Kansas Student Loans And Financial Aid Programs
Kansas 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 Kansas, 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 State of Kansas can help you to avoid borrowing more money than you need to.
Kansas Student Loan Programs
Kansas 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 Kansas.
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.
- College Ave - One of the best private student loan lenders. Get A Quote At College Ave Here.
Check out our complete guide to finding the best student loans here.
Kansas Scholarship Programs
Kansas has several scholarships available to students who want to attend school in the state.
Kansas Ethnic Minority Scholarship
The Kansas Ethnic Minority Scholarship program is designed to assist financially needy, academically competitive students who are identified as members of any of the following ethnic/racial groups: African American; American Indian or Alaskan Native; Asian or Pacific Islander; or Hispanic.
Learn more about the Kansas Ethnic Minority Scholarship.
Kansas Military Service Scholarship
The Kansas Military Service Scholarship is available for the payment of tuition and fees at a public Kansas institution for students who are a resident of Kansas and has:
- Served in military service in international waters or on foreign soil in support of military operations for which the person 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.
- Has received an honorable discharge or under honorable conditions (general) discharge from military service or is still in military service
- Has provided copies of military discharge papers (DD-214 form) or active duty orders whichever such paper or order indicate the location of such person’s deployment and indicate the person has served after September 11, 2001, in any military operation for which the person received hostile fire pay.
Learn more about the Kansas Military Service Scholarship.
Kansas Nursing Service Scholarship
The Kansas Nursing Service Scholarship requires an obligation to practice as an LPN or RN in Kansas and work for a sponsor. A sponsor means any adult care home, psychiatric hospital, medical care facility, home health agency, local health department or any state agency, which employs LPNs or RNs, licensed by the State of Kansas.
The sponsor will provide partial scholarship funding and provide employment upon licensure of the recipient. If the sponsor is a mental health center or treatment facility, the sponsor does not share the cost of the scholarship assistance. The obligation for the scholarship is to work for the sponsor for one year for each year of the scholarship support received.
Learn more about the Kansas Nursing Service Scholarship.
Kansas State Scholarship
The Kansas State Scholarship is designed to assist financially needy students in the top 20-30% of Kansas high school graduates who are designated as state scholars during the senior year of high school.
Learn more about the Kansas State Scholarship.
Kansas Teacher Service Scholarship
The Kansas Teacher Service Scholarship is a merit-based service obligation scholarship program that provides financial assistance to both students pursuing bachelor's degree programs and currently licensed teachers pursuing an endorsement in hard-to-fill disciplines or master's degrees in hard-to-fill disciplines or either group planning to teach in an underserved geographic area.
Recipients sign agreements to teach one year for each year of scholarship support in Kansas. Recipients are eligible to receive this scholarship for up to ten semesters, which includes both undergraduate and graduate work.
Learn more about the Kansas Teacher Service Scholarship.
Kansas Grant Programs
Kansas also has a grant program to provide need based financial aid to Kansas students.
Grants are one of the best forms of financial aid because, in most circumstances, you don't have to pay the money back.
Kansas Career Technical Workforce Grant
The Career Technical Workforce Grant is available to students enrolled in an eligible career technical education program operated by a designated Kansas educational institution that has been identified as offering a technical certificate or associate of applied science degree program in a high cost, high demand, or critical industry field.
Designated Kansas educational institutions include technical colleges, community colleges, and public four-year colleges that award associate of applied science degrees; and Washburn Institute of Technology. Only technical certificate and associate of applied science degree programs are included among the eligible programs.
You can learn more about the Kansas Career Technical Workforce Grant.
Kansas Comprehensive Grant
The Kansas Comprehensive Grant is available to needy Kansas residents enrolled full-time at eighteen private colleges and universities located in Kansas, the six state universities, and Washburn University. This grant is funded by the state of Kansas. The Kansas Legislature provides limited assistance to financially needy students.
To be considered you must complete and submit the FAFSA, listing one or more eligible colleges in the FAFSA. The funding level allows about 1 in 3 eligible students to be assisted with award amounts ranging from $200 - $3,500 at the private institutions and $100 - $1,500 at the public institutions.
Learn more about the Kansas Comprehensive Grant.
Other Options
If you already have student loans and are looking for options as a Kansas resident, check out our Kansas Student Loan Forgiveness Program page. That page has all the different options available to Kansas 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 Kansas, check out the Kansas 529 Plan and College Savings Guide.
Finally, check out the other student loan and financial aid programs by state.
Editor: Clint Proctor Reviewed by: Chris Muller
