Getting around
UK Campus Bus System
Free campus bus with five routes plus on-demand night bus
Kentucky at a glance
24,763
undergrads
93%
of applicants admitted
87%
come back for year 2
69%
graduate
18 : 1
students per teacher
$63,924
typical pay 10 years in
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard.
What a year really costs
After grants and scholarships, by family income. Average: $18,868.
Under $30k $12,528
$30k–$48k $12,460
$48k–$75k $14,192
$75k–$110k $20,327
Over $110k $27,661
Tuition, in state
$13,907
Tuition, out of state
$35,164
Typical debt at graduation
$19,500
25% of students get a Pell Grant
Free stuff most students miss
Health & safety
Counseling Center
Free confidential mental health services including therapy and crisis support
Places
UK Art Museum
Free admission art museum with rotating exhibitions
Eat
Dining halls, quick bites and coffee on campus.
Champions Kitchen
Dining hall 750-seat all-you-care-to-eat dining hall in the Gatton Student Center
160 Avenue of Champions
Social House @ The 90
Dining hall All-you-care-to-eat residential dining hall in The 90, with vegan and allergen-free options.
440 Hilltop Ave
The 90
Dining hall Central campus dining complex housing Fresh Food Company and multiple eateries near residence halls
440 Hilltop Ave
Chick-fil-A (North Campus)
Cafe Quick-service Chick-fil-A on north campus, accepts Flex Dollars
160 Avenue of Champions
Starbucks at Young Library
Cafe Largest Starbucks in Kentucky on the first floor of William T. Young Library
401 Hilltop Ave
Panda Express
Cafe Panda Express Chinese food on north campus, accepts Flex Dollars
160 Avenue of Champions
Starbucks at Gatton Student Center
Cafe Full Starbucks menu inside the UK Bookstore at Gatton Student Center
160 Avenue of Champions Cafe
Common Grounds Coffee
Cafe Locally owned coffee shop with specialty coffees and sandwiches
Champions Court I Cafe
Zen Sushi
Cafe Sushi restaurant on central campus, accepts Flex Dollars
725 Rose St Cafe
Blue Agave Grill
Cafe Mexican-inspired grill on central campus, accepts Flex Dollars
725 Rose St
Auntie Anne's
Cafe Soft pretzels and snacks on north campus, accepts Flex Dollars
160 Avenue of Champions
Chick-fil-A at The 90
Specialty dining Full Chick-fil-A menu inside The 90 building on central campus
440 Hilltop Ave Market
Blue Corner Store (The 90)
Market Campus convenience store in The 90 with snacks, drinks, and grab-and-go meals.
440 Hilltop Ave
K-Lair Grill
Cafe Iconic campus grill in the Student Center with booth seating, TVs, and self-ordering tablets
160 Avenue of Champions Market
Blue Corner Store (Holmes Hall)
Market Campus convenience store in Holmes Hall on north campus. Formerly a Wildcat Pantry; UK's pantries were renamed Blue Corner Store in summer 2026.
600 S Limestone Market
Blue Corner Store (Ag Science)
Market Campus convenience store in the Agricultural Science Center. Formerly a Wildcat Pantry; UK's pantries were renamed Blue Corner Store in summer 2026.
1100 S LimestoneWhere to live
Residence halls, apartments and help finding a place.
North Campus Residence Halls
Residence hall Blazer, Boyd, Holmes, Jewell, Roselle halls near downtown and Rupp Arena
North Campus
Central Campus Residence Halls
Residence hall Baldwin, Haggin, Kirwan-Blanding, Woodland Glen near Young Library and The 90
Central Campus Residence hall
Living Learning Programs
Residence hall 13 themed learning communities and residential colleges pairing students with similar interests and faculty mentors
Get around
Shuttles, parking and accessible rides.
UK Campus Bus System
Transit Free campus bus with five routes plus on-demand night bus
721 Press Avenue
Lextran Free City Transit
Transit All UK students ride Lextran city buses free with Wildcard ID
Transit
SAFECATS Safety Escort
Transit Free safety escort service for students, Sunday-Thursday evenings 8:30pm-1:30am
Wildcat Wheels Bicycle Library
Biking Free bike checkout program with semester-long bikes and on-campus repair shop
721 Sports Center Drive
Parking and Transportation Services
Parking Manages student and visitor parking permits and citations
721 Press Avenue Parking
UK Transportation & Parking
Parking Parking permits, visitor parking, and interactive campus parking map for commuters
Majors that pay most at Kentucky
Typical pay 4 years after graduating. Top 6 of 61 bachelor's majors with published pay.
Computer Engineering $99,945
Computer Science $99,535
Chemical Engineering $98,003
Electrical Engineering $96,913
Mechanical Engineering $90,654
Accounting $85,777
Source: College Scorecard, field-of-study data.
Your Kentucky checklist
5 things worth doing early
When you need help
5 things Kentucky freshmen figure out too late
Watch the video1 Failing here is an E, not an F
"Grade E represents unsatisfactory performance and failure in the course. It is valued at zero (0) quality points and zero (0) credit hours." And: "Grade F represents failure in a course taken on a pass/fail basis." If you see an E in myUK, that is the failing letter grade.
2 You can test out of almost any class
Any student in good academic standing "has the right to request a special examination for credit in any course offered, regardless of whether the student has audited the course, is currently enrolled in it, or has studied for it independently." If you already know the material, ask the department chair for a special exam.
3 Your syllabus sets the absence rules
"An Instructor of Record may impose an academic consequence for an unexcused absence only when the consequence is stated in the course syllabus. An instructor may not require or compel a student to withdraw from a course." Read the attendance section of every syllabus in week one.
4 Every major needs a stats class
UK Core: "Students will take one 3-hour course on the application of mathematical, logical and statistical methods, and one 3-hour course devoted to a conceptual and practical understanding of statistical inferential reasoning." Plan a Statistical Inferential Reasoning course alongside your math course, whatever your major.
5 Record the lecture — Gus makes the notes, flashcards and quiz
Gus is an AI college companion built around your actual classes. Record a lecture and it writes the notes, pulls out the key topics, builds a flashcard deck, and makes a practice quiz from what was actually said. The flashcards come back on a spaced-review schedule, so the thing you missed shows up again right before you would have forgotten it. It is free to try.
One more thing
A very rough first term means suspension
Students are suspended if "Their GPA is below 0.6 after their first term, if the semester’s GPA is based on at least 9 hours of grades, A, B, C, D or E." If the first semester is going badly, talk to your advisor before finals.
UK Catalog — academic requirementsYou cannot drop your way out of a cheating case
"A student may not avoid an academic-integrity proceeding by withdrawing from the affected course." And "The repeat option may not be exercised for any course in which the grade of XE was received."
UK Catalog — academic requirementsGus is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the University of Kentucky. Tips checked against Kentucky's own pages in October 2026. Campus info last updated October 2026. Stats from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Something out of date? hello@meetgus.app · All campus guides