Gov. Matt Bevin has issued an executive order creating the Work Ready Scholarship Program, which will provide free tuition to eligible Kentucky students getting a two-year degree that could be used in "high-demand" industries like healthcare and manufacturing.
The program will allow students to attend two-year programs in the Kentucky Community and Technical College system or at any other accredited school in the state. However, the scholarship award would max out at the cost of in-state tuition and fees to attend a KCTCS institution full-time.
In order to be eligible, a student must be a Kentucky resident, hold a high school diploma or a GED and maintain 2.0 grade-point average while enrolled in the program.
The new initiative requires students to seek a degree or certificate that can be used in one of the state’s “top 5 high-demand industries,” as determined by the state. Currently, those industries include healthcare, advanced manufacturing, transportation, business services, and construction.