Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES)
Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA)
Merit scholarship earned in high school: $187-$500 for each year with a 2.75+ GPA, plus ACT/SAT and (for lower-income students) AP/IB/CAI bonuses, paid every year of college.
- How much
- Varies: $187-$500 per year of college for each high school year with a 2.75+ GPA, plus ACT/SAT bonus up to $500 and AP/IB/CAI supplements of $200-$300 per qualifying score (free/reduced lunch students)
- Who qualifies
- Kentucky resident attending and graduating from a certified Kentucky high school (or home school / Kentucky GED for ACT/SAT-only awards); not a convicted felon. AP/IB/CAI bonuses require free or reduced-price lunch eligibility in any high school year. Must use at a participating Kentucky college (at least half time) within 5 years of HS graduation.
- For high school seniors, students starting college, undergrads
- U.S. citizen, national or permanent resident
- When to apply
- Apply any time No application; earned automatically each high school year. Workforce reimbursement requests for July 2026-June 2027 must be postmarked by June 1, 2027.
- How to apply
- No application
- Your Kentucky high school reports your GPAs and KHEAA records your best ACT/SAT score
- Check your KEES earnings in MyKHEAA
- Enroll at least half time at a participating Kentucky college and the funds go to the college
- Workforce-pathway students submit a Reimbursement Pathway Selection Form and itemized receipts to KHEAA
- Last checked
- October 5, 2026, against the official page (kheaa.com) and page 2
The details
Students earn KEES while attending a certified Kentucky high school. Base/GPA awards: for each high school year with at least a 2.75 GPA (while meeting the KEES curriculum), the student earns an amount per year of college from $187 (2.75 GPA) to $500 (4.0 GPA); e.g. a 3.5 freshman-year GPA adds $375 per year of college. ACT/SAT bonus (highest score before HS graduation): from $36 (ACT 15 / SAT 830-870) to $500 (ACT 28+ / SAT 1300+). AP/IB/CAI supplemental awards for students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch in any HS year: $200-$300 per qualifying exam score (AP 3/4/5 = $200/$250/$300; IB 5/6/7; CAI e / c,d / a*,a,b), no limit on the number. Home-school, non-certified-school and Kentucky GED graduates (GED at ages 18-23 per KHEAA page) earn KEES based only on their ACT/SAT score. The total earned is the amount available for each year of college at a participating Kentucky college (at least half-time; KHEAA lists ~50 participating institutions). Expires after 8 semesters of funding, 5 years after HS graduation, or a bachelor's degree, whichever comes first. Renewal: 2.50 cumulative GPA after the first year; after years 2-4, a 3.00 cumulative GPA, or 2.50-2.99 and certified on track to graduate (2.50-2.99 without on-track hours and full-time = 50% reduction). Out-of-state use only through the SREB Academic Common Market for majors not offered in Kentucky. Workforce reimbursement pathway: graduates in registered apprenticeships, approved proprietary-school workforce programs, KCTCS Workforce Solutions programs, or the Kentucky College of Art + Design can be reimbursed from their KEES for tools, licensure, tuition, books, uniforms (apparel capped at $400/yr, travel $500/yr). KEES CTP: students with intellectual disabilities in a comprehensive transition and postsecondary program get $500 per term (6+ credit hours) or $250 (under 6), for 8 terms.
More money from Kentucky
- Optometry Scholarship$15,000 per recipient (2026-27; varies yearly with funding)
- College Access Program (CAP) GrantUp to $2,500 at a two-year institution; up to $5,300 at a four-year institution (2026-27)
- Kentucky Tuition Grant (KTG)Up to $3,300 for the 2026-27 academic year
- Early Graduation Scholarship CertificateOne-half of the state portion of the average per-pupil SEEK base guarantee for the graduation year (one-time)
- Tuition Waiver for Kentuckians 65 and OlderAll tuition and fees waived
Keep looking
- Answer a few questions to see every program you qualify for
- Nearby states: Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia
- Federal aid and national scholarships (open to students in any state)
- The FAFSA in plain English (2027-28)
- Should I file the FAFSA if I don't think I'll qualify?
- FAFSA deadlines by state (2027-28)
- The FAFSA for parents: what you need to do
- How to save on textbooks: free, rented and cheaper options
We list programs; we don't decide who gets them. Always check the official page before you apply. Spot something wrong? Tell us.