Kansas: school, college and career rules
Kansas requires at least 21 credits (with financial literacy, an advanced STEM unit and two postsecondary assets from the class of 2028), tests with the Kansas Assessment Program, gives Regents resident fees after 12 months of Kansas domicile, and funds the Kansas Promise Act Scholarship and the Kansas Comprehensive Grant.
Linked from the State Population Totals 2020-2025 page (census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-state-total.html); population and rank copied from the POPESTIMATE2025 and NRANK_POPEST2025 columns.Census
High school diploma
Each local board of education must require at least these units for graduation; boards may add more. Classes of 2025 to 2027: ksde.gov PDFs reject plain requests from India ('Request Rejected'); downloaded in a headless browser after loading ksde.gov.KSDE
| Subject | State minimum |
|---|---|
| English language arts | 4 units (reading, writing, literature, communication and grammar) |
| History and government | 3 units: world history, U.S. history, U.S. government including the Constitution, and economics and geography concepts |
| Science | 3 units (physical, biological, and earth and space science; at least 1 unit a lab course) |
| Mathematics | 3 units (algebraic and geometric concepts) |
| Physical education | 1 unit, including health |
| Fine arts | 1 unit |
| Electives | 6 units |
21 units minimum, set by each local board.
State tests for the diploma
Kansas has no exit exam. From the class of 2028, students must earn at least two State Board-approved postsecondary assets, such as an ACT composite of 21, 9 or more college hours, 40 community service hours, an industry-recognized certification, a WorkKeys Silver level or state assessment scores of 3 or 4. ksde.gov PDFs reject plain requests from India ('Request Rejected'); downloaded in a headless browser after loading ksde.gov.KSDE
Also good to know
- Class of 2028 and beyond: English 4 (with at least 1/2 unit of communications), history and government 3, science 3, math 3, physical education 1/2, health 1/2, fine arts 1, financial literacy 1/2, advanced science, technology, engineering or advanced math 1, and 4 1/2 elective units. Completing the FAFSA is not a graduation requirement.
KSDE
Graduation Requirements Fact Sheet - Class of 2028 and beyond (updated May 2026)Kansas State Department of Education- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
Downloaded in a headless browser (ksde.gov rejects plain requests from India).
View source - From the class of 2028, graduation expectations also include postsecondary readiness, such as career-connected experiences that support college, workforce or military pathways.
KSDE
GraduationKansas State Department of Education- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
State test: Kansas Assessment Program (KAP)
Kansas Assessment Program (KAP) general summative assessments. KAP assessments are aligned to the Kansas standards, delivered in the Kite Student Portal and untimed; the general summative, KELPA, History, Government and Social Studies (HGSS) and Dynamic Learning Maps assessments are mandatory. Linked from the KSDE Kansas Assessment Program page; downloaded in a headless browser.KSDE
| Test | Subjects | Grades |
|---|---|---|
| KAP summative | English language arts | Grades 3–8 and 10 |
| KAP summative | Mathematics | Grades 3–8 and 10 |
| KAP summative | Science | Grades 5, 8 and 11 |
| HGSS (classroom-based) | History, government and social studies | Grades 4, 7 and one of 10, 11 or 12 |
Source: Linked from the KSDE Kansas Assessment Program page; downloaded in a headless browser.KSDE
What the scores are used for
- A state assessment score of 3 or 4 in math, ELA or science counts as one of the postsecondary assets the class of 2028 and later need to graduate.
KSDE
Graduation Requirements Fact Sheet - Class of 2028 and beyond (updated May 2026)Kansas State Department of Education- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
Downloaded in a headless browser (ksde.gov rejects plain requests from India).
View source - KSDE's own KAP page lists science in grades 5, 7 and 11; the 2026-27 overview it links lists grades 5, 8 and 11.
KSDE
Kansas Assessment ProgramKansas State Department of Education- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
National tests (SAT, ACT, AP, NAEP) are on the Exams hub.
Public colleges and universities
The state's public university system(s) and community colleges, from their own pages.
- Kansas Board of Regents state universitiesUniversity system · The Board of Regents governs Kansas's six state universities (the University of Kansas, Kansas State, Wichita State, Emporia State, Pittsburg State and Fort Hays State) and coordinates 32 public institutions in all.
- Kansas community collegesCommunity colleges · Nineteen community colleges and six technical colleges, coordinated by the Board of Regents, from Johnson County and Kansas City Kansas to Garden City, Dodge City and Colby.
Sources: Read through a US-based fetch; other kansasregents.gov pages opened directly from India. Read through a US-based fetch; other kansasregents.gov pages opened directly from India.KBOR
KBOR
Every school in Kansas, public and private, with cost and completion: 79 colleges, community colleges and trade schools, with 6 city pages.
In-state tuition: the residency rule
Public colleges charge less to state residents. Who counts as a resident is set by state law or the college system, not by where you went to school alone.
- K.S.A. 76-729: adults domiciled in Kansas for at least 12 months before enrolling (or minors whose parents have been) pay resident fees at state universities; a resident who leaves keeps that status if they return within 60 months. Veterans, active-duty service members and their spouses and dependent children are residents for fee purposes.
K.S.A.
K.S.A. 76-729, Residence of students for fee purposes (2021 Kansas Statutes)Kansas Legislature, Office of Revisor of Statutes- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
- K.A.R. 88-3-3: "12 months" means a continuous 365-day period ending on the day before classes start. Residence means continuous physical presence and intent to make Kansas a permanent home, not only while studying.
KBOR
Residency Rules & Regulations (K.A.R. 88-2-1 to 88-3-13)Kansas Board of Regents- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
- Evidence must have existed at least a year before enrollment (Kansas income taxes, Kansas financial support, permanent job offer, home ownership); voting, a student job or a lease alone does not prove residence.
KBOR
Residency Rules & Regulations (K.A.R. 88-2-1 to 88-3-13)Kansas Board of Regents- Checked
- 22 Oct 2026
The college's residency office makes the final decision. More on costs: What college costs.
State financial aid
Run by the Kansas Board of Regents, Student Financial Aid. Federal aid (Pell Grants, loans) starts with the FAFSA: FAFSA, grants and loans.
Kansas Promise Act Scholarship
Last-dollar scholarship for two-year degrees and certificates in high-wage, high-demand or critical-need programs (such as IT and security, advanced manufacturing and building trades, and early childhood education) at Kansas community and technical colleges and some private colleges. Income limits apply; students enroll in at least 6 hours, finish within 36 months, and agree to live and work in Kansas for two years. Lifetime cap: 68 credit hours or $20,000. KBOR
View source
Kansas Comprehensive Grant
Need-based grant for Kansas residents enrolled full-time at the six public universities, Washburn University and twenty independent colleges, from $100 to $4,500 at public institutions in 2026-27; filing the FAFSA is the only application. KBOR
View source
Licensing boards
Lawyers, doctors, CPAs and nurses need a Kansas license from a state board, even after passing a national exam. These are the boards that grant it.
| License | Kansas board | Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer How bar admission works | Kansas Board of Law Examiners | Uniform Bar Exam (MBE, MEE and MPT). MPRE required (passing score 80). NextGen UBE from July 2028. NCBEKansas: bar admission informationNational Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE)
Bar admission agency, the NCBE exams the jurisdiction requires, MPRE passing score and NextGen UBE plans. NCBE advises checking the agency itself for the latest rules. View source |
| Physician How a medical license works | Kansas State Board of Healing Arts | USMLE (M.D.) or COMLEX-USA (D.O.) FSMBContact a State Medical BoardFederation of State Medical Boards (FSMB)
Directory of every state's medical (and separate osteopathic) board. fsmb.org answers automated reads with 403, so it was read from the Internet Archive capture of 14 Sep 2026; each board link was then opened on 22 Oct 2026, through the board's site or, where it blocks reads from India, its latest archive capture. View source |
| CPA How the CPA license works | Kansas Board of Accountancy | Uniform CPA Examination NASBAState Boards of AccountancyNational Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA)
Directory of the 55 boards of accountancy. nasba.org answers automated reads with 403, so it was read from the Internet Archive capture of 15 Oct 2026; board links that had moved were replaced with the board's current page, opened on 22 Oct 2026. View source |
| Registered nurse How the RN license works | Kansas State Board of Nursing | NCLEX-RN · Nurse Licensure Compact member since July 1, 2019 NCSBNContact Kansas State Board of NursingNational Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN)
NCSBN / NLCNLC states and implementation dates (NLC map, PDF)National Council of State Boards of Nursing (Nurse Licensure Compact)
|
Engineering, teaching, real estate, cosmetology and the trades have their own boards: all professional licenses · trades and apprenticeships.
State and city government jobs
Federal jobs are on USAJOBS; state and city governments hire through their own systems.
State of Kansas Employment Center & Careers Portal
Kansas Department of Administration, Division of Personnel Services
- Search and apply for state jobs in the Careers portal (jobs.ks.gov opens the Employment Center page).
- First-time users can follow the Department's How to Search and How to Apply instruction guides.
Source: Kansas DOA
View source
Police, fire and other public-safety routes: Public Service & Safety hub.
Registered apprenticeship
Kansas has a State Apprenticeship Agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor. Apprenticeship.gov
View source
- Kansas Office of Registered Apprenticeship (Kansas Department of Commerce)Kansas is a State Apprenticeship Agency state: the Kansas Office of Registered Apprenticeship in the Department of Commerce registers programs and funds their growth, for example with Rural Apprenticeship Innovation for a Stronger Economy (RAISE) grants for communities under 50,000 people.
- Trades and apprenticeshipsElectrician, plumber, HVAC and other trade routes on this site
Source: kansascommerce.gov/apprenticeship/ now redirects to this release; the U.S. DOL state office list names the Kansas State Apprenticeship Agency.Kansas Commerce
Where these facts come from
Official and primary sources only, each checked on the date shown. Rules on testing, aid, licensing and immigration change, so confirm a detail with its source before you rely on it.
- Annual Estimates of Resident Population Change for the United States, States, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and State Rankings: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2025 (NST-EST2025-POPCHG2020-2025, CSV) · U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025) checked 2026-10-21
- Kansas: bar admission information · National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) checked 2026-10-22
- Contact a State Medical Board · Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) checked 2026-10-22
- State Boards of Accountancy · National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) checked 2026-10-22
- Contact Kansas State Board of Nursing · National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) checked 2026-10-22
- NLC states and implementation dates (NLC map, PDF) · National Council of State Boards of Nursing (Nurse Licensure Compact) checked 2026-10-07
- Kansas Graduation Requirements (classes of 2025, 2026, 2027) fact sheet · Kansas State Department of Education checked 2026-10-22
- Graduation Requirements Fact Sheet - Class of 2028 and beyond (updated May 2026) · Kansas State Department of Education checked 2026-10-22
- Graduation · Kansas State Department of Education checked 2026-10-22
- 2026-2027 Kansas Assessment Program Overview · Kansas State Department of Education checked 2026-10-22
- Kansas Assessment Program · Kansas State Department of Education checked 2026-10-22
- About the Kansas Board of Regents · Kansas Board of Regents checked 2026-10-22
- Public Institutions (Accessible List) · Kansas Board of Regents checked 2026-10-22
- K.S.A. 76-729, Residence of students for fee purposes (2021 Kansas Statutes) · Kansas Legislature, Office of Revisor of Statutes checked 2026-10-22
- Residency Rules & Regulations (K.A.R. 88-2-1 to 88-3-13) · Kansas Board of Regents checked 2026-10-22
- Kansas Promise Act Scholarship · Kansas Board of Regents checked 2026-10-22
- Kansas Scholarships and Grants 2026-2027 (state aid brochure) · Kansas Board of Regents checked 2026-10-22
- Jobs: State of Kansas Employment Center & Careers Portal · Kansas Department of Administration checked 2026-10-22
- Apprenticeship Grants Awarded to Expand Learn-and-Earn Programs in Kansas (August 2026 news release) · Kansas Department of Commerce checked 2026-10-22
- State Offices: Office of Apprenticeship and State Apprenticeship Agency contacts by state · U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship checked 2026-10-21