KCU-COM Scholarship Requirements: A Comprehensive Guide

Kentucky Christian University College of Osteopathic Medicine (KCU-COM) offers a variety of scholarships to support its medical students. This article provides a detailed overview of the scholarship opportunities available at KCU-COM, eligibility requirements, and the application process.

General Scholarship Information

KCU-COM simplifies the scholarship application process by requiring students to complete only one application to be considered for all available first-year scholarships. A selection committee evaluates applications and awards scholarships on a rolling basis.

Types of KCU-COM Scholarships

KCU-COM offers a diverse range of scholarships, including:

Core Value Scholarship: Applicants must submit an essay, not exceeding 1,500 words, to apply for the Core Value Scholarship.
Excellence Scholarships: Both renewable and non-renewable Excellence Scholarships are offered.
President’s Scholarships: Both renewable and non-renewable President’s Scholarships are offered.
KCU Scholarships: Both renewable and non-renewable KCU Scholarships are offered. The renewable award will be for three additional years and requires you to maintain good academic standing and earn a minimum satisfactory grade on all courses/clerkships.

Application Process

The scholarship application becomes accessible to admitted students upon their admission to KCU-COM. Students admitted from the waiting list are not eligible for the Excellence Scholarships.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

To maintain scholarship eligibility, students must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards. These standards apply to all degree-seeking students, regardless of whether they receive financial assistance. SAP is evaluated based on both qualitative (GPA) and quantitative (pace) measures.

Read also: Camp Scholarships Guide

GPA Requirements

Undergraduate GPA: An undergraduate student who has attempted up to 29.99 credit hours at KCU or another institution must have at least 1.86 cumulative GPA (based on a 4.00 grade point scale) at KCU at the end of the current semester. A student who has attempted 30 or more credit hours at KCU or another institution must have at least a 2.00 cumulative GPA at KCU at the end of each semester.
Graduate GPA: A graduate student must have at least a 2.6 cumulative GPA at the end of their first semester. A graduate student with a cumulative GPA below 2.6 will be placed on academic and financial aid probation for the following semester and must earn a term grade point average of 3.0 or above during the probation term. A cumulative GPA of 3.00 is required to graduate in all graduate degree programs.

Pace Requirements

For financial aid purposes, students must successfully complete a minimum of 67% of the cumulative credit hours attempted during each academic year, including accepted transfer credit hours. Successful completion means receiving a grade of "D-" or better. Pace is determined at the end of each academic year.

SAP Procedures

The Registrar reviews final grades to determine the satisfactory GPA for all degree-seeking students.
Remedial courses, courses taken for audit, and courses with grades of NC, P, S, U, WD, WP, or WF are not included in GPA calculations.
GPA and pace percentages are calculated with standard rounding rules to the third digit after the decimal point.
The Director of Financial Aid reviews the pace measure (cumulative hours completed divided by cumulative hours attempted) to determine satisfactory pace progress.
Hours attempted include those for which a student receives a grade of A, B, C, D, F, XF, WD, WP, WF, I, IP, P, R, S, or U. Accepted transfer hours are also considered.
Hours completed are those for which a student receives a grade of A, B, C, D, or S.
Grades of F, XF, WD, WF, WP, I, IP, P, R, or U do not qualify as successful completion of hours attempted.
Withdrawing from a course after the drop/add period counts as attempted hours and negatively affects the completion rate or pace.
Students are eligible for financial aid during a term of probation or while repeating a course, if otherwise eligible.
Full-time students retain financial aid eligibility if they have attempted no more than 150% of the time required for their program (e.g., 6 years for a 4-year degree).
Students retain financial aid eligibility if they have attempted no more than 160% of the credit hours required for their program (e.g., 180 credit hours for a 120-credit hour degree).

Probation and Suspension

Failure to meet SAP standards results in academic and/or financial aid probation. If the required GPA is not achieved during the probationary semester, academic and/or financial aid suspension will follow. Students on academic probation are limited to a maximum of 15 credit hours in the following semester.

Any full-time student whose semester GPA falls between 0.50 and 1.0 is automatically placed on academic probation for the following semester, regardless of the student’s cumulative GPA.
Any full-time student whose semester GPA falls below 0.50, regardless of the student’s cumulative GPA, is placed on academic suspension. Students who are academically suspended cannot take any classes at KCU (online classes included). They must take and pass 12 transferrable hours in core academic courses with a minimum grade of “C” in each course. Then, they may apply for readmission through the Office of Admissions. If possible, courses not passed at KCU should be taken to improve their academic standing upon return.

Suspension Appeals

Academic suspension may be waived if the student’s GPA is within .25 points of the necessary cumulative GPA. For information concerning this waiver, the suspended student should contact the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Students who are placed on academic suspension and who do not meet the requirements for an Academic Suspension Waiver may appeal to the Enrollment Management Committee. The student must submit a written appeal. In their appeal, they must explain why they failed to meet the minimum standards and what has changed or will change to allow them to demonstrate satisfactory progress in the future. They must describe any extenuating circumstances that should be considered by the Committee. Students should also paint a clear, concise picture for the Committee of any specific changes in behavior, study habits, etc., that they will make in order to ensure a better opportunity for success. They must submit their written appeal to the Vice President of Student Services, who will take the appeal to the Enrollment Management Committee for consideration. Students will be notified of the decision of the Committee within two business days of the Committee’s meeting. If the suspension appeal is granted, the student will be considered to be on academic and financial aid probation and their financial aid eligibility may be reinstated for the following semester (one payment period). Students who are placed on academic suspension for a second time may be considered for readmissions only after two years from the beginning of the second semester.

A student who is placed on financial aid suspension for not meeting the 67% Pace measure of satisfactory progress may submit a written appeal to the Financial Aid Director that is based on the student’s injury or illness, the death of a relative, or other special circumstances. The written appeal must explain why the student failed to make satisfactory progress with regard to Pace and what has changed that will allow them to make satisfactory Pace progress at the end of the next payment period. If the student’s financial aid suspension appeal is granted, the student will be placed on financial aid probation for the next payment period. If the Financial Aid Director determines that the student will require more than one payment period to meet the 67% Pace progress standard, the Director will develop and academic plan for the student that will be reviewed at the end of each payment period while the students is on financial aid probation. If the student with an academic plan fails to make progress with the academic plan, the student’s financial aid suspension will be reinstated. The student’s financial aid eligibility remains intact while the student is on financial aid probation. The suspension appeal decision of the Financial Aid Director is final.

Read also: Benefits of NSHSS Scholarships

Reinstatement of Financial Aid Eligibility

If financial aid eligibility is suspended due to failure to maintain SAP, it can be reinstated by demonstrating satisfactory progress. This can be achieved by:

Enrolling in and successfully completing a subsequent academic term at KCU (fall, spring) at the student's own expense.
Taking and passing 12 transferable credit hours in core academic courses with a minimum earned grade of “C” in each course. Then, they may apply for readmission through the Office of Admissions.

If the student meets the minimum standards after considering the results of the self-pay or transfer term, the student should submit a written appeal to the Director of Financial Aid explaining that they have completed a subsequent term at their own expense or at another institution and they now meet satisfactory progress standards to regain financial aid eligibility.

Additional Scholarship Opportunities

Besides the general KCU-COM scholarships, there are other funding opportunities available, including:

KCU Commonwealth Commitment Grant: Established for the 2024-2025 academic year and beyond; 50 awards offered in initial stage. An accepted new student who completes a KCU Scholarship Application and is a Kentucky resident receiving at least a partial Pell Grant AND a Kentucky Tuition Grant or Kentucky CAP Grant, which are determined as a result of the student’s FAFSA, will be considered. This scholarship is named after KCU’s founder and first President, J.W. Lusby. Lusby is a competitive scholarship based on an essay approved and ratified by the Kentucky Christian University Cabinet.
National Bible Bowl Scholarship: Kentucky Christian University has an agreement with the National Bible Bowl program that KCU will grant tuition scholarships to individuals and members of the following placing events. These scholarships are added together and reflect the total award, which will be divided equally over a period of 4 years (8 semesters). This scholarship award would begin the fall semester immediately following graduation from High School. Recipients of this “stackable” scholarship must maintain a minimum of 15 credit hours per semester and a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.
Preaching, Speech and Vocal Contests: The University cooperates with several organizations sponsoring preaching, speech and vocal contests. Included are the North American Christian Convention, state teen conventions, and others.
Carter County First Responder Scholarship: Kentucky Christian University is proud to honor the courageous service of our local heroes through the Carter County First Responder Scholarship. This scholarship supports the academic journey of students who are either active first responders in Carter County or dependents of those serving in such roles. First responders must be the legal guardian of any dependent recipient. The award amount is $15,000 per academic year and is renewable annually for up to four years (eight semesters). Must meet the admission standards of Kentucky Christian University. Must be a current first responder serving in Carter County, Kentucky, or a dependent (legally supported child) of a Carter County first responder. Must be enrolled in an on-ground, on-campus program at KCU Open to all majors. Must maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined by the university. This is an academic scholarship. Students who also qualify for an athletic scholarship must choose between the two. This scholarship is not available for online-only programs, as online tuition is already offered at a significantly reduced rate.
SHARP (State of Alaska Healthcare Access and Recruitment Program): SHARP supports health care workforce recruitment and retention of healthcare practitioners in medical, dental, and behavioral health disciplines through student loan repayment and direct financial incentives. The goal of SHARP is to increase the availability of health care services throughout the state, especially to rural and underserved populations. Participants in SHARP work at health care facilities throughout the state. Eligible Employers and Participants apply to the program and enter a contract with the State of Alaska Department of Health.
Other External Scholarships: Numerous external scholarships are available, each with specific eligibility criteria. Some examples include scholarships for:
- Residents of specific states or regions (e.g., St. Lucie County, Florida; Northwest Florida; Colorado; Southern Colorado; Delaware; DuPage County, Illinois; Pacific Northwest).
- Students with specific backgrounds or affiliations (e.g., Jewish students in the Chicago metropolitan area; students of Native Hawaiian ancestry; members of federally recognized American Indian Tribes or Alaska Native villages).
- Students pursuing specific fields of study (e.g., pre-medicine; health care fields).
- Students meeting specific academic criteria (e.g., minimum GPA).
- Students demonstrating financial need.
- Dependents of veterans (Yellow Ribbon Program).
- Students willing to serve specific communities (e.g., the Chinese community).

Scholarships Offered Through Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine

All scholarships awarded to students must be counted as a resource against their cost of attendance (COA) and federal law requires that the total aid and awards do not exceed the COA. Loan eligibility may be affected.

The Dr. Michael Horowitz/Dr. KansasCOM President’s Scholarship ($60,000 over four years): Available for new OMS I students who have a minimum MCAT score of 505, a CUM Science GPA of 3.40 or higher, and demonstrated leadership qualities.
KansasCOM Dean’s Scholarship ($40,000 over four years): Available for new OMS I students who have an MCAT score between 500-504, a CUM Science GPA of 3.25-3.39, and demonstrated leadership qualities.
KHSU Scholarship ($10,000): Available for new OMS I students who demonstrate a commitment to the values and vision of Kansas Health Science University.
KHSU Scholarship ($5,000): Available for new OMS I students who demonstrate a commitment to the values and vision of Kansas Health Science University.

Military Scholarships and Loan Forgiveness

Army, Navy, and Air Force HPSP: HPSP offers two-, three-, and four-year military scholarships that can help cover tuition and fees for civilian medical school and provide a monthly living stipend.
Loan Forgiveness Program for Veterans: Requirements vary by state.
Yellow Ribbon Program: KHSU-KansasCOM is a proud participant in the Yellow Ribbon Program and has been approved to provide Yellow Ribbon benefits for all students who meet eligibility requirements. The Yellow Ribbon Program helps veterans pay for higher out-of-state, private, foreign, or graduate school tuition and fees that the Post-9/11 GI Bill doesn’t cover.

Other Scholarship Opportunities

Chinese American Physicians Society Scholarship: This scholarship is available to medical students regardless of their hometown, sex, race, or color. Applicants must be current medical students and will be judged on their academic achievements, financial needs, community service records, and essays. Special consideration is given to applicants who are willing to serve the Chinese community after their graduation.
Kansas Osteopathic Medical Service Scholarship
Mineral Area Osteopathic Foundation Scholarship: This award is granted up to $25,000/year for students from Missouri. Priority given to students from the Mineral Area of Missouri, which is in the St. Louis, MO.

Read also: Scholarship Guide

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