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MeritPlaybook / Take-home research

Kansas
Decision sheet

Kansas · Research checked 2026-07-02 · School research, not an aid offer

The starting point

Kansas flagship with one of the cleanest published automatic merit grids in the country: a five-tier GPA-only ladder, separate for residents and non-residents, awarded with no separate application and using whichever GPA (weighted or unweighted) benefits the student most.

Published academic criteria. These awards are recorded as automatic on academic criteria. Match the published grades and scores, then check residency, entering year and every additional condition.

Awards to discuss

First 3 of 10 recorded awards, in chapter display order. This is a selection, not a ranking. Read the full chapter for all awards. Amounts retain the original units and conditions; confirm the entering year with the school.

KU Excellence (non-resident)

$16,000 per year ($64,000 total) · Published award terms

Recorded as automatic on academic criteria; all conditions apply.

GPA: 3.95

Eligibility: Non-resident/international. Automatic on GPA via the admission application; no separate scholarship application. KU uses weighted or unweighted GPA, whichever benefits the student most. National Merit Finalists naming KU add $1,000/year.

Renewal: Maintain a 3.0 KU GPA and full-time enrollment; awarded for the first bachelor's degree or eight continuous semesters, whichever comes first.

https://admissions.ku.edu/afford/scholarships

KU Distinction (non-resident)

$14,000 per year ($56,000 total) · Published award terms

Recorded as automatic on academic criteria; all conditions apply.

GPA: 3.85

Eligibility: Non-resident, GPA 3.85–3.94. Automatic on the admission application; no separate application.

Renewal: Maintain a 3.0 KU GPA and full-time enrollment; eight continuous semesters or first degree.

https://admissions.ku.edu/afford/scholarships

KU Achievement (non-resident)

$12,000 per year ($48,000 total) · Published award terms

Recorded as automatic on academic criteria; all conditions apply.

GPA: 3.7

Eligibility: Non-resident, GPA 3.70–3.84. Automatic; no separate application.

Renewal: Maintain a 3.0 KU GPA and full-time enrollment.

https://admissions.ku.edu/afford/scholarships

Ask before you decide

  1. Which entering-year policy and residency category apply to us? What are the admission and scholarship deadlines?
  2. What grades and credits are required to renew, and for how many terms?
  3. How would other school awards or outside scholarships change the offer?

Our unanswered questions / Family notes

Keep the sources with the decision

Full research, award details and source context: https://meritplaybook.com/colleges/university-of-kansas/merit-aid

The research date is not a guarantee that a policy still applies. Confirm current amounts, deadlines and conditions with the school before making a financial decision.