What To Know

Kennesaw State University scholarship funds come in two forms:

  1. Internal funds provided by donors directly to support Kennesaw State University students.
  2. External funds that are not specifically tied to KSU but are open for all eligible students to apply.

Researching and applying for scholarships can be daunting, so KSU has provided a tool that makes this process much simpler: ScholarshipUniverse. ScholarshipUniverse is a one-stop-shop search tool that allows you to find and apply for scholarship funds.

While reviewing ScholarshipUniverse, you will see scholarships that mention phrases such as “need-based” and “merit-based.” Need-based scholarships are awarded to students who demonstrate financial need, as identified by completing the FAFSA. Merit-based scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, leadership skills, extracurricular activities and community service.

submit fafsa Scholarship Universe

Internal Scholarships

Once logged into Scholarship Universe with your NetID and password, you will be prompted to answer basic questions about yourself, activities you have participated in and your academic focus. These answers will be used to match you to scholarship opportunities at Kennesaw State University. 

You will need the following to complete your KSU scholarship application:

  • A personal essay
  • Your resume
  • Other documents, as requested (e.g., letter of recommendation or writing sample)

You can apply for internal scholarships through ScholarshipUniverse from November 1 through March 1. Applications are reviewed by impartial and objective committees. Students who are selected for scholarship(s) will be notified via email by mid-April. All students who completed a scholarship application will receive a decision status email in mid-April.

If you are offered an internal scholarship, you will be prompted to accept or decline your scholarship(s) through ScholarshipUniverse no later than July 1. If you wish to accept the scholarship(s), you will be asked to provide a thank you note and headshot to the Kennesaw State University Foundation.

In addition to ScholarshipUniverse, we recommend that you contact your academic department to inquire about graduate assistantship positions to help pay for the cost of your graduate education. You can also consider these additional possibilities:

  • Speaking with your current employer(s) regarding eligibility for tuition reimbursement programs or scholarships
  • Considering religious or cultural heritage organizations you are affiliated with to see if scholarship opportunities exist
  • Securing personal supporters or direct donations

If you aren’t currently employed in your desired career field, we’re here to help! Our Department of Career Planning and Develop has resources to assist with your job search or help secure a relevant internship. Please visit Handshake through our Department of Career Planning and Development.

Kennesaw State University staff members who are also enrolled as KSU students should consider the KSU Staff Senate Annual Scholarship found in ScholarshipUniverse. You can search for this scholarship by name: “KSU Staff Senate Annual Scholarship.” The online application for the KSU Staff Senate Annual Scholarship is due by December 31 of each year. For more information about the Staff Senate scholarship, including the application, visit Staff Scholarship below.

Staff Scholarship

External Scholarship

ScholarshipUniverse will help you find external scholarship opportunities. For comfort and ease, you can apply for scholarships whose criteria you match, knowing ScholarshipUniverse has vetted the scholarships for legitimacy and security.

Additional Scholarship Opportunities

In addition to ScholarshipUniverse, consider the following which may be able to offer additional funding opportunities:

  • Organizations with whom you have volunteered
  • Religious organizations with whom you are affiliated
  • Employers (yours or potentially your parent’s or guardian’s)
  • Cultural heritage organizations
  • Personal supporters or direct donations

Scholarship Fund Instructions

The scholarship funds you receive must be applied to your account based on the instructions provided by your scholarship donor. For example, some donors permit funds from a single scholarship check to be split between fall and spring semesters, while others require the entire funds to be used during a specific term.

Scholarship funds may be provided in the form of a check. If your scholarship is awarded via physical check, KSU is required to follow all instructions provided by your scholarship donor. If your scholarship donor does NOT include instructions on how the funds should be applied to your account, you will need to complete the External Scholarship Check DocuSign Form and deliver (via mail or drop off) your scholarship check to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid.

While processing, if we have any questions about your scholarship or need additional information, we will reach out to you or your scholarship donor. Once our review of your scholarship check is complete, we will deliver your scholarship check to the Bursar’s Office so they can add the funds to your student account.

Once the scholarship check has been received by the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, it takes a minimum of two weeks to process. We may require additional processing time during our peak processing months (May-August and December-January) due to the volume of scholarship funds received.  

Key Policies and Procedures You Need to Know

Check your KSU email regularly for scholarship updates, next steps for accepting or declining your offered scholarship(s), and other pertinent information to ensure the smooth processing of any scholarships you receive. 

External scholarship funds will automatically be split between the fall and spring semesters unless otherwise stated by your scholarship donor. The fall semester processing deadline for the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid to receive your external scholarship check is July 1.  If your scholarship check is received after the July 1 deadline, we cannot guarantee the scholarship funds will be processed in time for the payment deadline for the fall semester.

Checks received MUST be received by the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid no later than December 1 for the spring semester and May 1 for the summer semester to ensure timely processing and availability of funds prior to the payment deadline. 

It is your responsibility to ensure your scholarship check is submitted to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid by the deadlines listed above. Be sure to include all paperwork provided by your scholarship donor to ensure timely processing and availability of funds. 

You can submit your scholarship check in person to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid on the Kennesaw Campus or in the Bursar’s Office on the Marietta Campus. If you are submitting your scholarship check and donor paperwork by mail, please send to: 

Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid
Kennesaw State University
585 Cobb Avenue, MD 0119
Kennesaw, GA 30144-5591  

Resources for Students

Kennesaw State University’s Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid strives to help you make your educational dreams a reality. 

The more you receive in scholarship and grant funding, the less you must pay out of pocket, possibly borrow in loans and must repay. The average student loan borrower has 10 years to repay borrowed funds — a whole decade of debt and payments. By putting some basic principles of financial literacy to work, you can change your experience at Kennesaw State University and reduce the debt you must repay after college. Using some of the resources available to you as a KSU student can reduce any debt you need to repay after college and even pay for additional opportunities at KSU, like studying abroad.

Let’s look at two students, one who applied for and received scholarships and one who did not to see how scholarships can make a difference.

Student 1

Receives $1,000 OWL You Can Be Scholarship each year as well as the HOPE scholarship

  • Takes out $4,000 in federal loans per year
  • Completes 15 hours per term, graduates in four years
  • Total loan debt upon graduation= $16,000

Approximate monthly loan payment: $153 per month (10-year repayment term) 

ksu female student jumping with joy
ksu student with head down on table

Student 2

Did not apply for scholarships or qualify for HOPE Scholarship upon high school graduation

  • Lives off loans, accepts the maximum amount of federal loans offered each year
  • Completes 12 hours per term, graduates in five years
  • Total loan debt upon graduation= $31,500

Approximate monthly loan payment: $301 per month (10-year repayment term)

Which student would you rather be?
What would you do with an extra $148 in your monthly budget because of a lower loan payment?
Can you see the benefits of applying for scholarships?

Be sure to keep your scholarship options open — ScholarshipUniverse frequently adds new scholarships and, as you grow as an Owl and your GPA increases, you may even qualify for more scholarship opportunities.

Many of the scholarships you may qualify for require a minimum GPA to maintain eligibility. Make sure you meet with your academic advisor, use the SMART center, and go to tutoring to maintain or raise your GPA. Many scholarships are merit-based and require a minimum GPA to remain eligible, so do everything you can to keep a strong GPA. KSU is here to help!

Tuition and Cost of Attendance at KSU

Let's breakdown the tuition and fees and the cost of attendance for attending Kennesaw State University!

Cost of Attendance  Tuition and Fees

How to Fill Out Scholarship Applications

Resource Library

  • Requesting Letters of Recommendation
  • Writing a Winning Scholarship Essay
  • Cost of Attendance is a detailed estimate of the cost to attend Kennesaw State University for a year, and includes tuition, fees, room, board (meals), books and supplies, transportation, loan fees, and personal expenses. The Cost of Attendance also serves as a limit for the amount of financial aid funding you may receive in an academic year.
  • An individual or organization who provides funds to establish or continue a scholarship.
  • An amount calculated through the FAFSA that represents how much a student and/or family should be able to pay towards the cost of one year’s education.
  •  Funds provided from an outside entity or organization to assist with the cost of a student's education. These funds are not restricted to Kennesaw State University students.
  • Free Application for Federal Student Aid
  • The knowledge base necessary to make informed and educated decisions regarding money, loans and debt.
  • Calculated by subtracting the Expected Family Contribution figure from the Cost of Attendance.
  • Funds provided through Kennesaw State University from donors or organizations to assist with the cost of a student's education. These funds are only available to Kennesaw State University students and are also known as KSU scholarships or foundation scholarships.
  • Funds borrowed to support the cost of education that must be repaid. May come as a federal loan through the US Department of Education, or a private loan administered through various lenders.
  • Scholarships that are awarded based on academic achievement, leadership skills, extracurricular activities, community service and individual scholarship criteria.
  • Scholarships that are awarded to students who demonstrate financial need, as identified through the FAFSA.
  • The Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) is a loan that parents can apply for to help pay the cost of education for their dependent undergraduate children. Eligible parents borrow directly from the U.S. Department of Education and can borrow up to their child's cost of attendance minus other financial aid received.
  •  An individual who receives a scholarship or loan.
  • Funding provided to assist with the cost of education. These funds do not have to be repaid.
  •  ScholarshipUniverse is a search engine for locating and applying for internal and external scholarship funds.

For more detailed information, please see our scholarship handbook.

Learn more at kennesaw.scholarshipuniverse.com.