About those admissions numbers: Washburn is an open-admission university, so you won’t find a published “middle 50%” ACT range or a Common Data Set. Students with a 2.25 GPA or a 21 ACT are admitted outright, and the application is free. The Kansas Board of Regents reports that enrolled freshmen who sent ACT scores averaged about a 19. For families, the takeaway is simple: getting in isn’t the question here. The question is how much of the bill your student can knock out with GPA-based merit and the county programs below.
🚨 Easy-to-Miss “Gotchas” at Washburn University (Read This First)
Out-of-state? You pay the Kansas rate. Every U.S. undergrad is billed $378 per credit hour through the Interstate Advantage. Washburn’s own cost page still shows a higher out-of-state number, but that’s the sticker before the waiver, not your bill.
12 hours a semester can cost you your scholarship. Merit renewal requires 27 credit hours a year (summer counts) and a 3.0 GPA. A student who takes the full-time minimum of 12 + 12 finishes with 24 and loses the award. Plan on 15 hours or a summer class.
March 1 comes before July 1. The merit priority date is March 1, and Richey candidates must have the FAFSA in by March 1. Washburn’s general FAFSA date is July 1, but state grant money is handed out first come, first served, so earlier is better.
Renewal has its own form. Returning scholarship students complete an Academic Scholarship Renewal Application each year, with a December 1 priority date. Meeting the GPA isn’t enough if the form never gets filed.
“Tuition-free” means tuition only. The Shawnee County Promise and Northeast Kansas Advantage are last-dollar. They pay whatever tuition is left after other aid, and nothing toward housing, books or meals.
No final transcript, no merit. Awards start from your self-reported GPA and are finalized from the official transcript. Washburn withdraws the award if the transcript never arrives.
FAQ
Is this college test-optional? Yes, for admission. Washburn University is test-optional for admission, but scholarships can work differently (see the next question).
Do you need test scores for scholarships at Washburn University? Merit is GPA-only, so no test score is needed. Only the Richey and Shaw scholarships ask for a 28 ACT.
What is the middle 50% ACT/SAT? ACT: N/A; SAT: N/A.
Average net price? About $11,488/year after aid.
Does this school use waivers/reciprocity?
Yes. Institutional waivers are available.
💰 Cost of Attendance at Washburn University: 2026–2027 Rates
Figures verified against official sources in November 2026.
📅 Planning for 2027–2028? These are the 2026–2027 rates, the newest Washburn University has published. Colleges usually release next year's costs in the spring, and we update this page when they do.
Budgeting tip: costs typically rise 2% to 5% a year. For 2027–2028, plan on roughly $500 to $1,200 more than the total below.
✔ Same price for every student, no matter which state you live in.
All students: billed cost per year
$23,164
Tuition, fees, housing, and meals for two semesters
Tuition & mandatory fees
$11,484
Housing & meals (typical)
$11,680
Total billed cost
$23,164
Average federal net price: $11,488 per year.
This is what first-time, full-time students who received grant aid paid after grants and scholarships, for in-state students only, based on the most recent federal data. It counts books and living costs, so it can run higher than the billed total above. Families who got no grants are not in this average, so many middle-income families pay more. New to Net Price & SAI? Read our guide.
📌 Regional Tuition & Waiver Options
Out-of-state students pay the Kansas rate here. Through the Interstate Advantage, every undergraduate who is a U.S. citizen or legal resident is billed the same per-credit tuition as a Kansas resident ($378 per credit hour for 2026-27). There is no separate application: being admitted is the whole process, and it renews for up to eight semesters (six for transfers). The Kansas Board of Regents confirms that Washburn has charged nonresident undergraduates the resident rate since 2024-25. One wrinkle: Washburn's own cost-of-attendance page still lists a higher out-of-state tuition figure ($20,952 for 2025-26). That is the sticker before the waiver is applied, not what a U.S. student is actually billed. International students also pay the in-state rate, but they are not eligible for the GPA merit grid.
What Washburn adds for its full aid budget
The table above shows the bills you’ll actually pay to Washburn: tuition at $378 per credit hour for 30 hours, the $72-per-semester student fee, and a Lincoln Hall double with the 14-meal plan. When Washburn builds a financial aid budget, it also adds about $861 for books and supplies, $1,649 for personal expenses and $1,551 for transportation (2025-26 figures). Want to save on housing? A Living Learning Center double with its required meal plan runs about $10,400 for the year instead of $11,680. Commuting from home in Topeka cuts the living budget to about $3,350.
FAQ: Cost of Attendance at Washburn University
Do out-of-state students really pay the same tuition as Kansas students?
Yes. Through the Interstate Advantage, any U.S. citizen or legal resident from outside Kansas is billed the Kansas rate, $378 per credit hour for 2026-27. There’s nothing to apply for. Getting admitted is the whole process, and it renews for up to eight semesters. The Kansas Board of Regents’ own data shows Washburn charging nonresident undergrads the resident rate since 2024-25.
Then why does Washburn’s cost page show almost $21,000 for out-of-state tuition?
That number is the sticker price before the Interstate Advantage is applied. Washburn still publishes it, which confuses a lot of families. If your student is from the U.S., the bill shows the in-state rate. International students also pay the in-state rate but can’t get the GPA merit grid.
Are there hidden fees?
Very few. The required student fee is $72 a semester ($144 a year), and summer has no fee. The cost to watch is higher per-credit pricing in some programs. In 2025-26, upper-division business courses ran $470 per credit hour and nursing courses $446, compared with $365 for regular courses. Expect business and nursing majors’ junior and senior years to cost more than the table shows.
Is the average net price really about $11,500?
Yes. That’s the federal average for 2023-24 freshmen who received grants or scholarships, and it includes housing and living costs. It’s low because 95% of Washburn freshmen get some grant or scholarship money, and about 86% get money directly from Washburn. A family with no need and a B average will pay more than that. A Topeka-area family under $75,000 may pay far less.
Can my student go to Washburn tuition-free?
Possibly, if you live in the right place. Shawnee County graduates (2.0 GPA) and residents of 17 Northeast Kansas counties, including Johnson, Douglas and Wyandotte (3.0 GPA), can get remaining tuition covered if they’re Pell-eligible or have household income of $75,000 or less and assets under $75,000. File the FAFSA by July 1. These programs cover tuition only, so you’ll still need a plan for housing and books.
Does tuition go up every year?
Usually a little. Washburn’s budget for this year assumed a 3.5% increase, which took tuition from $365 to $378 per credit hour. Merit scholarships stay at the same dollar amount for all four years, so they cover a slightly smaller share each year.
Fall of senior year: Apply (it’s free). Watch for the Garvey essay competition if your student has a 3.25+ GPA.
Early January: Richey invitations go out to students with a 3.9 GPA and 28 ACT.
February 15: Priority date for the county and specialized awards (Finnup, Hindman, Shaw and others).
March 1: Merit priority date, and the FAFSA deadline for Richey candidates.
July 1: FAFSA priority date for the Shawnee County Promise, Thrives and Northeast Kansas Advantage.
Every December 1 after that: Academic Scholarship Renewal Application priority date.
Parent rule of thumb: get the admission application and FAFSA done by March 1, and you’re ahead of every deadline that matters.
Automatic Merit Scholarships at Washburn University
Washburn’s merit grid is about as simple as it gets: it’s based on your final high school GPA, and that’s it. No ACT, no SAT, no essay, no separate application. Apply by March 1 for priority consideration. The catch is keeping it: students need a 3.0 college GPA and 27 credit hours a year, so 12 hours a semester won’t do it. Below the merit tiers, you’ll also see the out-of-state waiver and the county programs that can make tuition free.
Find your student's tier
Enter the numbers you have. We'll highlight the automatic award your student would actually get and tuck the rest out of the way. Leave it blank to browse everything.
Residency
Based on published cutoffs for entering freshmen. Always verify with the college before finalizing plans.
One award, not a pile. Colleges apply your student's single best automatic award. Automatic scholarships almost never stack with each other, though some stack with housing, departmental, or outside money. The stacking notes on each card tell you which.
Automatic
Ichabod Scholarship
📅 Deadline: March 1 (fall start); November 15 (spring start) ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 4.0+ GPAAwarded on final cumulative high school GPA of 4.0 or higher, with no ACT or SAT required. First-time freshmen enrolled in at least 12 hours each fall and spring at the main campus. Washburn first awards on self-reported GPA and finalizes it from the official transcript; the award is withdrawn if the transcript never arrives. Renewal: 3.0 cumulative GPA and 27 credit hours completed across fall, spring and summer, plus the Academic Scholarship Renewal Application (Dec 1 priority). Up to eight semesters.
✚
Stacking & Combining
You get one merit tier, not several. It stacks with the Interstate Advantage, Richey, Finnup, Shawnee County Thrives and departmental awards. It does not transfer to Washburn Tech.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Straight-A students, including those with weighted GPAs above 4.0. The award is worth $20,000 over four years, which covers a bit less than half of tuition at 2026-27 rates.
Automatic
Bell Tower Scholarship
📅 Deadline: March 1 (fall start); November 15 (spring start) ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$4,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.9+ GPAFinal cumulative high school GPA of 3.90 to 3.99, no test required. Full-time (12+ hours) first-time freshmen at the main campus. Renewal: 3.0 cumulative GPA, 27 credit hours across fall, spring and summer, and the annual Academic Scholarship Renewal Application. Up to eight semesters.
✚
Stacking & Combining
One merit tier per student. Stacks with the Interstate Advantage, Richey, Finnup, Thrives and departmental awards.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students just shy of a 4.0. A 0.01 drop on the final transcript moves a student down to Top Hat, so senior-year grades still matter.
Automatic
Top Hat Scholarship
📅 Deadline: March 1 (fall start); November 15 (spring start) ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$3,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.7+ GPAFinal cumulative high school GPA of 3.65 to 3.89, no test required. Full-time first-time freshmen at the main campus. Renewal: 3.0 cumulative GPA, 27 credit hours across fall, spring and summer, and the annual renewal application. Up to eight semesters.
✚
Stacking & Combining
One merit tier per student. Stacks with the Interstate Advantage, Richey, Finnup, Thrives and departmental awards.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Solid A-minus students. This is the tier where a strong senior spring can bump a student up a level, and a weak one can drop them down.
Automatic
Bow Tie Scholarship
📅 Deadline: March 1 (fall start); November 15 (spring start) ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$2,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.4+ GPAFinal cumulative high school GPA of 3.40 to 3.64, no test required. Full-time first-time freshmen at the main campus. Renewal: 3.0 cumulative GPA, 27 credit hours across fall, spring and summer, and the annual renewal application. Up to eight semesters.
✚
Stacking & Combining
One merit tier per student. Stacks with the Interstate Advantage, Richey, Finnup, Thrives and departmental awards.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
B-plus students. The renewal bar is a 3.0 college GPA, which is the part most likely to trip a student up in the first year.
Automatic
Blue & White Scholarship
📅 Deadline: March 1 (fall start); November 15 (spring start) ✓ Renews (3 GPA, 4 yrs)
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.0+ GPAFinal cumulative high school GPA of 3.00 to 3.39, no test required. Full-time first-time freshmen at the main campus. Renewal: 3.0 cumulative GPA, 27 credit hours across fall, spring and summer, and the annual renewal application. Up to eight semesters.
✚
Stacking & Combining
One merit tier per student. Stacks with the Interstate Advantage, Richey, Finnup, Thrives and departmental awards.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
B students. Because the renewal GPA equals the entry GPA, this is the tier families lose most often after freshman year.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad OnlyOut-of-state studentsU.S. citizens and legal residents
Interstate Advantage
📅 Deadline: None. Admission is the application. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ U.S. students from outside Kansas.
🎓 All UndergradA renewable tuition waiver that bills undergraduates from outside Kansas at the Kansas resident rate ($378 per credit hour in 2026-27) for up to 30 credit hours across fall and spring. Open to U.S. citizens and legal residents, including those from U.S. territories; international students are not eligible. No minimum GPA. Renewable up to eight semesters for freshmen and six for transfers. Washburn's pages still describe it as worth up to $393 per credit hour ($11,790 a year), a figure from when it launched in fall 2024.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with everything, including the merit grid, Richey and departmental awards. It is a price change, not a scholarship that other aid can crowd out.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Every admitted U.S. student from outside Kansas. The families who benefit most are those from Missouri, Nebraska and Oklahoma, who often assume an out-of-state public school is off the table.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad OnlyShawnee County graduates
Shawnee County Thrives Scholarship
📅 Deadline: FAFSA on file by July 1 (fall); November 1 (spring) ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Shawnee County high school or home school graduates only.
🏫 2.0+ GPA🎓 All UndergradFor students who lived in Shawnee County for at least two years and attended junior and senior year at, and graduated from, a Shawnee County high school or home school, with a 2.0+ GPA. No income limit. U.S. citizen or legal resident. Must enroll full-time (12+ hours) every consecutive fall and spring. Renewal: 27 credit hours a year, 2.0 cumulative GPA and a FAFSA every year. Students receiving the Washburn employee dependent tuition waiver are not eligible.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Washburn says it comes in addition to academic and departmental scholarships, so it stacks with the merit grid.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Any Topeka-area graduate with a 2.0 who files the FAFSA on time. The ones who miss it usually skipped the FAFSA because they assumed they would not qualify for need-based aid. This award has no income test, but it still requires the FAFSA.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad OnlyShawnee County graduatesIncome-limited
Shawnee County Promise Scholarship
📅 Deadline: FAFSA on file by July 1 (fall); November 1 (spring) ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Shawnee County graduates who are Pell-eligible or under the income and asset limits.
🏫 2.0+ GPA🎓 All UndergradCovers remaining tuition for up to 15 credit hours each fall and spring. Same residency and school rules as Thrives (two years in Shawnee County, junior and senior year at and graduation from a Shawnee County high school or home school), a 2.0+ GPA, U.S. citizen or legal resident, and either Pell eligibility or household income of $75,000 or less and assets under $75,000. Full-time, continuous fall and spring enrollment required. Renewal: 27 credit hours a year, 2.0 cumulative GPA, and a FAFSA every year showing continued eligibility. Tuition only; no housing, books or fees.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Last-dollar: every other scholarship, grant and waiver is applied to tuition first, and the Promise fills whatever is left. If merit, Thrives and Pell already cover tuition, the Promise pays nothing. Money for housing and books still has to come from somewhere else.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Shawnee County graduates from low- to moderate-income households who file the FAFSA by July 1. Because it is last-dollar, a Pell recipient with merit may see a small Promise amount even though tuition ends up fully covered.
Automatic⚠ All Undergrad Only17 Northeast Kansas countiesIncome-limited
Northeast Kansas Advantage
📅 Deadline: FAFSA on file by July 1 (fall); November 1 (spring) ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Residents of 17 NE Kansas counties under the income test.
🏫 3.0+ GPA🎓 All UndergradCovers remaining tuition for up to 15 credit hours each fall and spring. For residents of Atchison, Brown, Doniphan, Douglas, Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Leavenworth, Lyon, Marshall, Miami, Nemaha, Osage, Pottawatomie, Wabaunsee or Wyandotte counties with a 3.0+ high school GPA, who are Pell-eligible or have household income of $75,000 or less and assets under $75,000. U.S. citizen or legal resident. Transfers need a 3.0 college GPA. Full-time, continuous fall and spring enrollment required. Renewal: 27 credit hours a year, 2.0 cumulative GPA, and a FAFSA every year showing continued eligibility.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Last-dollar and tuition only: merit, Pell and state grants are applied first, and this pays the remaining tuition. It never covers housing, books or the student fee.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Kansas City-area and Lawrence-area students with a B average and family income under $75,000. That is a big group most families never connect with Washburn, because they assume a tuition-free deal only applies to Topeka.
Data last verified Nov 1, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Note: Students receive one merit tier, based on the final cumulative GPA on the official transcript. That tier does stack with the Interstate Advantage, the Richey Scholarship, Finnup, Shawnee County Thrives and departmental awards. The Promise and Northeast Kansas Advantage work differently: they fill in whatever tuition is left after everything else.
Automatic Merit FAQs (Washburn University)
Does Washburn use ACT or SAT scores for merit?
No. The Ichabod, Bell Tower, Top Hat, Bow Tie and Blue & White awards are based only on high school GPA. Tests matter for just two awards, Richey and Shaw, which ask for a 28 ACT.
What GPA do you need for each tier?
Ichabod is 4.0 or higher ($5,000 a year), Bell Tower is 3.90 to 3.99 ($4,000), Top Hat is 3.65 to 3.89 ($3,000), Bow Tie is 3.40 to 3.64 ($2,000) and Blue & White is 3.00 to 3.39 ($1,000). Washburn uses the final cumulative GPA, so senior-year grades can move a student up or down a tier.
How does a student lose the merit scholarship?
The most common way is by not completing 27 credit hours in a year. Taking 12 hours each semester totals only 24. The other two ways are dropping below a 3.0 cumulative GPA or skipping the yearly renewal application, which has a December 1 priority date.
Is the Interstate Advantage really automatic?
Yes. Any admitted U.S. student from outside Kansas is billed the Kansas rate with no separate form and no GPA minimum. It covers up to 30 credit hours across fall and spring and renews for up to eight semesters.
Who qualifies for the Shawnee County Thrives Scholarship?
Students who lived in Shawnee County for at least two years and graduated from a Shawnee County high school or home school with a 2.0 GPA. It pays $1,000 a year with no income limit, but a FAFSA must be on file by July 1.
How do the tuition-free programs work?
The Shawnee County Promise and the Northeast Kansas Advantage are for students who are Pell-eligible or whose household income is $75,000 or less, with assets under $75,000. Washburn applies all other aid to tuition first, then the program covers what’s left for up to 15 hours a semester. Northeast Kansas students need a 3.0 high school GPA; Shawnee County students need a 2.0.
Can a 4.0 student get full tuition from merit alone?
Not quite. The $5,000 Ichabod covers a little less than half of 2026-27 tuition and fees. Add Finnup (southwest Kansas) or Rinne (science) and a 4.0 student gets much closer. Richey plus Ichabod covers tuition entirely.
Washburn doesn’t run a big full-ride competition. Its competitive tier comes down to one major award, the Richey Scholarship ($10,000 a year, invitation-only), plus a few smaller essay, leadership and nomination awards. The good news is that nearly everything here adds on top of the merit grid instead of replacing it.
✅ Can You Stack Scholarships at Washburn?
Aid Type
Stacks with Merit?
Washburn Parent Translation
Merit grid
N/A
One tier per student, set by the final high school GPA.
Richey Scholarship
Yes
Washburn says it stacks with merit. Richey plus Ichabod is $15,000 a year, which covers tuition and a share of housing.
Interstate Advantage
Yes
It’s a price change, not a scholarship, so nothing crowds it out.
County and departmental awards
Yes
Finnup, Rinne, Shaw and the county awards are where a family turns $2,000 of merit into real money.
Promise / NE Kansas Advantage
Fills the gap
Last-dollar. Every other scholarship counts first, and these pay whatever tuition is left. More outside money means a smaller Promise check, not a bigger refund.
Federal and Kansas need-based grants
Usually
Pell and the Kansas Comprehensive Grant come through the FAFSA. State money runs out, so file early.
If your student is chasing a full ride, Washburn isn’t that school. Where it shines is the stack: a low tuition rate, guaranteed GPA merit, and a handful of awards that add up for students who do the extra applications. For a 3.9+ student with a 28 ACT, the Richey invitation is the one email in January you don’t want to miss.
App RequiredInvitation only
Richey Scholarship
📅 Deadline: FAFSA filed by March 1 ✓ Renews (3.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
$10,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Invitation only: 3.9 GPA and 28 ACT.
🏫 3.9+ GPA✎ ~28 ACTWashburn's premier award: $10,000 a year, up to $40,000. Requires a high school GPA of at least 3.9 and an ACT of at least 28. Includes automatic entry into the Honors Program and a guaranteed spot in the Honors Learning Community, where recipients must live their first year. Renewal: 3.5 cumulative GPA and 30 credit hours across fall, spring and summer.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with the freshman merit grid. Richey plus Ichabod is $15,000 a year, which covers 2026-27 tuition and a share of housing.
📄
How to Apply
Washburn invites eligible seniors by email in early January. The packet, sent to richeyscholars@washburn.edu, includes a cover letter on why you are the best candidate and why Washburn fits, the Richey application, and an essay. The FAFSA must reach Washburn by March 1, and recipients must attend the spring New Student Orientation date (March 28 last cycle).
✎ Essays
🕵
Who Actually Wins
A very small group. Local news coverage in 2021 reported three Richey recipients that year. Students who get the invitation should treat the packet like a college essay, because this is where the real money at Washburn is.
App Required
Garvey Scholarship Competition
📅 Deadline: Window not yet posted for the Class of 2027. The 2026 submission period is closed. ✓ Renews (3.25 GPA, 4 yrs)
$1,500/yr
✔ Stackable
🏫 3.3+ GPA$1,500 a year for up to four years. Renewal: 3.25 cumulative GPA and 27 credit hours across fall, spring and summer. Awards are limited. Washburn's pages disagree on the essay format: the competition page says 200 to 300 words, while the general scholarship page still describes a 75-minute, 400 to 500 word timed essay. We follow the competition page.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Washburn lists it next to the merit grid with no replacement language, and Richey and Finnup explicitly stack, so expect it to add to merit. Confirm on the award letter.
📄
How to Apply
High school seniors with a 3.25+ GPA submit a 200 to 300 word essay on the prompt about Washburn's motto, Non Nobis Solum ("Not for ourselves alone"), and how the student will embody it. Students may compete only once.
✎ Essays
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Seniors who write a specific, personal answer to the service prompt. Generic "I want to give back" essays blend together; a concrete example of something the student already does stands out.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad Only
Aleshire Center for Leadership and Community Engagement Scholarship
📅 Deadline: See the Aleshire Center application page. Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
🎓 All UndergradCompetitive awards for incoming freshmen, transfers and current students who show leadership initiative or want community engagement experience during college. Washburn says most awards start at $1,250.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Not part of the merit grid, so it adds on top. Some awards come with program participation expectations.
📄
How to Apply
Complete the Aleshire Center scholarship application (requirements and deadlines are on the Center's page).
✎ Essays
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students with real leadership history (student council, scouting, church or community projects) who can explain what they want to build at Washburn, not just list titles.
App RequiredShawnee County graduatesCounselor nomination
Presidential and Bryden Scholarships
📅 Deadline: Varies ✓ Renews (3.25 GPA, 4 yrs)
$1,000–$2,500/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Nominated Shawnee County seniors only.
🏫 3.5+ GPAPresidential: $1,000 a year to select students from each Shawnee County high school or home school with a 3.5+ GPA, nominated by their counselor. One Presidential recipient each year also receives the Bryden Scholarship, which replaces the Presidential. Washburn lists the pair at $1,000 to $2,500 but does not state the Bryden amount on its own. Renewal: 3.25 cumulative GPA and 27 credit hours across fall, spring and summer.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Stacks with merit and Shawnee County Thrives. Bryden replaces the Presidential rather than adding to it.
📄
How to Apply
The high school counselor nominates the student. Home-schooled students use Washburn's homeschool Presidential application. The Bryden finalist submits an essay.
✎ Essays
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Top students at Topeka-area high schools whose counselors know Washburn well. If your student has a 3.5, ask the counselor directly in the fall whether they plan to nominate.
Data last verified Nov 1, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Flagship / Competitive Scholarship FAQs
How do you get invited to apply for the Richey Scholarship?
Washburn emails eligible seniors in early January. To be in the pool, a student needs at least a 3.9 GPA and a 28 ACT on file with Washburn. Since merit doesn’t use test scores, a lot of strong students never send one, so if your student has a 28 or higher, make sure Washburn has it.
What does Richey require besides grades?
A cover letter, the Richey application and an essay. The student must also have the FAFSA in by March 1, attend a required spring orientation date, and live in the Honors Learning Community freshman year. Keeping it takes a 3.5 GPA and 30 credit hours a year.
How does the Garvey Scholarship Competition work?
Seniors with a 3.25+ GPA write a 200 to 300 word essay on Washburn’s motto, “Not for ourselves alone.” Winners get $1,500 a year for up to four years. Students get one try. The submission window for this year’s seniors hasn’t been posted, so check with Admissions this winter.
Who gets the Presidential Scholarship?
Select seniors at each Shawnee County high school or home school with a 3.5+ GPA, nominated by their counselor. One recipient each year receives the Bryden Scholarship instead, after an essay. If you’re in Topeka, ask the counselor about it in the fall.
Is there a National Merit or full-ride program?
No. Washburn has no National Merit package and no full-ride competition. Its biggest single award is Richey at $10,000 a year.
What should my student prepare?
A short activity list and one strong personal story cover almost everything here. Our Essay Toolkit and Brag Sheet Builder help organize both.
🧠 Parent Strategy: The Second Application Nobody Mentions
Merit at Washburn is automatic, so families assume they’re done once the admission letter arrives. They’re not. The county and specialized awards live in a separate scholarship application that only opens after your student is admitted and gets a Washburn username.
Once admitted, log in to the specialized scholarship application with the Washburn username and password.
Apply for every county award your student qualifies for, and for Shaw if they’re pre-law or pre-med, by February 15.
Science students: grab the combined Fix and Rinne application from the College of Arts and Sciences (last cycle’s due date was in early February).
Check your major’s department page and ScholarshipUniverse, Washburn’s matching tool, for departmental money.
Parent translation: the merit grid takes care of itself. The county and departmental awards on top of it are where Washburn gets truly cheap, and they go to the students who apply by mid-February.
💎 Hidden Gem Scholarships
Many of these are tied to where your student graduated from high school, and the pools are small. A Finney County or Rooks County graduate is competing with a handful of classmates, not the whole state. Nearly all of them stack on top of the merit grid.
App RequiredSouthwest Kansas counties
Finnup Scholarship
📅 Deadline: February 15 (awards continue until funds run out) ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$5,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Southwest Kansas residents, Finney County first.
🏫 2.0+ GPA$5,000 a year, up to $20,000, funded by the Finnup Foundation. Priority goes to Finney County, then Gray, Hamilton, Haskell, Hodgeman, Kearny, Lane and Scott counties; if money remains, Clark, Comanche, Ford, Grant, Greeley, Meade, Morton, Ness, Seward, Stanton, Stevens and Wichita counties. Requires a 2.0 high school GPA. Freshmen must live in the Finnup Living Learning Community in the LLC. Includes the five-day Finnup Scholars Academy before fall classes and a study abroad opportunity. Transfers eligible for six semesters. Renewal: 2.0 cumulative GPA and 27 credit hours across fall, spring and summer.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Explicitly stacks with the merit grid. Washburn markets Finnup plus Ichabod as full tuition. At 2026-27 rates that $10,000 leaves roughly $1,500 of tuition and fees for a 15-hour load, plus housing.
📄
How to Apply
After admission, log in with your Washburn username to the specialized scholarship application and complete the Finnup application.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Southwest Kansas students who apply by Feb 15. Many families in Garden City and Dodge City never look three hours east, which leaves this money less contested than it should be.
App RequiredRooks County graduates
Hindman Scholarship
📅 Deadline: February 15 (awards continue until funds run out) ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$3,000–$4,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Rooks County, Kansas high school graduates.
$3,000 to $4,000 a year for graduates of a Rooks County, Kansas high school. Transfers are eligible for six semesters. Renewal: 2.0 cumulative GPA and 27 credit hours across fall, spring and summer. Subject to available funds.
✚
Stacking & Combining
A county donor award outside the merit grid, so it adds on top of merit.
📄
How to Apply
Apply for admission, submit a Rooks County high school transcript, then complete the Hindman application in the specialized scholarship portal.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Rooks County graduates who simply apply. With one small county as the pool, the competition is mostly against the calendar.
App RequiredScience majors
Rinne Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Last cycle due Feb 9, 2026. The 2027 date is not posted yet. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$4,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Incoming science students; CIS and pre-engineering preferred.
$4,000 a year for up to four years from the College of Arts and Sciences, for incoming high school students interested in the sciences, with preference for Computer Information Science or Pre-Engineering.
✚
Stacking & Combining
A college-level award outside the merit grid, so it adds to merit. For a 4.0 student, Rinne plus Ichabod is $9,000 a year.
📄
How to Apply
Complete the combined Mary N. Fix and Rinne application from the College of Arts and Sciences and email it to the address on the form.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who name computer science or pre-engineering on the shared application. Most families miss it because it sits on a departmental form rather than in the admissions packet.
App RequiredScience majors
Mary N. Fix Natural Sciences Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Last cycle due Feb 9, 2026. The 2027 date is not posted yet. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Incoming biology, chemistry or physics majors.
Renewable award for incoming freshmen whose main study is physics, biology or chemistry, including future secondary science teachers. Can be used for tuition, fees, books or living expenses. Renewable up to four years, with a fifth in special circumstances. Selection is based on GPA, ACT and area of study. Washburn does not publish the current amount.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Adds on top of merit and can pay living expenses, which most tuition-only awards cannot.
📄
How to Apply
Complete the combined Mary N. Fix and Rinne application from the College of Arts and Sciences.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Science-focused students with strong grades. In 2019, local coverage reported 14 freshmen received it at $1,500 a year, so this is a widely shared award rather than a one-winner prize.
App RequiredPre-law or pre-med
Shaw Scholarship
📅 Deadline: February 15 (awards continue until funds run out) ✓ Renews (3.5 GPA, 4 yrs)
$1,250/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Pre-law or pre-medicine students.
🏫 3.5+ GPA✎ ~28 ACT$1,250 a year for pre-law or pre-medicine students with a 3.5 GPA and a 28 ACT. Transfers need a 3.5 college GPA. Renewal: 3.5 cumulative GPA, 27 credit hours across fall, spring and summer, and staying in a pre-med or pre-law major.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Adds on top of merit.
📄
How to Apply
After admission, complete the Shaw application in the specialized scholarship portal.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Pre-law and pre-med students who took the ACT. Since Washburn dropped tests from merit, many strong students never send a score, which leaves fewer applicants for this one.
App RequiredDickinson County graduates
Glatt Scholarship
📅 Deadline: February 15 (awards continue until funds run out) ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Dickinson County, Kansas high school graduates.
🏫 2.0+ GPA$1,000 a year for graduates of a Dickinson County, Kansas high school with a 2.0 GPA. Renewal: good academic standing and 27 credit hours across fall, spring and summer.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Adds on top of merit.
📄
How to Apply
Apply for admission, then complete the Glatt application in the specialized scholarship portal.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Abilene, Chapman and Herington-area graduates who fill out the short application by mid-February.
App RequiredRush County graduates
Woodbury-Ramskill Scholarship
📅 Deadline: February 15 (awards continue until funds run out) ✓ Renews (2.75 GPA, 4 yrs)
$1,000/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Rush County, Kansas high school graduates.
$1,000 a year for freshmen or transfers who graduated from a Rush County, Kansas high school. Transfers are eligible for six semesters. Renewal: 2.75 cumulative GPA and 27 credit hours across fall, spring and summer.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Adds on top of merit.
📄
How to Apply
Complete the Woodbury-Ramskill application in the specialized scholarship portal after admission.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Rush County graduates who apply. The 2.75 renewal GPA is higher than most county awards, so plan for it.
App RequiredTopeka High, Topeka West or Highland Park graduatesFinancial need
Wiseman Scholarship
📅 Deadline: February 15 (awards continue until funds run out) ✓ Renews (2 GPA, 4 yrs)
$500/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Topeka High, Topeka West or Highland Park grads with need.
🏫 2.0+ GPA$500 a year for graduates of Topeka High, Topeka West or Highland Park High School with a 2.0 GPA, financial need shown on the FAFSA, and five years of Topeka residency before graduation. Renewal: 2.0 cumulative GPA, 27 credit hours, and a yearly FAFSA.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Small, but it stacks with Thrives and merit, and for Promise students it reduces the remaining tuition the Promise has to cover.
📄
How to Apply
Complete the Wiseman application in the specialized scholarship portal and file the FAFSA every year.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students at the three named Topeka schools who do the extra application. Most eligible students skip it because $500 looks small, which is exactly why it goes unclaimed.
App Required⚠ All Undergrad OnlyWashburn family connection
Alumni Association Legacy Scholarship
📅 Deadline: See the Alumni Association website. Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Students with a parent, grandparent, sibling or spouse who attended Washburn.
🎓 All UndergradFor students whose parent, grandparent, sibling or spouse attends or graduated from Washburn University or Washburn Tech. Applicants other than first-time freshmen, and their legacy connection, must be Alumni Association members. GPA is a qualifier, but recipients are chosen mainly on financial need and the legacy connection. Washburn does not publish the amount.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Adds on top of merit.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the Washburn Alumni Association website.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Most winners: Legacy families with real financial need. A Washburn Tech certificate in the family counts too, which many families do not realize.
📅 Deadline: See the Washburn Women's Alliance website. Non-Renewable
Varies
✔ Stackable
⚠ Single-parent students.
🎓 All UndergradFunded by the Washburn Women's Alliance to help single-parent students at Washburn University or Washburn Tech finish a degree. Washburn does not publish the amount.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Adds on top of merit and need-based aid.
📄
How to Apply
Apply through the Washburn Women's Alliance website.
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Adult and returning students raising children on their own. It belongs on the list for any parent heading back to school.
Data last verified Nov 1, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
❓ Hidden Gems FAQ
Which Kansas counties have their own Washburn scholarships?
Finney and the surrounding southwest Kansas counties (Finnup, $5,000 a year), Rooks (Hindman, $3,000 to $4,000), Dickinson (Glatt, $1,000) and Rush (Woodbury-Ramskill, $1,000). Topeka High, Topeka West and Highland Park graduates with financial need can add Wiseman ($500). That’s on top of the Shawnee County and Northeast Kansas programs in the automatic section.
Does the Finnup Scholarship really add up to full tuition?
It gets close. Finnup ($5,000) plus the Ichabod merit award ($5,000) is $10,000 a year. At 2026-27 rates, that leaves roughly $1,500 of tuition and fees for a 15-hour load, plus housing. Finnup freshmen must also live in the Finnup Living Learning Community.
Are there scholarships for science or pre-med students?
Yes. Rinne pays $4,000 a year, with preference for computer science and pre-engineering. The Mary N. Fix award goes to biology, chemistry and physics students. Shaw pays $1,250 a year to pre-law and pre-med students with a 3.5 GPA and 28 ACT.
What if I miss the February 15 date?
Washburn keeps awarding the county scholarships after February 15 until the money runs out, so apply anyway. Late applicants are competing for whatever is left.
Are there scholarships for families with a Washburn connection or for single parents?
Yes. The Alumni Association Legacy Scholarship is for students whose parent, grandparent, sibling or spouse went to Washburn or Washburn Tech, and it weighs financial need. The Washburn Women’s Alliance funds a scholarship for single-parent students.
Washburn has a University Honors Program, not a separate honors college, and it’s built to be flexible. Students in any major can apply, either before freshman year or once they’re already enrolled. Washburn says grades matter, but so does genuine interest, so this isn’t a numbers-only cutoff.
Who’s encouraged to apply: students with a 3.5+ unweighted GPA or a 28+ ACT, though anyone motivated can apply
How to apply: one application for Honors and the Brunt Scholarship, plus a resume and a roughly 500-word essay or a 3 to 5 minute video
Timing: rolling admission; apply in the spring of senior year to get into fall Honors courses
Perks: priority registration for freshmen, Honors sections of general education classes, faculty mentoring, and an optional Honors Learning Community in the Living Learning Center
Honors Program Scholarships
App Required⚠ All Undergrad OnlyHonors Program students
Brunt Honors Scholarship
📅 Deadline: Rolling. Washburn suggests applying by May 1 for access to fall Honors courses. ✓ Renews (4 yrs)
$500/yr
✔ Stackable
⚠ Honors Program members.
🎓 All UndergradCompetitive award for new and current Honors Program students. The Honors page lists it at up to $2,000 ($500 a year); the general scholarship page lists $500 to $1,000. We show the Honors page figure.
✚
Stacking & Combining
Adds on top of merit, Richey and the Interstate Advantage.
📄
How to Apply
One application covers both the Honors Program and Brunt: basic academic information, a resume, and an essay of about 500 words or a 3 to 5 minute video on an experience that shaped you intellectually or creatively.
✎ Essays
🕵
Who Actually Wins
Students who apply to Honors early in the spring of senior year. Applications are rolling, but the scholarship money goes to the students who are already in the pool.
Data last verified Nov 1, 2026.* GPA/test bands are estimates based on official selectivity and prior cohort profiles. "Who Actually Wins" insights are pulled from external peer-sourced data where students and parents have reported real-world award results. Because colleges can change funding thresholds and deadlines at any time, always verify these details with the institution before finalizing your application strategy.
Washburn’s pages list the Brunt amount two ways: up to $2,000 total ($500 a year) on the Honors page, and $500 to $1,000 on the general scholarship page. We show the Honors page figure. Confirm the amount on your award letter.
The Richey connection: Richey Scholars are admitted to the Honors Program automatically and guaranteed a spot in the Honors Learning Community. If your student is a Richey candidate, Honors comes with it.
Graduating with Honors
Honors Associate: 12 credit hours of Honors coursework
Honors Scholar: 18 credit hours
Honors Graduate: 24 credit hours
Students can also earn “with Distinction” or “with High Distinction” through Honors involvement and research or creative projects.
Honors Program FAQs (Washburn University)
Is there a GPA or ACT cutoff?
No hard cutoff. Washburn encourages students with a 3.5 GPA or a 28 ACT to apply, but it also weighs interest and motivation, and current students can join later.
Does Honors come with a big scholarship?
Not on its own. The Brunt Scholarship is modest, about $500 a year. The big honors-linked money is Richey, which includes Honors admission.
Do Honors students have to live in a special dorm?
Only Richey Scholars. Other Honors freshmen can choose the Honors Learning Community, where they take a shared course and join social activities, but it isn’t required.
Does Honors add to the workload?
Honors courses usually replace general education classes rather than adding extra ones, so they shouldn’t slow down graduation. Just remember the 27-credit-hour merit renewal rule when planning the schedule.
Washburn is a public university in Topeka, the state capital. It’s owned by the city rather than run by the state, and it’s the only fully open-admission four-year university in Kansas. What sets it apart isn’t prestige; it’s career-focused programs with real connections to employers down the street, in a city where living costs stay low.
Nationally Unusual: Forensics with the KBI on Campus
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation built its Forensic Science Center, the state crime lab, on Washburn’s campus. Washburn students take lab courses inside that building and can intern with the KBI. Washburn offers five forensic degree paths, including Forensic Investigations and a newer Forensic Investigative Sciences degree designed with KBI input. For a student who loves crime-scene science, very few schools anywhere offer this kind of access.
Nursing: Washburn’s largest bachelor’s program, with about 127 BSN graduates a year. It’s a strong fit for students who plan to work in Kansas hospitals.
Business: The School of Business is AACSB-accredited and recently earned the maximum six-year reaccreditation. Expect upper-division business courses to cost more per credit hour.
Criminal Justice and Pre-Law: Washburn Law sits on the same campus, and being in the capital means internships at the Statehouse, state agencies and the courts are a short drive away.
Allied Health: Radiation therapy, sonography, MRI and health care administration programs lead straight into hospital jobs.
Mass Media: Washburn produces a steady stream of communications graduates, and Topeka’s local TV and government communications offices hire them.
🔗 Official Washburn University Links
Use Washburn’s official pages below to check admissions, scholarships, costs and deadlines. Washburn doesn’t publish a Common Data Set, so the Kansas Board of Regents Data Book is the best source for its institutional numbers. Always go by these pages for final deadlines and award terms.
Washburn is one of the most straightforward money stories in the Midwest. Tuition is the same $378 per credit hour whether you live in Topeka or Tulsa. Merit is based on GPA alone, with no test-prep arms race. And if you live in Shawnee County or one of 17 Northeast Kansas counties and your income is under $75,000, tuition can be free.
It won’t hand out a full ride, and it isn’t trying to be a selective name-brand school. What it offers is a low starting price, real hands-on programs (nursing, business, and a forensics program inside the state crime lab), and a capital-city location that makes internships easy to reach. The families who do best here do three things: file by March 1, apply for the county and departmental awards after admission, and make sure their student takes 15 hours a semester so the scholarship renews.
Your kid did everything right. That does not mean the money follows.
Most families build a college list first and think about scholarships second, which is backwards. This free four-part series shows you where the money actually comes from, and how to build a list around it.
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Leo is the founder of CollegeReadyParent, a free guide for middle-income and first-generation families figuring out how to pay for college. He built it after going through the process with his own daughter, and every college page is checked against the school’s official sources. More about Leo →
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