Homeschool benefits: Eastern Kentucky University
Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) charges dual credit students $99 per credit hour, about $297 for a typical three-credit class, in Richmond, Corbin, Manchester, or online. Kentucky homeschooled juniors and seniors with an unweighted GPA of 2.5 or higher qualify by sending a transcript showing their grade level.
Who qualifies
Is a Kentucky homeschooler
Kentucky homeschooled high school students can enroll if they meet EKU's dual credit admission requirements.
Is a junior or senior
Send a transcript showing your student's current grade level.
Has a 2.5 unweighted GPA
ACT or SAT scores are not required for admission but may be required for some math and science courses.
What it is worth
EKU's dual credit page lists these costs for 2026-27 dual credit students.
- Tuition per credit hour
- $99
- One three-credit class
- $297
- Two three-credit classes
- $594
- Books, average per semester
- $75
- Parking for Richmond classes
- $165
- Recreation Center, optional
- $35 a semester
Scholarships do not show on the student account until November for fall and April for spring, so you may see a balance before the scholarship posts.
From applying to keeping it
- Before you apply
Set up an EKU account
Login details go to the email address you use on the application.
- Apply
Choose the dual credit application
Apply for admission through EKU's portal as an undergraduate dual credit student, then send your homeschool transcript.
- After admission
Complete orientation
EKU sends a link to the dual credit orientation, then you choose courses.
- Before classes start
Apply for the KHEAA scholarship
Use the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA) Home School Application for Dual Credit scholarships, which is separate from the school-based form.
What it pays for
Covered
- Dual credit courses in Richmond, Corbin, Manchester, or online
- College credit at $99 per credit hour
Not covered
- Books
- Richmond parking
- Recreation Center access
- KHEAA Work Ready Dual Credit Scholarship for homeschoolers
Who to contact
The Dual Credit Office in the Whitlock Building handles admission and course questions for dual credit students, and you can also text 859-328-1074.
dualcredit@eku.edu 859-622-1565 Dual credit page
Homeschool rules and statewide help in Kentucky
You must notify the local district superintendent annually. Current KDE guidance says within the first two weeks of the school year, or within two weeks of public-school withdrawal, for a child of compulsory attendance age.
Kentucky sets these rules:
- Subjects: Parents choose the curriculum for a noncertified homeschool. Certified private schools must teach in English, offer public-school subjects, and provide at least 1,062 hours over 170 days annually; KDE recommends those hours and days for other homeschools.
- Testing: Kentucky does not require standardized testing for homeschoolers.
- Records: Keep attendance records and scholarship reports showing completed courses and grades, available for inspection by pupil-personnel and KDE officials. Work-sample portfolios are recommended, not mandatory.
- Teachers: No state teacher certification requirement for parents teaching their own children in a noncertified homeschool.
Read the Kentucky homeschooling guide See statewide programs in Kentucky
Questions parents ask
- Does my student need ACT scores for EKU dual credit?
- Not for admission.
- Can a KHEAA scholarship lower the cost of EKU dual credit?
- Yes, through the KHEAA Dual Credit Scholarship, but not the KHEAA Work Ready Dual Credit Scholarship.
- Where are classes held?
- On the Richmond campus, at the Corbin and Manchester regional campuses, online, and at participating high schools.
- Who coordinates dual credit at EKU?
- Cassidy Smittle, the dual credit coordinator, at cassidy.smittle@eku.edu.
Turn support into your child’s next lesson
College classes can cover part of high school. We teach the subjects your child needs alongside them, starting at the right level in each subject.
$149/month per child after the trial.
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