Tuition and Fees
Fellowships and Assistantships
Student Loans
Health Services
Housing
Tuition and Fees
To see the current Tuition and Fees for graduate students, including those that are specific to certain programs, courses, etc., please go the following page: https://www.uky.edu/studentaccount/tuition.
Fellowships and Assistantships
Financial assistance is available in the form of fellowships and assistantships, as well as research funding. A fellowship is a non-service award made to superior students to assist in the pursuit of an advanced degree. An assistantship is an appointment to perform specified teaching or research duties. The University of Kentucky honors the following Resolution Regarding Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees and Assistants Adopted by the Council of Graduate Schools in the United States:
“Acceptance of an offer of financial support (such as a graduate scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, or assistantship) by a prospective or enrolled graduate student for the next academic year completes an agreement that both student and graduate school expect to honor. In that context, the conditions affecting such offers and their acceptance must be defined carefully and understood by all parties.”
“Students are under no obligation to respond to offers of financial support prior to April 15; earlier deadlines for acceptance of such offers violate the intent of this Resolution. If a student accepts an offer before April 15 and subsequently desires to withdraw that acceptance, the student may submit a written resignation of the appointment at any time through April 15. Applicants are not required to obtain a formal release from the program whose offer they accepted, either before or after the April 15 deadline. Once applicants have informed the program that they are withdrawing their acceptance of the offer, they then can accept any other offers. It is further agreed by the institutions and organizations subscribing to the above Resolution that a copy of this Resolution should accompany every scholarship, fellowship, traineeship, and assistantship offer.”
Fellowships
There are non-service fellowships available in all areas of graduate work. Some of these fellowships carry a tuition scholarship and student health insurance as well as a stipend. Tenure may be from one to three years, depending on fellowship type. While fellowships are formally awarded by the Graduate School, nominations for most fellowships are made by the department in which a student is enrolled or seeks to enroll. To see the Fellowship awards offered by the Graduate School please go to https://gradschool.uky.edu/fellowships.
The majority of fellowships are awarded beginning with the fall semester. Departments make fellowship nominations at the beginning of the spring semester for the next academic year, so students interested in a fellowship should work with their DGS to ensure submission of applications and all supporting documents before that time. Later applicants have a reduced chance of obtaining a fellowship. Notification regarding awarding of fellowships comes from the Graduate School by early May.
Assistantships
Approximately 1500 teaching or research assistantships are available from departments and other units of the University. In addition to an assistantship stipend, full or partial tuition scholarships and student health insurance are available for most assistantship holders. The majority of assistantships are awarded beginning with the fall semester. Most assistantship decisions are made by April for the coming academic year.
Notification of an assistantship comes from the department. Questions about the availability of positions and the status of assistantship applications should be addressed to the Director of Graduate Studies in the department a student seeks to enter
Student Loans
U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens may apply for federally supported loans and work-study assistance. Go to https://www.uky.edu/financialaid/ for more information.
Health Services
University Health Service
Not all graduate students are required to pay the health fee. Only full-time students in nine hours or more pay the mandatory health fee via their student account. For all other students, including those in zero and two-credit hour courses, the health fee is optional. These students may access University Health Services by voluntarily paying a health fee or by being seen on a fee-for service basis. To use University Health Service in the summer, all students must pay the summer health fee or pay on a fee-for-service basis. All voluntary requests for the health fee should be made to Student Account Services. Services related to hospitalization, surgical procedures, accident care and any other health care provided outside University Health Service, are not covered by the health fee. The University, including University Hospital, assumes no responsibility for a student’s medical expenses.
The convenience of an on-campus health care facility, a low-cost prepaid plan for outpatient services, and a student group health insurance plan are designed to make UK’s total health plan attractive and economical for graduate and professional students, both full-time and part-time.
Health Insurance
Services related to hospitalization, surgical procedures, accident care, and any other health care provided outside the University Health Service, are not covered by the health fee. The University of Kentucky strongly endorses the belief that students should have health insurance, either provided by their parents’ policy or by an independent insurance company. The University, including the University Hospital, assumes no responsibility for a student’s medical expenses.
Health Insurance Requirements for International Students
The University of Kentucky has a mandatory health insurance program for all international students. International students who are in F-1 and J-1 visa status will be charged for the health insurance plan along with their tuition and fees. Students who have purchased health insurance in their home countries or who are covered as a dependent on a U.S. plan may be eligible for a waiver. J-2 dependents who enroll in classes will be charged for the health insurance along with their tuition and fees. International students on a J-1 or F-1 visa are required to purchase health insurance for all of their dependents. J-2 dependents with a DS-2019 issued by a non-UK entity, organization, or government agency may choose to purchase insurance from other health providers, unless enrolling in coursework or beginning employment with the University of Kentucky. International students with questions about health insurance should contact the Student Health Plan Office (https://www.uky.edu/hr/benefits/student-health-plan).
Health Plan Coverage for Graduate TA, RA, GA, & Institutional Fellows
Health plan coverage is provided to all enrolled and degree-seeking graduate students with full-time teaching, research, or graduate assistantships, full-time fellowship recipients, or a combination of these positions. The Student Health Plan Office administers this program. The health plan is provided to eligible graduate students at no cost.
Student Health Plan
The student insurance plan is a preferred provider organization (PPO), and UK Hospital and UK College of Medicine physicians are the preferred providers. When receiving treatment away from UK, you can expect significantly higher out-of-pocket costs. Additionally, the plan is an illness and injury plan only; it does not provide for preventive care or coverage of treatment in the absence of illness or injury, except as specifically provided in the policy. The annual policy provides year-round coverage. Students may also purchase coverage for their spouse and/or children. For further information and enrollment dates, see https://www.uky.edu/hr/benefits/student-health-plan.
Student Success
Many office that support overall student success, health and wellness are housed within the Office of Student Success which provides services to all students at the University of Kentucky. This includes Campus Recreation, Center for Support and Intervention, Counseling Center, Health Corps, LGBTQ* Resources and Veterans Resource Center. For more information on these and other resources, see: https://studentsuccess.uky.edu/student-success-units-and-programs.
Housing
The UK Graduate and Family Housing operates apartments for single graduate students and student families. For more information see https://www.uky.edu/housing/about-graduate-family-housing .