University of Kentucky

About UK

The University of Kentucky has a broad range of resources centered on a single campus in the heart of the Bluegrass. Our wide array of programs allows us to excel in multidisciplinary studies and fosters an environment of cooperative engagement across all colleges, programs, and research endeavors. Because of the lives we touch and teach, we remain anchored in our mission to Kentucky– to educate, innovate, heal, and serve. To be sure, our complex, multi-faceted mission looks different today in many ways than it did in 1865. However, our sense of responsibility to our communities on campus and across the region is resolute. The mission has evolved and grown. The vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world beyond remains the same. They remain our compass – the soul of the University of Kentucky.

Academics

UK has a strong faculty core that supports more than 200 academic programs spread across 16 degree-granting colleges, the Lewis Honors College, Graduate School, and the UK Library system. In the last several years, UK has received nearly 100 national rankings for excellence in academics, research, health care, and economic development. U.S. News and World Report ranks several of UK’s graduate programs among the nation’s best: the Martin School of Public Policy and Administration is ranked fourth in the category of public finance and budgeting, and the College of Pharmacy is ranked sixth. The University of Kentucky earned 28 Top 10 rankings and 50 Top 25 rankings over the last several years.

Admissions

With more than 200 academic programs spread across 16 colleges and professional schools, more than 450 student organizations and clubs excited for new members or the 22 varsity sports programs to follow throughout the year, there is something for everyone at the University of Kentucky. Visit our admissions website for answers, insights, and stories that hopefully make your college decision a little easier. Our mission is to support the success of colleges and students in their commitment to academic excellence through outstanding service. Our recruitment team is dedicated to assisting you during the college selection process.

Athletics

The University of Kentucky Athletics Department is a 22-sport program dedicated to competing at the highest level nationally and in the Southeastern Conference, while enriching the lives of its nearly 500 student-athletes – both during and after their time at UK – and honoring the deep connections it shares with its fans, the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the university it represents. With a rich tradition that dates back to 1881, UK Athletics seeks to live out its core values of character, integrity, knowledge, stewardship and competiveness every day. Those core values serve as the foundation for the pursuit of the current goals set forth in Elite 1-3-5: for every UK team to win a conference or national championship by 2022, to continue an ongoing streak of 12 straight semesters with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 and to finish in the top five of the national all-sports standings by 2022.

Current Students

Over the last two years, the University has creatively merged our academic and student affairs units to develop the Office of Student and Academic Life. The new office, under the leadership of the Associate Provost for Student and Academic Life, collaboratively blends the academic, co-curricular, and extra-curricular experiences for University of Kentucky students. These efforts are guided by the University’s strategic priorities to ensure access to an affordable higher education and to further enhance and support student success. The student body is diverse, representing more than 100 countries, every state in the nation, and all 120 Kentucky counties. The University continues to attract the best and brightest from Kentucky and beyond.

Research

Research at the University of Kentucky is a dynamic enterprise encompassing traditional scholarship, the humanities, health care, and emerging fields and technologies. With more than 70 centers and institutes, UK clinicians, scientists and scholars are finding solutions to Kentucky's toughest problems, discovering new knowledge, and providing a rich training ground for students. Research and development at UK has a direct, and significant, economic impact on Kentucky. The $393 million UK spent on R&D in FY 2018 generated more than $725 million in economic activity across the Commonwealth. In Fayette County, 1,866 jobs were created and across the state in the scientific sector more than 4,400 jobs were created.

UK HealthCare

Established in 1957, the medical center at UK is one of the nation’s finest academic medical centers and includes the University’s clinical enterprise, UK HealthCare. The 724 bed UK Albert B. Chandler Hospital and Kentucky Children’s Hospital, along with 221 beds at UK Good Samaritan Hospital, are supported by a growing faculty and staff providing the most advanced subspecialty care for the most critically injured and ill patients throughout the Commonwealth and beyond. The number of patients served by the medical enterprise has increased from roughly 19,000 discharges in 2003 to more than 38,000 discharges in 2017. UK Chandler Hospital includes the only Level 1 Trauma Center for both adult and pediatric patients in Central and Eastern Kentucky.

IN THE NEWS

Young UK Researcher Battles Back Against Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

After being diagnosed with metastatic colorectal cancer at age 27, UK researcher Ronnie Wu persevered against the rare disease with advanced, personalized treatments from his physicians at the UK Markey Cancer Center.

UK Graduate Designs His Own Path to Success

Montre'ale Jones, a Hopkinsville native, relied on skills honed in campus experiences and support from his Wildcat family to push through a personal COVID nightmare during his last semester of class.

UK Announces a Return to Normal for Housing Occupancy in Fall 2021

University of Kentucky officials have announced that residence halls will return to normal operations for the fall 2021 semester. “Our campus and our students have done everything asked of them this past year to help ensure the health and safety of our community,” said UK President Eli Capilouto.

COVID-19

ukhc worker giving a covid test to a patient

Covid-19 Testing

Learn more about the COVID-19 testing requirements for unvaccinated students who will be on campus during fall 2021.

healthcare working administering a vaccine

COVID-19 Vaccines

Learn more about UK’s efforts reach an 80% vaccination rate among students, faculty and staff. #CatsBy80

Fall 2021 Health and Safety

Learn more about UK’s policies and procedures to keep the campus community healthy this fall.

PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS

16 Degree-granting colleges, the Lewis Honors College and Graduate School

Apply

200+ Academic Programs

Find your major

EXPLORE YOUR WILDEST AMBITIONS

Come see the University of Kentucky

Virtual tour Schedule a tour

BY THE NUMBERS

$2.8 Billion

Invested in infrastructure across campus, including a $256 million multidisciplinary research building and the continued expansion of a $1 billion health care facility started in 2004.

1 of 8

UK is one of only eight institutions in the country with the full complement of liberal arts, engineering, professional, agricultural and medical colleges and disciplines on one contiguous campus.

3.68

Average graduating GPA of Lewis Honors students.

New Year, New Possibilities at the University of Kentucky

CATS GET VAXED

Class of #UK2026 We're Looking for You