UK works to accommodate housing for record first-year class and returning students
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 5, 2022) — The University of Kentucky is working to accommodate on-campus housing for a record first-year class of more than 6,000 students as well as many returning and transfer students choosing to live on campus, said UK President Eli Capilouto.
“We continue to put our students first, providing our best housing opportunities from both a facilities and operational perspective,” said Andrew Smith, assistant vice president of auxiliary services. “The high number of students who choose to live on campus reflects the outstanding quality of our housing and programming, as we know students do better academically and socially if they live on campus for at least the first year of their college careers.”
Currently, UK has more than 7,800 beds available for students but had 7,880 completed housing applications between first-year students and those who are returning to campus including transfer students, second-year students, graduate students and family housing, said Smith.
To fill the gap, the university has 16 units in three residence halls that are multipurpose rooms designed to be converted on what is anticipated to be a temporary basis. These units are similar to other rooms offered in terms of amenities and basic design.
As housing cancellations occur before and through the beginning of the semester, UK will offer spaces to students as they become available, Smith said.
“As is the case each year, the order in which students select their room is based upon when they completed the housing assignment with June 1 being the primary application deadline to reserve a room and every student who applied by the June 1 deadline has a room assignment,” Smith said. “Overall, nearly 86% of first-year students live on campus and will do so again this year.”
Several years ago, the university invested nearly $450 million in revitalizing our residence halls, constructing more than 6,850 beds and high-tech, high-touch living and learning spaces where students can build and sustain community.
“We know students do better academically — in terms of grades, involvement on campus and retention — when they live on campus,” Capilouto said. “We have tremendous momentum as a campus, reflected by the largest class in our history joining our community this fall. We are excited about what these students and newest members of our Wildcat community will bring to our campus.”
Please visit our move-in website which offers tips to help students plan for an efficient move-in experience.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
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