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Western Kentucky University

The student guide to Bowling Green, Kentucky: where to eat, live and get help, what a year really costs, and the free stuff most students miss.

WKU at a glance

12,155
undergrads
94%
of applicants admitted
78%
come back for year 2
54%
graduate
19 : 1
students per teacher
$48,408
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: $11,789.

Under $30k $9,356
$30k–$48k $7,809
$48k–$75k $8,394
$75k–$110k $13,925
Over $110k $19,009
Tuition, in state
$12,072
Tuition, out of state
$27,000
Typical debt at graduation
$19,500
36% of students get a Pell Grant

Free stuff most students miss

Getting around

Topper Transit

Free campus bus service with multiple routes connecting parking lots, residence halls, and academic buildings

Eat

Dining halls, quick bites and coffee on campus.

12 places
Fresh Food Company
Fresh Food Company
Dining hall

All-you-care-to-eat dining in Downing Student Union with made-to-order stations and salad bar

1906 College Heights Blvd
Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A
Cafe

Popular chicken restaurant in the DSU Food Court serving sandwiches and waffle fries

1906 College Heights Blvd, Downing Student Union
Cafe
Starbucks
Cafe

Coffee, espresso drinks, teas, and pastries in the Downing Student Union

1906 College Heights Blvd, Downing Student Union
Panda Express
Panda Express
Cafe

Chinese-American cuisine in The Commons with orange chicken and fried rice

The Commons at Helm Library, 1906 College Heights Blvd
Subway
Subway
Cafe

Build-your-own subs, wraps, and salads in Bates Runner Hall

Bates-Runner Hall, Avenue of Champions
Burrito Bowl
Burrito Bowl
Cafe

Build-your-own burritos and bowls in the Downing Student Union

1906 College Heights Blvd, Downing Student Union

Where to live

Residence halls, apartments and help finding a place.

6 places

Get around

Shuttles, parking and accessible rides.

2 ways

Majors that pay most at WKU

Typical pay 4 years after graduating. Top 6 of 48 bachelor's majors with published pay.

Mechanical Engineering $86,624
Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians $86,033
Electrical Engineering $85,772
Civil Engineering $75,732
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods $74,452
Nursing $73,496

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

Your WKU checklist

4 things worth doing early

When you need help

5 things WKU freshmen wish they knew sooner

Watch the video
  1. 1 ACT 29 in English? You skip ENG 100

    For College Composition, students with an English ACT score of 29 or more "will receive credit for this requirement." The math twin: a Math ACT of 26 or more earns credit for MATH 116. Check before you enroll in either.

  2. 2 Two majors still means one degree

    "Completion of two majors results in the receipt of one degree, and the specific degree is determined by the student's choice of the first or primary major." Two degrees at once take "A minimum of 150 semester hours".

  3. 3 Your transcript can say Global Studies

    "Students who complete the requirements outlined below will receive the "Emphasis in Global Studies" designation on their official transcript." The approved courses can also count toward your major, minor or Colonnade requirements.

  4. 4 Grad classes open at 75 hours

    Undergraduates with at least 75 hours and a 3.0 "may enroll in up to 9 hours of graduate credits with approval of the undergraduate advisor, instructor of record, and graduate program coordinator or equivalent." They count at one level only.

  5. 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

Third try? Your two best grades average

"if the course is repeated a second time, the two higher grades combined will be used in computing the grade point average." A third attempt does not wipe the earlier grades.

WKU Catalog — academic requirements and regulations

Connections classes wait for 21 hours

"Students should complete 21 hours or have junior status before enrolling, since content builds on Explorations and Foundations courses."

WKU Catalog — Colonnade requirements

Gus is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Western Kentucky University. Tips checked against WKU'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