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Kentucky

University of Kentucky

Kentucky skips a general supplement, so your Common App essay and the 500-word Lewis Honors "common good" prompt carry all the weight.

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General supplemental essay

None required

Common App personal statement

650 words

Lewis Honors essay

500 words max

Test policy

Test-optional through 2028-29

What Kentucky rewards

University of Kentucky keeps its application refreshingly light on essays. There is no general supplemental essay that every first-year applicant must write, so for most students the Common App personal statement (650 words) is the one piece of writing that matters. Admission is a holistic review of your grades, your pre-college curriculum, optional test scores, and that essay. UK is test-optional through 2028-29, which quietly raises the stakes on everything you do write.

The exception is the Lewis Honors College and competitive academic scholarships. Apply to either and you add one essay of 500 words or less on what you consider "the common good." That prompt, tied to Kentucky's identity as a Commonwealth, is the closest thing UK has to a signature supplement. This guide coaches both: the personal statement that carries your admission, and the honors essay that can unlock UK's most selective community and its biggest scholarship dollars.

01Specific service over abstract virtue. The honors prompt asks about the common good, and weak answers drift into platitudes about helping people. UK rewards a concrete picture: a place, a group, a problem you have actually touched, and what you did about it. Name the neighborhood, the kids, the river, the shop.
02Self-awareness about your own story. The prompt explicitly invites your life experiences, challenges, and uniqueness. Readers want to see how your particular background shapes what you think is worth fixing. A student who connects their own struggle to the community they want to serve reads as grounded, not performative.
03Fit with a public flagship's mission. UK is a land-grant flagship that exists to serve Kentucky. Essays that show you care about contributing somewhere real, whether that is a Commonwealth or your own hometown anywhere, land better than essays about personal achievement for its own sake.
04Voice that sounds like a 17-year-old. With so few essays, the ones you write have to feel human. UK's holistic readers respond to a clear, sincere teenage voice with real detail far more than to inflated vocabulary or a thesis-paper tone.

Essay prompts for 2026-2027

2 prompts for Kentucky, each broken down with annotated examples.

Lewis Honors College / Scholarship Essay500 words maximum

Kentucky is one of four states that is a Commonwealth. The term means the state is for the common good. What do you consider to be for "the common good" and how do you hope to use your life experiences, challenges, uniqueness, and intellect to contribute to the common good in your community, as you define it?

Common App Personal Statement650 words maximum

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. (This is one of the seven Common App prompts; choose the one that fits your story. UK does not require a separate supplement, so this essay carries your admission.)

See all 2 prompts and get a read

Your chance

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Add your GPA, test scores, and profile to estimate your odds at Kentucky and build a balanced list.

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Deadlines

Early ActionDecember 1
Regular DecisionFebruary 15
Lewis Honors College (first-year)December 1
Best scholarship considerationApply by June 1

Cost

Sticker price$29,816
Avg net after aid$17,200
Meets full needPartial
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How to get inAcceptance rate, the GPA and SAT profile, and what Kentucky weighs most Supplemental essays2 prompts, each broken down with annotated examples Cost & financial aidAverage $17,200/yr after aid · net price by income + calculator InterviewDoes Kentucky interview? Format, tips, and practice The Kentucky Reader ProScore your draft against Kentucky's exact prompts
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Kentucky FAQ

What is Kentucky's acceptance rate?

University of Kentucky uses a holistic review of grades, the pre-college curriculum, optional test scores, and a written essay. There is no general supplemental essay required of every first-year applicant, so the Common App personal statement is the single piece of writing most applicants submit. If you apply to the Lewis Honors College or for competitive academic scholarships, you write one additional essay (500 words max) on the "common good." UK is test-optional for admission and scholarships through 2028-29. At Kentucky, a strong application essay and a well-balanced school list matter alongside your grades and test scores.

What supplemental essays does Kentucky require?

Kentucky requires 2 supplemental essays on its application. On EssayLens each prompt is broken down with annotated examples, and you can get a free admissions-style read of your draft against the exact prompt.

How much does Kentucky cost?

Kentucky's published sticker price is about $29,816 per year, but the average family pays $17,200 after financial aid. Your net price depends on your family income; use the calculator to estimate yours.

Does Kentucky require SAT or ACT scores?

Kentucky is test-optional: you can apply without SAT or ACT scores, and strong scores are just one factor among many when you do submit them.

When are Kentucky's application deadlines?

Kentucky's application deadlines are Early Action December 1; Regular Decision February 15; Lewis Honors College (first-year) December 1; Best scholarship consideration Apply by June 1. Add Kentucky to your plan on EssayLens to track its deadlines automatically.

Campus photo via Wikipedia.

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