KEES Scholarship Kentucky 2026: GPA, SAT Requirements & Annual Awards

The Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) is a merit-based, lottery-funded state scholarship administered by the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA) that rewards Kentucky high school students with up to $500 per year in base awards for strong GPA — plus an SAT/ACT score bonus starting at an SAT score of 830 (evidence-based reading/writing + math) or an ACT composite of 15, with bonuses up to $500/year. Awards are cumulative across all four years of high school and paid out each year of college at an eligible Kentucky institution.

KEES is one of the most accessible state merit scholarships in the country — you don't write a single essay and there's no standalone application. Your high school GPA alone qualifies you for the base award, and your SAT or ACT score adds a bonus on top. If you're a Kentucky resident in high school right now, every report card and every test date is money in your future financial aid account.

This guide breaks down every component of the KEES Scholarship for the 2026 cycle: the full GPA award schedule, the complete SAT/ACT bonus table, renewal rules in college, where the award can be used, and exactly what you need to do to maximize your total.

1. What Is the KEES Scholarship?
2. GPA Award Schedule: How the Base Award Works
3. SAT/ACT Bonus: How Test Scores Add Cash
4. AP, IB, and Cambridge Supplemental Awards
5. Full Eligibility Requirements
6. How to Apply (or Not Apply) for KEES
7. Renewal Rules: Keeping KEES in College
8. How to Maximize Your KEES Award
9. Frequently Asked Questions

1. What Is the KEES Scholarship?

Typical Question: "I'm a Kentucky high school junior — what is KEES and how much can I actually get?"

🧠 The Traditional View:

Most students think of KEES as a single scholarship you apply for as a senior. In reality, it's nothing like that.

The Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) is a merit-based financial aid program that rewards Kentucky high school students for strong academic performance. It is funded by the Kentucky Lottery.

❌ Common Misconceptions:

• KEES is not one lump-sum award — it's a per-year-of-college payout built on your four high school years
• You can't retroactively boost your award after high school graduation
• It's not need-based — GPA and test scores are the only factors for the merit component
• It's not automatically usable out of state (with narrow exceptions)

✅ The Real Picture:

Once a student graduates from a Kentucky high school, their total KEES earned while in high school — GPA awards plus any ACT/SAT bonus and AP/IB/CAI supplemental awards — becomes available for use at a participating Kentucky college or university.

The total award varies based on high school GPA performance and test score. The maximum annual award is approximately $2,500. Funding is available for up to eight semesters and must be used within five years of high school graduation.

Pro Tip: Once you have graduated from high school, your KEES money cannot be increased. Every semester you're in high school is a window — close it well.

2. GPA Award Schedule: How the Base Award Works

Typical Question: "I have a 3.5 GPA my freshman year — how much KEES does that earn me?"

🧠 Traditional Way:

Most families assume a single GPA threshold triggers a flat dollar amount. KEES is actually tiered — the higher your GPA each year, the more you earn per year of college, and it compounds across all four high school years.

Here is the base GPA award schedule per year of high school (each tier is earned independently for each grade level you complete):

For instance, a high school freshman who earns a 3.5 GPA would have a $375 scholarship for each year of college. That's just from one year of high school. Four years of a 3.5 GPA = $1,500 per college year before a single test score is even considered.

❌ Common Pitfalls:

• Letting one "bad GPA year" drag down your total without realizing you can still earn awards for the other three years
• Assuming GPA below 2.5 earns a partial award — it earns zero for that year
• Not meeting the KEES curriculum requirements for the year (certain approved courses are required)
• Counting dual-credit college GPA toward the high school base — it doesn't work that way

✅ The Smart Approach:

For each year you earn a 2.5 or better GPA, you can earn the base amount listed in the chart. Treat every academic year independently — a rough 10th grade doesn't wipe out strong 9th, 11th, or 12th grade years.

Pro Tip: A student earning a 3.75+ GPA all four years locks in $500 × 4 = $2,000/year in base awards before any test score bonus is added. That's $16,000 total over 8 college semesters.

3. SAT/ACT Bonus: How Test Scores Add Cash

Typical Question: "My SAT score is 1150. Does that earn me a KEES bonus?"

🧠 Traditional Way:

Most students assume a test score either qualifies or doesn't for a flat bonus. In reality, KEES has a sliding-scale bonus that climbs with every ACT point — and the SAT equivalent score is what you need to know if you're taking the digital SAT.

Here's how the bonus escalates across score ranges (ACT composite and approximate SAT equivalents, based on KHEAA's current schedule):

Note: KHEAA publishes the official detailed bonus table at kheaa.com. Dollar amounts may adjust based on available funds. Always verify the current schedule before your graduation date.

❌ Common Pitfalls:

• Taking the SAT only once and not realizing you can retake it — the highest score you make before you graduate from high school is used to calculate the amount
• Forgetting the SAT score is based only on the evidence-based reading/writing and math sections (no essay component)
• Assuming the bonus is per high school year like the GPA award — it's a one-time bonus based on your single highest score
• Not verifying your score is from a national test administration (school-day scores typically qualify, but confirm with KHEAA)

✅ The Score-Chasing Shortcut:

Every ACT point above 15 earns roughly $35–$36 more per college year. Retaking the ACT or SAT even once to push from a 21 to a 25 adds about $143/year — that's $1,144 more over 8 semesters for a couple hours of focused prep. Need help targeting those specific point gains? Pursu's SAT scholarship math breakdown walks through exactly how incremental score gains translate to real dollar thresholds.

Pro Tip: The highest ACT or SAT score earned by the date of high school graduation is used to calculate the test bonus. Students should plan to complete testing prior to graduation. Don't wait until spring of senior year — if something goes wrong with a test date, you have no backup window. Check the full SAT test dates calendar and book at least two test sittings before senior-year December.

4. AP, IB, and Cambridge Supplemental Awards

Typical Question: "I'm in AP classes and qualify for free/reduced lunch — can I earn extra KEES?"

🧠 Traditional Way:

Many students don't realize there's a third layer of KEES beyond GPA and test scores — supplemental awards for AP, IB, and Cambridge Advanced International (CAI) exam scores.

KHEAA provides AP/IB/CAI bonuses of $200–$300 per qualifying exam score. Since there is no cap on the number of exams that can earn this award, a student taking five AP exams could add $1,000–$1,500/year in supplemental KEES alone.

❌ Common Pitfalls:

• Not realizing this bonus is only for students who were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch — it's income-targeted
• Taking AP exams but not verifying the free/reduced-lunch eligibility was on record for that year
• Missing the AP exam (even a 3 qualifies) and leaving money on the table

✅ The Smart Play:

If you qualify for free or reduced-price lunch in any year of high school, every AP, IB, or CAI exam score of 3 or above is worth real money. Stack as many qualifying exams as your schedule allows.

Pro Tip: The AP/IB/CAI awards combine with GPA and test-score awards — they're additive, not competing. A student with four AP 3's, a 3.75 GPA all four years, and an ACT 27 could be looking at more than $2,400/year in total KEES, close to the maximum.

5. Full Eligibility Requirements

Typical Question: "I live in Kentucky, go to a public high school, and have decent grades — am I automatically eligible?"

🧠 Traditional Way:

Most students assume residency and GPA are all that matters. There are several additional boxes to check.

✅ Full Eligibility Checklist:

To qualify for the base GPA award, you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident and be a Kentucky resident.
• Attend and graduate from a certified Kentucky high school or other approved high school.
• For each year, earn a 2.5 or better GPA.
• Not be a convicted felon.

To qualify for the ACT/SAT score bonus, you must additionally:

• Achieve an ACT composite score of 15 or higher or an SAT equivalent score of 830 or higher (evidence-based reading/writing and math sections only).
• Earn at least a 2.5 GPA in any year of high school while meeting the KEES curriculum requirements.

For use in college, you must also:

• Be enrolled at least half time (6 credit hours or the equivalent at a quarter school) during the fall and/or spring terms.
• Be a degree-seeking student at an eligible Kentucky institution
• Maintain Kentucky residency
• Not have earned a bachelor's degree

❌ Common Pitfalls:

• Homeschool graduates — their situation is different: Kentucky residents who graduate from a home-school program and qualifying GED graduates are eligible for KEES based on their ACT/SAT score, not GPA
• Enrolling at an out-of-state college and expecting KEES to follow — KEES money may be used for programs outside of Kentucky offered through the Academic Common Market, but it cannot be used for other out-of-state programs
• Losing Kentucky residency during college (the scholarship requires ongoing Kentucky residence)

Pro Tip: KEES can be used in states other than Kentucky under certain conditions: the student's program of study is not offered at any public college or university in Kentucky, and the program is available at an institution that participates in the Academic Common Market (ACM) program administered by the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB). If you're eyeing an out-of-state school for a niche major, check ACM eligibility at Kentucky's Council on Postsecondary Education.

6. How to Apply (or Not Apply) for KEES

Typical Question: "When do I submit my KEES application and where do I send it?"

🧠 Traditional Way:

Students expect a scholarship application portal, essays, and a deadline. KEES works almost entirely automatically.

✅ The No-Application Process:

Here's what the process actually looks like step by step:

1. High school years (9–12): Earn qualifying GPA each year. Your school automatically reports grades to KHEAA at the end of each school year.
2. Take the SAT or ACT: Students should ensure that their Social Security number is on file with both their high school and their college to facilitate processing.
3. After graduation: KHEAA calculates your total KEES award (GPA base + test bonus) and notifies you. You can view your award at MyKHEAA.
4. Enroll in a Kentucky college: After students enroll at an eligible college, KHEAA sends the scholarships directly to the school.
5. College reports enrollment: Your institution reports your enrollment to KHEAA each semester.

❌ Common Pitfalls:

• Homeschool and GED students — these students must be reported manually. Home school and GED students must be reported manually to KHEAA to receive an ACT Supplemental Bonus. Contact the Financial Aid Office if you were a homeschool or GED student and KEES is not on your account.
• Not verifying your KHEAA account before starting college
• Transfer students — as a transfer student, you will need to contact the Financial Aid Office and request that your KEES eligibility be reviewed. The GPA from your last college must be submitted to KHEAA by that college.

Pro Tip: Set up your MyKHEAA account before senior year so you can verify your GPA awards are being reported correctly before graduation locks in your total.

7. Renewal Rules: Keeping KEES in College

Typical Question: "I got KEES as a freshman — what do I need to do to keep it sophomore year?"

🧠 Traditional Way:

Students assume maintaining any passing GPA is sufficient. KEES has a two-factor renewal system — both GPA and "on track to graduate" status.

✅ The Renewal Framework:

Within those windows, here's how renewal works each year:

The "on track to graduate" requirement kicks in after your second year. After completing four semesters, you must have earned at least 48 credit hours; after five semesters, at least 60 credit hours; after six semesters, at least 72 credit hours.

❌ Common Pitfalls:

• Thinking a 2.5 GPA automatically keeps KEES — after year two, the credit-hour pace requirement kicks in
• Dual credit courses do not count towards KEES college renewal GPA and on-track-to-graduate status since these courses were already included in the high school GPA to determine the KEES base award.
• Losing KEES and not knowing you can regain it — you may regain your KEES award for subsequent academic years by meeting the above criteria by the end of the spring term in which you meet the criteria.
• Summer credits — only credits earned in the fall and spring count towards your GPA and on-track status. Credits earned during a summer semester will be counted towards your next academic year.

Pro Tip: If you're floating between a 2.5 and 2.99 GPA and are just below the credit-hour pace, one extra class in the spring can make the difference between keeping full KEES and losing half of it. Run the math in January before drop/add deadlines close.

8. How to Maximize Your Total KEES Award

Typical Question: "What's the single highest KEES award I could earn, and how do I get there?"

🧠 Traditional Way:

Most students focus on one component — usually GPA — without realizing how dramatically a strong ACT or SAT score compounds the total.

✅ The Maximum-Award Formula:

Here's what a Kentucky student with straight A's (3.75+ GPA all four years) and an ACT 28 / SAT 1310 earns, per year of college:

• GPA base award: $500/year × 4 high school years = $2,000/year
• ACT/SAT test bonus: $500/year (score of 28+ ACT or ~1310+ SAT)
• Total base + test bonus: $2,500/year
• Maximum over 8 semesters (4 years): ~$20,000

The strategic levers to pull:

1. Protect every year's GPA. A single year below 2.5 costs you that year's entire base award — potentially $500.
2. Push your SAT or ACT into the next bonus tier. Going from a 24 to a 25 on the ACT adds about $36/year — modest. Going from a 21 to a 28 adds $250/year ($2,000 over 8 semesters). Florida's Bright Futures program shows just how dramatically score tiers shift award amounts — same logic applies here.
3. Take AP exams if you qualify for free/reduced lunch. No cap on the number of qualifying scores.
4. Maintain 3.0+ in college to avoid the credit-hour pace trap entirely.
5. Don't blow the 5-year window. KEES will expire five years after high school graduation or after eight semesters of use, whichever comes first.

KEES is also fully stackable with institutional merit awards. For example, Eastern Kentucky University layers institutional scholarships on top of whatever KEES you arrive with. If you're chasing maximum state + institutional aid, compare Kentucky schools' merit matrices — the same prep that boosts your KEES bonus also unlocks those institutional tiers. Our breakdown of the Alabama Presidential Scholarship SAT requirements shows how score thresholds work at peer institutions across the Southeast if you want a benchmark for targeting your ACT/SAT prep.

❌ Common Pitfalls:

• Stopping test prep after one sitting — your highest composite score is what counts, so taking the test more than once is a legitimate strategy
• Attending a school outside Kentucky without checking the Academic Common Market first
• Not checking MyKHEAA to verify your award before freshman year starts
• Losing track of the 5-year expiration clock if you take a gap year

Pro Tip: Even an ACT score of 15 (SAT 830) adds $36/year to your KEES award — but an ACT score of 28 (SAT ~1310) adds $500/year. The ROI on 10–20 hours of focused prep for Kentucky students is exceptional. Use Pursu's adaptive practice to target your specific weak domains rather than drilling full-length tests.

Final Thoughts: Building Your KEES Award the Smart Way

The KEES Scholarship is one of the most student-friendly financial aid programs in the country — guaranteed, automatic, cumulative, and stackable. Instead of awarding a one-time amount based on a single score threshold, KEES is earned incrementally over all four years of high school, which means every semester of high school is an opportunity, not just senior year.

The three things that separate a $1,000/year KEES award from a $2,500/year award are simple: consistent GPA above 3.5 each year, a serious attempt at the ACT or SAT (aiming for ACT 28+ or SAT 1310+ to hit the max bonus), and — if you qualify for free or reduced-price lunch — AP exams treated as scholarship opportunities, not just college admissions signals. KHEAA provides a base award schedule ranging from $125 to $500 per year of high school, with additional ACT bonus awards up to $500 and AP/IB/CAI bonuses of $200–$300.

Start by verifying your current award status at KHEAA's official website, confirm your Social Security number is on file with your high school, and map out your remaining SAT or ACT test dates before graduation. Every point you gain before that graduation date is locked in for four years of college. Pursu's adaptive platform can help you find and close the exact score gaps between your current baseline and the next KEES bonus tier.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does KEES require a separate application, and what is the deadline?

No application is required. KEES is awarded automatically. High school counselors report GPA information to the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority, and colleges report student enrollment. There is no senior-year application deadline because the award is built automatically from your high school records. Homeschool and GED students must contact their college's financial aid office for manual reporting — that's the one exception.

What SAT score do I need to earn the maximum KEES bonus?

To be eligible for a KEES ACT/SAT bonus award, a student must achieve an ACT composite score of 15 or higher or an SAT equivalent score of 830 or higher. A student who scores a 28 on the ACT — roughly equivalent to an SAT of about 1310 — earns the maximum $500 per year in KEES test-score bonus funds. Every ACT point between 15 and 28 earns an incrementally higher bonus, so retaking the test to improve even a few points has real dollar value.

Can I use KEES at an out-of-state college?

KEES money may be used for programs outside of Kentucky offered through the Academic Common Market (ACM), but it cannot be used for other out-of-state programs. The ACM allows KEES use at participating schools in roughly 15 southeastern states — but only if your specific major isn't available at any Kentucky public college. Contact the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education to check ACM eligibility for your intended program.

What happens to my KEES award if my college GPA drops below a 2.5?

Students with a GPA below 2.50 will lose the KEES award for the next academic year. You may regain your KEES award for subsequent academic years by meeting the above criteria by the end of the spring term in which you meet the criteria. Losing KEES for one year does not permanently end eligibility — but it does eat into your 8-semester and 5-year windows, so the sooner you recover, the better.

How much can a Kentucky student realistically earn in total KEES over four years of college?

The total award varies based on high school GPA performance and test score. The maximum annual award is approximately $2,500. Funding is available for up to eight semesters and must be used within five years of high school graduation. A student earning a 3.75+ GPA all four years of high school and an ACT 28 (or SAT ~1310) can receive the full $2,500/year — totaling up to $20,000 over a four-year college career. That's real money that requires no essay, no competition, and no single high-stakes application.

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