University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky is the public land-grant flagship in Lexington, enrolling about 26,500 undergraduates in the heart of horse country. Admission is open and accessible — UK admitted roughly 93.5% of about 33,400 applicants for its most recent class, and enrolled first-years posted middle-50% SAT scores of 1058–1270 with an average high school GPA of 3.58. Business and marketing leads the degrees conferred at about 26%, followed by the health professions, and UK pairs one of the lower in-state tuition figures among SEC flagships with guaranteed scholarship review for every Early Action applicant.
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Kentucky admissions statistics
Acceptance rate
Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.
Admit rate by residency
% admittedEarly action
Kentucky offers non-binding Early Action — an earlier decision with no commitment to enroll.
Standardized tests
Kentucky is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Kentucky supplemental essays — 2026-2027 cycle
Identify the healthcare professional you aspire to be and choose one skill or characteristic that you believe is among the most important for you as a healthcare provider. Describe a time in your life when you have demonstrated that skill in any setting. (350 word minimum / 600 word maximum)
What makes CLM a good fit for you? (250 word minimum / 500 word maximum)
Reflect on specific extra-curricular activities in which you have participated that are most meaningful to you and describe how the experiences connect to your future as a Clinical Leadership and Management major and ultimately, a career in healthcare management/administration. (250 word minimum / 500 word maximum)
The personal statement/essay is a chance for our admissions committee to get to know you and for you to highlight significant things about yourself that don't appear elsewhere on your application.
This portion of the application allows you to express, in writing, your goals for studying Product Design at UK and to articulate why you believe this is the right program for you. We want to know how you describe design and your aspirations for your education.
Describe a specific creative project, experience, or spatial realization that sparked your desire to pursue a professional degree in interior design. How has this shaped your view of how people interact with their environment?
Interior design shapes human behavior and emotion. Describe a built environment outside of your home environment that has significantly impacted your mood or productivity. How did the lighting, materials, and spatial arrangement contribute to this experience? Explain how you would apply these principles to a space you design.
The role of interior design is far reaching and more complex than most perceive, touching many aspects of culture, life, and lived experiences within the built environment broadly. Discuss a specific challenge or opportunity stemming from your values and/or lived experiences that you are most excited to address in your studies or career.
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Class rank
Where Kentucky's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.
Based on the 26.4% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Kentucky does not publish an average GPA.
Admissions factors
How Kentucky weighs each part of your application.
Rigor of High School Record
Academic GPA
Standardized Test Scores
Application Essay
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Talent / Ability
First Generation
Level of Applicant's Interest
Class Rank
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Geographical Residence
State Residency
Alumni Relation
Racial / Ethnic Status
Religious Affiliation
Cost of attendance
Estimated full-time annual cost from Kentucky's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.
Financial aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Frequently asked questions about Kentucky admissions
No, UK is one of the more accessible flagship universities. It admitted about 93.5% of roughly 33,400 applicants in the most recent cycle, so meeting the academic minimums and submitting a complete application puts most students in strong shape. Admission to selective programs and competitive scholarships runs tighter than the overall rate.
Out-of-state applicants are admitted at nearly the same rate as Kentucky residents. In the Fall 2025 CDS data, UK admitted 95.3% of in-state applicants and 93.0% of out-of-state applicants, with international students at 89.9%. Out-of-state students make up about 40% of the first-year class, so non-residents have a real place at UK rather than facing a residency penalty at admission.
Enrolled first-years averaged a 3.58 high school GPA, and academic GPA and the rigor of your course load are weighed as very important factors. There is no hard cutoff, but a solid B average in a college-prep schedule (UK requires 24 academic units, including 4 of English and 3 each of math, science, and social studies) keeps you competitive.
Yes. UK is test-optional through the 2028-29 academic year, so you can apply without SAT or ACT scores. Among enrolled first-years who submitted, the middle 50% scored 1058–1270 on the SAT and 21–28 on the ACT. Scores are weighed as a considered factor, and UK applies a no-harm policy, so submitting strong scores can only help your scholarship review.
Yes, a 1200 is at or above the typical admitted student. The middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1058–1270 on the SAT (21–28 ACT), so a 1200 sits comfortably in the upper half. With an acceptance rate of 93.5%, a score in that band makes admission very likely and strengthens your case for merit scholarships.
Annual tuition and required fees run about $14,177 for Kentucky residents and $35,846 for out-of-state students, among the lower in-state prices in the SEC. Roughly 28% of first-years receive need-based aid, with an average need-based package near $18,278, and UK meets about 57% of demonstrated need on average.
Business and marketing is the largest field at about 26% of bachelor's degrees, followed by the health professions at roughly 13% and communication and journalism at about 8%. Engineering, education, psychology, and the life sciences round out the most-conferred areas at this land-grant flagship.
Yes. UK rates the application essay as a very important factor, on par with GPA and course rigor and above test scores, which are only considered. In a large, holistic-review pool, a specific and well-revised essay is a real chance to add context to your record and stand out for admission and scholarships.
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Popular majors
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student-faculty ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by gender
Student diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Source: University of Kentucky Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-08-20. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Kentucky. Banner photo by Daderot, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0). Cite this page as: Esslo College Explorer, “University of Kentucky admissions statistics, transcribed from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set,” https://www.esslo.org/colleges/kentucky (retrieved 2026-08-20).