FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky high school students who qualify for free or reduced-price school lunches can earn bonus Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) awards for how well they do on certain advanced study exams.
A student has to qualify for the free or reduced-price lunch program only one year during high school to be eligible for these bonus awards.
The bonus awards are available for good scores on Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) and Cambridge Advanced International (CAI) exams.
Students can earn $200 for each AP exam on which they score a 3, IB exam on which they score a 5 or CAI exam on which they score “e.” They can earn $250 for getting a 4 on an AP exam, a 6 on an IB exam or a “c” or “d” on a CAI exam. Bonus awards are $300 for each 5 earned on AP exams, 7 on IB exams or “a*,” “a” or “b” on CAI exams.
There is no limit to the number of bonus awards a student can earn.
In addition, AP, IB and CAI classes carry extra weight when KHEAA figures grade point averages for yearly KEES base awards. An A in an AP, IB or CAI class is worth 5 points, not 4, for KEES purposes.
KHEAA is the state agency that administers KEES, need-based grants and other programs to help students pay their higher education expenses.
To learn how to plan and prepare for higher education, go to www.gotocollege.ky.gov. For more information about Kentucky scholarships and grants, visit www.kheaa.com; write KHEAA, P.O. Box 798, Frankfort, KY 40602; or call (800) 928-8926, ext. 6-7214.
