University of Kentucky

Lexington, KY · Public

Website Admissions

At a glance

92.9%

Acceptance rate

1,213

SAT Average

$17,218

Avg net price

23,189

Enrollment

Academic profile

SAT Average1,213

SAT Reading/Writing540–650

SAT Math530–640

ACT Composite21–28

Degrees awarded

2024-25

	Bachelor’s	Master’s	Doctoral
All fields, 2024-25Bachelor’s 4,966Master’s 2,019Doctoral 1,061	4,966	2,019	1,061
Bachelor’s 1,101Master’s 220Doctoral 6	1,101	220	6
Bachelor’s 705Master’s 254Doctoral 501	705	254	501
Bachelor’s 430Master’s 10Doctoral 3	430	10	3
Bachelor’s 407Master’s 54Doctoral 40	407	54	40
Bachelor’s 363Master’s 105Doctoral 44	363	105	44
Bachelor’s 309Master’s 51Doctoral 19	309	51	19
Bachelor’s 278Master’s 38Doctoral 36	278	38	36
Bachelor’s 202Master’s 1Doctoral 7	202	1	7
Bachelor’s 175Master’s 45Doctoral 23	175	45	23
Bachelor’s 165Master’s 32Doctoral 21	165	32	21
Bachelor’s 164Master’s 17Doctoral 14	164	17	14
Bachelor’s 88Master’s 882Doctoral 166	88	882	166
Bachelor’s 82Master’s 14Doctoral 1	82	14	1
Bachelor’s 75Master’s 12Doctoral 1	75	12	1
Bachelor’s 65Master’s 23Doctoral None reported	65	23	None reported
Bachelor’s 59Master’s 15Doctoral 7	59	15	7
Bachelor’s 53Master’s 14Doctoral 4	53	14	4
Bachelor’s 52Master’s None reportedDoctoral None reported	52	None reported	None reported
Bachelor’s 50Master’s 30Doctoral 29	50	30	29
Bachelor’s 41Master’s 70Doctoral 10	41	70	10
Bachelor’s 38Master’s 4Doctoral 8	38	4	8
Bachelor’s 27Master’s 18Doctoral 0	27	18	0
Bachelor’s 18Master’s 2Doctoral 3	18	2	3
Bachelor’s 8Master’s 1Doctoral 3	8	1	3
Bachelor’s 6Master’s None reportedDoctoral None reported	6	None reported	None reported
Bachelor’s 4Master’s 4Doctoral None reported	4	4	None reported
Bachelor’s 1Master’s None reportedDoctoral 113	1	None reported	113
Bachelor’s None reportedMaster’s 61Doctoral None reported	None reported	61	None reported
Bachelor’s None reportedMaster’s 27Doctoral 2	None reported	27	2
Bachelor’s None reportedMaster’s 15Doctoral None reported	None reported	15	None reported

College athletics

NCAA program details

Primary division: Division I
Primary conference: Southeastern Conference

Projected sponsored sports23

BaseballFootball — Bowl SubdivisionMen's BasketballMen's Cross CountryMen's GolfMen's RifleMen's SoccerMen's Swimming & Diving

Athletic participation

614 unique student-athletes · 19 varsity teams

Application deadlines

For fall 2027 entry

Early Action Track

The Early Action Track is encouraged for all freshmen – especially if you wish to be considered for the Lewis Honors College, competitive and academic scholarships or if you plan to live on campus.

Dec 1, 2026

Regular Decision Track

This is our Regular Decision Track, which allows you to be considered for admission to UK but you may not be considered for Lewis Honors College or competitive and academic scholarships if applying after December 1.

Feb 15, 2027

FAFSA due Mar 1

· Apply with the college's application or Common App

Cost

Published on-campus price, 2024–25

Tuition: $12,109
Required fees: $1,393
Food and housing: $16,016
Books and supplies: $1,200
Other expenses: $5,840
Total: $36,558

Total by year

$30,9282019–2019–20
$31,5462020–2120–21
$31,6902021–2221–22
$33,0652022–2322–23
$35,0982023–2423–24
$36,5582024–2524–25

Net price by family income, 2022–23

Students of all incomes paid $17,218 on average. Grants and scholarships covered the rest of the cost.

Net price covers first-time, full-time students who received federal aid and paid in-state tuition.

Need-based aid, 2025–26

First-years with need-based aid: 53%
Average share of need met: 57.2%
Average need-based grant: $9,921
Required forms: FAFSA

Graduation and Retention

4-year graduation54%

6-year graduation70%

Retention rate87%

Earnings and Debt

Median earnings (10yr)$59,025

Median debt$22,500

Campus

Enrollment23,189

Student-faculty ratio17:1

SettingCity

Sources

IPEDS Institutional Characteristics · National Center for Education Statistics · 2025–26
IPEDS Admissions · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024–25
College Scorecard · U.S. Department of Education · 2025-10-03
Application process · College websites · 2026–27
NCAA Projected Sports Sponsorship by School · National Collegiate Athletic Association · 2025–26
Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act · U.S. Department of Education · 2024–25
Common Data Set · Reporting institutions · 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25, 2025–26
IPEDS Completions · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024–25
IPEDS Student Charges · National Center for Education Statistics · 2019–20, 2020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25

Every figure below is read directly from University of Kentucky’s own reported data, with no scores, ratings, or estimates added. Derived from 5 Common Data Set filings (2021–22 to 2025–26).

University of Kentucky admitted of applicants, a admit rate. Of those, enrolled, a yield, across 5 years of Common Data Set filings.

Applicant funnel and admit rateHover or arrow-key a year for exact values

Students and applicationsAdmit rate

ApplicationsAdmittedEnrolledAdmit rate

University of Kentucky runs a nonbinding Early Action plan.

Early Action nonbindingApply by Dec 1

Regular Decision nonbindingApply by Feb 15 · priority date Dec 1

The enrolled class is roughly international, and about of its domestic students come from out of state. University of Kentucky admits in-state applicants at 95.3%, out-of-state applicants at 93%, and international applicants at 89.9%.

Enrolled first-years by geography

6,960 first-years

Out-of-state (domestic)≈2,736In-state (domestic)≈4,139International≈85

Admit odds by pool

Test scores are considered but not required. SAT or ACT scores must arrive by May 1. Of enrolled first-years, submitted an SAT and an ACT, down from 70% in 2021–22.

Some students submit both an SAT and an ACT, so the two shares overlap. They don’t add up to a single “submitted a test” rate.

SAT composite

9% of the class submitted an SAT

Middle 50%

Shape smoothed from reported percentiles and score bands

ACT composite

48% of the class submitted an ACT

Middle 50%

Shape smoothed from reported percentiles and score bands

University of Kentucky’s enrolled first-years averaged a high-school GPA, among the 100% who submitted one. ranked in the top tenth of their high-school class, among the 26.4% who submitted class rank.

High-school GPA

shares of all enrolled first-years

Average 3.58

High-school class rank

Among the 26.4% of first-years who submitted class rank. Shares are cumulative — students in the top tenth also count in the top quarter and top half.

University of Kentucky rates 3 factors "very important." Each column reads strongest first.

Academic

Rigor of secondary school record: Very important
Academic GPA: Very important
Application essay: Very important
Class rank: Considered
Standardized test scores: Considered
Recommendation(s): Considered

Nonacademic

Interview: Considered
Extracurricular activities: Considered
Talent / ability: Considered
Character / personal qualities: Considered
First generation: Considered
Geographical residence: Considered
State residency: Considered
Volunteer work: Considered
Work experience: Considered
Alumni/ae relation: Not considered
Religious affiliation/commitment: Not considered
Level of applicant's interest: Not considered

University of Kentucky leaves 1 Common Data Set answer blank — each one hidden below with what it would tell you.

Waitlist offers & acceptancesCDS C2Not disclosed

With the pool size hidden, a student’s odds of clearing the waitlist can’t be computed.

Does disclose: SAT / ACT score bands (C9) · Admissions factor grid (C7)

University of Kentucky's net price after grant aid, by family income. of first-years received need-based aid. The school meets of demonstrated need, split into .

What aid recipients pay, by income

net price

Each figure averages only families who received federal aid in that income band (College Scorecard); $17,218 across all aid recipients. Aid share: 3,404 of 6,438 first-years in the 2025–26 Common Data Set.

How need-based aid is determined

Cost of attendance − expected family contribution = demonstrated need

Forms a family files to be considered

FAFSA

Merit aid reached of the class, or of enrolled first-years. For international applicants, University of Kentucky offers need-based aid only (no merit for nonresidents): nonresidents received aid, averaging .

Waitlist activity, as reported to the Common Data Set.

Offered a place

Not disclosed

Accepted a place

Not disclosed

Admitted off waitlist

Not disclosed

Waitlist ranked

Not disclosed

86.7% of University of Kentucky’s first-years return for a second year and 69.9% graduate within six. Median earnings ten years out are against of median federal debt, roughly a earnings-to-debt ratio.

Sources

Common Data Set · Reporting institutions · 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25, 2025–26
College Scorecard · U.S. Department of Education · 2025-10-03