Jayhawk Generations tuition plan approved

A program providing incentives for high ability out-of-state students with ties to KU attend the university has been approved by the Kansas Board of Regents.

Under a two-year pilot project beginning this fall, the Jayhawk Generations Scholarship will provide partial tuition waivers to students who meet certain academic requirements and who have a parent or grandparent who graduated from KU.

“By bringing talented students to KU, we help strengthen the Kansas economy,” said Chancellor Robert Hemenway. “Many of these students will stay in Kansas after graduation, providing the educated workforce our state will need to prosper. I thank the Board of Regents for their support of this program, as well as Gov. Sebelius and the Kansas Legislature for their quick action on the legislation that makes it possible.”

Under the Jayhawk Generations Scholarship program, students with a 3.25 or above high school grade-point average and an ACT score of 26 to 29 (or SAT equivalent) will be eligible to receive a 12 percent discount on the out-of-state tuition rate. Students with an ACT score of 30 or above will be eligible to receive a 20 percent discount on that rate.

For example, in fall 2008, a 12 percent waiver would have saved a student $1,952, based on 30 credit hours per year. A 20 percent waiver would have equaled $3,254.

Students will have to maintain a minimum 3.25 GPA while enrolled at KU to remain eligible and the scholarship would be good for up to four years. Only new nonresident freshman whose parent, stepparent, legal guardian, grandparent or step-grandparent graduated from KU will be eligible. All other nonresident admissions requirements also will apply.

The program will not reduce tuition for these students below the actual cost of providing their education, meaning their tuition would still be above the current in-state rate and will continue to help fund the education of Kansas students. This also ensures Kansas tax dollars will not subsidize out-of-state students.

The plan takes advantage of a new state law that allows the Board of Regents to consider a range of innovative student recruitment proposals. HB 2007 was passed overwhelmingly by the Kansas Legislature and then signed into law by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius on March 27.

Oklahoma, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa have similar out-of-state legacy programs, previously putting KU at a significant competitive disadvantage in recruiting students to Kansas.

More details on the Jayhawk Generations Scholarship, a downloadable application and other ways KU makes college affordable can be found at www.tuition.ku.edu.