Elizabeth Miller Watkins Memorial Scholarship Fund (first-time applicants)

The purpose of the Elizabeth Miller Watkins Scholarship is to assist women students of outstanding scholastic achievement and demonstrated financial need in completing their college education at KU.

Amount: Awards of up to $2,000 per semester will be made to each recipient

Eligibility criteria are as follows:

  1. All women enrolled as full-time undergraduate students at the University of Kansas;
  2. 3.0 GPA or higher on 4.0 scale; and
  3. Demonstrated financial need.
  4. Special consideration will be given to women who are first in their families to attend college and residents of Watkins and Miller Scholarship Halls.

Recipients who meet ongoing eligibility requirements may apply for renewal annually.

Selection will be based on application contents, a short essay on the life and influence of Elizabeth Watkins, transcripts, and financial information.

Elizabeth Miller Watkins’ biography can be found here.

Please note, excerpts from the applications of individuals selected to be scholarship recipients will be included in the scholarship presentation program and scholarship related publications.

Award
$4,000
Deadline
02/15/2025
Supplemental Questions
  1. Have you been previously awarded from the scholarship fund named above?
  2. Have you completed less than 30 college credit hours after the date of your high school graduation?
  3. If yes, please attach your high school transcript in .pdf format.
    • Please indicate name of high school, city, state and country, dates attended, and GPA.
    • Upload transcript.
  4. Have you attended or are you currently attending a college other than the University of Kansas? If yes, please complete the following section for all colleges attended.
  5. Academic History: Colleges other than University of Kansas
    • A. College 1 - Please include name of college, city, state and country, dates attended, number of hours completed, GPA.
    • B. College 1 transcript in .pdf format
    • C. College 2 - Please include name of college, city, state and country, dates attended, number of hours completed, GPA.
    • D. College 2 transcript in .pdf format
    • E. College 3 - Please include name of college, city, state and country, dates attended, number of hours completed, GPA.
    • F. College 3 transcript in .pdf format
  6. Have you or are you currently attending KU? If yes, please complete the following section for coursework completed at KU.
  7. Academic History: University of Kansas
    • A. KU Start Date
    • B. Number of hours completed at KU
    • C. GPA for courses completed at KU
    • D. Overall Cumulative GPA (include any transfer credit)
    • E. Attach Unofficial Undergraduate Academic Summary from the University of Kansas in .pdf format
  8. What will be your level of study at KU starting next academic year?
  9. What is your anticipated KU graduation date?
  10. What is your anticipated degree and major (area of interest if major is undetermined)?
  11. If you selected Other Level of Study OR your Anticipated Degree or Major will require more than four years to complete, please explain.
  12. Please describe no more than three activities within the past two years that reflect your values and priorities and help illustrate why you qualify for this scholarship. Activities may include but are not limited to, participation as a member of an organized activity through academic, athletic, civic, religious or social organizations; family responsibilities, paid or volunteer jobs and internships; independent studies, projects, interests or other important aspects of your life. For each of these activities, identify the organization and your relationship to the organization; start and end dates; activity (e.g. cashier, research assistant, treasurer, care giver), and on-going and total time commitment (e.g. 10 hours per week for a total of 100 hours during current semester; or week-long trip).
  13. Attach a copy of your parents' 2022 Tax Form 1040, (pp 1-2) or 1040EZ (P 1); if you are considered an independent student by the college you are attending, please attach a copy of your 2022 Tax Form 1040 or Form 1040EZ.
  14. Please attach your FAFSA Student Aid Index for the 2025-2026 academic year.
  15. If you are not eligible to complete the FAFSA, please upload the KU International Student Need Assessment Worksheet. Please contact the Student Financial Affairs office for more information.
  16. Housing
    • A. Where do you expect to live next academic year?
    • B. If you selected On Campus housing above, please indicate the name of the facility
  17. Please select the option that reflects your tuition status for the next academic year:
  18. If you plan to study abroad next year, please indicate where and when.
  19. Please clarify circumstances, financial and otherwise, that impact your ability to fund your college education. Please do not restate information already provided elsewhere in this application.
  20. Please share how education has impacted your life and how you plan to use your education.
  21. Write an essay of not more than 500 words, which responds to the biography of Elizabeth Miller Watkins (EMW). Her values and choices have touched many people. Demonstrate your understanding of one or two values of EMW that resonate with your life experience by comparing and/or contrasting your life choices and priorities to those of EMW. Use specific examples from your life (jobs, activities, academic focus, family challenges, etc.) to support your discussion. Please refer to EMW biography. (Link in description).
  22. How did you find out about this scholarship opportunity?
  23. Show 17 more