The Application Process

The application for graduate study at the University of Kentucky is fully online.

The first step is to set up a new account and establish a user name and password. Do not lose this information; you will need it if you wish to return to continue an unfinished application or review a completed application. You will also need this login to access the decision on your application.

You will need the following to complete your application:

All applicants must meet both program and Graduate School admission requirements.

Admissions Requirements and Transcripts

Students seeking admission to the Graduate School must have obtained a bachelors degree, prior to the start of the term for which s/he is admitted, from a fully accredited U.S. institution of higher learning or from a recognized foreign institution. An accredited U.S. institution is one that is accredited by one of the seven regional academic accrediting associations. A recognized foreign institution is an institution that is recognized by that nation's Ministry of Education or similar authority as a post-secondary, academic degree-granting institution.

Minimum Undergraduate GPA: 2.75*

Minimum Graduate GPA: 3.0*

*on a 4.0 scale (individual programs may have higher requirements)

Students who wish to calculate their GPAs for self-reporting may wish to use https://www.scholaro.com/premium.

If you are offered admission and decide to enroll you will then be required to submit official transcripts to the Graduate School.

Official transcripts can be sent the following ways:

Electronic transcripts: Graduate Admissions, University of Kentucky gradtranscripts @uky.edu.
You may also choose to use the National Student Clearinghouse or Parchment, used by most institutions.
Electronic transcripts must be sent through one of these clearinghouses or directly from your institution.

You can direct hard copy transcript mailings from your institution to:

University of Kentucky

202 Gillis Building

Lexington, KY 40506-0033

Test Scores

Test scores can be self-reported in the application, however official scores should be sent directly from the testing agency.

Test Institution Code Minimum Score
GRE 1837, Program Code 0000 Varies by Program
GMAT 1837 Varies by Program
TOEFL iBT 1837, Program Code 99 79
IELTS (Academic) University of Kentucky Graduate School, Lexington, Kentucky 6.5 Overall Mean Band Score
Duolingo University of Kentucky Graduate School 115 (May be evaluated by an ESL professional)

Program-Specific Requirements

This may include a curriculum vita, personal statement, writing sample, letters of recommendation, portfolios and program application deadlines. The documents required by your program of interest must also be uploaded to the application; you can review these requirements here.

Application Deadlines

For domestic applicants the Graduate School requires applications to be submitted no later than one month prior to the start of the term the applicant intends to begin graduate work. Please refer to the Academic Calendar for typical semester starting dates.
For international applicants the following Graduate School deadlines apply:

Please note that some programs have earlier deadlines than those specified above, and some restrict admission to specific semesters. This information is also available here.

Application Fee

Domestics Application Fee $65

International Application Fee $75

You may apply for as many programs as you wish, but each application requires completion of a separate application form and fee. The application cannot be submitted without payment of the fee.

The application fee is non-refundable.

The Graduate School pays the application fee for domestic students (U.S. Citizen or Legal Permanent Resident) who are participants in the following programs:

a. National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Sciences (GEM)

b. Ronald E. McNair Scholars

c. National TRIO Scholars

d. Bridge to the Doctorate

e. The Kentucky - West Virginia Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (KY-WV LSAMP)

In addition, the Graduate School pays the application fee for applicants who are U.S. military veterans.

In all cases, the student must have started the application for the program.

** List of GRE Waivers through Summer 2024 admission:

**For holders of M.D., D.M.D., D.D.S., Pharm.D., D.V.M., D.O., D.N.P., D.Sc., or Ph.D. degrees, no GRE or GMAT is required for admission to: (through Summer 2024)
**No GRE or GMAT is required for admission in the following categories: Graduate certificate, Professional/Graduate dual degree programs (for example Pharm.D./MPA), Post-baccalaureate, University Scholars (all programs), Fifth Year, Rank I, and other certifications.

Programs Requiring GRE Scores for Admission for Fall 2024 on: