2027 How to Become a Speech Language Pathologist in Kansas: Requirements & Certification
Co-Founder and Chief Data Scientist
Reviewed by Rhea Paul, PhD
SLP Education & Research Expert
Becoming a speech-language pathologist in Kansas involves more than earning a master's degree: you must also complete supervised clinical training, pass an exam, and obtain the right authorization to practice. If you are choosing a graduate program, preparing for a clinical fellowship, or moving to Kansas with an existing credential, the details affect both your timeline and your costs. This guide separates Kansas licensure from optional national certification, explains what to confirm with schools and the state, and helps you plan each step without assuming that graduation alone permits independent practice.
Key Things You Should Know
- Kansas SLP applicants should plan for a qualifying graduate degree, supervised clinical training, a passing Praxis score, and approval from the Kansas licensing authority before independent practice.
- The commonly used clinical benchmarks are 400 graduate practicum hours, including 25 observation hours, and an ASHA clinical fellowship lasting at least 36 weeks and 1,260 hours; confirm how your experience satisfies Kansas rules separately.
- ASHA's Certificate of Clinical Competence is distinct from a Kansas license, and school-based positions may have additional Kansas education-agency requirements.
- What education is required to become a speech-language pathologist in Kansas? Kansas Education Requirements
- How do you complete the clinical fellowship and supervised experience required in Kansas? Clinical Fellowship Path
- What exams and applications are required for Kansas speech-language pathology licensure? Exams and Applications
- How do you apply for a Kansas speech-language pathologist license through the state board? Kansas License Application
- How can out-of-state and international SLPs obtain Kansas licensure? Reciprocity and International Applicants
What education is required to become a speech-language pathologist in Kansas?
The usual path is a bachelor's degree followed by a master's degree in speech-language pathology or communication sciences and disorders. Your undergraduate major does not necessarily have to be speech-language pathology, but a graduate program may require prerequisite coursework in areas such as phonetics, language development, anatomy, and hearing science. General science and statistics coursework may also be necessary.
For the clearest route to licensure and ASHA certification, check a master's program's current accreditation status with the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA). Accreditation is a program-level designation: a university's general accreditation, or a program's statement that it is seeking CAA accreditation, is not the same thing. Ask the program to explain its Kansas licensure disclosure before enrolling, particularly if you will study online or outside Kansas.
If your bachelor's degree is in another field, online foundation courses for speech pathology may help you meet admission prerequisites. Confirm that each prospective master's program will accept the specific courses before paying for them; prerequisite completion does not guarantee admission.
How do you complete the clinical fellowship and supervised experience required in Kansas?
A clinical fellowship is supervised professional experience completed after the qualifying graduate degree, not a replacement for graduate clinical practicum. Kansas applicants should confirm the state's supervised-experience standard and any required authorization for a fellow before beginning work. An employer's willingness to hire you does not itself establish permission to practice.
ASHA's clinical fellowship standard is at least 36 weeks and 1,260 hours of professional experience. Kansas's licensing rules and documentation process are separate, so ask the Kansas licensing authority whether your proposed schedule, setting, and supervisor will satisfy its requirements. This is especially important for part-time work or a fellowship split among employers.
Before accepting a position, work through these checks with the employer and supervisor:
- Confirm the authorization Kansas requires you to hold while completing supervised experience.
- Verify that your supervisor meets the applicable Kansas requirements and, if you want ASHA certification, ASHA's fellowship-supervisor requirements.
- Agree on how work hours, supervision, evaluations, and any changes in setting will be recorded.
- Retain signed records for both the Kansas application and a separate ASHA application, if applicable.
Students considering five-year combined speech pathology degrees should distinguish an accelerated bachelor's-to-master's curriculum from the postgraduate fellowship. A shorter academic route does not eliminate supervised professional experience.
What exams and applications are required for Kansas speech-language pathology licensure?
Applicants should expect to submit a qualifying graduate transcript, evidence of required clinical preparation and supervised professional experience, and a passing score on the Praxis Speech-Language Pathology examination. The Praxis score commonly associated with ASHA certification is 162; verify Kansas's currently accepted exam and passing-score rules with the licensing authority before scheduling or sending scores.
The exam, state license application, and ASHA certification application are distinct steps. Passing Praxis does not issue a license, and applying for ASHA's Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) does not submit a Kansas application for you. Request official records using each organization's current instructions rather than assuming that a school or testing service will forward everything automatically.
Graduate admission requirements are another separate matter. If you are still choosing where to apply, compare each school's published prerequisites and minimum gpa for slp graduate programs; a program's admission threshold is not a Kansas licensure standard.
How do you apply for a Kansas speech-language pathologist license through the state board?
Kansas speech-language pathology licensure is administered through the state's speech-language pathology and audiology licensing system within the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services. Use its current application instructions and forms: fees, submission methods, and documentation requirements can change.
A practical application sequence is:
- Identify whether you need authorization for supervised postgraduate work or are ready to apply for a full SLP license.
- Gather your official graduate transcript, required clinical and supervision records, Praxis results, and any verification of licenses held elsewhere.
- Submit the appropriate Kansas application and fee, following the state's instructions for documents that must arrive directly from a school, testing provider, or another board.
- Respond to any request for missing information and confirm that the state has issued the relevant authorization before beginning work that requires it.
If you intend to work in a Kansas public school, ask the employer and the Kansas State Department of Education which school credential or employment requirements apply to the position. Do not assume that a state SLP license and a school credential are interchangeable.
What are the Kansas licensure requirements for ASHA certification as an SLP?
There is an important distinction in the question: Kansas grants licenses; ASHA grants the CCC-SLP. ASHA certification is a national professional credential with its own graduate-education, clinical-practicum, fellowship, exam, application, and maintenance standards. Holding it does not automatically grant permission to practice in Kansas. Conversely, applicants should not assume that every Kansas licensing route requires them to purchase or maintain ASHA certification; confirm the current state rules for the route they are using.
Choosing a CAA-accredited graduate program can make it more straightforward to plan for both credentials, but verify the program's status and the requirements in effect when you apply. If an online option appeals to you, compare shortest caa-accredited online slp master's programs on more than advertised duration. Required clinical placements, campus visits, and state eligibility can determine whether a program is practical for a Kansas resident.
Which Kansas graduate programs prepare students for speech-language pathology licensure?
Kansas universities with graduate study in speech-language pathology or communication sciences and disorders include the University of Kansas, Wichita State University, Fort Hays State University, Kansas State University, Emporia State University, and Pittsburg State University. Treat these as schools to investigate, not as a guarantee that every program's current accreditation status, admissions policies, or curriculum meets your circumstances. Confirm the exact degree and current CAA listing for each program you consider.
The comparison that matters most is whether you can complete a qualifying degree and its clinical placements at a manageable total cost. For each school, ask about prerequisite courses, required credits, resident and nonresident tuition, mandatory fees, placement support, any required travel, and typical full-time or part-time scheduling. If you have a non-CSD bachelor's degree, request a written evaluation of missing prerequisites rather than relying on a general admissions page.
Admissions can be competitive even when you meet a published minimum. Reviewing the minimum gpa for slp graduate programs can help you identify where to inquire, but clinical preparation, recommendations, and each program's current admissions criteria also matter. A low stated minimum is not a reliable measure of your likelihood of admission.
What supervised clinical hours must Kansas SLP applicants document?
Two kinds of experience are easy to confuse: supervised clinical work during graduate school and supervised professional work after graduation. ASHA's commonly used certification standard calls for at least 400 clock hours of supervised clinical experience during preparation, including 25 hours of guided observation and 375 hours of direct client or patient contact. Check the current Kansas rules and your program's requirements rather than assuming that meeting one organization's standard automatically satisfies another's.
This comparison shows which records belong to each phase. The figures describe ASHA standards; Kansas decides what documentation it will accept for licensure.
| Experience | When it occurs | ASHA benchmark | Record to retain |
| Guided observation | During clinical preparation | 25 hours within the 400-hour total | Program-verified observation log |
| Supervised direct clinical contact | During graduate clinical training | 375 hours within the 400-hour total | Program-verified practicum record |
| Clinical fellowship | After the qualifying graduate degree | At least 36 weeks and 1,260 hours | Employment, supervision, and fellowship records |
A common mistake is to add observation hours to the 400-hour total a second time, or to count graduate practicum toward a postgraduate fellowship. Request a complete clinical-hours report from your program before graduation, and resolve discrepancies while supervisors can still verify the records.
How much does it cost and how long does it take to become an SLP in Kansas?
A typical route includes about four years for a bachelor's degree, roughly two years of full-time graduate study, and a postgraduate fellowship of at least 36 weeks under ASHA's standard. Prerequisite or leveling courses, part-time enrollment, placement availability, and application processing can extend the timeline. An accelerated combined degree may shorten academic study but not eliminate licensure steps.
There is no single defensible Kansas-wide price: undergraduate tuition, graduate residency rates, required credits, fees, and living costs vary by school and student. When comparing offers, calculate the full cost through the master's degree - not just a quoted per-credit rate - and account for prerequisite coursework, placement-related travel, Praxis, and credential applications. Options for funding an online speech-language pathology degree are worth comparing with campus-based aid; online study does not necessarily remove clinical travel costs.
For earnings context, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a May 2025 national median annual wage of $97,870 for speech-language pathologists. That is a national occupational measure, not a Kansas starting salary or a guaranteed return on a particular degree.
BLS projects 17% employment growth from 2025 to 2035 nationally. Demand supports investigating the career, but your likely opportunities and pay will still depend on location, setting, experience, and the positions available when you qualify.
What renewal and continuing education requirements apply to Kansas speech-language pathologists?
Kansas licensees must renew their state license and satisfy the state's continuing-education requirements. Kansas generally uses a two-year renewal cycle with 20 hours of continuing education; check your license's expiration date and the licensing authority's current rules for eligible activities, reporting, and any changes before planning your courses. An ASHA-certified SLP must also meet ASHA's separate certification-maintenance requirements.
Keep completion certificates and a record of course dates, topics, and hours instead of waiting until renewal to reconstruct them. Choose education relevant to your actual practice; an SLP moving into supervision or management may also want to explore leadership careers in speech-language pathology, but career-focused coursework counts toward renewal only if it meets the applicable rules. Allow time to resolve any uncertainty with the licensing authority before your license expires.
How can out-of-state and international SLPs obtain Kansas licensure?
An active license in another state does not automatically authorize practice in Kansas. An out-of-state applicant should use Kansas's current application route, arrange for verification of other licenses, and determine how Kansas will evaluate their education, exam results, and supervised experience. Ask about any applicable recognition or reciprocity provisions rather than assuming that the word "reciprocity" means automatic approval. Keep your existing license active until you understand the requirements for both states if you will practice across state lines.
An internationally educated applicant should ask the Kansas licensing authority what credential evaluation, transcript, clinical-training, exam, and English-language documentation it requires. ASHA certification and Kansas licensure have separate review processes, and an overseas professional credential alone should not be treated as permission to practice in Kansas. Because individual education histories differ, obtain a written explanation of any deficiencies before paying for additional coursework or arranging clinical experience.
References:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Speech-Language Pathologists https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/speech-language-pathologists.htm
- ASHA EdFind - Accredited Speech-Language Pathology Programs https://find.asha.org/ed/
- O*NET OnLine - Speech-Language Pathologists https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-1127.00
- University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire - Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (Online) https://www.uwec.edu/speech-language-and-hearing-sciences-department/graduate-program/speech-language-pathology-online
- Idaho State University - Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (Online/Distance Education) https://www.isu.edu/slp/programs-offered/slp-graduate-program/
- California State University-Northridge - Master of Science in Communicative Disorders (Online) https://tsengcollege.csun.edu/programs/CDS
- Abilene Christian University - Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (Online) https://acu.edu/academics/graduate/master-of-science-in-speech-language-pathology/
- New England Institute of Technology - Master of Science in Speech Language Pathology https://www.neit.edu/academics/graduate-degrees/speech-language-pathology-ms
Other Things You Should Know About Speech Pathology
Possibly, under the authorization and supervision Kansas requires for postgraduate experience. Confirm your status with the state and your employer before providing services; a graduate degree alone does not establish independent-practice authority.
Yes, if the program accepts Kansas residents and its academic and clinical requirements fit your licensure plans. Verify current CAA status, Kansas licensure disclosures, placement responsibilities, and any required in-person travel before enrolling.
No. ASHA awards the CCC-SLP, while Kansas issues permission to practice under state law. If you want both credentials, plan for two applications and confirm that your education and supervised experience meet each organization's rules.
You may still be eligible for a graduate program after completing its required foundation courses. Ask each program to evaluate your transcript and specify which courses you need; requirements and acceptance of outside coursework vary.
