Cost and Financial Aid

Graduate Assistantships

The College of Public Health in conjunction with the Graduate School has a limited number of assistantships for the academic year. As assistantships become available the Admissions & Student Affairs office will e-mail all students information regarding job duties, any special skills needed, and contact information. It is the students’ responsibility to schedule an interview. The following guidelines should be noted concerning assistantships:

• Depending on the nature of their assignment and on recommendation of their academic or administrative unit, Graduate Assistants may be eligible for Tuition Scholarships provided by the Graduate School. Tuition scholarships do not cover any fees applied by the University of Kentucky.
• In light of budget constraints and to maximize existing funds used for tuition assistance, the Graduate School will no longer pay drop charges for students who reduce hours below full-time status (usually 9 hours) or withdraw from the University on or after the first day of class. This means the student will be liable for any tuition charges for dropped courses after the first day of classes if they fall below full-time status
• Assistants who are also full-time graduate students may be assigned responsibilities requiring no more than 50 percent of their time. Normally a half-time appointment should require no more than 20 hours per week of assignable duties, for a .50 (full) assistantship, or 10 hours per week for a .25 (half) assistantship.
• University-wide policy provides that assistants who are candidates for a master's degree shall serve no more than a maximum of three years without completion of their degree requirements. Graduate Assistants are advised to consult with the Director of Graduate Studies relative to total number of years of support eligibility.
• Graduate Assistants must maintain satisfactory academic records and demonstrate progress toward degrees; their assistantships will not be renewed if their academic progress is unsatisfactory.
• In order to preserve the academic focus of graduate students who are on full-time assistantships and have their tuition paid by the University, the Graduate School does not allow for additional salary or employment.
• The appointment of a Graduate Assistant may not be terminated before the end of the period of appointment without the individual's being provided with an opportunity to be heard. Issues should first be addressed, where possible, with the appropriate unit Chair, Director, or Dean of the College in which the assistant holds employment. They may also consult with the Dean of the Graduate School concerning their rights and responsibilities. They will also be provided with an opportunity to be heard before the University's Senate Advisory Committee on Privilege and Tenure.

Lyman T. Johnson Academic Year Fellowships

Students cannot apply. The College of Public Health is a full participant in this program, so eligible students will be nominated by the MPH Director of Graduate Studies. Applicants must be:

1. A member of a federally recognized ethnic minority group (Hispanic, Black/ non-Hispanic, Puerto Rican, American Indian, Asian-Pacific Islander, or Mexican American).
2. U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
3. Admitted to the Graduate School in a degree-granting program; post-baccalaureate students are not eligible.
4. Offered matching funds, either a TA, RA, GA or fellowship, from the graduate program, the department or the college up to $15,000 a year. The department or college must also match one-half the tuition and student health insurance. The optimum matching arrangement for the student is 50 percent funding from the program and 50 percent funding from the Graduate School during the same year.

Commonwealth Incentive Awards (CIA)

Criteria for this award:

1. Must be a Kentucky resident as defined for tuition purposes. Each residency case is judged on its own merits based on the guidelines put forth by the Council on Post-Secondary Education. For a complete copy of the regulations and the application, see http://www.research.uky.edu/gs/fellowship/CIAAwards.htmlll.
2. May not be holding a University assistantship or receiving tuition from another source.
3. Must be in good academic standing (i.e., not on academic probation).
4. All  UK employees, Post-baccalaureate students, and students enrolled in professional programs are ineligible to receive this award.
5. Must be admitted to the Graduate School but may take up to one undergraduate course per semester if a graduate program requires the course. However, the student must be enrolled in at least one graduate course at the same time. The student must submit documentation from his/her DGS or advisor supporting undergraduate course work.
6. The Director of Graduate Studies must sign the student's CIA nomination form and give a brief explanation on how the student will contribute to UK's overall diversity.

Other Scholarships

Doctor of Public Health Tuition Scholarship

Any Dr.P.H. student who enrolls in a minimum of 12 credit hours is eligible to be considered for a partial tuition scholarship. The amount of the scholarship will vary by semester and will be dependent on annual available resources and the number of eligible students.

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UK in Lexington
DONOVAN SCHOLARSHIP IN GERONTOLOGY

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at UK Donovan Scholarship in Gerontology was established on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the Donovan Scholars Program. Since 1991, deserving graduate and undergraduate scholars have received scholarships to enable them to continue their studies and to pursue a career in geriatrics/gerontology. The annual amount of the scholarship depends upon the interest earned by the Donovan Scholarship in Gerontology fund. Generally, $1,000 per semester is available for three to four scholarship recipients.

To apply, visit our website at http://www.mc.uky.edu/aging/scholarship/  Send your application to the OLLI at UK Donovan Scholarship in Gerontology, 658 South Limestone, Lexington, KY 40506-0442 no later than March 15. For additional information call (859) 257-2656 or e-mail L.Neal@uky.edu.

Student Enhancement and Academic Excellence Scholarships

Limited resources are available for these scholarships, and students will be notified to submit applications. Selection of recipients will made by a sub committee of the Admissions and Student Affairs Committee.

Kentucky Graduate Scholarship

All new non-resident students (both domestic and international) enrolled in a University of Kentucky graduate degree program (including the Master of Public Health) are eligible for tuition scholarships based on prior academic performance.   These Kentucky Graduate Scholarship (KGS) awards, which cover the standard out-of-state graduate tuition rate, allow the awardees to attend the University at the in-state tuition rate.

To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must have achieved a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.25 on all undergraduate work and on any prior graduate work.

All non-resident applicants for admission to the University of Kentucky Graduate School will be automatically considered for this award; no separate scholarship application is required. Scholarship eligibility will be determined at the point of the applicant's acceptance into the Graduate School, and no prior assessment of an applicant's eligibility will be provided. All awardees will receive confirmation of the award by mail at the time of acceptance to the Graduate School. In cases where the student's grades are not based on a 4.00 scale, the Dean of the Graduate School establishes guidelines for the determination of scholarship eligibility. Once enrolled, awardees must maintain a GPA of 3.00 or higher; should the GPA fall below 3.00 the KGS award is lost permanently. For more information: http://www.research.uky.edu/gs/KGS.html

Other Financial Aid 

The UK Office of Financial Aid processes federal loan and scholarship applications. For specific information please consult the Financial Aid office at: http://www.uky.edu/FinancialAid/