University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas · Public · 21,217 undergraduates · ku.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
93%
of 22,187 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1080 to 1280
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$31,390Est.Estimate
$51,690 out of state
Your chances and merit aid at University of Kansas
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
93% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored, and your GPA is in the middle half of freshmen's.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$51,690
a year in 2027-28, from a $51,690 sticker price (out of state)
What to do with your 1170
Send your score
About 53% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1010, and yours is above it.
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- If your GPA is below 3.3, you must send a score.
- Reviews applications as they arrive, so applying early helps.
Source: Apply to the University of Kansas | Admissions · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Dec1Priority deadline · December 1, 2026Apply by this date for the best chance at admission and scholarships.
Who gets in
93%
of applicants were admitted: 20,541 of 22,187 for fall 2025.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 7.1% of them sent SAT scores and 51% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1080 to 1280
Reading and Writing 550 to 650
Math 520 to 640
ACT composite 20 to 28
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 16006%
- 1200 to 139939%
- 1000 to 119945%
- 800 to 99910%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 3.71
- 4.038%
- 3.75 to 3.9921%
- 3.50 to 3.7417%
- 3.25 to 3.4912%
- 3.00 to 3.247%
- 2.50 to 2.994%
- Below 2.501%
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$31,390
a year, in state
$51,690
a year, out of state (tuition $32,260)
- Tuition (in state)$11,960
- Fees$1,220
- Food and housing$12,490
- Books and supplies$1,300
- Transportation and other$4,420
University of Kansas published $29,651 in state for 2025-26. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24 (in-state students), by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$15,379
- $30,001 to $48,000$15,373
- $48,001 to $75,000$16,017
- $75,001 to $110,000$20,151
- Over $110,000$24,765
Financial aid
78%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$12,980
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
46%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $8,333 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
- Aid priority date: February 1
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
National Merit Finalist add-on to KU freshman merit scholarship
$1,000 a year
National Merit · In-state students
Deadline: Name this college your first choice with NMSC. To keep it: a 3.0 college GPA, and stay a full-time student; it lasts until your first bachelor's degree or 8 semesters in a row, whichever comes first.
Details
Kansas programs for residents
Kansas State Scholarship (State Scholar designation)
$1,000 a year
State program · In-state students
- 3.00+ GPA, Designated Kansas State Scholar; Complete Kansas Scholars Curriculum; take ACT by December of senior year; designation by KBOR index; financial need (FAFSA + State of Kansas Student Aid Application by July 1)
Compare awards across colleges with the merit aid calculator.
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
41 of 41
Earn credit with a score of 3
36 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $1,200Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition for in-state students
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ART AH |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ART U |
| African American Studies | 3 | 3 | AAAS 104 |
| Art History | 4 | 3 | HA 100 |
| Biology | 3 | 3 | BIOL 100 |
| Biology | 5 | 5 | BIOL 150 and BIOL 154 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 4 | MATH 125 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 4 | MATH 126 |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 3 | 4 | MATH 125 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 5 | CHEM 130 |
| Chemistry | 4 | 10 | CHEM 130 and 135 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 5 | CHIN 204 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 5 | CHIN 208 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POLS 150 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 3 | EECS 138 |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | 3 | EECS U |
| Drawing | 3 | 3 | ART U |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENGL 101 |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 6 | ENGL 101 and 102 |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENGL 101 |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 6 | ENGL 101 and 102 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 4 | EVRN 140 & 160 |
| European History | 3 | 3 | HIST AH |
| European History | 4 | 6 | HIST AH and 115 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | FREN 120 and 230 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 11 | FREN 120, 230, and 240 |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | 14 | FREN 120, 230, 240 and 301 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | GERM 108 and 201 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 11 | GERM 108, 201, and 202 |
| German Language and Culture | 5 | 14 | GERM 108, 201, 301, and 302 |
| Human Geography | 3 | 3 | GEOG 102 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | ITAL 120, 230 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 11 | ITAL 120, 230, 240 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | 5 | JPN 204 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 5 | JPN 208 |
| Latin | 3 | 5 | LAT 108 |
| Latin | 4 | 3 | LAT 112 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON 144 |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON 142 |
| Music Theory | 3 | 3 | MTHC 105 |
| Physics 1 | 4 | 4 | PHSX 114 |
| Physics 2 | 4 | 4 | PHSX 115 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 4 | PHSX 212 & 236 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 4 | PHSX 211 & 216 |
| Pre-Calculus | 3 | 5 | MATH 104 |
| Psychology | 3 | 3 | PSYC 104 |
| Research | 3 | 3 | LA&S U |
| Seminar | 3 | 3 | LA&S U |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 8 | SPAN 108 & 212 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 11 | SPAN 108, 212, & 216 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | 8 | SPAN 108 & 212 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 11 | SPAN 108, 212, & 216 |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 | MATH 365 |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POLS 110 |
| United States History | 3 | 3 | HIST 128 |
| United States History | 4 | 6 | HIST 128 and 129 |
| World History: Modern | 3 | 3 | HIST AH |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
70%
Come back for a second year
86%
Typical earnings
$67,963
a year, 10 years after starting here
- University of Kansas$73,345
- All colleges$59,779
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 51 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with University of Kansas. The University of Kansas logo is a trademark of the college.