Lewis Honors College

HS Seniors: Apply by December 1 Honors admission decisions released mid-February

By the Numbers

100% Experiential Education Participation

96% First-Year Retention Rate

90% Employment or Graduate/Professional School

Mission in Action

Explore Your Purpose

Honors advisors and the Center for Personal Development counselors partner with students in their exploration of purpose to cultivate well-being, leadership, and career readiness.

Honors at Kentucky has a long and proud history, dating back to 1959, and thousands of students have passed through our program, exploring themselves and the boundaries of thought with outstanding faculty.

Jacqueline Coleman, Christian Brady, Laura Bryan, Conner Brumley

Lead With Integrity

Providing leadership development opportunities enables students to fulfill their experiential credit while bolstering lifelong skills to apply as a graduate student or employee.

The Honors classes I took my freshman year exposed me to ideas that I would not have otherwise thought deeply about. The topics we discussed have allowed me to engage with current events and the social sciences more than I would have been able to otherwise.

Asa O'Neal '25

NSF Graduate Research Fellow, Barry M. Goldwater Scholar, Astronaut Scholar

Maddie Duff waving with other graduating students walking

Why Honors?

Honors Residential Experience

Center for Personal Development

Internship, Research, Education Abroad, Service-Learning Opportunities

Dr. Kenton Sena with HON 152 students outdoors

Dedicated Honors Faculty

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Explore Admission Criteria
Apply for Housing
Register for Orientation

News and Events

Exceeding interest and enrollment expectations

Sep 12, 2025

Purpose. Intellect. Integrity. These are the primary attributes that the second-largest class of incoming first-time first-year students will have the unique opportunity to develop as part of the University of Kentucky Lewis Honors College. Preliminary enrollment numbers indicate that this year’s cohort will be the most distinguished, well-rounded, and academically prepared group of scholars in Lewis Honors College history.

Gaines Center now accepting fellowship applications

By Ryan Girves

Nov 6, 2025

The University of Kentucky Gaines Center for the Humanities is now accepting applications for the 2026-28 cohort of Gaines Fellows, one of the university’s most prestigious undergraduate opportunities for academic enrichment, leadership and community engagement.

Patagonia’s chief storyteller comes to campus Nov. 6

By Ainsley Saurers

Nov 4, 2025

This week, the University of Kentucky will host Vincent Stanley, Patagonia’s director of philosophy and resident fellow at the Yale Center for Business and Environment, 12:30-1:45 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6, in the Singletary Center for the Arts Recital Hall.

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Ideas That Matter: Nonprofit Innovation

Nov 11, 5:00 pm - Nov 11, 6:00 pm

Lewis Scholars Lounge

420 Hilltop Ave, Lexington, KY

Donuts and Fruit with the Dean

Nov 12, 9:30 am - Nov 12, 11:00 am

Lewis Scholars Lounge

420 Hilltop Ave, Lexington, KY

UK College of Medicine Tour and Discussion

Nov 14, 2:00 pm - Nov 14, 4:00 pm

UK College of Medicine

780 Rose St MN 150, Lexington, KY 40506

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