Kentucky college grants and scholarships are run by the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA), and the four main programs are the need-based College Access Program (CAP) Grant, the Kentucky Tuition Grant for private colleges, the merit-based Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES), and the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship for career programs. The FAFSA is the application for CAP and the Tuition Grant, and both are awarded first come, first served by the date you complete it, so filing the 2027-28 FAFSA now matters more in Kentucky than in most states.
CAP Grant: need-based aid for 2026-27
KHEAA lists the 2026-2027 CAP Grant maximum as up to $2,500 at a two-year institution and up to $5,300 at a four-year institution (KHEAA, Scholarships and Grants). To qualify, KHEAA says you must:
- Be a Kentucky resident.
- Have financial need.
- Enroll at least half time in a program at least two years long.
- Owe no past-due obligation to KHEAA or any federal Title IV program.
- Complete the FAFSA for the school year you need aid.
KHEAA says CAP funds are “awarded on a first-come, first-served basis by FAFSA completion date.” The FAFSA opens on October 1 each year. A student who files in October is in a much better position than one who files in March, even with identical finances.
Kentucky Tuition Grant
The Kentucky Tuition Grant (KTG) helps Kentucky residents attend an eligible private college or university in Kentucky. KHEAA lists a maximum of $3,300 for the 2026-2027 academic year. Students must have financial need, enroll full time in an associate or bachelor’s program, and complete the FAFSA. Like CAP, KTG is awarded first come, first served by FAFSA completion date.
KEES: earned in high school, used in college
KEES is a merit scholarship you build up during high school, one year at a time, and then use in college. KHEAA says you must “earn at least a 2.75 GPA in any year of high school while meeting the KEES curriculum requirements” (KHEAA). Each qualifying year adds a base amount, and a high ACT adds a bonus.
KHEAA’s KEES table, read in November 2026, includes these points; the page notes that “amounts may change based on available funds” and does not label them by award year:
| KEES component | Example amounts in KHEAA’s table |
|---|---|
| Base award per high school year, 2.75 GPA | $187 |
| Base award per high school year, 3.00 GPA | $250 |
| Base award per high school year, 4.00 GPA | $500 |
| ACT bonus, composite 15 | $36 |
| ACT bonus, composite 28 or above | $500 |
To get the bonus you need an ACT composite of 15 or higher, or an SAT equivalent of 830 or higher, before you graduate. The amounts are earned per year of college you attend. KHEAA’s broader planning page gives the average undergraduate KEES award in Kentucky as $1,369 (KHEAA, Plan for the Future).
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KEES expires after eight semesters of funding, five years after high school graduation, or when you earn a bachelor’s degree, whichever comes first. Your KEES balance is tracked in your KHEAA account; check it each year in high school.
Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship
For 2026-2027, KHEAA says the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship pays the tuition and fees left after federal and state grants and scholarships, for eligible career-focused programs. Fees covered cannot exceed $400 a year. Eligibility ends after funding for 60 credit hours or a first associate degree. Awards are first come, first served by WRKS application date, and you must complete both the FAFSA and the 2026-2027 WRKS application.
Kentucky’s main programs side by side
| CAP Grant | Kentucky Tuition Grant | KEES | Work Ready KY | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basis | Need | Need, private college | High school GPA and ACT | Last-dollar, career programs |
| 2026-27 maximum (KHEAA) | $2,500 two-year; $5,300 four-year | $3,300 | Built from yearly amounts | Remaining tuition; fees up to $400 |
| Enrollment | At least half time | Full time | See KHEAA rules | See KHEAA rules |
| Application | FAFSA | FAFSA | Earned automatically in high school | FAFSA plus WRKS application |
| Timing | First come, first served | First come, first served | Track yearly | First come, first served |
How to apply in Kentucky
- File the 2027-28 FAFSA as soon as you can. Our guide on how to fill out the FAFSA covers each section.
- List every Kentucky college you are considering.
- Create or check your KHEAA account to confirm your KEES record.
- If you are entering a career program, submit the WRKS application too.
- Check each college’s own scholarship deadlines. Our FAFSA deadlines guide explains how they line up with state dates.
How Kentucky aid fits with federal aid
CAP and KTG are packaged with the Federal Pell Grant. For award years beginning on or after July 1, 2026, a student whose non-federal aid equals or exceeds the cost of attendance is not eligible for Pell, according to a June 4, 2026 Federal Student Aid electronic announcement. Cost of attendance includes housing, food and books, so most Kentucky grant recipients are not affected.
Questions Kentucky families ask
Can I lose CAP by filing late even if I qualify?
Yes. KHEAA awards CAP by FAFSA completion date until funds are used, so an eligible late filer can miss out.
Does KEES depend on family income?
No. KEES is merit-based, built from your high school GPA and test scores.
What should a senior do this month?
Log in to your KHEAA account and confirm your KEES record, then file the 2027-28 FAFSA right away so you are early in line for CAP and, at a private college, the Kentucky Tuition Grant.
Where to go next
Compare Kentucky with other states in our guide to state grants for college, and use our free scholarship finder for awards that stack on top. In Kentucky the earliest FAFSA wins: the 2027-28 form has been open since October 1, 2026.