Scholarships

KU Undergraduate Research Awards (UGRAs)

UGRAs are $1,000 scholarships provided to undergraduate students pursuing original research. Proposals must be sponsored by a KU affiliated faculty member or approved mentor who has approved it and who agrees to oversee the project. UGRAs are awarded to students conducting semester-long independent projects that constitute original and substantive work. The UGRA competition provides an incentive for students to practice writing about their work and to take a deeper look at the literature of their field.

Requirements

Students in any major can apply. Students must be a degree-seeking undergraduate, enrolled full-time during the award period. Exceptions to this rule can be made, e.g., when the applicant is studying abroad during the semester or only needs a few more credits to graduate. Learn more about KU Undergraduate Research Awards.

Apply

November (for spring) and March (for fall)

Critical Language Scholarship (CLS)

CLS cover all costs of attending Intensive Summer Institutes through the United States Department of State. Languages offered include:

• Arabic
• Azerbaijani
• Bangla/Bengali
• Chinese
• Hindi
• Indonesian
• Japanese
• Korean
• Persian
• Punjabi
• Russian
• Turkish
• Urdu

Requirements

Students in all fields are eligible to apply after two semesters of college; additional criteria depend on the language being studied. The Center for Global & International Studies partners with KU’s Office of Fellowships & Scholarships to offer info sessions and writing workshops to help students apply for CLS. Learn more about Critical Language Scholarship.

Apply

November (for summer)

Foreign Language Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships

FLAS funds are awarded in a competitive process to KU advanced undergraduate and graduate students to pursue language and area studies for professional purposes. Students receive FLAS awards for study during the academic year or summer, including study abroad. Awards cover tuition and stipend, ranging up to $7,500-15,000.

KU’s FLAS fellowships are awarded by the Center for East Asian Studies, Kansas African Studies Center, Center for Latin American & Caribbean Studies, and Center for Russian, European and Eurasian Studies. Learn more on the KU FLAS website or attend a FLAS Info Session held many times annually.

Apply

February (for summer and academic year)

KU Undergraduate Research Student Travel Awards

Undergraduate Travel Awards provide a $500 scholarship to KU students who wish to travel to professional conferences in order to present their research. Funds are dispersed until depleted, beginning with the academic year. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis around the 15th of each month, with notification of results by the end of that month. Awards are offered every semester and awarded each month.

Requirements

Be a full-time, enrolled undergraduate student in good academic standing. Students may only receive one travel award per academic year. Learn more about KU Undergraduate Research Student Travel Awards.

Apply

As soon as possible! Funds will be dispersed (beginning August) until depleted.

KU University Scholars Program

Each year, 20 outstanding second-year students from a variety of disciplines are selected to become University Scholars. Each students receives a scholarship ($250/semester for 5 semesters), is connected with a faculty mentor, and enrolls in an interdisciplinary seminar taught by a faculty member noted for a distinguished teaching record.

Requirements

Students in their second year at KU with a 3.75 cumulative GPA are invited to apply at the beginning of the fall semester. Scholars are selected on the basis of academic credentials, commitment to their education, intellectual promise, and evaluations by instructors, advisers, and other faculty members. Learn more about KU University Scholars Program. Contact Sarah Crawford-Parker at scrawpar@ku.edu if you have questions.

Apply

September of sophomore year 

EuroScholars

This is a one-semester study abroad program for highly-motivated undergraduate students interested in international research. Students identify a project and join a research team at one of the 9 renowned European research universities that are part of the EuroScholars Consortium. Students work with their home and host universities to develop learning agreements which gives them the opportunity to create programs tailored to their unique experiences, interests, and degree requirements.

Scholarships of up to $5,000 are available through the KU Office of Study Abroad for students participating in semester-length study abroad programs. In addition, the KU Honors Program and the Center for Undergraduate Research, offer additional funding opportunities for study and research abroad.

Requirements

A 3.4 GPA is required to participate in the program. Learn more about the EuroScholars program.

Apply

October (for spring) & April (for fall)

KU’s University Honors Program

The University Honors Program offers several different funding sources, including the Honors Opportunity Awardswhich could be used to fund research opportunities or expenses to attend an academic conference to present your research. Requirement: be amember of the University Honors Program. Learn more about KU’s University Honors Program.

KU’s Hall Center: Humanities Undergraduate Research Grants

Humanities Undergraduate Research Grants provide funding for KU undergraduates working on research projects in the humanities. This grant assists students who require access to research materials at archives, libraries, museums, and other research sites, either locally or out-of-state. The funding will pay for photocopying, scanning, or filming of materials. If the student must travel in order to access needed materials, the funding will pay for travel, lodging, and admission fees. The size of the grant will depend on the particular needs of the student. This program is made possible by generous gifts from Jeff & Mary Haynes Weinberg and the Jedel Family Foundation.

Apply

Contact Andrew Hodgson at ahodgson@ku.edu. Learn more about KU’s Hall Center: Humanities Undergraduate Research Grants

Truman Scholarship for Graduate Study

These prestigious national awards, which provide up to $30,000 for graduate study, are given to college juniors for leadership in public service. The awards are highly competitive, with only about 60 Truman Scholars named nationwide each year. 18 KU students have been named Truman Scholars. Recent Scholars include Ashlie Koehn '15, Taylor Zabel '17, and Sam Steuart '19.

Requirements

Applicants should be US citizens, be excellent students (strong GPA, typically 3.7 or higher), and have strong records of both public service and leadership. The scholarship provides funding and the opportunity to participate in a Truman Scholars Leadership Week and a Summer Institute in Washington, DC Truman Scholarship. Email the Office of Fellowships at fellowships@ku.edu to express your interest and gain access to the application. KU may nominate up to 4 students. Learn more about the Truman Scholarship for Graduate Study.

Apply (for KU nomination)

October of junior year

Tinker Foundation Field Research Grant for Graduate Study

KU’s Center for Latin American & Caribbean Studies offers a field research grant for KU graduate students in any discipline. Grants are intended to provide graduate students with early experience conducting hands-on field research in Latin America and the opportunity to develop independent research projects. The Tinker Foundation grants fall within the $2,000-5,000 range. Recipients can use the awards for airfare, in-country transportation expenses, and a limited amount of subsistence expenses. Learn more about the Tinker Foundation Field Research Grant for Graduate Study.

Requirements

Be KU a graduate student

Apply

February

Marshall Scholarship for Graduate Study

Approximately 40 Americans receive Marshall Scholarships each year in order to fund 1 or 2 years of graduate study in any field at any university in the United Kingdom. Scholarship pays for tuition, living expenses, and travel costs. Learn more about the Marshall Scholarship for Graduate Study. Learn about KU's Nomination Process for the Marshall Scholarship.

Requirements

Selection criteria include an exceptional academic record, leadership, and potential to serve as a citizen ambassador to the UK.

Apply (for KU nomination)

Spring of junior year or up to one year after graduation

Rhodes Scholarship for Graduate Study

Each year 32 American Rhodes Scholars are selected. The Scholarship fully funds 2 years of study at Oxford University. 26 KU students have been named Rhodes Scholars. Students who wish to be nominated by KU must register intent to apply and submit a preliminary application. Learn more about the Rhodes Scholarship for Graduate Study. Contact fellowships@ku.edu for more details about applying.

Requirements

According to the Rhodes Trust, students “are chosen not only for their outstanding scholarly achievements, but for their character, commitment to others and to the common good, and for their potential for leadership in whatever domains their careers may lead.”

Apply

Spring of junior or senior year, or after graduation