February 15 -- Freshman application deadline for fall term. Freshman applicants who apply by this date are given full consideration for admission and Advising Conferences. Applications received after this date will be considered on a space-available basis.
June 1 -- Summer Advising Conference deadline. All prospective students
planning to attend a Summer Advising Conference (including registration for
fall classes) should have transcripts and other required documents submitted
to the Office of Undergraduate Admission.
August 1 -- Credentials deadline for undergraduates entering in the fall
term. For freshmen, this usually means a final high school transcript. For transfer
students, final college transcripts are due. Failure to meet this deadline may
result in a registration hold on the student's record.
All applicants should be aware that some programs have application procedures
and deadlines which differ from those for general University admission.
Applicants should refer to Special Application Dates
and Procedures for information on deadlines and procedures for selective
admissions colleges and programs.
*International students -- see section on International Students
below.
The Office of Undergraduate Admission supports the mission of the University of Kentucky. Consistent with its tripartite mission of research, service and teaching, the university seeks to enroll and retain an academically talented student body that enriches the learning community and is representative of the diverse society it serves. The following admission policies reflect this philosophy.
The Director of Undergraduate Admission authorizes the admission of all undergraduate students to the University. Students should direct all admissions inquiries to:
Office of Undergraduate Admission
100 W. D. Funkhouser Building
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506-0054
(859) 257-2000
http://www.uky.edu/UGAdmission/
Undergraduates at UK enroll in one of twelve colleges. Each college is supervised by an academic dean and is usually made up of several academic departments that offer different major fields of study.
The general University admission requirements and procedures for freshmen and transfer students are outlined below. All applicants should be aware that certain colleges and some programs within colleges have additional admission standards and criteria beyond those for general University admission. Refer to Special Application Dates and Procedures for information on deadlines and procedures for particular colleges and programs. Detailed information on admission criteria is provided in the college sections of this Bulletin.
The University of Kentucky provides educational opportunities to all qualified students regardless of economic or social status. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, marital status, beliefs, age, national origin, sexual orientation, or physical or mental disability.
The University of Kentucky subscribes to a selective admission policy. Admission for freshman applicants is based on: a) high school grades; b) national college admission test results; and c) successful completion of the required pre-college curriculum. Applicants may submit scores from either the ACT Assessment or the SAT I: Reasoning Test.
MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT -- All students who have completed the pre-college curriculum (see below) as prescribed by the Council on Postsecondary Education and have a 2.0 high school grade-point average are encouraged to apply to the freshman class at UK. Enrollment in the freshman class is limited. Within the limits of space availability, the Office of Undergraduate Admission will endeavor to accommodate all eligible applicants. However, the number of freshman applications far exceeds the number of spaces available in the entering class. For this reason, the selective and competitive admission requirements often exceed the minimum eligibility requirement.
SELECTIVE ADMISSION -- Selective admission criteria are established by faculty committee. Freshman applicants who have completed the pre-college curriculum and present grade-point averages and official test scores from either the ACT or SAT meeting the selective criteria are offered admission.
DEFERRED DECISIONS -- Freshman applicants who have completed the pre-college curriculum, but do not have the requisite grade-point average, test scores or both for selective admission, may have their admission decisions deferred. A portion of the freshman class may be admitted from this group of applicants. If, after the application deadline, spaces in the class remain to be filled, admission will be offered to deferred-decision applicants on a competitive basis. Admission will be offered first to those applicants with the strongest records and offers will continue until the class is filled.
Strength of record is a relative term and refers to an applicant's record in comparison with those of all other freshman applicants. Strength of record may be determined by a number of different factors beyond selective admission criteria. While grades and test scores are important in this assessment, course selection, senior year schedule, honors and Advanced Placement courses, extracurricular and leadership activities and a student's potential to benefit from or contribute to the learning community may also be considered. The overriding concern will always be for the student's potential to be successful in meeting the academic expectations at the University.
Incoming freshmen should have the high school preparation necessary for academic success at the college level. To be eligible for consideration at UK under the policy outlined above, an applicant must have successfully completed the following high school courses as a minimum:
English/Language Arts -- 4 credits
English I, II, III, IV
Mathematics -- 3 credits
Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry (or more rigorous courses in mathematics)
Science -- 3 credits
Biology I, Chemistry I, Physics I or life science, physical science, and earth/space science (at least one lab course)
Social Studies -- 3 credits
From U.S. History, Economics, Government, World Geography and World Civilization (or comparable courses)
Health -- 1/2 credit
Physical Education -- 1/2 credit
History and Appreciation of Visual, Performing Arts -- 1 credit
History and appreciation of visual and performing arts or another arts course that incorporates such content
Electives -- 7 credits
Recommended strongly: one or more courses that develop computer literacy
Additionally, high school students are encouraged to complete at least two years of a foreign language and at least one year of mathematics beyond Algebra II.
A total of 22 credits or more must be completed in high school. Applicants should contact the Office of Undergraduate Admission for information concerning exceptions to this policy.
Some colleges and programs within colleges at UK have admission standards and criteria that are higher than those for general admission to the University. Also, some programs have deadlines and application procedures that differ from those for general University admission. Refer to Special Application Dates and Procedures for information on procedures and deadlines for special admission programs. Detailed information on admission criteria is provided in the college sections of this Bulletin.
All undergraduate degrees are conferred by the college offering the program of study (major). Upon admission to the University of Kentucky, all students will be enrolled either in a specific college or as undeclared students in Undergraduate Studies. With the help of academic advisors, students in Undergraduate Studies will work to select a major and gain access to one of the University's colleges. All undergraduates will have access to majors in the College of Arts and Sciences provided they are in good academic standing (i.e. not on probation). Students choosing to enroll in colleges other than Arts and Sciences may do so upon meeting the admission requirements specific to that college.
Prospective freshmen are strongly encouraged to submit applications to the Office of Undergraduate Admission early in their senior year. While the deadline for application is February 15, early application can have a positive impact on housing, financial aid, institutionally administered merit-based scholarships, privately funded scholarships and other ancillary areas. All freshman applicants should submit the following:
High school students are strongly encouraged to take the ACT late in their junior year and again early in their senior year. When registering for the test, please request scores to be sent to UK. It is a mistake to withhold test scores as this can cause added expense and possible delay in the processing of the application. UK is a "best test" institution and will calculate the best score from multiple test administrations. Please request scores from all test administrations so that the Office of Undergraduate Admission can work with the complete test history. High school guidance counselors can provide students with registration forms, information about registration deadlines, test dates and locations.
Through UK's Exceptional Ability program, highly motivated students can enroll in classes at UK before they graduate from high school. Exceptional high school students may be offered admission to UK after a thorough evaluation of their academic record. Students seeking such consideration must submit an application form, a non-refundable fee, official scores from the ACT Assessment or SAT I: Reasoning Test, an official high school transcript and a letter from their high school principal or guidance counselor stating the benefit to the student of entering college prior to high school completion.
The University considers admission from freshman applicants who are not high school graduates but who present a valid High School Equivalency Certificate and General Education Development test scores. Applicants must also take the ACT Assessment (or SAT I: Reasoning Test) and have the results sent directly to the Office of Undergraduate Admission from the testing agency.
Students at other colleges or universities, including UK community colleges, are eligible to transfer to UK if they:
or
Please note that grade-point averages are computed by the Office of Undergraduate Admission and reflect the grade and credit for each course attempted, regardless of the practice of the offering institution of waiving the low grade for a repeated course.
Refer to the University Calendar for general University admission deadlines.
Some colleges and programs within colleges at UK have additional admission standards and criteria beyond those for general admission to the University. Also, some programs have deadlines and application procedures that differ from those for general University admission. Refer to Special Application Dates and Procedures for information on procedures and deadlines for special admission programs. Detailed information on admission criteria is provided in the college sections of this Bulletin.
Transfer applicants from other colleges and universities, including UK community colleges, should request an application packet from the Office of Undergraduate Admission. Applicants must submit the following to the Office of Undergraduate Admission:
Refer to Special Application Dates and Procedures for admissions process information. Candidates tentatively admitted at the time of application should be aware that the University will cancel the admission and/or the early registration of an applicant whose final official record, after completion of a current semester, shows ineligibility because of suspension, dismissal, or a drop in grade-point average below the required 2.0.
Admitted students should bring a copy of the catalog of the last school attended when they attend their Advising Conference.
The General Education Transfer Policy facilitates the transfer of credits earned in general education and twelve hours of course work in a major for students moving from one Kentucky public college or university to another Kentucky public college or university. The general education core transfer component reflects the distribution of discipline areas universally included in university-wide lower division general education requirements for the baccalaureate degree. Under this agreement, a student may satisfy the general education discipline requirements at their current college and have that requirement completion accepted at the university or college to which they may transfer. In addition, the Baccalaureate Program Transfer Frameworks identify 12 hours of course work in a major which may be successfully transferred. Each framework represents a specific guide to the exact courses a student needs; therefore, students who plan to transfer from one public institution to another to complete their Baccalaureate degree should work closely with their advisor to take full advantage of the Policy. For more specific information about the Policy, contact the Central Advising and Transfer Center, 109 Miller Hall, (859) 257-3383.
Grades, credits, quality points, and academic status from courses taken at a Kentucky community college are transferred when the community college student enrolls at UK. The dean of the college in which the student enrolls determines how transfer course work is applied toward a UK degree.
The University accepts collegiate-level degree credits earned at a fully accredited college or university. "Fully accredited" means that the institution is a member in good standing of one of the six regional academic accrediting associations. Transfer work from institutions outside the United States is evaluated on an individual basis from the official transcripts.
The Office of Undergraduate Admission generally determines the transferability of completed course work. Then, the dean of the college in which the student enrolls will determine howthe transferred course work applies toward degree requirements. When the student attends the Advising Conference, an advisor will explain how the transfer work has been applied. However, students may want to consult individual departments in advance, so they may become familiar with degree requirements in their prospective program.
The transferability of course credit earned at two-year institutions is limited to a total of 67 semester hours.
Transfer applicants should note that regardless of the number of transfer hours the University may accept, all candidates for a bachelor's degree must complete 30 of the last 36 hours of their program at UK.
Former University students who have not been enrolled for one semester or more, and who are in good standing are required to apply for readmission.
Applications for readmission should be submitted to the Office of Undergraduate Admission, along with:
In order to be eligible for readmission, former UK students must have been in good standing at the time they left the University. Those who have been enrolled elsewhere must be eligible as transfer students on the basis of grade-point average and be in good standing at the institution most recently attended. Students under suspension from UK are not eligible for readmission, regardless of their status at another institution, until they have been reinstated to the University. If the suspension is for academic reasons, reinstatement should be requested from the dean of the college in which they intend to enroll; if the suspension is nonacademic, reinstatement should be requested from the appropriate University official. Reinstated students also must file an application for readmission in the Office of Undergraduate Admission by the stated deadline.
Readmission candidates should submit an application as early as possible. This allows the Office of Undergraduate Admission adequate time to prepare the necessary forms for registration. Refer to the University Calendar for general admission deadlines. Information on selective college and program deadlines and procedures appears at the end of this section.
The goal of the University of Kentucky policy for nondegree students is to provide appropriate access to academic courses for students desiring to continue their education without seeking a degree. Although degree-seeking students should have top priority with respect to University resources, the University does wish to provide access to these resources on a space-available basis to nondegree seeking students. This policy will provide reasonable access to a broader range of students without unnecessarily limiting University resources for degree-seeking students.
Nondegree status affords an opportunity for individuals to pursue lifelong learning without the structure of degree-seeking status and is consistent with the educational mission of the University.
Most nondegree students are considered "Lifelong Learners" and include the following groups: Donovan Scholars, students who have already earned degrees and non-traditional students who wish to begin their studies as nondegree students in order to be considered for degree-seeking status later. Other students eligible to enter the University in a nondegree status include visiting students from other colleges and universities, high school students of exceptional ability, and other students in special circumstances as determined by the Director of Admissions. (See information about visiting students and high school students with exceptional ability earlier in this section.)
To be admitted as a non-degree student, an applicant must meet the following criteria:
Nondegree students may apply for degree-seeking status after meeting regular University and program admission criteria. Applicants who earned fewer than 24 semester credit hours at UK must meet the University's standards for selective admission as first-time freshmen. Applicants who have earned 24 or more semester hours will be considered transfer students for admission purposes and transfer of credit policies will apply.
The dean of the college the degree-seeking student enrolls in determines how credit earned as a nondegree student is applied toward a degree.
Nondegree students applying for degree-seeking status must submit to the Office of Undergraduate Admission:
Refer to the University Calendar for general admission deadlines.
An auditor is a student who enrolls in a course but receives no grade or credit. Students in this category should indicate auditing status on their application for admission.
Auditors are charged the same tuition as students receiving credit. Auditors cannot change to credit status after the beginning of class work, and cannot be considered for admission to earn credit unless they are admitted to a degree program in the University as a regular student. To do this, the auditor must file the required documents by the deadline for a subsequent semester. A student under academic or disciplinary suspension may not enroll as an auditor.
Students who wish to apply as auditors must submit to the Office of Undergraduate Admission:
Refer to the University Calendar for general admission deadlines.
A transient student is a visiting nondegree student from another institution who intends to earn credit at UK that will be applied to degree requirements at his or her sponsoring institution. Transient students must meet the same admissions requirements as transfer students.
Transient applicants must submit to the Office of Undergraduate Admission:
Refer to the University Calendar for general admission deadlines.
UK students may earn a limited amount of credit toward a baccalaureate degree at another college or university, provided they have prior approval from their dean and advisor, and provided the other school is fully accredited and the course work meets the University specifications for credit acceptance. The student should consult with an advisor or dean before enrolling at another institution. Students enrolled at other institutions at the same time they are enrolled at UK must have the specific approval of the appropriate dean. Students are responsible for determining whether transfer course work is acceptable and how it applies to the degree program. The University Senate has established certain conditions for accepting credit earned at other schools; therefore, improper enrollment at other institutions will result in the loss of the credit earned there.
A University student who enrolls elsewhere for only a summer session between a spring enrollment at UK and the following fall semester does not need to reapply for admission for the fall semester. The student must arrange for transcripts of transfer work to be sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admission immediately following the summer session.
UK is authorized under federal law to enroll qualified nonimmigrant international students.
International applicants should apply for admission by June 15 for fall semester admission (freshman applicants must apply by February 15) and by October 15 for spring semester admission. International applicants must submit to the Office of Undergraduate Admission:
Admission is quite competitive and preference is given to applicants who are best qualified academically. All documents relating to academic records, financial ability, and competency in the English language must be received before permission to enroll and the proper immigration form can be issued. All documents must be official or certified as such. Applicants from non-English speaking countries must provide an official literal English translation of their official school records. Students who wish to transfer credit to UK should submit course descriptions, course syllabi, old tests, papers, and any other materials that can help determine course equivalencies.
All international students must have at least $16,200 for each academic year. This amount covers present tuition, fees, health insurance, books and living expenses from the fall semester through the spring semester. All international students are required to have university-approved health insurance.
Students whose native language is other than English must score at least 527 (paper and pen) or 197 (computer-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) to be eligible for general admission to UK. [Some colleges and departments require a score of 550 (paper and pen) or 213 (computer-based).] "Native language" is defined as an individual's first acquired language and the language of educational instruction. The TOEFL requirement may be waived for students who have completed an academic year and who present an official transcript of satisfactory work taken at an accredited American college, or a college in another country where English is the native language.
The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is offered by the Educational Testing Service and may be taken at various test centers throughout the world. Applicants must take the test early enough to ensure that the results are reported to the University by the required deadlines.
For students with marginal scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the English Department at UK offers an intensive program in English as a second language, designed to improve both oral and written skills. Completion of this program does not guarantee admission. For complete details about the program, write to: Center for English as a Second Language, English Department, 1215 Patterson Office Tower, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0027, (859) 257-7003.
All applicants to the University of Kentucky have the right to question or appeal admission decisions. Applicants desiring to appeal a decision should contact the Office of Undergraduate Admission to obtain information on the appeal process as well as deadlines.
New freshmen and transfer students are oriented to the University in two steps. The first step is the Advising Conference, part of orientation at UK for more than three decades. The informative conferences offer students and parents the opportunity to learn more about the University, student life, and residence hall living. Participants attend sessions on the University Health Service, student activities and organizations, student computing services, and many other student services. Students also meet with an academic advisor, plan their schedules, and register for classes.
First-year students admitted for fall attend a two-day conference. These popular conferences allow students more time to meet UK faculty, staff, and students. Participants get the chance to meet with their academic advisors, take placement exams, and register for classes.
Students receive complete information about the Advising Conference after they are admitted.
The University invites academically talented students and their parents to attend special two-day advising conferences called Merit Weekends. In order to attend a Merit Weekend, students must have been admitted with at least a 28 composite score on the ACT Assessment (or 1240 on the SAT). The Merit Weekend program replaces the Summer Advising Conference and assures participants a higher priority in class selection. Merit Weekends are usually held in early spring.
New students ease their transition to campus life through participation in Kentucky Welcome. Kentucky Welcome, the welcome week program which begins the weekend before classes start, offers a variety of social activities, academic programs, and information sessions. Some activities, such as the Opening Convocation, residence hall floor meetings, library tours, and college meetings familiarize students with community expectations and opportunities. Other activities such as the Student Center Spectacular, open houses, and other parties challenge students to expand their circle of friends and form important connections with other new students, student leaders, academic advisors, faculty, and staff.
Students receive detailed information about Kentucky Welcome during the summer. All new students are expected to attend. Kentucky Welcome includes special programs for non-traditional students (25 years of age or older) and transfer students.
UK 101 is a one-credit-hour, pass/fail, half-semester orientation course offered to freshmen. Former students overwhelmingly recommend this class to first-year students. The UK 101 course offers the opportunity for students to:
Selected UK 101 sections meet for the full semester and are targeted to specific student populations, such as undeclared majors. Students will learn more about the UK 101 course during their Advising Conference. For additional information, contact:
Dean of Students Office
518 Patterson Office Tower
University of Kentucky
Lexington, KY 40506-0027
(859) 257-6597
The University seeks to admit only students whose ability and preparation indicate that they have a good chance of succeeding at a major state university. While many students attend school full time, others work and take classes on a part-time basis. Of those admitted to a freshman class, approximately 50 percent graduate within six years.
Whether and when a student graduates depends on many factors, such as commitment and motivation, that are impossible to measure ahead of time. University research has shown that students are most likely to graduate if:
