KEES and Academic Common Market

The Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) rewards in-state students for making good grades in high school, as well as bonuses for doing well on the ACT, SAT, and Advanced Placement exams. After students enroll at an eligible college, the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA), which administers the program, sends the scholarships directly to the school.

KEES money may be used for programs outside of Kentucky offered through the Academic Common Market. It cannot be used for other out-of-state programs.

As with in-state programs, Kentucky students participating in Academic Common Market must meet the state's guidelines to receive KEES money. Those with questions about KEES eligibility or distribution should contact KHEAA: kees@kheaa.com or 502-696-7397.

For those interested in utilizing KEES for an out-of-state program, the following 15 states participate in the ACM.  To search available ACM programs, use SREB's search page. Once you are accepted into an ACM approved program at your offering institution, you can begin ACM application process by visiting the Council's ACM webpage. 

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Delaware
• Florida (graduate level only)
• Georgia
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maryland
• Mississippi
• Oklahoma
• South Carolina
• Texas (graduate level only)
• Tennessee
• Virginia
• West Virginia