Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES)

Kentucky banks college money for its high school students one report card at a time. Each year with at least a 2.5 GPA earns $125 to $500, scaled to the GPA, and a qualifying ACT or SAT score adds up to $500 more, with AP, IB, and Cambridge exam scores able to stack on top. Four strong years plus a solid test score puts roughly $2,000 a year on the table at a Kentucky college. There is nothing to apply for: certified Kentucky high schools report year-end grades to KHEAA, and students watch the running total in a free KHEAA account. Lottery funding sets the amounts, so figures can move between years, and the award must be used within five years of graduation for up to eight semesters. In college, half-time enrollment and yearly GPA benchmarks keep the full amount coming.

How hard is the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) to win?

This is not a competition. Aid is allocated by a published formula, so meeting the criteria and filing on time is what determines whether the money arrives.

What drives the odds here

Odds on a scholarship are mostly a question of how many students can enter. Each rule below changes the size of that field.

• Fewer rivalsOpen only to Kentucky residents
• Fewer rivalsRequires at least a 2.5 GPA

How Solyo estimates this: State programs that allocate by published formula are modelled on qualification and filing, not on competition, because there is no selection committee choosing between applicants. These are estimates derived from each award's published structure, not reported acceptance rates, which almost no scholarship provider discloses. Treat them as a way to rank where the hours go, not as a guarantee.

Who can apply for the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES)?

These are the eligibility rules Solyo verified against the official award page, translated into plain English. Your student must meet each one.

• ✓Must be a resident of Kentucky
• ✓Open to high school freshmen, high school sophomores, high school juniors, and high school seniors
• ✓GPA of 2.5 or higher (unweighted)
• ✓Open to U.S. citizens or permanent residents (green card)

What the application takes

No essay, recommendation letters, or transcript are required. This is one of the lighter applications in the directory.

Deadline and application cycle

The current deadline is June 30, 2027. This award runs on an annual cycle, with deadlines around June 30 each year. Applications open No application window: awards accrue each high school year. Check the KHEAA account after each school year: a GPA reported wrong is far easier to fix before graduation than after.

GPA and test bonuses earned

Each high school year

High schools report year-end grades to KHEAA

June 30, 2027

Earned total visible in the KHEAA account

After grades are reported

Money paid to the Kentucky college

Each term of enrollment

Common questions about the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES)

More state grants & programs

• 802 Opportunity Grant
  Full tuition and the $100 administrative fee at CCV (last-dollar)
• Access Missouri Financial Assistance Program
  Varies by SAI and school type per statutory table (amounts prorated if funding is short)
• Alabama Student Grant Program
  Up to $3,000/yr ($1,500 per semester; actual amount depends on state funding)
• Alaska Education Grant
  $500-$4,000/yr based on need and enrollment level
• Alaska Performance Scholarship
  $3,500-$7,000/yr depending on tier
• Arizona Promise Program
  Full tuition & mandatory fees at Arizona public universities (last-dollar)

Lists this award appears on

• Kentucky Scholarships and State Grants
• No-Essay Scholarships
• Merit Scholarships
• Renewable Scholarships (Multi-Year Awards)
• Scholarships With June Deadlines