University of Louisville student guide: cost, food, housing & tips

UofL at a glance

14,727

undergrads

79%

of applicants admitted

81%

come back for year 2

58%

graduate

14 : 1

students per teacher

$60,032

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: $14,960.

Under $30k $12,104

$30k–$48k $11,100

$48k–$75k $12,680

$75k–$110k $16,542

Over $110k $23,040

Tuition, in state

$13,390

Tuition, out of state

$29,736

Typical debt at graduation

$19,500

34% of students get a Pell Grant

Free stuff most students miss

Getting around

Cardinal Shuttle

Free campus shuttle service connecting campus locations and off-campus housing

Student life

Speed Art Museum

Kentucky's oldest and largest art museum adjacent to campus, with free admission for UofL students during special events

Eat

Dining halls, quick bites and coffee on campus.

13 places

Ville Grill

Dining hall

All-you-care-to-eat dining hall with rotating menus and authentic flavors near residence halls

300 W Brandeis Ave

SAC Food Court

Dining hall

Food court in the Student Activities Center with multiple dining options

Five restaurants in the SAC including Freshens, Global Eats, Prime Grill, and Zen Sushi

2100 S Floyd St

Einstein Bros. Bagels

Cafe

Fresh bagels, sandwiches, coffee, and espresso drinks on campus

2211 S Brook St

Starbucks

Cafe

Starbucks coffee shop on campus for espresso drinks and snacks

Full-service Starbucks in the east wing of the Student Activities Center

2100 S Floyd St

Where to live

Residence halls, apartments and help finding a place.

9 places

Residence hall

Belknap Village North

Residence hall

Modern first-year residence hall opened in 2021 with single and double rooms, lounges, and study spaces

2301 S 3rd St

Residence hall

Belknap Village South

Residence hall

First-year residence hall opened in 2022 with modern amenities, gaming suites, and study rooms

2301 S 3rd St

Louisville Hall

Residence hall

Traditional residence hall for freshmen with community-style living

450-bed first-year hall in the heart of campus with Center for Engaged Learning and classrooms

2301 S 3rd St

Unitas Tower

Residence hall

High-rise residence hall for upperclassmen with suite-style rooms and campus views

2211 S Brook St

Community Park

Residence hall

Apartment-style housing complex for students seeking more independent living

2211 S Brook St

Get around

Shuttles, parking and accessible rides.

7 ways

Cardinal Shuttle

Transit

Free campus shuttle service connecting campus locations and off-campus housing

2211 S Brook St

Transit

TARC Route 28 (Inter-Campus)

Transit

Shuttle between Belknap and Health Sciences campuses every 15 minutes M-F, free for all UofL students

Transit

Free TARC Bus System

Transit

All UofL students and employees ride the entire TARC bus system for free via Token Transit app

TARC Public Transit

Transit

TARC bus routes serve campus with free rides for UofL students

2211 S Brook St

Campus Parking

Parking

Multiple parking garages and surface lots with semester and daily permit options

2211 S Brook St

Bike Facilities

Biking

Bike racks, repair stations, and cycling infrastructure across campus

2211 S Brook St

Majors that pay most at UofL

Typical pay 4 years after graduating. Top 6 of 35 bachelor's majors with published pay.

Industrial Engineering $104,538

Chemical Engineering $101,068

Computer Engineering $97,216

Electrical Engineering $93,968

Mechanical Engineering $89,056

Biomedical/Medical Engineering $84,311

Source: College Scorecard, field-of-study data.

Your UofL checklist

5 things worth doing early

Save campus police in your phone (502) 852-6111, 24/7.
Get a parking permit or skip it and ride the free bus.
Visit University Career Center early, not the week of the career fair.
File next year's FAFSA Opens October 1.
Know where counseling is Counseling Center.

When you need help

UofL Police Department (502) 852-6111 Campus Health Center — Belknap (502) 852-6479

5 things UofL freshmen wish they knew sooner

Watch the video

1 You get a real grade before the W date
Undergraduates have the right "to be provided a substantive academic evaluation before the course withdrawal deadline". So you should know where you stand before you have to decide.
UofL Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities
2 Half your degree must be at a 4-year
"Complete at least 60 hours at an accredited four-year institution." Community college credit helps, but it cannot be most of the degree.
UofL Catalog — graduation policies
3 Off the Core list? It does not count
"Students, departments, and units may not attempt to substitute for a Cardinal Core approved course any University of Louisville course not on the Cardinal Core approved list."
UofL Catalog — Cardinal Core
4 A missing grade turns into an F
"All missing grades change to failing grades one year after the completion of the semester in which the course was taken." Check your record after every term.
UofL Catalog — student success policies
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.
Try Gus free

One more thing

Writing, speech and math by 30 credits

"Students should demonstrate proficiency (through coursework or external credit) in the three skills areas (written communication, oral communication, and quantitative reasoning) before completing the first 30 degree-applicable credit hours earned at the University of Louisville."

UofL Catalog — Cardinal Core

Once everyone has taken an exam, it is not secret

"Except when otherwise explicitly stated by the instructor, examination questions shall become public after they have been given." Talking about an exam with someone who has not taken it yet is still off limits when your instructor says so.

UofL Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities