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A limited number of Legacy Tuition Program awards will be offered and date of Legacy application will be a consideration. Awards are offered pending early Legacy application and availability of funds. In previous years, funds have been exhausted before the February 15* Legacy deadline.

Through the Legacy Tuition Program, the University of Kentucky offers partial tuition awards to eligible incoming first-time freshmen non-resident undergraduate children of UK graduates. An eligible student is defined as a child whose mother, father, or stepparent has earned a bachelor, graduate, doctorate, or professional degree from the University of Kentucky, whose parent or stepparent is a life member (paid in full by May 1, 2025) of the UK Alumni Association, and who would normally be subject to non-resident tuition rates. 

Students are required to complete the Legacy application to be considered to receive the benefits. The deadline for Fall 2025 applications is February 15, 2025*, however, early application is strongly encouraged. Please see below for more information on the application process. A limited number of awards will be offered and date of Legacy application will be a consideration.  Awards are offered pending early application and availability of funds. Students must submit a copy of their birth certificate or adoption records listing student and qualifying parent. In case of stepparent, please also submit a copy of the marriage license. In addition, all applicants must be admitted to the university and have qualifying documents, including high school transcript, on file by the February 15* Legacy Tuition Program deadline.

New first-time freshmen will be eligible for the Legacy Tuition Program for a total of eight semesters. Automatic renewal each semester is contingent upon the student's full-time undergraduate enrollment on the UK main campus while maintaining a good academic standing. Eligibility for continued enrollment in the program will be verified each semester. Legacy Tuition Program funding may be received in addition to an academic-based Bluegrass Spirit Scholarship for Non-Residents, if also awarded. For more information on the Bluegrass Spirit Scholarship, including eligibility requirements and deadline, visit https://studentsuccess.uky.edu/financial-aid-and-scholarships/academic-scholarships/incoming-freshmen-scholarships.

Please note, completion of a medical residency does not constitute a qualifying degree program. Also, parents that completed an associate degree from a former UK Community College are not considered qualifying graduates. Non-resident students approved for in-state tuition rates through the Academic Common Market (ACM) are not eligible to receive funding through the Legacy Tuition Program. For more information on ACM, visit https://registrar.uky.edu/academic-common-market.

Unfortunately, the benefits of this program cannot be extended to grandchildren or other relatives of UK graduates. Additionally, transfer students and students awarded a tuition scholarship (such as the Singletary or Presidential Scholarship) or granted in-state residency through the undergraduate admission or residency application process are not eligible for this program. For more information on applying for residency, please visit https://registrar.uky.edu/residency .

*If a deadline falls on a weekend, the application will remain open until 11:59pm (Eastern Time) on the following Monday. 

FALL 2025 SCHOLARSHIP TRADITIONAL CRITERIA (UNWEIGHTED GPA) TEST OPTIONAL CRITERIA (UNWEIGHTED GPA) ANNUAL AMOUNT
Legacy Level 1 3.50 & 31 ACT/1390 SAT 4.0 Difference between resident and non-resident tuition rates
Legacy Level 2 3.30 & 28 ACT/1300 SAT 3.75 $4,500
Legacy Level 3 All others All others $3,000

Legacy Tuition Program award levels and criteria are reviewed each summer and are subject to change each year.

Fall 2025 Legacy applications will be available on Scholarship Universe beginning September 15!

* Admitted students can access Scholarship Universe with an active UK linkblue account

How do I login to Scholarship Universe?

  1. Click here to access Scholarship Universe.
  2. Enter your linkblue email address (example: wildcat123@uky.edu) and password.
  3. Answer all student profile questions provided.
  4. Click on the “Scholarships” tab to begin applying for scholarships.
  5. Search keyword, “Legacy,” in the search bar.
  6. You can save and continue your application prior to submitting. When you log back in to Scholarship Universe, your application will now be under “In Progress.”
  7. Once you complete the application questions, please “Review and Submit” your application. You will have the ability to edit your submitted application prior to the scholarship deadline. No changes to your application can be made after the scholarship deadline. Please submit the application by the deadline of February 15, 2025*.

*If a deadline falls on a weekend, the application will remain open until 11:59pm (Eastern Time) on the following Monday. 

For questions regarding SU, please email academicscholarships@uky.edu. For technical difficulties within the SU system, please use the Feedback tab in Scholarship Universe to submit a specific description of your situation to the Scholarship Universe Support Team, include as much detail as possible, including error codes if applicable.