Students who want to get a jump start on college should take advantage of available dual credit courses, according to the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA).

“By taking dual credit courses, students can earn their high school diploma and college credit at the same time,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “These classes give students a head start on achieving their goals for the future.”

Now is the time for students thinking about their 2022–2023 class schedule to see what dual credit programs are available in their area. They might be able to take dual credit classes at their own high school or through a nearby college.

Students in public and private high schools should discuss their options with their guidance counselor. Home-schooled students should contact the admissions office at colleges that offer dual credit classes.

KHEAA is the state agency that administers the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) and other programs to help students pay for higher education. Kentucky Lottery funds pay for many of those programs.

In addition, KHEAA disburses private Advantage Education Loans for its sister agency, the Kentucky Higher Education Student Loan Corporation (KHESLC). For more information about Advantage Education Loans, visit advantageeducationloan.com.

Southcentral Kentucky Community & Technical College (SKYCTC) puts great emphasis on its dual credit program and offers substantial scholarships to former dual credit students.

DC TO FINISH SCHOLARHIP

The DC to Finish Scholarship is the top-tier of the SKYCTC’s merit scholarships and provides $5,000 per academic year to students who complete nine or more SKYCTC dual credit hours with a SKYCTC GPA of 3.0 or better.

• The DC to Finish Scholarship is available to those who have taken nine or more SKYCTC dual credit classes and have a 3.0 GPA or better in those classes.
• Updated criteria effective for first-year, first-time students enrolling for fall 2022.
• The award is an annual amount dispersed as $2,500 for the fall term and $2,500 for the spring term.
• The scholarship must be activated within 12 months of high school graduation and is not available to transfer students.

• The scholarship is renewable for a total of four consecutive semesters (excluding the summer semester) or until the completion of an associate degree, whichever comes first.
• A student must successfully complete at least 24 credit hours of SKYCTC courses per academic year to renew the award.
• The scholarship is contingent on maintaining a 3.0 or higher GPA in SKYCTC classes.
• This scholarship cannot be combined with the SKY Merit scholarships.If you have questions, contact our Dual Credit team at SKY-DualCredit@kctcs.edu.

For more information about other Kentucky scholarships and grants, visit kheaa.com; write KHEAA, P.O. Box 798, Frankfort, KY 40602; or call 800-928-8926.