A Parent’s Complete Guide to Kennesaw State University (2026-2027)
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Jump to
- What is the one thing every Kennesaw State University parent needs to know before move-in?
- Quick Facts for Kennesaw State University Families
- A Note on Owls Identity and Financial Aid
- Getting to Kennesaw
- What do parents need to know about Kennesaw State University move-in day 2026?
- The Residence Halls: Where Your Student Might Live
- How much does Kennesaw State University cost? Tuition, financial aid, and scholarships for 2026-27
- Kennesaw and Metro Atlanta: What Parents Need to Know
- When is Kennesaw State University Family Weekend 2026 and how do parents plan for it?
- How can parents support their Kennesaw State University student’s mental health?
- Who do Kennesaw State University parents contact? Essential numbers and websites for families
- Kennesaw State’s Academic Strengths
- Getting Your Student’s Stuff Home Between Semesters
- You Are a Kennesaw State Owls Family Now
- Kennesaw State academic calendar 2026-2027: dates families need
- What is Kennesaw State University’s graduation rate?
- What to Pack for Kennesaw State University
What is the one thing every Kennesaw State University parent needs to know before move-in?
Kennesaw State move-in is Kennesaw Campus is August 19 to 21, 2026. Marietta Campus is August 20 and 21, 2026..
Fall 2026 classes begin Monday, August 24, 2026.
Move-in dates differ by campus, so confirm which campus your student is assigned to. Classes begin Monday, August 24.
Verified against the official housing and academic calendar pages in July 2026. Move-in times are usually assigned individually, so confirm your student’s slot before booking travel.
Kennesaw State University was established in 1963 as Kennesaw Junior College in Kennesaw, Georgia, created to provide higher education access to the rapidly growing suburban communities north of Atlanta in Cobb County.
In the 63 years since, KSU has grown from a two-year commuter institution into a comprehensive doctoral-granting university of approximately 43,000 students, one of the fastest enrollment growth trajectories of any public university in the United States over the past two decades, offering programs from architecture and engineering through business, nursing, and the performing arts across two distinct campuses: the Kennesaw Campus (the original site in Kennesaw) and the Marietta Campus (the former Southern Polytechnic State University campus, merged into KSU in 2015).
The dual-campus structure is the defining logistical feature of the KSU experience: the Kennesaw Campus (Marietta Street, Kennesaw) houses the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Coles College of Business, the College of Architecture and Construction Management, and the liberal arts core. The Marietta Campus (South Marietta Pkwy, Marietta), approximately 5 miles southwest, houses the College of Engineering and Engineering Technology, the College of Computing and Software Engineering, and the STEM-intensive programs that came with the Southern Polytechnic merger. Students may take classes on both campuses, and KSU operates a free shuttle service between the two sites. Understanding which campus your student’s primary program is based on is an important early logistics step for KSU families.
The Atlanta location is the defining economic and career development context of the KSU experience: 25 miles north of downtown Atlanta via I-75 and I-575, KSU students are within commuting distance of the Atlanta metropolitan area’s employment in technology, media, logistics, healthcare, and the headquarters concentration that makes Atlanta the third-most significant headquarters city in the United States. The Cobb County location places KSU in one of the wealthiest and most economically active suburban counties in Georgia, and the county’s corporate community, including the Truist Park and Battery Atlanta development (the Atlanta Braves’ ballpark complex adjacent to the Kennesaw Campus), provides internship and employment connections for students in business, hospitality, and communications programs.
Quick Facts for Kennesaw State University Families
| Family Weekend | Kennesaw State Family Weekend 2026 is September 11 to 13, 2026. |
| Location | Kennesaw, GA 30144 (Kennesaw Campus) / Marietta, GA 30060 (Marietta Campus) |
| Enrollment | ~43,000 students |
| Type | Public Doctoral University, ASUN Conference |
| In-State Tuition (2026-27) | ~$6,000/year (verify at kennesaw.edu) |
| Out-of-State Tuition (2026-27) | ~$20,000/year (verify at kennesaw.edu) |
| Room and Board | ~$11,000-$13,000/year (verify at kennesaw.edu) |
| Total Cost (in-state) | ~$20,000-$22,000/year (verify at kennesaw.edu) |
| Total Cost (out-of-state) | ~$34,000-$36,000/year (verify at kennesaw.edu) |
| Graduation Rate | ~48% (6-year) |
| Median Earnings (10 years post-grad) | ~$42,000 (verify at kennesaw.edu) |
| Nearest Airport | ATL (Hartsfield-Jackson, 35 minutes) |
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A Note on Owls Identity and Financial Aid
Kennesaw State’s athletic teams are the Owls, competing in the ASUN Conference at the Division I level, with football at the FCS (Championship Subdivision) level. The colors are black and gold.
The Owls football program is relatively young at the Division I level, having launched FCS competition in 2015, but has been competitive in the ASUN Conference’s football subdivision. The KSU Convocation Center hosts basketball and other indoor athletics, and Fifth Third Bank Stadium is the football venue.
Financial aid at KSU is need-based and merit-based through federal, Georgia state, and institutional programs. Georgia residents should verify eligibility for the HOPE Scholarship and Zell Miller Scholarship, which provide substantial aid for qualifying Georgia students based on GPA and college performance. Contact kennesaw.edu/financial-aid for current scholarship and aid programs.
Getting to Kennesaw
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) is approximately 35 minutes from the Kennesaw Campus via I-75 north, making ATL one of the most practically accessible major airports for any Georgia university outside Atlanta itself.
ATL is the busiest airport in the world by passenger volume, served by Delta as the primary hub and by all major domestic and international carriers, providing comprehensive national and international connectivity for KSU families.
For families driving, I-75 connects the Kennesaw area to Atlanta (25 miles south) and to Chattanooga (70 miles north via I-75). I-575 connects northwest toward Canton and the Cherokee County exurban corridor. The arrival in Kennesaw from I-75 via Barrett Parkway or Wade Green Road passes through the characteristic mixed commercial and residential landscape of rapidly growing suburban Cobb County.
What do parents need to know about Kennesaw State University move-in day 2026?
Kennesaw State’s fall move-in runs in mid-to-late August. Check kennesaw.edu/housing for your student’s building and move-in window.
Kennesaw in mid-August is hot and humid in the Georgia Piedmont way: temperatures in the upper 80s to low 90s with the substantial summer humidity of inland north Georgia, afternoon thunderstorms arriving with summer regularity, and the campus in full late-summer green.
KSU runs organized move-in with residential life staff and building-specific unloading areas. The dual-campus structure means that residential assignments may be on either the Kennesaw or Marietta Campus, and families should confirm which campus their student’s residential building is on before planning the move-in day logistics.
Practical notes:
- Ship boxes ahead. KSU holds packages.
- After unloading, the Kennesaw area restaurant scene and the Battery Atlanta development (adjacent to the Kennesaw Campus, with restaurants, shops, and the Truist Park ballpark environment) provide first-night dining options. The Battery Atlanta is the most distinctive and most accessible first-night dinner destination for KSU families arriving at the Kennesaw Campus.
The Residence Halls: Where Your Student Might Live
KSU’s residential system provides on-campus housing for approximately 6,000 students across both campuses, with freshmen required to live on campus.
The University Village, The Commons, and the other residential communities on the Kennesaw Campus provide suite-style and apartment-style configurations for incoming and continuing students on the main campus.
The Marietta Campus residential communities provide housing for students whose primary academic program is based at the Marietta Campus in engineering, computing, and technology programs.
The KSU dining program operates through the University Commons dining hall and the campus dining locations at both the Kennesaw and Marietta campuses, with meal plan options for on-campus residents.
How much does Kennesaw State University cost? Tuition, financial aid, and scholarships for 2026-27
Georgia residents should verify HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarship eligibility. Contact kennesaw.edu/financial-aid for current need-based and merit-based aid programs.
| Expense | Cost |
|---|---|
| In-State Tuition and Fees | ~$6,000 (verify at kennesaw.edu) |
| Out-of-State Tuition and Fees | ~$20,000 (verify at kennesaw.edu) |
| Room and Board | ~$11,000-$13,000 (verify at kennesaw.edu) |
| Books and Supplies | ~$1,200 (verify at kennesaw.edu) |
| Personal and Transportation | ~$3,000 (verify at kennesaw.edu) |
| Estimated Total In-State (before aid) | ~$21,200-$23,200 (verify at kennesaw.edu) |
| Estimated Total Out-of-State (before aid) | ~$35,200-$37,200 (verify at kennesaw.edu) |
Georgia residents should verify HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarship eligibility. Contact kennesaw.edu/financial-aid for current need-based and merit-based aid programs.
If there is a gap between aid and costs, SoFi is consistently competitive on private loan rates. Always work with KSU’s financial aid office first.
FAFSA guide for KSU families Full college cost planning guide
Kennesaw and Metro Atlanta: What Parents Need to Know
The KSU parent visit provides access to both the Kennesaw and Marietta local communities and the full Atlanta metropolitan area, one of the most culturally rich and economically significant metro areas in the American South.
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park (900 Kennesaw Mountain Drive, Kennesaw, approximately 3 miles from the KSU Kennesaw Campus) is one of the most accessible Civil War battlefield sites in the Atlanta metropolitan area, where the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain (June 27, 1864) was fought as part of Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign. The 2,965-acre national park provides hiking on the mountain (1,808-foot summit with views across the Chattahoochee River valley and toward downtown Atlanta on clear days), trail access through the battlefield landscape, and the historical context of the Atlanta Campaign that shaped the city’s founding mythology.
The Battery Atlanta (Circle 75 Pkwy, Cumberland, adjacent to the Kennesaw Campus) is the mixed-use development surrounding Truist Park, the Atlanta Braves’ ballpark, with restaurants, bars, retail, and the Coca-Cola Roxy live music venue in a pedestrian development that brings major city amenities to walking distance of the KSU campus. Atlanta Braves games are an accessible family activity for KSU visit weekends, and the Battery’s restaurant scene is the most immediately convenient high-quality dining option for KSU Kennesaw Campus families.
The Marietta Square (Glover Park, Marietta) is the historic downtown of Marietta, with the antebellum town square, the Earl Smith Strand Theatre (a 1935 movie palace restored as a live performance venue), the Gone with the Wind Museum at Brumby Hall (Marietta is Margaret Mitchell’s maternal family hometown and has a specific connection to the novel), and the restaurant and bar scene of one of the most historically intact suburban downtowns in the Atlanta metropolitan area.
Atlanta (25 miles south via I-75, 35 minutes off-peak) provides the full cultural, culinary, and sports landscape of a major American city: the High Museum of Art, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, the Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola, Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United), State Farm Arena (Atlanta Hawks), CNN Center, Ponce City Market, and the Beltline trail system.
For parent visit dining: The Battery Atlanta restaurants for convenient campus-adjacent dining, Marietta Square’s The Strand restaurant scene for local Cobb County character, and Atlanta proper for the full range of the city: Staplehouse, The Optimist, Ponce City Market’s food hall.
When is Kennesaw State University Family Weekend 2026 and how do parents plan for it?
Kennesaw State Family Weekend 2026 is September 11 to 13, 2026.
This is early compared to most schools, which cluster family weekend in late September and October. Put it on the calendar now.
Confirm the schedule and registration on the official family weekend page. Hotels near campus sell out early, so book as soon as dates are confirmed.
Kennesaw State University refunds tuition on a declining schedule after the semester starts, so timing a withdrawal matters.
A student must withdraw from all courses for the semester to qualify for any partial refund at all, a partial-load withdrawal doesn’t trigger this schedule. Withdrawing can also require returning a portion of Georgia HOPE Scholarship funds in addition to federal aid, a state-specific wrinkle Georgia parents should ask about.
Refund schedule: for Fall 2026 (confirmed final schedule): 100% refund through August 28, declining through October 15 to a 50% tier, down to a final 40% refund tier through October 26, 0% starting November 6. Spring 2027 dates are not yet published as of this research. Confirmed via the official Kennesaw State University refund policy page. Policies and dates change every term, so verify directly before making a decision.
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Most colleges do not refund 100% of tuition once the semester starts.
GradGuard Tuition Insurance can reimburse tuition, housing, and fees if a covered illness, injury, mental health condition, or other covered reason forces a withdrawal during the term. Plans must be purchased before the semester begins.
Freshmen may bring a car to Kennesaw State with a paid residential permit.
No freshman-specific restriction; residential permits are available to first-years the same as upperclassmen, but selection timing is staggered by credit hours, so watch for the university’s email notifying a specific selection window.
Freshman permit cost: $110/semester or $220/year (Residential Permit), plus a mandatory $58/semester parking infrastructure fee on top. Confirmed via the official Kennesaw State parking page. Policies can change year to year, so verify before move-in.
KSU’s Homecoming and the ASUN Conference athletics schedule provide the primary athletics events for families. The Owls football program at Fifth Third Bank Stadium and the basketball program at the KSU Convocation Center provide the primary home athletics experiences for families. Check kennesaw.edu/athletics for current Family Weekend and home game schedules.
Hotel strategy: The Kennesaw and Marietta area has extensive hotel inventory reflecting Cobb County’s status as a major corporate and convention destination. The Cumberland/Galleria corridor and the I-75/Barrett Parkway interchange have the most concentrated hotel options near the Kennesaw Campus. Book Homecoming and major athletics weekends 2 to 3 weeks ahead, as the Braves schedule can affect hotel availability during fall baseball playoffs.
How can parents support their Kennesaw State University student’s mental health?
KSU’s Counseling and Psychological Services provides individual therapy, group therapy, crisis support, and psychiatric referrals across both the Kennesaw and Marietta campuses.
The rapid growth of KSU’s enrollment has created a student body that is among the most demographically diverse of any Georgia public university, including a significant population of first-generation college students and transfer students making the transition to university-level academic expectations.
The dual-campus structure can create a diffuse sense of community for students whose coursework spans both campuses, and the counseling centers at both locations provide resources for students experiencing the specific social adjustment challenges of a large, still-developing residential university culture.
KSU mental health and health resources:
- Counseling and Psychological Services: contact via kennesaw.edu/counseling
- Student Health Services: contact via kennesaw.edu/health
- Crisis line: 988 (call or text, 24/7)
- Emergency: 911
Who do Kennesaw State University parents contact? Essential numbers and websites for families
Verify all phone numbers and URLs at kennesaw.edu before using, as contact information is subject to change.
- Student Affairs / Parent Resources: contact via kennesaw.edu/student-affairs
- Admission: contact via kennesaw.edu/admissions
- Financial Aid: contact via kennesaw.edu/financial-aid
- Housing: contact via kennesaw.edu/housing
- Counseling and Psychological Services: contact via kennesaw.edu/counseling
- Student Health Services: contact via kennesaw.edu/health
- University Police (non-emergency): contact via kennesaw.edu/police
- Registrar: contact via kennesaw.edu/registrar
- Emergency: 911
Kennesaw State’s Academic Strengths
The College of Computing and Software Engineering, based at the Marietta Campus, provides programs in computer science, software engineering, information technology, and cybersecurity that directly reflect the Atlanta metropolitan area’s emergence as a major technology employment hub.
Atlanta’s concentration of fintech companies, technology startups, cybersecurity firms, and the regional offices of national technology companies all create internship and employment connections for KSU computing graduates, and the cybersecurity program has received federal Center of Academic Excellence designation.
The College of Engineering and Engineering Technology provides programs in civil engineering, electrical and computer engineering, mechanical engineering, systems engineering, and industrial engineering that reflect both the legacy of Southern Polytechnic (one of the most practically oriented engineering schools in Georgia before the merger) and the employment opportunities of the Cobb County and broader Atlanta manufacturing, infrastructure, and technology economy.
The Coles College of Business is AACSB-accredited and provides undergraduate and MBA programs in accounting, finance, marketing, management, and supply chain management that benefit from KSU’s proximity to the Atlanta corporate community. The supply chain management program, reflecting the importance of the Hartsfield-Jackson hub and the logistics economy of the Atlanta corridor, is among the program’s most distinctive offerings.
The College of Architecture and Construction Management provides programs in architecture, construction management, and interior architecture that serve the rapidly growing construction and development economy of the Atlanta metropolitan area, one of the most active construction markets in the American South.
The Wellstar College of Health and Human Services provides nursing, social work, health education, and healthcare management programs that connect to the Wellstar Health System (the naming partner and a significant regional employer) and the broader Atlanta healthcare economy.
Getting Your Student’s Stuff Home Between Semesters
ATL airport (35 minutes from campus) provides comprehensive national and international connectivity for end-of-semester travel, with Hartsfield-Jackson’s extensive carrier network accessible from both campuses. The north Georgia Piedmont climate means December travel is generally weather-manageable, with occasional winter weather events possible. Storage Scholars specializes in student storage with residence hall pickup and delivery.
Full printable KSU dorm packing list
You Are a Kennesaw State Owls Family Now
Kennesaw Mountain 3 miles from the Kennesaw Campus where the summit at 1,808 feet looks southwest toward the Atlanta skyline on clear days and the battlefield where Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign turned toward the city in June 1864 is preserved in the Cobb County landscape.
The Battery Atlanta adjacent to the Kennesaw Campus where the Braves are playing in a stadium that opened in 2017 and the restaurant district around it is doing what mixed-use development adjacent to a major league ballpark does in a growing metro. Atlanta 25 miles south where the computing and engineering and business graduates are going to work in a city that is adding corporate headquarters at the rate that Atlanta has been adding them for the past 30 years.
Kennesaw State was a junior college in 1963, and in 63 years it has become Georgia’s third-largest university, the fastest-growing institution in the University System of Georgia, a doctoral-granting university with 43,000 students across two campuses in the suburban corridor north of a major American city. The Owls are in Kennesaw. Atlanta is close. The growth has not stopped.
Go Owls.
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Last updated: May 2026. Tuition, dates, and policies subject to change. Verify all time-sensitive information at kennesaw.edu and kennesaw.edu/housing.
Kennesaw State academic calendar 2026-2027: dates families need
These are the dates worth putting in your own calendar now, while flights and hotel rooms are still reasonable. Every date below was verified against Kennesaw State official sources in July 2026.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Fall classes begin | Monday, August 24, 2026 |
| Move-in, Kennesaw Campus | August 19 to 21, 2026 |
| Move-in, Marietta Campus | August 20 and 21, 2026 |
| Labor Day | Monday, September 7, 2026 |
| Family Weekend | September 11 to 13, 2026 |
| Spring classes begin | Monday, January 11, 2027 |
| MLK Day | Monday, January 18, 2027 |
| Spring break | March 1 to 7, 2027 |
| Last day of classes | Monday, April 26, 2027 |
| Final exams | April 27 to May 3, 2027 |
| Spring commencement | May 4 to 8, 2027 |
Kennesaw State had not published its 2026-27 residence hall winter break dates as of July 2026, and its live calendar noted the spring 2027 schedule was still in final review.
Confirm the winter closure window and any break housing option with housing before booking travel, and reconfirm the spring dates in case they are revised.
Confirm current closure dates on the official housing calendar.
Universities do adjust these dates. Reconfirm on the official academic calendar before booking anything nonrefundable.
Where to stay near Kennesaw State University
Hotels near campus fill up fast on move-in and Family Weekend. This live map shows places to stay near Kennesaw State University. Drag the map or change the dates to fit your trip.
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What is Kennesaw State University’s graduation rate?
Kennesaw State University graduates 24.2% of students in four years; another 28 points finish within six. About 76.7% of first-year students return for sophomore year. Each bar is compared to the national average, marked by the vertical line.
24.8 pts below national
11.8 pts below national
4.3 pts below national
Here is how to read these numbers: the four-year and six-year rates show how many students finish on time and eventually, and retention shows how many return after the first year. Wherever your student lands, the habits that keep them on track matter most: a full, well-sequenced course load, an advisor meeting every term, and using campus support early. See why most students don’t graduate in four years and how to choose the right classes in the right order.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, most recent available data. National averages: NCES. Figures are for first-time, full-time bachelor’s-seeking students.
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What to Pack for Kennesaw State University
Every dorm is different, but these are the items parents of Kennesaw State University students buy most. Ship directly to campus and skip the trunk-stuffing stress.
Twin XL Bedding Set
Sheets, comforter, and pillowcases — buy before you arrive so the bed is ready day one.
Shower Caddy & Flip Flops
Shared bathrooms require these. Get a hanging caddy and waterproof sandals before move-in.
Surge Protector Power Strip
Most dorms allow 6-outlet surge protectors with USB ports. Check your school’s policy first.
Want the full list? See our complete college packing list →
Shipping to campus? Students get 6 months of Amazon Prime for Young Adults free, then half price on the student’s own account. Here is how it works.
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