Kentucky Student Loan And Financial Aid Programs
Kentucky has several private student loan and financial aid programs that can help you pay for college. If you're going to be attending college in Kentucky, you need to be looking to take advantage of these programs.
These programs are designed to help make college more affordable - so that you can get the education you need. These programs can include scholarships, grants, and student loans.
Don't forget that there are Federal student loan programs available as well. You can find out more on how to get a Federal student loan here.
There is also a specific order of operations to pay for college that we recommend students follow. These programs specific to the Commonwealth of Kentucky can help you to avoid borrowing more money than you need to.
Kentucky Student Loan Programs
Kentucky doesn't have any unique student loan programs to help it's students pay for college. However, there are still Federal student loans available to students who attend college in Kentucky.
If you're just looking for private student loan options, we recommend:
- Credible - Like the Kayak of student loans, they help you shop around and compare options. Try Credible here.
- Commonbond - One of the best private student loan lenders. Try Commonbond here.
Kentucky Scholarship Programs
Kentucky has several scholarships available to students who want to attend college in the state.
Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES)
The KEES program provides scholarships to students who earn at least a 2.5 GPA each year of attendance at a certified Kentucky high school. The better you do in high school, the more you earn toward college. You may also earn awards for ACT/SAT scores and Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) or Cambridge Advanced International (CAI) test scores. Home school and GED graduates may earn awards based on their ACT scores.
Learn more about the Kentucky Educational Excellent Scholarship here.
Early Childhood Development Scholarship
The Early Childhood Development Scholarship provides financial aid to Kentucky students pursuing one of the following: Child Development Associate Credential, Associates degree in early childhood education, or a bachelors degree in early childhood education.
The scholarship will provide up to $1,800 per year, not to exceed the cost of tuition.
Learn more about the Early Childhood Development Scholarship here.
Teacher Scholarship Program
The Teacher Scholarship Program provides financial aid to Kentucky students pursuing teacher certification at participating Kentucky colleges.
This scholarship provides up to $2,500 per semester.
Learn more about the Teacher Scholarship Program.
Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship Program
The Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship (WRKS) helps Kentuckians who have not yet earned an associate's degree afford an industry‐recognized certificate or diploma. The WRKS program is available to college students and certain high school students who are enrolled in college coursework.
This scholarship provides an amount equal to the amount remaining after subtracting federal and state grants and scholarships from the tuition and fees assessed by the student's eligible institution. This amount shall not exceed the in‐state tuition and fees rate for full‐time enrollment at the Kentucky Community and Technical College System.
Learn more about the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship Program.
Kentucky Grant Programs
Kentucky also has a grant program to provide need based financial aid to Kentucky residents.
Grants are one of the best forms of financial aid because, in most circumstances, you don't have to pay the money back.
College Access Program Grant
The College Access Program Grants help Kentucky’s financially needy undergraduate students attend eligible public and private colleges and universities, proprietary schools, and technical colleges.
This program awards up to $1,900 per year.
You can learn more about the College Access Program Grant.
Kentucky Tuition Grant
These grants provide need-based aid to help Kentucky residents attend eligible Kentucky private colleges.
This grant provides up to $3,000 per year.
You can learn more about the Kentucky Tuition Grant.
Other Options
If you already have student loans and are looking for options as a Kentucky resident, check out our Kentucky Student Loan Forgiveness page. That page has all the different options available to Kentucky residents to potentially get some of your student loan debt forgiven.
You might also look at refinancing your student loans and saving money in interest while also potentially lowering your payment. Check out our guide on the Best Places To Refinance Your Student Loans.
If you're looking for ways to save for college in Kentucky, check out the Kentucky 529 Plan and College Savings Guide.
Finally, check out the other student loan and financial aid programs by state.
