Counselor Resources

Jayhawk Blueprint Program Overview and Benefits

Jayhawk Blueprint is a partnership between the University of Kansas and selected school districts in Kansas. This program allows students to take college courses at a discounted rate within their high schools. Upon successfully completing a Jayhawk Blueprint course, students earn both high school and college credit, which can be applied to a KU degree or transferred to other institutions, depending on their requirements.

High school students who enroll in the program will have the opportunity to:

• Take college courses while still in high school: Courses are taught at the high schools by qualified high school teachers, allowing students to earn both both high school and college credit simultaneously.
• Earn transferable college credit: For each course a student successfully completes, they will earn college credit from KU. All Jayhawk Blueprint courses offered through USD 497 are transferable to Kansas public 2-year and 4-year institutions and may transfer to other colleges, depending on their transfer requirements.
• Experience college-level coursework and learning: Jayhawk Blueprint courses are taught similarly to those on the KU campus, giving high school students experience with college-level courses and helping ease the future transition to college.
• Access KU courses at a discounted rate. Jayhawk Blueprint courses are offered at one-third of KU’s current undergraduate in-state tuition rate, and course textbooks are provided free of charge. Additionally, need-based funding is available for students in USD 497 who qualify for free or reduced meals through their high school.

Enrollment Process and Required Forms

1. Students will enroll in Jayhawk Blueprint course(s) at their high school

To enroll in Jayhawk Blueprint course(s), students must meet with their high school counselor during the typical enrollment periods set by the high school.

2. Students must complete the required enrollment form or application by the enrollment deadline

After students enroll in Jayhawk Blueprint course(s) at their high school, they must complete either the non-degree seeking student application through the KU Admissions Office OR the Jayhawk Blueprint sign-up form by the enrollment deadline.

• If a student completed a Jayhawk Blueprint course last semester, they will need to complete a brief online sign-up form.**Students can complete this form with their counselor in the counselor’s office.
• If a student did not take a Jayhawk Blueprint course last semester or have never taken a Jayhawk Blueprint course, they will need to complete the FREE non-degree seeking student application (NDS application). **This application requires signatures from both the student and parent/guardian. Students may start this form with their counselor, save their progress, and obtain their parent/guardian’s signature at a later time.

Students only need to complete one form or application, but they must fill out an enrollment form or application each semester they enroll in a Jayhawk Blueprint course.

3. The Jayhawk Blueprint team will enroll students in their courses at KU

This step requires no action on the student’s part. If they are enrolled at their high school and have completed the required non-degree seeking student application or sign-up form by the deadline, the Jayhawk Blueprint team will enroll them in their course(s) at KU as long as they do not have an outstanding balance. Students must have a zero tuition and fees balance for enrollment to be processed at KU. Note: The Jayhawk Blueprint team will only register students for the current semester because KU registers for classes by semester

4. Students will be assigned a KU ID number and will use it to create their online ID

Once students are accepted to KU as non-degree seeking students, they will receive their 7-digit KU ID number from the KU Admissions Office via standard mail. This ID number is necessary to create their KU online ID, which serves as their official username and password for accessing their online accounts at KU (i.e., Enroll and Pay, email, transcripts, etc.). If students need assistance accessing their KU ID number, they can contact our office. High school counselors will also have this information. Please note that we cannot provide KU ID numbers or online IDs to students via email. Students can set up their KU online ID and password at: https://myidentity.ku.edu/setup/login/setup/login.

If a student has already set up their KU online ID but needs help accessing it, they may contact our office for assistance. For password recovery or changes, students can visit: https://myidentity.ku.edu/services/. For additional assistance with passwords, students may contact KU IT at (785) 864-8080 or via email at itcsc@ku.edu.

5. Students can log in to Enroll & Pay to access and pay their tuition bill

Enroll & Pay is KU's student information system. Through this system, students can view the class(es) they are enrolled in, access grades for completed courses, add KU delegate access for parents/guardians, and pay their bill online at: https://sa.ku.edu.

Students will receive an email at their KU email address with their bill summary and due date information. Payments are due on the 15th day of the month following enrollment, typically October 15th for fall semester and March 15th for spring semester. Students should check their KU email and preferred email regularly for bill updates and deadlines.

We highly recommend that students forwarding their KU email to an account they check frequently (not their school email address) because important emails regarding their tuition bill and deadlines will be sent to their KU email account. Students can find more information about forwarding their KU email at: https://blueprint.ku.edu/email.

Lastly, we strongly encourage all students to set up delegate access for a parent/guardian, especially if they plan to pay the student’s tuition bill. This allows a student’s parent or guardian to communicate with KU staff and access the bill pay systems. Students can learn more about how to set up delegate access for their parent/guardian here: https://blueprint.ku.edu/designate-a-delegate.

Dropping a Course

Any student wishing to drop a Jayhawk Blueprint course at KU must obtain approval from their counselor and instructor first. Once a student receives approval, they will need to complete the Jayhawk Blueprint drop form before the drop/withdraw deadline.

It is important for students to drop the course as soon as possible because the date stamped on the drop form determines whether they will receive a full, partial, or no refund, or receive a “W” for “withdrawal” on their transcript.

Please communicate the following potential consequences of dropping a Jayhawk Blueprint course to students and parents:

• Depending on the drop date, students may receive only a partial or no refund of tuition/fees.
• Depending on the drop date, students may receive a permanent “W” for “withdrawal” on their transcript.
• Students requesting to drop a class after the withdraw deadline will be unable to do so and will receive a final grade on their KU/college transcript.

Drop forms can be accessed online at: https://blueprint.ku.edu/drop-form. Please have any student who plans to drop a Jayhawk Blueprint course complete this online form as soon as possible, but no later than the withdraw deadline.

Note: Students who have not paid their Jayhawk Blueprint bill and drop after the 100% refund deadline will still be responsible for all or part of the course cost, depending on the drop date.

Email Communication

When students complete the Jayhawk Blueprint sign-up form or non-degree seeking student application, encourage students to include an email address they will check regularly (preferable a non-school email address); important information from KU and the District will be sent to that email. We also recommend that students forward their KU email address to a personal email address that they will check regularly, such as a Gmail or Outlook address to avoid missing valuable communication. 

Tuition & Bill Payment Process

Tuition

Jayhawk Blueprint students benefit from a discounted tuition rate set at one-third of KU’s current undergraduate tuition. Currently, the tuition rate for Jayhawk Blueprint students is $103 per credit hour plus any additional fees from the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. To determine the cost of a Jayhawk Blueprint course, multiply the number of credit hours of a course by $103. Please be aware that the Jayhawk Blueprint tuition rate is scheduled to increase for the 2025-2026 school year.

Note: Tuition for year-long courses will only be applied in the fall.

Tuition Waivers

Thanks to a grant from Truity Credit Union, USD 497 students who qualify for free or reduced meals are eligible to receive a full or partial tuition waiver for their Jayhawk Blueprint course(s). For questions about tuition waivers, students are encouraged to contact Pam Fraley at pfraley@usd497.org or their high school counselor.

Bills

After a student is officially enrolled in a Jayhawk Blueprint course by KU staff, tuition will be applied to their financial statement in Enroll & Pay. Payments are due on the 15th day of the month following enrollment, typically October 15th for fall semester and March 15th for spring semester. Notifications regarding tuition and due dates will be sent via email to students and their parents/guardians after enrollment is processed.

Students have several options for paying their tuition bill: online through Enroll & Pay, in person via the dropbox at Carruth-O’Leary, or by standard mail. Detailed information on payment methods is available online at: https://blueprint.ku.edu/pay-your-bill.

Late Fees

KU will apply a non-refundable $100 late payment fee for the first and second month of the fall and spring terms for any unpaid tuition and fee balances and, thereafter, a 1.5% monthly assessment if a bill still is not paid. Bills must be paid on-time, or late fees will be applied.

Unpaid Bills

Until a bill is paid, the following may occur:

• Students will not be able to enroll in future Jayhawk Blueprint courses or any other courses at KU.
• Non-refundable late fees will continue to be applied to the student's account.
• The bill may be sent to a collection agency, which could impact the student's credit.

Delegate Access for Parents/Guardians

Delegate access for Enroll & Pay allows a student’s parent or guardian to view their course schedule, grades, and/or financial information. It also authorizes KU to release academic record details to a student’s parent or guardian over the phone. 

Because of FERPA regulations, ALL communication from KU goes directly to students. For example, when a bill is generated, students will receive notification about the bill, payment process, and deadline in their KU email account. Within KU operations and systems, a Jayhawk Blueprint student receives communication in the same way any other KU student does.

We strongly encourage students to set up delegate access for their parent/guardian once they have a KU ID number.

Grades and Transcripts

Grades

Students in Jayhawk Blueprint courses are evaluated using the same methods as those in on-campus sections at KU, including papers, portfolios, quizzes, labs, and are held to the same grading standards. The University of Kansas uses a letter grading system for these courses, with the following grades available: A/-, B+/-, C+/-, D+/-, and F. Additionally, a grade of W may be assigned for withdrawal from a course.

IMPORTANT: Grades earned in a Jayhawk Blueprint course will become part of a student's permanent academic record and will affect their college GPA. Therefore, it is crucial to emphasize to students the importance of performing well in these courses. KU offers tutoring services at no additional cost to help students succeed.

Once grades are posted in Enroll & Pay, students can access their final grade for their Jayhawk Blueprint course(s). Instructions on how to check grades online are available at: https://blueprint.ku.edu/check-grades.

Transcripts

KU transcripts are not automatically sent to a student’s college/university. To have a transcript sent to an institution other than KU, students must order a transcript from the KU Registrar’s Office. There is a small fee for this service. Students may order an official transcript by visiting: https://registrar.ku.edu/order-transcript. Please have students contact our office if they need assistance. Additional information is available at: https://blueprint.ku.edu/order-transcripts. 

Academic Support Services

Academic Accommodations

The School District and the University of Kansas will work together to provide reasonable academic accommodations for students completing Jayhawk Blueprint courses.

The following are examples of reasonable academic accommodations that are available for high school students participating in the Jayhawk Blueprint Program.

• Extended time on exams (1.5x & 2x)
• Reduced distraction room for exams
• Readers/scribes/assistive technology on exams
• Note taking in the classroom
• Audio recording lectures
• Preferred seating
• American Sign Language interpreting services
• Computer Aided Real-Time Transcription (CART)
• Textbooks/course reading materials available in accessible formats (e-text, Braille, large print, etc.)

Certain academic accommodation requests require additional information to determine if the accommodation is reasonable. Below are some examples that require additional discussion with faculty and program administrators.

• Use of notes on exams
• Reduced number of choices on multiple choice exams
• Reduced number of written pages on out of class writing assignments
• Extended time on out of class assignments
• Exempt from giving a speech in front of the class

Students interested in using these accommodations need to start the process by completing an online application with the KU Student Access Center and uploading a copy of their IEP or 504 Plan, along with any other supporting documentation they may have. Have students select "Jayhawk Blueprint Student" under the "Affiliations" menu to indicate they are part of the Jayhawk Blueprint program.

Contact Information: 

• Arika Sprecker | Associate Director of the KU Student Access Center | arikas@ku.edu
• Lori Stithem | Director of Special Education (6-12) for USD 497 | lstithem@usd497.org

Tutoring at KU: The KU Center for Learning and Writing Support offers free, course-specific tutoring services to students enrolled in Jayhawk Blueprint courses. Tutoring is available through one-on-one appointments either in person at Anschutz Library or virtually via Zoom. Students can schedule a meeting with a tutor to help them understand course concepts and problems covered in their Jayhawk Blueprint course(s). Course availability may vary by semester, but typically includes MATH 101 and BIOL 100/102. Students may visit their website for more information and to schedule an appointment: https://learningandwriting.ku.edu/individual-tutoring.  

Writing Support at KU: The KU Writing Center provides free writing support to all students enrolled in a Jayhawk Blueprint course. Peer writing consultants can assist students with writing assignments for any class at any stage of the process from brainstorming to revision. This service is particularly beneficial for students taking ENGL 101/102 or COMS 130, in addition to other Jayhawk Blueprint courses that involve writing. The Writing Center offers three different types of writing consultation appointments: face-to-face consultations, videoconferencing, and etutoring. For more information and to schedule an appointment, visit: https://writing.ku.edu/how-consultations-work.