Kansas Scholarships

The Mark and Stacy Parkinson Scholarship awards up to $34,000 over four years to a first-generation student who graduates from a Kansas high school and competes in the Distinguished Scholarship Invitational at Wichita State. The award is geared toward students whose parents did not complete a four-year college degree. Applicants must submit WSU admission materials by November 1 and competition materials by November 8, and meet GPA or test-score eligibility for DSI. Recipients are notified in February and must attend the on-campus competition. The scholarship supports incoming freshmen from Kansas pursuing any undergraduate major at Wichita State.

The Educate the State scholarship at Southwestern College is a public-private partnership designed to increase secondary teachers in Kansas by making the final two years of a teaching degree affordable. Students who graduate from Butler Community College or Cowley College with at least a two point seven five GPA and transfer into a Southwestern secondary education program pay nine thousand dollars per academic year in tuition, saving approximately thirty thousand dollars over the degree. The scholarship replaces other institutional financial aid including competition grants and stackable legacy or county grants. It renews for four semesters while recipients remain full-time secondary education majors.

The Frank M. Rice Scholarship promotes the practice of law in Kansas by awarding tuition assistance to a student admitted to or attending Washburn University School of Law or the University of Kansas School of Law. The scholarship honors Frank M. Rice, remembered as among the finest members of the Kansas bar who applied the highest level of legal scholarship to every matter. Applicants must be Kansas residents and submit a current law school transcript or undergraduate transcript if admitted but not yet attending, plus two letters of recommendation preferably from law professors, judges, or practicing attorneys. The Kansas Bar Foundation awards $6,000 through its annual scholarship application. Questions should be directed to foundation@ksbar.org.

The University Scholar Award is the highest tier of K-State general university merit scholarships for incoming Kansas resident freshmen on the Manhattan, Salina, or Olathe campuses. Students need a best cumulative high school GPA of 3.85 or higher paired with an ACT score of 29 or above or an SAT score of 1330 or above. Your application for admission serves as the scholarship application when submitted by the priority date. Recipients may earn only one general university award and can renew for up to three additional years by maintaining a 3.0 K-State cumulative GPA, full-time enrollment, and at least 24 K-State credit hours each academic year.

Kansas residents who are high school seniors or current undergraduates with at least a 3.0 GPA and an Expected Family Contribution under $3,800 on the FAFSA may apply to attend a Kansas public university, community college, or accredited trade or vocational school. Family income must not exceed 250% of poverty levels. Three scholarships of up to $5,000 each are awarded annually to students with strong academics and community service from families with limited resources.

Students in grades 6 through 12 who reside in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, or Wisconsin may enter ADL Midwest's annual First Amendment Freedoms Art and Essay Contest. Submit a two-page essay or artwork on a First Amendment theme. Up to eight prizes are awarded, with first-place winners receiving up to $5,000 and second-place winners $1,000 by grade category. Judges score creativity, originality, and understanding of the First Amendment.

Students in and around the Greater Kansas City area (Missouri and Kansas) may apply through the GKCCF scholarship portal. After completing a general application, students are matched to individual donor funds they qualify for. Hundreds of scholarships range from about $1,000 to $5,000 or more, with many renewable for multiple years. Funds are paid to colleges for tuition, fees, or books. Create an account on the AcademicWorks portal, complete the general and conditional applications, then finish recommended individual fund applications. Deadlines vary by scholarship across the spring and summer cycle. The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation operates one of the region's largest community scholarship portfolios through its online portal.

The Royal Purple Scholarship is a renewable general university merit award for incoming Kansas resident freshmen at K-State Manhattan, Salina, or Olathe campuses who meet paired GPA and test-score thresholds on the in-state scholarship grid. Eligible combinations include a 3.70 to 3.84 GPA with a 29 or higher ACT or 1330 or higher SAT, among other qualifying tiers. No separate scholarship application is required beyond admission. Students may receive only one general university scholarship. Renewal requires a minimum 3.0 K-State cumulative GPA, continuous full-time enrollment each fall and spring, and completion of at least 24 K-State credit hours per academic year for up to four years total.

The Kids With Courage Foundation has awarded Type 1 Champions academic scholarships since 2016, recognizing students who demonstrate character and healthy self-management while living with Type 1 diabetes. Applicants must have Type 1 diabetes, reside in Kansas or Missouri, and be a graduating senior from a public, private, or home school or a current college student. U.S. citizenship or legal residency is required. Winners can receive up to $3,000 for use at any accredited two- or four-year college or university in the United States; the foundation has awarded more than $60,000 in scholarships to date. Financial need is not required, and the field of study is open. Applicants submit the foundation's application packet, which includes a personal essay and supporting documentation. The 2026 application deadline was April 15, 2026, and the scholarship is offered annually with renewal by re-application.

High school seniors or college students in the Dairy MAX region who have ties to the dairy industry may apply for Dairy MAX academic scholarships. Eligible applicants live in Colorado, southwest Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, western Oklahoma, Texas, or Wyoming and are either a child of a dairy farmer, a child of a dairy farm employee at a checkoff-funding dairy, or an FFA or 4-H dairy show participant in junior or senior year of high school. Three $2,500 scholarships are awarded. Selection weighs scholastic achievement, leadership, and agricultural involvement. Applications are available on the sponsor site. Dairy MAX supports students continuing their education in agriculture across its multi-state territory.