Shocker Promise

• Be a Sedgwick County, Kansas resident at the time of application to Wichita State University.
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen.
• Be eligible for the Federal Pell Grant*.
  • Initial Promise offers are based on preliminary FAFSA results, including the Student Aid Index (SAI) and Pell grant eligibility. Change to the student's FAFSA form and information after the initial Promise offer may affect both Pell grant and Promise eligibility.
• Annual family income of $60,000 or less and total assets of $60,000 or less.**
• FAFSA Student Aid Index of 7,395 or less.
• Be admitted for fall as a first-time freshman by March 1, 2027 (graduated high school during 2026-2027 academic year).
• Complete the 2027-2028 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by April 1, 2027 for priority consideration.
• Minimum 2.5 unweighted high school GPA.
• Enroll full-time (complete 24 hours each academic year in the fall/spring/summer semesters) in a baccalaureate degree program beginning in fall 2027.

• Be a Kansas resident with an active Kansas address at the time of application to Wichita State University.
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen.
• Be eligible for the Federal Pell Grant*.
  • Initial Promise offers are based on preliminary FAFSA results, including the Student Aid Index (SAI) and Pell grant eligibility. Change to the student's FAFSA form and information after the initial Promise offer may affect both Pell grant and Promise eligibility.
• Annual family income of $60,000 or less and total assets of $60,000 or less.**
• FAFSA Student Aid Index of 7,395 or less.
• Be admitted for fall as a first-time freshman by March 1, 2027 (graduated high school during 2026-2027 academic year).
• Complete the 2027-2028 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by April 1, 2027 for priority consideration.
• Minimum 2.5 unweighted high school GPA.
• Enroll full-time (complete 24 hours each academic year in the fall/spring/summer semesters) in a baccalaureate degree program beginning in fall 2027.
• The housing portion of the Kansas Promise Scholarship is only payable if students have an on-campus housing contract. Students who do not live on campus for their first year will forfeit the housing portion of their Kansas Shocker Promise Scholarship.

The Shocker Promise is the Wichita State University commitment to access and affordability for Kansas residents. Incoming first-time freshmen for the fall semester who qualify and are admitted by the March 1 financial aid priority deadline will have up to 15 credit hours each semester of their tuition and fees covered for eight fall/spring semesters. The semesters must be taken consecutively within a 4-year time period and eligibility must be maintained. Costs are covered by scholarships, grants or tuition exemptions from federal, state and/or institutional funds.

For eligible students, Wichita State will use sources such as scholarships, grants or tuition exemptions that come from the federal, state and institutional levels to cover tuition and fees for up to 15 credit hours each semester.  Shocker Promise will replace any previously awarded General institutional scholarships and may be combined with WSU Foundation private scholarships up to tuition and fees. 

Students will automatically be considered for the Shocker Promise as long as they meet all applicable requirements.**

• You must be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen.
• You must be a Kansas resident at the time of application to Wichita State.
• You must be a graduating high school senior.
• You must complete the FAFSA by April 1, submit any missing or remaining financial aid materials by April 15, and be Pell Grant eligible for priority consideration. 
• You must have an annual family income of $60,000 or less and total assets of $60,000 or less.
• FAFSA Student Aid Index of 7,395 or less.
• You must have at a minimum of 2.5 high school GPA.
• You must be enrolled in a baccalaureate degree program for at least 12 hours during fall and spring semesters.

**Wichita State reserves the right to adjust eligibility guidelines and funding levels as necessary.

Students are automatically considered if WSU has admitted them by March 1 and received their FAFSA by April 1, and they meet the eligibility requirements.

The program is only available to new, incoming, first-time freshmen coming directly from high school seeking their first undergraduate degree.

Wichita State is committed to helping families make a University-education affordable and offers other scholarship and grant programs such as the Kansas Comprehensive Grant, as well as many need-based scholarship opportunities.  Review the links below for more information about each program and how to apply.

The Sedgwick County Shocker Promise will cover up to 15 credit hours each semester of tuition and required course fees. Students must be academically engaged in their coursework and must meet the requirements for their Pell Grant for tuition and required course fees to be covered.

The Kansas Shocker Promise will cover up to 15 credit hours each semester of tuition and required course fees. Students must be academically engaged in their coursework and must meet the requirements for their Pell Grant for tuition and required course fees to be covered.

Additionally, if students live in on-campus housing for their first year, they will be provided with a maximum $6,000 housing scholarship to offset a portion of their housing costs. Scholarship cannot exceed the student's housing charges, and the amount may be reduced if other scholarships and grants reduce financial need.

Visit wichita.edu/tuition for current tuition and fees at Wichita State.

Shocker Promise is approved for undergraduate degree programs at Wichita State and covers up to 15 credit hours each semester in required tuition and course fees for required classes toward your first undergraduate degree.

At this time, the Shocker Promise is only for the first undergraduate degree.

Sedgwick County residents: The Sedgwick County Shocker Promise can only be used to cover Wichita State tuition and fees.

Kansas residents (not from Sedgwick County): Students living on campus may be eligible to use their Shocker Promise scholarship toward a portion of their on-campus housing costs.

Yes. To continue to receive the Shocker Promise, students must meet the following eligibility qualifications

• Enroll full-time each fall and spring and complete at least 24 Wichita State credit hours or 75% of their enrolled courses each year.
• Maintain a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA at Wichita State.
• Meet Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress.
• Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by April 1 each year.
• Continue to be eligible for the Federal Pell Grant.
• Maintain financial need for tuition costs that is not met by other gift aid.
• Renewal criteria for first-year renewable scholarships will be evaluated at the end of the first semester; scholarships will be revoked after the first term if a student earns less than a 2.0 GPA.
• Remain in good academic standing.
• Participate in Passage 2 Success, Shocker Promise Academy, or another pre-season program in August prior to their first fall semester.
• Participate in an academic student success program, such as the Promoting Academic Student Success (PASS) program or TRIO Student Support Services in your first-year.

*While full-time enrollment is 12 credit hours each semester, students who wish to graduate in four years typically require an average of 30 credit hours per academic year.  This might mean taking 15 hours in the fall and spring or taking some additional courses in the summer to stay on track. 

The Shocker Promise covers tuition and fees for a maximum of 8 semesters (fall and spring), or 4 consecutive years of enrollment.

Wichita State will use sources such as scholarships, grants or tuition exemptions that come from the federal, state and institutional levels to cover up to 15 credit hours each semester in tuition and fees. All gift aid will be used to cover those charges as part of the Shocker Promise. Shocker Promise will replace any previously awarded General institutional scholarships and may be combined with WSU Foundation private scholarships up to 15 credit hours each semester in tuition and fees. Students eligible for other aid such as Federal Work Study or Student loans will be awarded based on total Cost of Attendance limits. Students must be academically engaged in their coursework and must meet the requirements for their Pell Grant for tuition and required course fees to be covered.

All scholarships will be used to cover up to 15 credit hours each semester in tuition and fees, and the Shocker Promise will cover any gap. All gift aid will be used to cover tuition and fees as part of the Shocker Promise. Shocker Promise will replace any previously awarded General institutional scholarships and may be combined with WSU Foundation private scholarships up to tuition and fees.