4.2 ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
4.2.1 UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
Students who satisfy the basic admission requirements may register in any undergraduate program at the University except as additional entrance requirements are hereinafter stated.
The University prefers that applicants for admission shall have taken the ACT examination. Applicants may be considered for admission, however, on the basis of Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores. The Director, Undergraduate Admissions and University Registrar shall establish annually an appropriate equivalency table of total SAT and ACT composite scores to be used with the established lower division selective admissions criteria. After approval by the Admissions Advisory Committee, this table shall be used by the Admissions Office in judging the acceptability of otherwise qualified applicants. [US: 4/8/85; 4/14/97]
All new freshman and transfer students are required to attend an Advising Conference as assigned at the time of admission unless excused by permission of the Director, Undergraduate Admissions and University Registrar in special circumstances and emergencies. [US: 2/10/86]
The Senate’s Admissions Advisory Committee shall review the undergraduate admissions policy and all associated academic standards each academic year.
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* The status of a student being ‘undeclared major’ or ‘non-degree-seeking’ in a college is a Provost-level administrative matter and does not require the approval of the Senate, except insofar as a college may have adopted additional admissions criteria. [SREC: 1/5/2016]
Some undergraduate programs have adopted more rigorous admissions policies. These policies can be found in SR 10.4
Pursuant to 13 KAR 2:020, applicants to public institutions must meet the established college admission or academic readiness indicators established by the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE). Students who do not meet the established CPE related thresholds in the area(s) of reading, writing, or math are placed in the Academic Preparedness and Placement Program (APP). [more information about the APP will be added at a later date] [US: 3/20/2023]
4.2.1.1 Annual Reporting
The chief enrollment officer shall provide an annual update to the Senate at the end of each admissions cycle, as well as preview the upcoming enrollment cycle. [US: 3/20/2023]
4.2.1.2 Basic Lower Division Selective Admissions
[US: 11/12/90; US: 4/14/97; 11/13/2017]
4.2.1.2.1 Admissions Decisions
The Senate’s Admissions Advisory Committee (SAAC), a standing committee of the University Senate (SR 1.4.3.4), will recommend any changes to the admissions criteria for entry to the University, via the program change approval process prescribed in SR 3.1.4.1.2. [US: 3/20/2023]
4.2.1.2.1.1 Automatic Admissions Criteria
The Admissions Management System will use the automatic admissions criteria established by the Senate. The University will publish the range of ACT and SAT scores, and grade point averages, which secured admission in the previous year's freshman class.
The automatic admissions criteria will include not only high school grade point average (HSGPA), SAT, and ACT composite score, but class rank, degree of difficulty of courses, and ACT subsection scores, or any other criteria or characteristics that provide insight into an applicant’s potential for academic success at the University. However, students with either an ACT score below 18 or an HSGPA which is less than 2.0 will be automatically denied admission and may be admitted only through the exceptions procedures.
Students who meet the established admissions criteria will be admitted. [US: 3/20/2023]
4.2.1.2.1.2 Exceptions Procedures
The external procedure is for those students whose applications for admission have been rejected under the automatic admissions criteria. Students who do not meet the automatic admissions criteria will be reviewed holistically and the results will provide a preliminary decision for the (non-selective) colleges identified by the student, to make final admissions decisions. The holistic review process is a review of materials provided by the admissions candidate, inclusive of high school performance as evidenced through the GPA, grade trends, strength of curriculum, test scores, involvement, leadership, and responses to any required essay. The applicant may identify up to three colleges that do not have selective admissions requirements that the applicant wishes to enroll in. The applicant’s full admissions file, as well as the results of the holistic review, will be shared with these colleges. Those colleges will make the final decision on whether to admit or deny the applicant. [US: 3/20/2023]
4.2.1.2.1.3 Deadlines
Admissions deadlines are established by the Senate and published online by the University office responsible for undergraduate admissions. The Senate Admissions Advisory Committee (SAAC) may recommend changes to deadlines to the Senate. [US: 11/13/2017; 3/20/2023]
These deadlines apply to both transfers and entering students. Applications received after the deadline for full consideration may be rejected even if they demonstrate better qualifications than some already admitted.
An exemption from the August document submission deadline may be granted to non-degree-seeking students who enroll for no more than eight (8) credits.
4.2.1.2.2 Precollege Curriculum
[US: 3/21/83; 11/10/86; 11/12/90; SC 10/15/2001]
4.2.1.2.2.1 Requirements
To be admitted to the University, an applicant must meet Kentucky's graduation requirements as laid out in 704 KAR 3:305. [US: 3/20/2023]
English/Language Arts - 4 credits required
English I, II, III, IV (or AP English)
Science – 3 credits required
Credits to include life science, physical science, and earth/space science (at least one lab course)
Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry (see note below on substitutions)
Social Studies – 3 credits required
From U.S. History, Economics, Government, World Geography and World Civilization
Health – ½ credit required
Physical Education – ½ credit required
History and Appreciation of Visual, Performing Arts – 1 credit required
History and Appreciation of Visual and Performing Arts or another arts course that incorporates such content.
Electives – 7 credits required
Total credits: 22
15 required credits; 7 elective credits
A student may substitute an integrated, applied, interdisciplinary, or higher level course within a program of study if the substituted course offers the same or greater academic rigor and the course covers or exceeds the minimum required content.
The University recommends that high school students complete at least two years of a foreign language.[US: 3/20/2023]
4.2.1.2.3 High School Nongraduates
The University official responsible for undergraduate admissions may also consider students who have not graduated from high school but can demonstrate through ACT scores, unweighted high school GPA, and other evidence that they are prepared to do the work required.
These students are considered on a case-by-case basis. No student may continue to enroll as a non-degree-seeking student after earning 24 credit hours in this status without the special permission of the dean of the college in which the student is registered. (See SR 4.2.1.4.2) [US: 3/20/2023]
The condition of graduation from high school may be waived for superior students with appropriate recommendations from their high school counselors or teachers. The University office responsible for undergraduate admissions shall recommend academic criteria for admission under these conditions, which are subject to approval by the Senate. Students who have not graduated from high school or have not received a GED will not be eligible for Title IV funds.
4.2.1.2.4 Prospective Student Athletes Receiving Athletics-Related Aid
Student-athletes, as identified by a designee within the Department of Athletics, who do not meet established standards for automatic acceptance but do meet Southeastern Athletic Conference (SEC) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) academic requirements for freshman eligibility shall be eligible for admission. Student-athletes who do not meet SEC and NCAA academic requirements for freshman eligibility may be admitted only through the provisions of SR 4.2.1.2.1.2, above. [US: 3/21/83 & BoT: 5/3/83; US: 4/28/86; 11/12/90; 10/11/93; 3/20/2023]
4.2.1.2.5 Transfer Students
Students at other colleges or universities will be permitted to transfer to the University if they meet one of the criteria below: [US: 4/10/2000]
Students who have completed 24 credit hours or more and achieved a higher education GPA of 2.00 or higher are admissible to the University. Admissibility to particular colleges and programs is prescribed by SR 4.2.1. [US: 3/11/85; SREC: 11/20/87; 3/20/2023]
Students who have completed 23 credit hours or fewer must meet both freshman and transfer admissibility requirements to gain admission to the University. The University office responsible for undergraduate admissions will review both final high school cumulative GPA and postsecondary GPA in order to make a decision about admission. Admissibility to particular colleges and programs is prescribed by SR 4.2.1. [US: 3/11/85; 3/20/2023]
4.2.1.2.6 International Students
Undergraduate international student applicants with a TOEFL score of at least 527 (paper-based) or 71 (internet-based) may be admitted. Corresponding scores on IELTS or other approved measures of English proficiency shall also serve as evidence of English proficiency for admission purposes.
An applicant with an English proficiency exam score below the acceptable levels may be admitted if other factors such as previous academic record, interviews and other English tests indicate that the applicant will be academically successful. Decisions concerning admission of applicants with scores below these levels shall be made by the office responsible for undergraduate admissions. International students who are otherwise admissible, but who have not yet demonstrated English proficiency, may be conditionally admitted. They will be invited to enroll in the University’s Center for English as a Second Language (CESL), for instruction and, upon demonstrating evidence of English proficiency as defined by CESL, they will be admitted as full-time degree-seeking students In the absence of conditional admission, admission to the programs administered by CESL does not guarantee future admission to the University. [US: 3/21/83; BoT: 5/3/83; US: 2/10/2014; 3/20/2023]
Students enrolled in Level 5 or Level 6 of CESL coursework may, upon meeting criteria set forth by the CESL program, enroll for one semester as non-degree-seeking students in a pre-matriculation bridge program (half-time enrollment in non-credit CESL coursework and 6-8 hours of credit-bearing undergraduate coursework), constituting full-time enrollment in English preparation for immigration purposes. Completion of the bridge program with grades of A or B in all classes will constitute demonstration of English proficiency for full admission to the University; however, some UK academic colleges and/or majors may require a TOEFL/IELTS score for admission to their programs. [US: 2/10/2014]
4.2.1.3 Admission to Advanced Standing
[SREC: 6/8/2006]
Applicants for admission must present evidence that they are in good standing in every respect in the institution they last attended. At no time shall college or university records be disregarded to admit an applicant solely on the basis of their high school records. Credit hours for courses accepted from two-year colleges shall be limited to a maximum of 67 semester hours, except for the programs listed below.
- Students in the RN-BSN (Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing) program, for whom the limit shall be a maximum of 90 semester hours. Applicants must have maintained a grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or an average of C in all previous course work. [US: 12/13/82; US: 5/7/2012]
- Students in the MLT to MLS (medical laboratory technician to medical laboratory scientist) track, of the Medical Laboratory Science program, for whom the limit shall be a maximum of 80 semester hours. [US: 3/10/2014]
All collegiate level work taken at a accredited college or university is recognized credit hour for credit hour except that the dean of a college may require validation by appropriate means of course equivalencies or applicability toward degree requirements for more specialized courses. In order to be classified as accredited, a college or university must be a member of one of the six accrediting associations formally classified as "regional": Middle State Commission on Higher Education; Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities; Higher Learning Commission; New England Commission of Higher Education; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools; and Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Advanced standing from an unaccredited US college or university may be obtained by special subject examinations. [US: 12/13/82; US: 2/11/91; 3/20/2023]
4.2.1.4 Non-degree-seeking Students
[US: 10/11/93]
The goal of the University policy for non-degree-seeking students is to provide appropriate access to academic courses for students who would like to continue their education, but who do not wish to seek a degree. Although degree-seeking students should have top priority in terms of utilization of University resources, the University does wish to provide access to these resources on a space available basis for non-degree-seeking students. This policy will provide reasonable access to a broader range of students without unnecessarily limiting University resources for degree-seeking students.
Non-degree status affords an opportunity for individuals to pursue lifelong learning without the structure of degree-seeking status and is consistent with the educational mission of this University. [US: 10/11/93; US: 4/13/98]
Most non-degree-seeking students are considered "Lifelong Learners" and include the following groups: Donovan Scholars, students who have already earned degrees and non-traditional students who wish to begin their studies as non-degree-seeking students in order to be considered for degree-seeking status later. Other students eligible to enter the University in a non-degree status include visiting students from other colleges and universities, high school students seeking dual enrollment, and other students in special circumstances as determined by the chief enrollment officer. [US: 10/11/93; 12/10/2018]
4.2.1.4.1 Rules Governing Admission of Non-Degree-seeking Students
[US: 10/11/93]
To be admitted as a non-degree-seeking student, an applicant must meet the following criteria: the high school class of a non-degree applicant must have graduated at least two years prior to the applicant's anticipated semester of enrollment unless:
- The applicant will be on active military duty during their tenure as a non-degree-seeking student or the applicant has been admitted by exception according to SR 4.2.1.2.1; [US: 10/11/93]
- The applicant is a visiting student or;
- The applicant is seeking high school dual enrollment or;
- The applicant possesses a bachelor’s degree; or
- The applicant is enrolling in the University's Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary (CTP) program. [US: 5/2/2022]
Applicants who have been denied admission as degree-seeking students may not in turn be enrolled as non-degree-seeking students. [US: 10/11/93; US: 4/13/98]
Former University of Kentucky degree-seeking students generally will not be enrolled as non-degree-seeking students without having earned an undergraduate degree. [US: 10/11/93; 12/10/2018]
University of Kentucky students under academic or disciplinary suspension at any higher education institution may not be enrolled as non-degree-seeking students. [US: 10/11/93 4/13/98; 12/10/2018]
Students currently under suspension at other institutions may not be enrolled as non-degree-seeking students at the University of Kentucky. Failure to disclose a current suspension may result in forfeiture of eligibility for future enrollment. [US: 10/11/93; US: 4/13/98]
Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit transcripts of prior colleges at the time of application in order to facilitate advising about appropriate coursework. [US: 10/11/93; 4/13/98; 12/0/2018]
International students applying as non-degree-seeking students whose primary physical residence will be UK, will apply using the same application process as those who are degree-seeking. [US: 12/10/2018]
There are three types of non-degree students at the University. The first two types, visiting and high school dual enrollment students, are degree-seeking at other institutions. The third type is not seeking a degree from any institution at the time of enrollment. [US: 12/10/2018]
4.2.1.4.1.1 Visiting Students
A visiting student is a student that is currently enrolled at another institution of higher education who intends to earn credit at UK that will be applied to degree requirements at his or her home institution. Visiting students must meet the same admission requirements as regular transfer students. Applicants will be asked to self-certify that they are in good standing at their home institution and have a minimum 2.00 GPA at the time of application. [US: 12/10/2018]
4.2.1.4.1.2 High School Students Seeking Dual Enrollment
Students currently enrolled in high school who desire to enroll in courses at UK must submit a high school transcript, ACT or SAT scores and provide a signature from a high school counselor or principal. Students must have a minimum 2.00 GPA and must meet the Council on Postsecondary Education college readiness indicators. [US: 12/10/2018; 3/20/2023]
4.2.1.4.1.3 Other Non-Degree Students
These students are not currently enrolled in a degree program at a high school, college or university, but wish to take undergraduate coursework at the University without pursuing a formal degree. Applicants will be asked to self-certify that they have obtained a high school diploma, GED meet the Kentucky Council on Post-Secondary Education college readiness indicators, or are applying to participate in the University of Kentucky Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary program. Students wishing to change to degree-seeking status at the University after enrolling as a non-degree student must apply using the same application process as those who are degree-seeking. [US: 12/10/2018; US: 5/2/2022]
4.2.1.4.2 Rules Governing Enrollment of Non-Degree-Seeking Students
[US: 10/11/93]
Non-degree-seeking students must meet course prerequisites or obtain the consent of the instructor to enroll in a course.
Non-degree students (except Donovan Scholars) who complete nine credit hours or more with less than a 2.00 GPA will not be allowed to continue enrollment. [US: 12/102018]
No student may continue to enroll as a non-degree-seeking student after earning 24 semester hours in this status without the special permission of the dean of the college in which the student is registered.
Credit earned as a non-degree-seeking student will be evaluated for applicability toward a degree by the dean of the college in which the student will be enrolled. Successful completion of course work as a non-degree-seeking student does not ensure admission as a degree-seeking student. No graduate or professional credit is awarded for courses taken while a student is enrolled as an undergraduate non-degree-seeking student. [US: 3/12/84; 10/11/93; 4/13/98: 11/13/2017]
4.2.1.4.3 Changing Status from Non-Degree to Degree-Seeking
[US: 10/11/93; 3/20/2023]
Applicants who have earned fewer than 24 semester credit hours at the University must meet the University's standards for automatic admission as first-time freshmen. Students who have earned 24 semester hours at UK may apply for degree-seeking status and will be considered as transfer students for admission purposes. [US: 10/11/93; US: 4/13/98; 3/20/2023]
High school students who have enrolled continuously at the University and who have earned more than 24 semester credit hours in total in the course of a UK dual credit program (including credit for prior assessment) will be considered as first-time freshmen when first changing their status from non-degree- to degree-seeking. [US: 3/19/2012; 3/20/2023]
4.2.1.5 Admission as an Auditor
By payment of the required fees, any person may be admitted to a class or classes as an auditor. An individual who is admitted to the University as an auditor may not change from audit to credit. A student regularly enrolled in any college must apply to the dean of the college in which the student is registered in order to be an auditor. An individual not enrolled in any college must apply for admission to audit.