Combs and Ashland Scholars

Bert Combs Scholars. The Bert Combs Scholarships were endowed to memorialize the achievements of Kentucky's 50th governor, Bert Thomas Combs. From his graduation from the UK College of Law in 1937, through his years of public service to the state of Kentucky and lifelong quest for the improvement of education, Bert Combs was an integral part of legal education and the University of Kentucky. These scholarships are among the most generous law scholarships in the nation. The Bert Combs Scholars, one of whom is selected each year, receive full tuition for three years, together with a substantial living stipend, for a total award in excess of $30,000 over the three years of law school.

The Bert Combs Scholars program is open to both Kentucky residents and nonresidents.  To be considered for the Combs Scholars, you must take the LSAT by no later than December and submit your law school application by no later than February 15.  To be a competitive candidate you must demonstrate high academic achievement as an undergraduate and in your performance on the LSAT.  The Scholarships Committee also will consider any leadership roles held in college or after completion of your undergraduate degree, as well as any additional information you provide in the Scholarships section of the application for admission. 

A limited number of exceptional candidates will be invited to come to the College of Law to interview for the Bert Combs Scholarship.  All invitations to interview will be extended by February 15 and all interviews will be held by the end of the first week of March.  Candidates will be expected to pay their own expenses in coming to Lexington.  If you are selected to interview for the Bert Combs Scholars as well as the Ashland, Inc. Legal Scholars, you will be granted one interview for both programs.

If you are invited to interview for the Combs Scholars, you will be required to provide at least two letters of recommendation.  Whenever possible, at least one letter should be written by an undergraduate or graduate professor who taught you in class.  If you provided letters of recommendation as part of your application for admission, you may use those letters for this purpose. 

Ashland, Inc. Legal Scholars. The Ashland, Inc. Legal Scholars program was designed to attract the best law school applicants in Kentucky to the UK College of Law. The Scholarship is endowed by gifts from UK Law alumni in partnership with matching funds from Ashland, Inc., one of Kentucky's best corporate citizens. The scholarship is in the amount of $15,000 per year for all three years of law school. Only one candidate each year is selected for this prestigious scholarship.

To be eligible for the Ashland, Inc. Legal Scholarship, you must be a Kentucky resident for tuition purposes.  You also must show that you will need to borrow funds to attend law school (please see the “Ashland Scholars” section of the application for admission).  In addition, you must take the LSAT by no later than December and submit your law school application by no later than February 15.  To be a competitive candidate you must demonstrate high academic achievement as an undergraduate and in your performance on the LSAT.   The Scholarships Committee also will consider any additional information you provide in the Scholarships section of the application for admission. 

A limited number of exceptional candidates will be invited to come to the College of Law to interview for the Ashland, Inc. Legal Scholarship.  All invitations to interview will be extended by February 15 and all interviews will be held by the end of the first week of March.  Candidates will be expected to pay their own expenses in coming to Lexington.  If you are selected to interview for the Ashland, Inc. Legal Scholars as well as the Bert Combs Scholars, you will be granted one interview for both programs.

If you are invited to interview for the Ashland Scholars, you will be required to provide at least two letters of recommendation.  Whenever possible, at least one letter should be written by an undergraduate or graduate professor who taught you in class.  If you provided letters of recommendation as part of your application for admission, you may use those letters for this purpose. 

Applying for the Combs and Ashland Scholarship

To be a competitive candidate for the Combs and Ashland Scholarship programs, it is recommended that you have academic credentials in one of the following ranges:

1)  An LSAT of 163 or above and an undergraduate GPA of 3.7 or better

2)  An LSAT of 165 or above and an undergraduate GPA of 3.5 or better

3)  An LSAT of 167 or above and an undergraduate GPA of 3.3 or better