How to Apply to the SELF Program


Text Fire in the belly. Have a Desire to do big things? We get You

The application for incoming first-year students to join the class of 2028 is now closed. 

The application for incoming first-year students to join the class of 2029 will open on July 1, 2025. 

 

The application for current undergraduate students to join the SELF program

is now open and will close on February 1, 2025. Please see the application instructions for more information and a link to the application.

 

Please contact engrself@ku.edu with questions.


Applying to the SELF Program

There are three points at which a student may apply to the SELF Program: during the high school senior year, during the first year of college, and during the second year of college.

For more information about each process, please click the tab below to find out more about the process in which you are interested.

Applying to the Self Program

Who's Eligible to Apply?

Students who are admissible to the KU School of Engineering are eligible to apply for the SELF Program. Strong candidates will be able to show a track record of attributes that relate to successful leadership.

  1. Academic performance: Prospective students (incoming first-year students) must be eligible for admission to the KU School of Engineering. ACT/SAT scores may be considered only to the extent of determining admission of the student into the School of Engineering.
  2. Complete and submit all application materials by the deadline.
  3. Applicants give permission to the selection committee to review all academic records.
  4. Applicants must be willing to visit the campus and participate in interviews and other assessment methods employed as part of the selection process.
  5. Applicants understand and accept the responsibilities of a SELF Fellow.

How to Apply

Prospective applicants to the SELF Program may apply via the University's Application for Admission. Students who apply through this method need not complete an additional application.

The application for students entering the KU School of Engineering in Fall 2025 will open on July 1, 2024. The final deadline for submission of all application materials will be December 1, 2024. Interviews for the Class of 2029 will tentatively occur on January 24, 2025. Candidates should plan to be available for interviews on this day.

Selection Process

A selection committee will review all materials received by the deadline and will conduct interviews with selected students who best demonstrate the SELF Program attributes through their application. Interviews will be conducted on campus on Friday, January 24, 2025. Following interviews, about 30 students will be chosen to take part in the SELF Program at the start of the fall semester. All applicants will be notified of their status by the end of February 2025.

Engineering students with a track record of motivation, leadership, entrepreneurship and/or business can apply for acceptance their first and second years during their undergraduate career. SELF Fellows will receive an outstanding enrichment and leadership program.  Involvement in the program is paired with a scholarship the value of which is determined by the entry point into the program. Strong candidates will be able to show a track record of attributes that relate to successful leadership and will demonstrate how the SELF Program will help them work toward their passions.

Who's Eligible to Apply?

Most students who have been admitted to a program in the KU School of Engineering will be eligible to apply for the SELF Program. 

  1. Academic performance: A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher is required in order to be considered for the Program. For questions regarding the academic performance criteria, contact engrself@ku.edu
  2. Complete and submit all application materials required for current students by the deadline.
  3. Applicants give permission to the selection committee to review all academic records and contact references.
  4. Applicants must be willing to participate in interviews and other assessment methods employed as part of the selection process.
  5. Applicants understand and accept the responsibilities of a SELF Fellow.

How to Apply

The next application cycle will open on Sunday, December 1, 2024 and will close on Saturday, February 1, 2025.

Selection Process

A selection committee reviews all materials received by the deadline and conducts interviews with several of the students who best demonstrate the SELF Program attributes through their application. Interviews are conducted on campus in late February or early March. Following interviews, selected students are chosen to take part in the SELF Program. Those selected will be asked to make themselves available for the cohort meetings and other required events prior to the end of the spring semester.

Attributes of a SELF Fellow

The SELF Program is intent on identifying and nurturing engineering and computer science students with strong leadership and achievement qualities and who have a desire to orchestrate innovation in business and industry during their careers. Students chosen for the program should demonstrate key attributes that relate to successful leadership, such as:

  • Recognition and a strong interest in developing strong leadership and entrepreneurial knowledge and skills
  • Practical intelligence
  • Motivation and goal oriented (strong need for personal achievement that extends beyond grades and the SELF Program)
  • Self sufficiency (mental toughness; inclination to proactively address and overcome challenges and adversity)
  • Perseverance and diligence
  • Creative problem solving skills
  • High energy level
  • Some evidence of early leadership skill development that can be expected to contribute toward a noteworthy career, and
  • A primary desire to earn a bachelor's degree in engineering and a view that the degree is a "springboard" to significant opportunities for leadership and entrepreneurial roles in industry, in established businesses, or in a start-up entrepreneurial role. The applicant's desire to further business skills, possibly through an MBA may also be a consideration.