for scholarship funds on an annual basis.

Chad A. Leat Scholarship

The Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity is administering the award process for the Chad A. Leat Student Scholarship Fund.  The fund is specifically for undergraduates at the University of Kansas, Lawrence campus who can demonstrate financial need and a commitment to fostering multiculturalism on campus.  A minimum of two selected applicants are eligible to receive up to $2,000 in scholarship funds for the upcoming academic school year.  The funds will be distributed in equal amounts for both the Fall and Spring semesters. This scholarship will be considered for renewal upon yearly re-application.

Damon Kiley Meeker Scholarship

The Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity is administering the award process for the Damon Kiley Meeker Scholarship Fund. This fund will be used to provide renewable scholarships to undergraduate students at the University of Kansas who are natural born US citizens in the STEM field. Preference will be given to freshmen with a GPA of 2.7 or higher who demonstrate a commitment to, or involvement in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community. Applicant(s) are eligible to receive up to $2,000 in scholarship funds for the upcoming academic school year. The funds will be distributed in equal amounts for both the Fall and Spring semesters pending the applicant’s enrollment schedule. This scholarship will be considered for renewal upon yearly re-application.

Mark G. Noller Scholarship

The Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity is administering the award process for the Mark G. Noller Scholarship Fund.  The fund is used to provide one or more academic year scholarships for undergraduate and/or graduate students, including enrolling freshmen, who exhibit academic merit and financial need at the University of Kansas.  Preference is given to students who have exhibited exceptional courage, leadership and achievement as part of the LGBTQIA+ community. The donor expresses a particular passion for support of LGBTQIA+ students who have endured hardship.  Selected applicant(s) will be eligible to receive scholarship funds for the upcoming academic year.

*Note* All criteria for the scholarships were set by the donors of the funds. SGD values are not in alignment with all criteria, namely criteria that exclude underrepresented identities. For questions or concerns, please email [email protected]

Additional KU QT Scholarships

J.l. cleland glbtqia non-discrimination scholarship.

The J.L. Cleland GLBTQIA Non-Discrimination Scholarship was established to help eliminate hatred, violence, and bigotry against gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual people. The scholarship provides financing for the college education of incoming freshman at KU who have experienced discrimination, bullying, and/or violence based on their GLBTQIA identities; or for students who have exhibited support for GLBTQIA persons. Eligibility: Preference for rural Kansas high school students, incoming freshman, and students intending to major in education. How to apply: Applicants must submit an essay demonstrating their commitment to fostering non-discrimination toward GLBT persons and/or to their commitment to and involvement in the GLBTQIA community. Students should apply at  ku.academicworks.com  by January 26. 

Stephanie K. Blackwood Scholarship

Students admitted to the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications are eligible to apply for the Stephanie K. Blackwood Scholarship. The fund shall be used to provide scholarships for students with academic merit and financial need. Students must also demonstrate civic and/or community engagement. A preference is for students who self-identify as members of the LGBTQ community. Students should apply  by December 1. The application, titled “School of Journalism Undergraduate Scholarship Application,” will be used for consideration for all journalism scholarships. Funds will be distributed in equal amounts for the Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 semesters.

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Top 38 Kansas Scholarships in May 2024

Lisa Freedland is a Scholarships360 writer with personal experience in psychological research and content writing. She has written content for an online fact-checking organization and has conducted research at the University of Southern California as well as the University of California, Irvine. Lisa graduated from the University of Southern California in Fall 2021 with a degree in Psychology.

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Cece Gilmore is a Content Writer at Scholarships360. Cece earned her undergraduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Arizona State University. While at ASU, she was the education editor as well as a published staff reporter at Downtown Devil. Cece was also the co-host of her own radio show on Blaze Radio ASU.

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Curious about Kansas scholarships? No wonder! Kansas has plenty to offer in terms of educational opportunities, and we have the perfect scholarships for students wishing to attend college in the Sunflower State. Keep reading for more information on Kansas scholarships to help fund your college experience!

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We helped over 4 million students find scholarships in 2023

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The Scholarships360 Research Team reviews all scholarships individually and strives to exclude any scholarship where any of the below applies:

• The scholarship requires a fee to apply
• The scholarship provider’s privacy policy allows for the misuse of student data
• The scholarship requires paid membership in an organization (with certain exceptions for reputable trade organizations and others)
• Student are required to sign up for a site or service to apply*
• The scholarship seems primarily used for lead generation** or idea harvesting purposes***
• The scholarship website has many grammatical errors and/or advertisements
• The scholarship or scholarship providing organization seem untrustworthy
• There is no evidence the scholarship was previously awarded
• The scholarship has not been awarded in the past 12 months
• There is no available contact information

If you believe a scholarship has been published in error, please reach out to [email protected] and we’ll take a look!

* There are certain exceptions to this, for example if the sponsoring organization is a major corporation or nonprofit with its own scholarship application system. ** Lead generation scholarships will require students to sign up for an app or website and require minimal (if any) application requirements. ***Idea harvesting scholarships will require students to submit blog posts or other materials that companies may use for marketing purposes.

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Kansas Comprehensive Grant

Offered by Kansas Board of Regents

Are you a Kansas resident enrolled full-time at one of the eighteen private colleges and universities located in Kansas, the six state universities, or Washburn… Show More

Are you a Kansas resident enrolled full-time at one of the eighteen private colleges and universities located in Kansas, the six state universities, or Washburn University? If so, consider applying for the Kansas Comprehensive Grant! Each year, the Grant awards between $200 and $10,000 each or between $100 and $4,000 each, respectively, to one to three students attending private or public post-secondary institutions in Kansas. To be considered, interested students must complete and submit the FAFSA. If you're a Kansas resident attending one of the eligible universities (all are listed under "Eligibility Information"), we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more. Show Less

Kansas State Scholarship

Offered by The Kansas Board of Regents

Are you a college-bound, Kansas high school graduate who completed the Kansas Scholars Curriculum and was designated as a Kansas State Scholar by the Kansas… Show More

Are you a college-bound, Kansas high school graduate who completed the Kansas Scholars Curriculum and was designated as a Kansas State Scholar by the Kansas Board of Regents? If so, you may be eligible for the Kansas State Scholarship! Each year, the scholarship awards up to $1,000 annually to multiple academically excellent Kansas high school graduates who demonstrate financial need. To be eligible, applicants must (1) take the ACT Assessment by December of their senior year, (2) complete the Kansas Scholars Curriculum (KSC) in high school, and (3) be designated as a Kansas State Scholar by the Kansas Board of Regents. In addition, they must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours per semester and have maintained a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. If this sounds like a good opportunity for you, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more. Show Less

$10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Scholarships360

The Scholarships360 $10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship is open to all students who want some extra help paying for their education. Whether you are a high… Show More

The Scholarships360 $10,000 “No Essay” Scholarship is open to all students who want some extra help paying for their education. Whether you are a high school student who hopes to go to college, a graduate student who’s in a master’s program, or an adult learner who wants to return to school, you are eligible for our no essay scholarship. This scholarship will be awarded to students who get the most out of Scholarships360 scholarships and content. You will be a strong applicant if you apply to scholarships with the Scholarships360 platform. Finalists for this scholarship will be interviewed about their process for funding their education. Show Less

$2,000 Sallie Mae Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Sallie Mae

Sallie Mae will award $2,000 each month to eligible entrants. No essay or account sign-ups, just a simple scholarship for those seeking help paying for…

Sallie Mae will award $2,000 each month to eligible entrants. No essay or account sign-ups, just a simple scholarship for those seeking help paying for school.

Kansas Teacher Service Scholarship

Are you a current or aspiring teacher planning to teach in Kansas for at least a year? If so, you might be interested in applying… Show More

Are you a current or aspiring teacher planning to teach in Kansas for at least a year? If so, you might be interested in applying for the Kansas Teacher Service Scholarship! The scholarship is open to students pursuing bachelor's degrees in teaching, as well as current teachers and graduate students pursuing an endorsement in hard-to-fill disciplines or planning to teach in underserved areas. Applicants must also be willing to teach in Kansas for at least one year. The Kansas Board of Regents, a governing board, offers the scholarship program. They are responsible for the state's educational institutions and are dedicated to supporting the well-being of Kansas' public higher education institutions, the students who attend them, and Kansas citizens. Every year, they are proud to offer up to $5,830 to eligible recipients for their educational costs. If you are passionate about teaching and doing so in Kansas, we encourage you to apply! Show Less

$40,000 Build a College List Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by The College Board

Create a college list with six schools you're considering - no minimum GPA or essay required!

Marsha’s Angels Scholarship Fund

Offered by Marsha's Angels Scholarship Fund

Introducing the Marsha's Angels Scholarship Fund, a tribute to Marsha Yarnell's 30+ years of nursing. The scholarship amount varies based on available funds, each year.… Show More

Introducing the Marsha's Angels Scholarship Fund, a tribute to Marsha Yarnell's 30+ years of nursing. The scholarship amount varies based on available funds, each year. To qualify, students must have completed all prerequisites and be ready to enter the first year of a two-year nursing program or have completed the first two years of a four-year BSN program. Sedgwick County, Kansas residents and those in surrounding counties can use the scholarship to attend any accredited nursing program in the US. Non-local applicants must attend an accredited nursing program in Sedgwick County or a surrounding county, or attend St. Luke's College of Health Sciences in Kansas City, Missouri, Marsha's alma mater. Apply now to honor Marsha's legacy and pursue your nursing dreams. Show Less

Niche $25,000 “No Essay” Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Niche

Easy scholarship open to all high school and college students, as well as anyone looking to attend college or graduate school in the next year!

KAB Broadcast Scholarship Program This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Kansas Association of Broadcasters

Are you a Kansas resident attending or planning to attend (next fall semester) an in-state, post-secondary institution to pursue a broadcast or related curriculum? If… Show More

Are you a Kansas resident attending or planning to attend (next fall semester) an in-state, post-secondary institution to pursue a broadcast or related curriculum? If so, you may be eligible for the KAB Broadcast Scholarship Program! Each year, the program awards up to $20,000 to multiple Kansas post-secondary students. To be eligible, applicants must be juniors or above at a four-year college, or sophomores at a two-year college. In addition, they must have maintained a minimum 2.5 GPA and be enrolled in at least 12 hours each semester the scholarship is in effect. If you're a Kansas resident passionate about and pursuing a course of study in broadcasting or a related curriculum, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more. Show Less

Kansas Ethnic Minority Scholarship

The Kansas Ethnic Minority Scholarship is intended to assist high school seniors from ethnic minority groups who will be entering their first year of college… Show More

The Kansas Ethnic Minority Scholarship is intended to assist high school seniors from ethnic minority groups who will be entering their first year of college in the state of Kansas. Eligible ethnic/racial groups include: African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Hispanic. Applicants must have also done one of the following: (1) received an ACT score of at least 21 or SAT of at least 1060 - 1090, (2) received a cumulative high school GPA of 3.00 or higher, or (3) held a high school rank in the upper 33%, (4) completed the Kansas Scholars Curriculum, (5) been selected by the National Merit Corporation in any category, or (6) been selected by College Board as a Hispanic Scholar. If you fit these criteria and are an incoming minority college student in the state of Kansas, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more. Show Less

$25k “Be Bold” No-Essay Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Bold.org

Open to high school students, college students, community college students, and graduate students.

Kansas Military Service Scholarship

Are you a Kansas resident and veteran who is attending a public institution of higher education in Kansas? If so, you may be eligible for… Show More

Are you a Kansas resident and veteran who is attending a public institution of higher education in Kansas? If so, you may be eligible for the Kansas Military Service Scholarship! Each year, the scholarship expenses the tuition and fees for multiple eligible Kansas residents and veterans. To be eligible, applicants must (1) have served in military service in international waters or on foreign soil in support of military operations for which they received hostile fire pay for at least 90 days after September 11, 2001, or served less than such 90 days because of injuries during such military service, (2) have received an honorable discharge (or under honorable conditions, a general discharge) from military service or is still in military service, and (3) be able to provide copies of military discharge papers (DD-214 form) or active duty orders. If you're a veteran from Kansas pursuing a post-secondary education, and you fit these criteria, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more. Show Less

Kansas Nursing Service Scholarship

Are you a Kansas resident who has received acceptance to a Kansas nursing program? If so, you may be eligible for the Kansas Nursing Service… Show More

Are you a Kansas resident who has received acceptance to a Kansas nursing program? If so, you may be eligible for the Kansas Nursing Service Scholarship! Scholarship applicants accepted to an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) program or a RN (Registered Nurse) program can receive up to $3,500 and $4,500 each school year, respectively. To be considered for the scholarship, students must receive "commitment by an eligible sponsor licensed by the state of Kansas to fund up to half of the scholarship (unless they are a mental health treatment facility) and provide full-time employment to the recipient after licensure." This sponsor must pay from $1,000 up to one-half of the scholarship (the State of Kansas pays the remaining amount), and recipients must commit to one year of working full-time for the sponsor for each year of scholarship support. If you're an aspiring nurse from Kansas and this sounds like a good opportunity to you, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more. Show Less

$10,000 CollegeXpress Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by CollegeXpress

Annual $10k scholarship from CollegeXpress open to all high school freshmen, sophomores, and juniors.

Kansas Career Technical Workforce Grant

Are you a Kansas high school (or home school) graduate (or GED holder) who is enrolled in or has been accepted for admission to a… Show More

Are you a Kansas high school (or home school) graduate (or GED holder) who is enrolled in or has been accepted for admission to a career technical education program? If so, you may be eligible for the Kansas Career Technical Workforce Grant! Each year, the grant awards up to $1,000 per year to multiple Kansas residents enrolled in technical certificate or associate of applied science degree programs in a high cost, high demand and critical industry field. To be considered, applicants must submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), the State of Kansas Student Aid Application, and have an official at their higher educational institution complete the Career Technical Workforce Grant Verification Form. If you're a Kansas resident in an eligible technical certificate or associate of applied science program, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more. Show Less

Elaine Chapin Memorial Scholarship Fund This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Elaine Chapin Memorial Scholarship Fund

The Elaine Chapin Memorial Scholarship Fund honors the legacy of Elaine Chapin by providing financial support to students impacted by multiple sclerosis, whether directly or… Show More

The Elaine Chapin Memorial Scholarship Fund honors the legacy of Elaine Chapin by providing financial support to students impacted by multiple sclerosis, whether directly or as a family member. Applications are accepted from November 1st to April 30th, with scholarships up to $1,000 awarded to deserving students. To be eligible, applicants must be US citizens who are currently or will soon be enrolled in an accredited college, university, vocational, or technical school within 300 miles of Elaine Chapin Memorial Scholarship Fund's St. Louis (Missouri) offices. Recipients will be chosen based on financial need, academic standing, and the impact of multiple sclerosis on their lives. If you're an eligible incoming or current post-secondary student whose life has been impacted by multiple sclerosis, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more. Show Less

$1,000 Appily Easy College Money Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Appily

This easy scholarship from Appily is open to U.S. high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, 2027) and college transfer students. One scholarship will be… Show More

This easy scholarship from Appily is open to U.S. high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, 2027) and college transfer students. One scholarship will be awarded each month. Show Less

Celebrate The West

Offered by Western Governors' Foundation (WGF)

Are you a high school student residing in the American west or U.S. territories whose Governors participate in the bipartisan Western Governors’ Association (WGA)? More… Show More

Are you a high school student residing in the American west or U.S. territories whose Governors participate in the bipartisan Western Governors’ Association (WGA)? More importantly, do you love where you live and have a passion for art? If so, you might consider applying for the Celebrate the West Contest! Each year, the scholarship awards between $200 and $1,500 to 23 lucky students who create a piece of artwork that most thoughtfully reflects an insight about the West or the applicant’s relation to the West. In order to apply, you simply need to email a digital copy of your artwork and your entry form to [email protected] . If you’re passionate about art and have some insights about where you live, we encourage you to apply! Show Less

LULAC National Scholarship Fund (LNSF)

Offered by LULAC National Educational Services Centers, Inc.

Are you a current or incoming full-time university student in the U.S.? Further, are you of a Latine background and live near a participating LULAC… Show More

Are you a current or incoming full-time university student in the U.S.? Further, are you of a Latine background and live near a participating LULAC council? If so, you may be eligible to apply for the LULAC National Scholarship Fund (LNSF)! Each year, the fund awards between $250 and $2,000 to multiple applicants who submit a transcript, proof of enrollment, an essay, and complete an online application. The scholarship is funded by LNESC (LULAC National Education Service Center), “a financial aid and college admissions outreach program designed to assist low-income, high school student’s admission to college.” To find out whether you live in an eligible state, keep on reading. If you fit the criteria, we encourage you to apply! Show Less

$5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship This scholarship has been verified by the scholarship providing organization.

Offered by Christian Connector

Students applying to the $5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship must be current high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, or 2027) interested in attending a Christian…

Students applying to the $5,000 Christian Connector Scholarship must be current high school students (Class of 2025, 2026, or 2027) interested in attending a Christian university or college.

How to win Kansas scholarships

Kansas is a diverse state ranging from farmland to bustling cities and prairies to flowing rivers. It’s no wonder you are curious how to win Kansas scholarships! The key to winning Kansas scholarships is to be uniquely and transparently you! This means searching for scholarships that align with your passions and career goals. Once you find these scholarships, you should then respond to scholarship  essay questions by detailing how the state of Kansas ignited your personal passion. 

For example, if you grew up near a farm in Kansas and learned firsthand about various crops and how to make them grow properly, it may be no surprise that you want to study agriculture in college. So, in your agriculture scholarship application, explicitly highlight how much your location in Kansas helped you realize that you wanted to pursue a career in agriculture.

Connecting your uniqueness to the uniqueness of Kansas will make you stand out in Kansas scholarship applications. Doing so may just help you win Kansas scholarships and live out your career goals and dreams in the Sunflower state. 

Writing resources for writing Kansas scholarship essays 

In order to write a strong Kansas scholarship essay, you will need to review how to start a scholarship essay and how to end a scholarship essay . Additionally, looking over some Scholarships360 guides on common scholarship essay prompts and how to write an essay about yourself can ensure you are prepared for any essay a Kansas scholarship may require you to write. Lastly, review the ultimate guide to finding and winning scholarships to make sure you are prepared to win Kansas scholarships! 

Kansas college loan debt snapshot

According to the Department of Education , Kansas residents owe $12.5 billion in federal student loan debt, with student borrowers owing $32,578 on average – remember this is just in federal loans, these numbers don’t also include private loans! Additionally, 52.6% of student loan borrowers in Kansas are under the age of 35. 

As you are starting your higher education journey, remember that scholarships allow students to take less loans. Make sure that you apply to as many as you qualify for. Keep on reading to learn more about merit scholarships from colleges in Kansas scholarships, as well as Kansas scholarships!

Merit scholarships at Kansas colleges and universities

University of kansas.

• Eligibility: Incoming first-year students at University of Kansas with a 3.25+ GPA
• Amount: $1,000 up to $16,000
• Deadline: Admission to the University of Kansas 

Kansas State University

• Eligibility: In-state students who are incoming first-years to Kansas State University with a 3.1+ GPA and high SAT or ACT scores 
• Amount: $4,000 up to $20,000
• Deadline: Mid-December

Baker University

• Eligibility: Incoming first-years to Baker University with have a 2.0+ GPA and a 16+ ACT score
• Amount: $14,000 up to full tuition and housing costs
• Deadline: Admission to Baker University

Benedictine College

• Eligibility: Incoming first-year full-time students to Benedictine College with a high GPA and a high ACT/SAT/CLT score
• Amount: $10,000 up to full tuition 
• Deadline: Admission to Benedictine College

McPherson College

• Eligibility: Incoming first-years and transfer students to McPherson College with a high school GPA 
• Amount: Up to full tuition
• Deadline: Admission to McPherson College

Wichita State University

• Eligibility: Incoming freshmen with strong GPA and ACT/SAT scores 
• Amount: $1,000 up to $6,000
• Deadline: March 1

Consider in-state tuition and tuition reciprocity 

In-state tuition allows residents of a state to receive cheaper tuition for a college or university in their own state. Additionally, many universities and colleges reserve scholarships and financial aid for in-state students, which helps reduce the cost of attending college for those who live there.

Here are a few well-known Kansas universities and their in-state vs out-of-state tuition costs:

University of Kansas  

• In-state tuition: $10,092
• Out-of-state tuition: $26,960
• In-state tuition: $11,876
• Out-of-state tuition: $28,348

How do you get in-state tuition? 

Being a Kansas resident significantly reduces the cost of tuition for Kansas universities and colleges. In order to become a Kansas resident for tuition purposes, you will need to have a continuous physical presence in Kansas for at least 365 days prior to the first day of classes for which you are applying for residency. During these 365 days, you will need to receive income and financial support from Kansas sources. Additionally, you will need to show intent to remain in Kansas indefinitely. Obtaining a Kansas driver’s license, voter registration in Kansas, car registration in Kansas, and owning a home in Kansas are all possible ways to show your intent. Lastly, you must prove that you are residing in Kansas for reasons other than educational purposes. 

Does Kansas offer tuition reciprocity? 

Yes, Kansas is a member of the Midwest Student Exchange Program (MSEP) , which is a tuition reciprocity program . In this program, students from participating states are able to attend certain programs and colleges outside of their home state for a reduced cost. The states that participate in this program are Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wisconsin. 

Kansas scholarship spotlight

Broadcast scholarship program.

• Eligibility: Kansas residents attending a post-secondary institution in Kansas who are enrolled or planning to enroll in a broadcast or related curriculum 
• Amount: $20,000
• Deadline: May 1
• Have a 21+ ACT score or 1060 – 1090 SAT score
• Have a 3.0+ GPA
• High school rank in upper 33%
• Complete Kansas Scholars Curriculum
• Selection by National Merit Corporation in any category
• Selection by College Board as a Hispanic Scholar
• Amount: $1,850 annually 
• Eligibility: Residents of Kansas who served in any overseas military operation after 9/11/2001 for which they received hostile fire pay. Must submit a copy of DD-214 form or active duty orders. 
• Amount: Tuition and fees 
• Deadline: May 1 
• Eligibility: Must attend or be accepted to a nursing program at a Kansas school and commit to full-time service at a Kansas facility after nursing licensure
• Amount: $3,500 up to $4,500
• Eligibility: Kansas high school seniors who have completed the Kansas Scholars Curriculum and are designated a Kansas State Scholar by the Kansas Board of Regents
• Amount: $1,000 annually
• Deadline: July 1 

Kansas Career Technical Workforce Grant 

• Eligibility: Kansas residents who are enrolled in an eligible career technical education program operated by a designated Kansas educational institution
• Amount: $500 up to $1,000 annually 
• Eligibility: Kansas residents who are pursuing bachelor’s degree programs or are currently licensed teachers and must sign an agreement to teach one year for each year of scholarship support in Kansas 
• Amount: $1,263 up to $3,157 per semester

KASF Mountain States Regional Chapter scholarship

• Eligibility: Students with Korean heritage who will be a full-time student in either Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, New Mexico, or Wyoming who have a 3.0+ GPA
• Amount: Varies
• Deadline: Late June

Kansas Health Information Management Association (KHIMA) scholarships

• HIA Program at the University of Kansas
• HIT Program at Washburn University
• HIT Program at Hutchinson Community College
• HIT Program at Neosho County Community College
• HIA Program at the University of Saint Mary
• Deadline: October 31   

Dan L. Meisinger, Sr. Memorial Learn to Fly Scholarship

• Eligibility: College students enrolled in aviation programs with a “B” average or better. Preference will be given to Kansas, Missouri or Illinois residents 
• Amount: $2,500 
• Deadline: Last Friday in November 

Kansas Agricultural Retailers Association (KARA) scholarships

• Eligibility: Graduating Kansas high school seniors or current undergraduate students enrolled in a Kansas 4-year university, community college, or technical school studying an agricultural related field
• Amount: $500 up to $1,500 
• Deadline: Early March 

The Rudd Scholarship Program

• Eligibility: Residents of Kansas who qualify for in-state tuition and are planning to attend either Emporia State, Fort Hays State, or Wichita State University
• Amount: Any remaining costs from tuition, fees, room and board and other college related expenses
• Deadline: January 1

Celebrate the West High School Art Competition

• Eligibility: An art competition for high schoolers who create a piece of artwork that reflects the West 
• Amount: $200 up to $1,500
• Deadline: Mid-April 

Additional Kansas resources

Kansas board of regents.

This website is a one-stop shopping experience for students looking for information on the 32 public higher education institutions in Kansas, as well as financial aid, adult education, scholarships, and career and technical education programs.

Topeka Community Foundation

The Topeka Community Foundation offers a variety of scholarships for high school and college students in the Topeka area.

FAFSA Guide

On October 1st of every year, the FAFSA opens nationwide. For priority consideration, students in Kansas should submit their FAFSA applications by midnight on April 1st each year. Check out our handy guide for tips on completing the FAFSA.

Frequently asked questions about Kansas scholarships

Does kansas offer free college, what type of scholarships does kansas offer, do i need to be a kansas resident to receive kansas scholarships.

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Goldwater Scholarship

The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship provides up to $7,500 per year for tuition, fees, room and board for undergraduate students in STEM fields. Students can apply during their “sophomore” or “junior” year (as determined by time left to graduation). KU may nominate four students (or up to five, if one student is a transfer student from another institution) each year.

The Goldwater reviewers aim to select students who "demonstrate a passion for doing research who exhibit the creative spark that will make them leaders in their fields," according to the Goldwater Scholarship website .

Selection Criteria

Eligible students must have:

• extensive research experience, especially in the natural sciences, mathematics, and/or engineering fields
• a high GPA (usually 3.8 or higher)
• U.S. citizen or permanent resident status

Selection Process

KU will use the national application system for selection of campus nominees. You may begin the process at any time after the national application portal opens. Please contact the Office of Fellowships at [email protected]  with questions.

• Submit a pre-application using the Goldwater Scholarship national application system .
• Get approval to complete the nomination application from the Office of Fellowships staff; we will email you the campus application form.
• Ask three Recommenders (from STEM fields) to submit their letters using the KU online campus reference form .
• Submit your essays and additional application materials via the national application system. An "Advising Report" from the Advising Tool or an "Academic Summary" from Enroll & Pay is sufficient at the campus level; you do not need to order a transcript from KU. If you have college credit that does not appear in the KU portal, please let us know.
• You will be contacted in November with the results of the campus nomination process. KU nominees will work with the Office of Fellowships staff to revise their applications before the national deadline.

The KU Goldwater committee is made up of several KU science and engineering faculty members. The committee members read all applications and select KU's four nominees.

Campus deadline: late October

National deadline:  last Friday in January

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The University of Kansas Honors Program

The mission of the University Honors Program is to challenge students to launch extraordinary lives. We do this by providing exceptional classes, advising, and enrichment opportunities to academically motivated undergraduates at the University of Kansas.

Explore our program

2024 graduate recognition ceremony  

Find a recording of 2024's event, which took place at 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 10 at the Lied Center of Kansas, on Vimeo.

Not a prospective student?

Academics  

Courses, seminars, and co-curricular activities give honors students academic experiences that are defined by discussion and focused on future goals.

Community  

Imagine the intellectually stimulating, inclusive environment of a small liberal arts college within a Research I university.

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Scholarships

Fall 2024 admission | first-year freshman scholarships.

These new scholarships will be offered to eligible students that are admitted to KU for fall 2024 but may be subject to change for future semesters.

The final deadline for freshmen to apply to KU to receive fall 2024 scholarships is June 1st.

Scholarship Eligibility

• We award scholarships based on a student’s high school GPA.
• These scholarships are awarded to freshmen students who enroll in at least 12 credit hours for both the fall and spring semesters.

Scholarship Renewal

• Student must maintain a 3.0 KU GPA and be enrolled full-time.
• Scholarships are given for a student’s first bachelor’s degree or eight semesters of enrollment, whichever comes first.

Transfer scholarships

Students must submit a complete application for admission to KU with all required materials by the scholarship deadline to apply for the scholarship.

Transfer students may receive additional scholarships from their academic unit at KU as well as the Phi Theta Kappa scholarship. 

To renew a KU International Admissions scholarship each year, transfer students must maintain at least a 3.0 GPA and enroll in a minimum of 27 credits at KU.

KU International Transfer Scholarship

Applications for Fall 2024 transfer scholarships will open January 1, 2024. Priority consideration deadline is April 1, 2024. Applications received after April 1, 2024 may be considered depending on the availability of funds.

An award of $3,000 to $7,000 for transfer students admitted to KU for the fall term. Applicants must provide the following:

• A 3.5 GPA or higher.
• A résumé or CV that includes all extracurricular activities, leadership, service, and awards.
• One letter of recommendation.

Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship

This award of approximately $35,466 ($11,822/year) is automatically given to PTK members without a bachelor’s degree who attend KU as a degree-seeking student for the first time and complete the application steps below. Applicants must provide the following:

• A 3.25 GPA or higher.
• 24 transferable college credit hours completed, with the last 12 earned at a U.S. community college.

To apply, students must submit a complete admission application by May 1 for the fall semester or Dec. 1 for the spring semester. They must also provide an official transcript by June 30 for the fall semester or by Jan. 6 for the spring semester. Additionally, a student’s advisor must submit a PTK Membership Verification Form by July 1. 

To renew the scholarship, you must earn a cumulative 3.00 KU GPA. This scholarship may be renewed for up to three years. Phi Theta Kappa transfer students may also apply for additional scholarships from KU International Admissions and from academic units. Students who start in the summer will receive their scholarship in the fall.

Note: International Admissions does not award or manage this scholarship.

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Scholarships, Awards, Prizes

Scholarships and Grants

Please apply by letter of application/intent to the Chair, Pamela Gordon ( [email protected] ) by Monday March 11, 2022 unless otherwise noted below.

Classics Study Abroad Scholarships

For majors and graduate students in Classics participating in appropriate programs abroad involving Classics. Statement of purpose (100-200 words) and the name of one reference in the Classics Department required.

Emergency Grants

One-time awards for extraordinary circumstances. You may apply when needed.

Tenney Frank Incoming Student Scholarships

Merit-based scholarship of up to $1,000 awarded to entering Classics majors. High school seniors and transfer students are encouraged to apply. In addition to the application materials required by the Office of Admissions and Scholarships, the Classics department requires two letters of recommendation (sent directly to the Classics Department, ATTN: Tenney Frank Scholarships). For more information, please contact Professor Pamela Gordon ( [email protected] ) or at 1-785-864-2395. 

Tenney Frank Graduate Fellowship

Merit-based award to support study for the Master of Arts in Classical Languages. This fellowship, which supplements the stipend offered to graduate teaching assistants, supports full-time graduate work in Greek or Latin. Teaching responsibilities are limited to one course or equivalent.

Oliver C. Phillips Scholarship

For students intent on teaching Latin at any level. Two letters of recommendation are required for the application.

Fanny Hughes Durham Award

For an undergraduate student to continue coursework in Ancient Greek. Eligible students are nominated by faculty.

Michael Shaw Scholarship

For students attending programs at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens. The name of one reference in the Classics Department is required.

Classics Book Scholarship

For majors enrolled in at least one Classics course, up to $500. Apply by Friday September 29 for Fall , or Friday February 23 for Spring.

Conference or Academic Travel Scholarships

We also offer awards to present a paper at a conference in the field.  In general, this funding is available only to students who have exhausted other funding opportunities at KU . There is a rolling deadline in Classics, but please be aware of early deadlines at the College or University level.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships

Currently include a stipend of approximately $15,500 per academic year, plus full tuition waiver and health benefits (renewable). Applicants should also apply for other Scholarships and Fellowships at the University of Kansas. Our application materials include information about the other opportunities. 

Competitions and Prizes

The 2024 deadline for essay and prepared translation competitions is Monday April 8 at 11:59pm . Essays and prepared translations need to be uploaded to the Classics Competitions Canvas site by the deadline. Please follow the links below to find the essay questions and original Greek and Latin texts.

The unseen translation competitions will be offered during the week of Monday April 8 .

If you would like to participate in any of the competitions, please email Paul Touyz ( [email protected] ) by Friday April 5 to get access to the Canvas site and/or to set a time to sit the unseen translations.

Hannah Oliver Latin Prize 

Handicapped unseen Latin translation, open to undergraduate majors.

Graduate Student Latin Prize

Unseen Latin translation, open to graduate students.

Sterling-Walker Prize in Greek

Handicapped unseen Greek translation, open to any student enrolled in a Greek course (undergraduate or graduate).

Albert O. Greef Prize

For a polished, literary translation of a passage of Greek or Latin. Open to any student enrolled in a Latin or Greek course. Students can compete in both Greek and Latin.

Submissions need to be uploaded to the Classics Competitions Canvas site by Monday April 8 .

Click here to download further instructions along with the Latin and Greek texts.

Mildred Lord Greef Essay Award

Awarded to any undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in a Classics course for the best paper on a classical topic written since the beginning of the previous spring semester. Thesis chapters are not eligible. 

Essays should:

• be double-spaced
• have no identifying markers (headers or titles)

All essays will be judged anonymously.

Classics for Everyone Essay Contest

Short essay competition on a topic announced every year in the Spring. All students are eligible.

The question for 2024 is: Do our personal experiences help or hinder our understanding of the ancient world? Describe how something you have experienced has altered your perspective of some aspect of the ancient world.

Responses should:

• be no more than a 1000 words long

Click here to read previous winning essays .

Anthony Corbeill Award

For overall outstanding graduate student. Eligible students are nominated by faculty.

Austin Lashbrook Award

For overall contribution to the Classics department. Eligible students are nominated by faculty.

Three high school students receive scholarships from Kansas Department of Insurance

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Three high school students received scholarships for a financial literacy essay contest from the Kansas Department of Insurance.

Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt announced on Thursday, May 9, the overall winner of the financial literacy essay contest sponsored by the Securities Division of the Kansas Department of Insurance.

According to the Kansas Department of Insurance , earlier this year, the Department granted $10,000 each to three organizations for a financial literacy essay contest. Jobs for America’s Graduates Kansas (JAG-K), Junior Achievement of Kansas and the Kansas Council for Economic Education each entered a selection of essays from Kansas students who participated in their financial literacy programs offered in over 200 high schools across Kansas. The students with the top three essays from each organization were awarded a share of $10,000 in scholarships. The first-place essay from each organization then advanced to compete for an overall contest winner and a share of an additional $10,000.

The contest finalists and their awards are:

• 1st Place: $5000 – Morgan Allen, (Kansas Council for Economic Education), Centralia High School
• 2nd Place: $3000 – Maggie Lesmeister, (Junior Achievement of Kansas), Seaman High School
• 3rd Place: $2,000 – Steven Nguyen, (Jobs for America’s Graduates Kansas), Wichita Southeast High School

“This year’s winners demonstrated the ability to make an investment plan that builds upon their personal goals while evaluating risk and the threat of fraud,” said Schmidt. “Congratulations to all the winners this year, and I encourage them to apply their financial knowledge as they further their education.”

Kansas Department of Insurance said the winning students receive their scholarships in addition to the $5,000 scholarship they won in the first round of the contest. The students receive the award money in the form of a 529 savings account to use for the advancement of their education.

Kansas Department of Insurance previously announced winners from each participating organization can be found online at insurance.kansas.gov/news . For more information about the Kansas Insurance Department or to learn more about making smart investment decisions, visit insurance.kansas.gov and SmartInvestKS.com .

Copyright 2024 WIBW. All rights reserved.

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Four Students Win Seventh Annual KBHF Essay Contest

Four high school students from across Kansas have won $500 each in the seventh annual Kansas Business Hall of Fame essay contest. The contest was open to students in Grades 9 through 12 in Kansas with entries from homeschooled students also accepted.

Original essays were based on research of a Kansas Business Hall of Fame honoree inducted into one of two categories: Historical or Contemporary. Inductees can be found at www.ksbhf.org . Students could read about the inductees and choose one that inspired them. They were encouraged to use their own personal thoughts and views that best pertained to the theme and themselves. Sixty-six entries from 14 Kansas high schools were judged by a panel of business professionals and business faculty.

Below are the four winning authors and the KBHF inductee they wrote about:

• Addilyn Bruns, freshman, homeschooled, Topeka, inductee Arthur Capper
• Aubryn Garriott, senior, Olpe High School, inductee Bill Kurtis
• Lucy Krebsbach, freshman, homeschooled, Meriden, inductee Charles Walker
• Benjamin Soyka, senior, Leavenworth High School, inductee Warren Augustine Bechtel

The prize money totaling $2,000 was graciously donated by the Kansas Chamber of Commerce. Winning authors were mailed or presented their certificates.

Dr. James Leiker, KBHF Board Chair, said, “The Kansas Business Hall of Fame is proud to honor these students and their instructors, who, through these essays, help us better understand the rich tradition of entrepreneurship and innovation that our state has fostered.”

The winning students will be invited to the KBHF Induction Ceremony on Thursday, June 13, in Cremer Hall on the campus of Emporia State University, where they will receive their prizes.

The KBHF Board would like to thank the following judges: Susan Elliott, Beth Ginter, Paul Grimes, Sherriene Jones-Sontag, Connie Lindell, Jeff Muldoon, John Rich, Butch Sim, Ed Bashaw and Jim Shepherd.

About the Kansas Business Hall of Fame: Housed in Emporia State University’s School of Business Cremer Hall, the Kansas Business Hall of Fame recognizes business leaders who have added to the prestige and growth of Kansas. By identifying outstanding examples of business leadership, the Hall of Fame shares these stories of success and innovation through representative displays. The Hall of Fame creates an awareness and appreciation of Kansas' rich heritage of business leadership. The Board is made up of individuals from all over the state of Kansas with representatives from universities, community colleges, and private and public businesses. For more information, please go to www.ksbhf.org .

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Laura Kelly signs Kansas K-12 budget but vetoes no-bid contract for school security grants

Gov. Laura Kelly on Wednesday signed the Legislature's 2024 bill funding K-12 public schools, including an increase in special education funding.

Kelly said that Senate Bill 387 "represents a continued commitment to our students and our schools. This bill fully funds public education for a sixth consecutive year, providing additional funding for the BASE State Aid in accordance with the Gannon mandate.

"Additionally, this bill provides $75 million in new special education funding, enacting the first year of a phased-in approach for the state to meet its statutory obligation to fully fund special education."

Kelly also touted $5 million for public-private partnerships to support child care providers in rural northwest Kansas, $23.7 million for early childhood education and literacy, $3.1 million for teacher workforce support and $5 million for school safety grants.

Sen. Molly Baumgardner, R-Louisburg, is chair of the Senate Education Committee.

"We focused on crafting increased school funding that better addresses the needs of our Kansas students and our dedicated teachers and staff members," Baumgardner said in a statement via the governor's office. "Our commitment to distributing increased special education funding in a more equitable way to Kansas school districts was accomplished by collaborating directly with the Department of Education leadership team."

Rep. Kristey Williams, R-August, is chair of the House K-12 Education Budget Committee.

"Meeting our Constitutional obligation plus an additional $75 million for special education shows the Legislature's commitment to supporting our students, teachers, and schools," Williams said in a statement via House GOP leadership. "With almost $5 billion of State dollars allocated every year, we are also dedicated to ensuring there's more accountability and transparency as we work toward improved student achievement."

Kelly vetoes proviso creating no-bid contract

When legislators wrote the budget, the included a proviso on using school safety and security grants to buy and install "security cameras that are compatible with the firearm detection software specified in paragraph (3)." The details in that paragraph effectively turned the grant program into a no-bid contract for the only company that met those specifications.

Legislative staff wrote in the bill explainer that the proviso required the grant funds "only be used for a pilot program with ZeroEyes to add software to existing cameras to identify firearms within schools."

The Associated Press reported that ZeroEyes , a firm founded by military veterans after a school shooting in Florida, touted their technology to Kansas lawmakers while also being the only qualified firm to benefit from similar legislation in other states.

In her veto message, Kelly said it turned the grant program "into a no-bid contract by inserting requirements that eliminate nearly all potential competition." She also took issue with restricting schools from using the funds for other school safety efforts, such as hiring more security staff or purchasing communications systems, arguing they should have flexibility to use the money "to address needs that are of utmost priority to student safety."

"We must continue to work together to ensure our students have a safe, conducive environment for their learning," Kelly said. "To do that, we should not hamstring districts by limiting this funding opportunity to services provided by one company."

Jason Alatidd is a Statehouse reporter for The Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at [email protected]. Follow him on X  @Jason_Alatidd .