Scholarships

The KU School of Engineering and its departments award additional scholarships to entering freshmen, transfer students, and continuing undergraduate students. This is on top of offers from the university. Much of that support is made possible through generous donations from successful alumni and friends of the school who want to ensure others have access to the same great opportunities they had here. All students are strongly encouraged to fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) by March 1 to ensure they are considered for all scholarship dollars for which they are eligible.

Prospective Freshmen

All first-time, domestic students applying for admission to the School of Engineering will be considered for scholarships if they apply to the School of Engineering by Nov. 1. Students can apply to the school by submitting an Undergraduate Application for Admission and selecting one of the School of Engineering majors on the application.

This application serves as the School of Engineering scholarship application. No additional forms need to be submitted unless students are applying for the Self Engineering Leadership Fellows Program, the FIRST Robotics Scholarship, the Engineering Generations Scholarship, or the Project Lead the Way Scholarship. Application materials for these scholarships can be found below.

Prospective engineering students who are offered scholarships will receive a letter detailing their total scholarship package from the university, School of Engineering and department. The combined scholarship letter documents the student's award for the coming academic year as well as the projected amount over four years provided the student meets the requirements for maintaining their scholarship funding.

If ACT/SAT tests are taken more than once, the highest scores will be used for engineering scholarship consideration. The October test date is the last ACT/SAT score that will be used for scholarship consideration by the School of Engineering. Students submitting December test scores may be re-evaluated by the School of Engineering on a case-by-case basis depending on available funds at that time.

All grade point averages are converted to a 4.0 scale so every prospective student has the same opportunity for consideration.

Visit Undergraduate Admissions for additional scholarship and financial aid information.

International Students

International Recruitment and Undergraduate Admissions (IRUA) awards merit-based scholarships to new international undergraduate degree-seeking students. An international student is a student who is not a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident, refugee or political asylee. The location of your high school or college does not determine which KU office handles your application for admission. A student in any nonimmigrant status, or with a pending application for permanent residence, should apply through the Office of International Recruitment and Undergraduate Admissions.

Willis A. Waas Scholarship for Private Pilots

The Willis A. Waas Scholarship was established by Andrea Waas, Mr. Waas's daughter, in 1990 to assist students at the University of Kansas in obtaining their private pilot license.
This award is given in memory of Willis A Waas, a 1951 KU graduate, who was killed in a 1987 small plane crash caused by mechanical failure.

The Waas Scholarship provides up to $1,500 to a full-time KU Aerospace Engineering student in pursuit of a Private Pilot Certificate.  Funds are awarded as a reimbursement for expenses already paid, upon submission of receipts.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Successful completion of FAA Private Pilot Airmen Knowledge written test
  • Have a current FAA third-class (or better) medical certificate
  • Be an Aerospace Engineering student enrolled full-time at KU

Application Process

Applications may be submitted at any time.

As part of the Waas Application, you are required to submit:

  1. A personal essay lest than 1,000 words explaining how the Waas Scholarship would enable completion of the requirements for the Private Pilot Certificate
  2. A copy of the relevant pages of your pilot logbook