KCU Scholarships

In order to be good stewards of limited institutional funds, the following general policies apply to KCU institutional aid offers:
Eligibility for nearly all forms of KCU institutional aid is determined during the Admissions process and starts with the Scholarship Application linked above.
KCU institutional aid is designed to assist students in paying for their education, up to a maximum amount of the student’s direct costs charged each semester. The total amount of KCU institutional aid will be reduced to cover only direct costs to the University in any given semester.
Nearly all KCU institutional aid requires full-time enrollment and Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards, as outlined in the KCU Catalog, in order to receive the offered funds. Some forms of KCU institutional aid may be prorated for less-than-full-time enrollment.
With the exception of KCU Athletic Scholarship recipients, eligible students may receive more than one form of KCU institutional aid.
KCU Athletic Scholarship recipients are not eligible for additional KCU institutional aid, with the exception of the KCU Campus Visit Award and the new KCU Commonwealth Commitment Grant established for eligible new students in the 2024-25 academic year and beyond. *
The award amount for a non-residential undergraduate student who lives off-campus and commutes to school from the local area is prorated to 85% of the award amount for a residential undergraduate student.
Undergraduate students enrolled in reduced-tuition degree programs are not eligible for KCU institutional aid. Reduced-tuition undergraduate degree programs include RN-BSN and Para-Professional Pathway to Certified Teacher (Option 9).
All Graduate students are enrolled in reduced-tuition degree programs. If a Graduate student meets certain criteria, they may be eligible for certain Graduate tuition discounts or Graduate Assistantship benefits.
Receipt of KCU institutional aid is limited to individual students for a maximum of 5 years or 10 semesters.

KCU Institutional Aid (Athletic) *

KCU offers athletic scholarships for each intercollegiate athletic sport. The Head Coach of a sport determines the amount of an athletic scholarship offered to an accepted new student during the recruiting process. The Head Coach informs the Admissions Counselor of the athletic scholarship offer. Then the Financial Aid Office receives notification of the athletic scholarship to be included in the student’s official Financial Aid Offer.

The Athletic Director and the student’s Head Coach determine if renewal of a KCU athletic scholarship is approved for subsequent academic years. Renewal decisions are based, in part, on the student’s academic performance as well as athletic performance and residential status.

* Please Note: KCU Athletic Scholarship recipients are not eligible for additional KCU institutional aid, with the exception of the KCU Campus Visit Award and the new KCU Commonwealth Commitment Grant.

KCU Institutional Aid (Academic and Non-Athletic)

KCU Commonwealth Commitment Grant *

Established for the 2024-2025 academic year and beyond; 50 awards offered in initial stage
An accepted new student who completes a KCU Scholarship Application and is a Kentucky resident receiving at least a partial Pell Grant AND a Kentucky Tuition Grant or Kentucky CAP Grant, which are determined as a result of the student’s FAFSA, will be considered. Priority consideration will be given to scholarship applications received by February 15 each year.
After the Admissions Counselor determines if a KCU Commonwealth Commitment Grant will be offered to a new student, the KCU Financial Aid Administrator determines the amount of the grant after considering all known sources of financial aid.
An awarded student may be eligible for renewal in subsequent academic years for a maximum of up to eight (8) consecutive semesters, so long as the student continues to meet satisfactory academic progress standards, Pell Grant eligibility, and Kentucky State Grant eligibility.

KCU Campus Visit Award *

If an interested student attends an official campus visit arranged by the Admissions Office, he/she will receive a $500 KCU Campus Visit Award disbursed evenly in the student’s first two semesters.

KCU Lusby Excellence Award for Christ, Character, and Career

This scholarship is named after KCU’s founder and first President, J.W. Lusby.
Lusby is a competitive scholarship based on an essay approved and ratified by the Kentucky Christian University Cabinet.

Only new freshmen students are eligible to apply for the Lusby Excellence Award – transfer students and re-admitted students are not eligible to apply.
Award applicants must be accepted for admission to KCU by January 1 for consideration.
The deadline for essay submissions is March 1.
Award applicants must have a minimum 3.50 high school GPA and a minimum 27 ACT or SAT equivalent.
Up to eight (8) new freshman students are selected as winners each academic year.
Each campus-dorm residential student winner will receive up to 100% tuition scholarship, renewable each year as long as he/she maintains a 3.30 or greater CGPA during their college career at KCU.
Each commuter student winner will receive up to 85% tuition scholarship, renewable each year as long as he/she maintains a 3.30 or greater CGPA during their college career at KCU.

KCU Bible Bowl Scholarships

Kentucky Christian University has an agreement with the National Bible Bowl program that KCU will grant tuition scholarships to individuals and members of the following placing events. These scholarships are added together and reflect the total award, which will be divided equally over a period of 4 years (8 semesters). This scholarship award would begin the fall semester immediately following graduation from High School. Recipients of this “stackable” scholarship must maintain a minimum of 15 credit hours per semester and a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher. KCU Bible Bowl Scholarship awards are applied toward KCU tuition only, as stipulated above and designated below.

National Tournament Attendance: $500 Tuition Scholarship

Memory Master: $250 Tuition Scholarship

KCU Preaching/Speech and Vocal Scholarships

The University cooperates with several organizations sponsoring preaching, speech, and vocal contests. Included are the North American Christian Convention, state teen conventions, and others. Scholarship awards in this area for first place are $2,000, second place $1,500, and third place $750.

Please Note: Awards from KCU Bible Bowl and KCU Preaching/Speech or Vocal Scholarships must be used beginning the fall semester following high school graduation.

Kentucky Christian University

Financial Aid