Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarships (KEES)

Determining Eligibility:

If you are eligible for the (Kentucky Educational Excellence) KEES Scholarship award, you will be notified by the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA).

1. Your high school grades and your highest ACT score determines the amount of the KEES award.
2. Once you have graduated from high school, your KEES money cannot be increased.
3. Eastern Kentucky University will request funds for all students who may be eligible, as determined by their high school graduation date. Make sure that you include your Social Security Number (SSN) to your EKU Admissions Application to ensure that we can request your KEES.
4. EKU reports to KHEAA the hours these students are enrolled approximately two weeks after classes begin in the fall and spring semesters.
5. Once KHEAA receives the above information, KHEAA notifies EKU of eligible students and the actual award amounts.
6. KEES money is typically placed in your student account one month after the first day of class.
7. The KEES Scholarship is awarded for the fall and spring semesters, one academic year at a time. If you ever lose your KEES money due to GPA and then regain the 2.5 overall EKU GPA, please contact the EKU Scholarship Office to see if you have regained eligibility. It is the student’s responsibility to self-disclose if the student may be eligible for funds again.
8. If you have questions regarding your KEES award, you can review your status on the KHEAA website or call the KHEAA office at 800-928-8926.

Why Has My KEES Not Paid Out?

There are a few reasons as to why you may have not received your KEES money:

• Your social security number at EKU does not match your social security number at KHEAA.
• All of your high school GPA information has not been reported to KHEAA.
• Your date of birth listed at EKU does not match your date of birth listed with KHEAA.
• It has been 5 years since you graduated high school.
• You have already earned a bachelor’s degree.
• You are not enrolled at least 6 hours.

Kheaa Policies are posted here.

KEES Prorated Amounts:

KEES Scholarship Renewal Requirements

End of Student’s First Year

• Cumulative EKU GPA of 2.50 or higher = full renewal for the following year
• Cumulative EKU GPA of less than 2.50 = loss of award for the next year

End of Student’s Second Year

• Cumulative EKU GPA of 3.0 or higher = full renewal for the following year
• Cumulative EKU GPA between 2.50 and 2.99 and ** “on track to graduate” = full renewal for the following year
• Cumulative EKU GPA between 2.50 and 2.99 and NOT “on track to graduate” BUT full-time during previous year = 50% reduction in award amount for the following year
• Cumulative EKU GPA less than 3.0 and NOT “on track to graduate” and less than full-time during the previous year = loss of award for the next year

^{** “On track to graduate” is defined by the following chart:}