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Adult Learner Scholarship

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO GET STARTED!

Adult Learner Scholarship

These scholarships are only available to applicants living in Wyandotte or Johnson counties in Kansas, or in Clay, Platte, Jackson, or Cass counties in Missouri.

Many adults believe they will never have the opportunity to complete a college degree. Great Jobs KC provides that opportunity through adult learning grants. Apply for the Great Jobs KC – KC Scholars Scholarship Program Adult Learners Scholarship today and get ready to secure your future! Join the many adults working to achieve their dreams of finishing college and financially supporting their families and communities.

Through offering adult education scholarships to adults (24+) with a high school diploma or equivalent who have not earned a bachelor’s degree, we provide the opportunity many thought they’d never have. Adult learners can receive up to $25,000 paid directly to the college through these generous adult education grants and can enroll either full or part-time. 

There are 281,000 adults with some college and no degree and 96,000 with an associate’s degree but not a bachelor’s degree in the six counties Great Jobs KC serves. We strive to reduce that number and make it possible for college dreams to be realized.

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Adult learner Scholarship

When Can I Apply for the Adult Learner Scholarship?

The 2026 application is closed. The 2027 application window is October 20, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. through November 20, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. The 2027 Awards Day for the Adult Learner Scholarship is February 12, 2027. Complete our Interest Form to stay updated! Complete our Interest Form to stay updated!

Helpful tips for the Eligibility section of the application:

Please review the FAQ at the bottom of this page for additional information.

What are the Adult Learner Scholarship Eligibility Requirements?

To apply, you must:

  • Have a high school diploma or equivalent (24 years or older)
  • Live in one of the six eligible counties (Kansas: Wyandotte, Johnson; Missouri: Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte)
  • Be income eligible (FAFSA Student Aid Index of 12,000 or less – learn your SAI here)
  • Have not previously earned a bachelor’s degree
  • Have not previously been awarded with a scholarship payment completed for a KC Scholars Traditional or Adult Learner scholarship.
  • US Citizenship/Residency is not required to apply. 

How do I decide which institution is right for me?

Our 150 Adult Learner Scholarships can be used anywhere in the KC Scholars College Network. Funding for 2026 awardees will begin in Fall 2026 and cannot be applied to past balances.

How can I apply for the scholarship?

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It’s never too late

Since May 2017, this program has awarded over 1000 Adult Learner Scholarships, and over 350 awardees have already completed an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.

What We Hear from our Current Adult Learner Scholarship Awardees:

  • Nothing will stop them from completing their degree this time
  • They want to complete the degree to be a role model for their children
  • They thought they would never go back and complete college and now they CAN and are
  • They feel proud to be part of a community that invests in them and they want to make a positive impact in Kansas City
  • They want to increase their job opportunities and earning potential to make a better life for their family
  • Some are back in college at the same time as their children who received 9th or 11th grade awards

FAQ

To be considered income eligible for the purposes of the Great Jobs KC - KC Scholars application, your Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation on the Federal Student Aid Estimator must be 12,000 or less. Find out if you qualify here.

Yes. Both currently enrolled students and adults planning to enroll in Fall 2026 are eligible to apply for the Adult Learner Scholarship.

Ready to get started?

Yes, you can apply for the Adult Learner Scholarship if you meet all the minimum eligibility requirements.

 

Ready to get started?

Yes, we realize that most adults have a lot to juggle. Recipients of the Adult Learner Scholarship may go to college part-time or full-time.

Ready to get started?
We encourage you to reach out to ApplicationHelp@greatjobskc.org with any questions you have regarding the KC Scholars Program.
 

Ready to get started?

The application checklist will let you know everything you need to be prepared for the application.

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Up to 150 adult learner scholarships will be awarded each year.

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Scholarships awarded will be distributed beginning the fall after awards are announced. The first scholarship payment for the 2026 Award Cycle will be completed for the Fall 2026 semester.

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Adult Learners can receive up to $12,500 per year, depending on number of terms enrolled during the academic year, enrollment status per term, and institution of enrollment. Scholarship completion points are the earning of a bachelor's degree, $25,000 in total scholarship payments, or completion of 6 academic years since scholarship awarding.

Ready to get started?

Scholars do not need to prove eligibility after their first year of scholarship support, but will need to fill out paperwork and participate in meetings and supports on a regular basis in order to remain eligible for scholarship payments.

Ready to get started?
Yes! We want to help ensure you are successful in completing your degree. Great Jobs KC will match each awardee with an Adult Learner Advocate and connect them with support at one of our partner colleges and universities to provide one-on-one and group advising, assistance with the college enrollment process, FAFSA completion assistance, and referrals to campus and community resources.
 

Ready to get started?
Scholarships will be paid directly to one of the colleges and universities in the KC Scholars College Network, where you are enrolled.
 

Ready to get started?
Yes. In order to receive the Adult Learner Scholarship, you must attend one of the colleges and universities in our KC Scholars College Network.
 

Ready to get started?
Yes, if the courses count toward a degree and are offered by any of the colleges and universities in our KC Scholars College Network.
 

Ready to get started?

You must be a resident of one of these six counties at the time of scholarship application:  Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte, Missouri, and, Wyandotte and Johnson, Kansas.

Ready to get started?

You must be enrolled to receive a scholarship payment. Students that do not plan to enroll in a given term will notify Great Jobs KC and connect with Great Jobs KC staff regarding future enrollment and scholarship utilization plan for future terms. Regardless of enrollment status for a specific term, the 6-year scholarship eligibility period does not pause.

Ready to get started?

We encourage you to reach out to ApplicationHelp@greatjobskc.org with any questions you have regarding the KC Scholars Program. 

Ready to get started?

Notifications to both recipients and non-recipients for the scholarship will be made via email to the email address used to apply; notifications will be sent prior to 5 p.m. on Awards Day. The 2027 Awards Day will be February 12, 2027.

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Stephanie underwood - Chief financial Officer

Stephanie Underwood serves as Chief Financial Officer at Great Jobs KC, where she leads the organization’s financial strategy in support of its mission to create economic mobility through education and workforce opportunities. With more than 17 years of experience in nonprofit finance, Stephanie brings deep expertise in financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and compliance. She is passionate about using her career as a platform to serve and support mission-driven organizations, helping them maximize impact through strong financial stewardship.

Prior to joining Great Jobs KC, Stephanie served as Chief Financial Officer for Griffith Centers, a behavioral and mental health organization, where she oversaw financial operations for a multi-million-dollar organization spanning residential, educational, and community-based programs. She also spent nearly a decade as Vice President of Accounting Services at NFP Partners, providing CFO-level leadership to nonprofit organizations across the country, with a focus on strategic growth, audit readiness, and governance.

Outside of her professional role, Stephanie volunteers her time at her church and serves on the board of a local nonprofit. She is known for her collaborative leadership style and her commitment to aligning financial strategy with mission impact. She holds a Master of Science in Accounting and is proud to be a first-generation college graduate.

 

 

 

Adult Learner College Scholarship

The Adult Learner Scholarship application is closed. Please click GET STARTED to be added to communication reminders on when to apply during the next open cycle.

Program offers:

  • Up to $25,000 paid directly to the college over the course of up to six years.
  • Once awarded, the Scholar can enroll full or part-time the fall semester following awarding.
  • Scholarship can be used at any of our college partners. See our current list of partners HERE.
  • Scholarship can be used towards an associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, or a credit-bearing credential. 

Eligibility Requirements: 

  • Be a high school graduate or GED holder (24 years or older).
  • Live in one of the six eligible counties. (Kansas: Wyandotte, Johnson; Missouri: Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte)
  • Be income eligible. (FASFA Student Aid Index of 12,000 or less)
  • Have not previously earned a bachelor’s degree.
  • Have not previously been awarded a KC Scholars Scholarship (Traditional or Adult Learner).
  • Is not currently enrolled in a Great Jobs KC Skills Training Program.
  • US Citizenship/Residency is not required to apply.

If you need more information on program details, please find our FAQs HERE

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Jimmy Swift - Chief Operating Officer

As the Chief Operating Officer, Jimmy Swift is responsible for overseeing our core programs, our adult workforce development program, Great Jobs KC tuition-free job training, and our KC Scholars Scholarship Program, which includes 11th Grade Traditional Scholarships and Adult Learner Scholarships. 

Jimmy has a career in education that spans more than 25 years and is built around supporting and improving the performance of career training programs and leading the operations of degree-granting institutions. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in management and has served as Campus President, Vice President of Career Services, and Executive Director of various career schools.  

Most recently, Jimmy served as the Vice President of PLA University at Phalen Leadership Academies, bringing access to job skill training to the parents and families of the Scholars served by Phalen Leadership schools across the country.  Beyond his higher education experience, Jimmy serves as the Executive Board Chairman for Project Safety Net NY, a nonprofit community-based agency delivering a broad range of health, education, and prevention services to the New York Community. As the Chief Operating Officer for Great Jobs KC, he and his team are poised to make a substantial impact on the economic stability and future of Kansas City.

Great Jobs KC
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