Kentucky State University
Frankfort, Kentucky
Kentucky State University (KSU) is a public, 1890 land-grant HBCU where small classes, close mentorship, and mission-driven work come together. Students study on a tree-lined hilltop campus in Kentucky’s capital while connecting learning to community needs across the Commonwealth.
As a land-grant institution, KSU’s teaching, research, and extension work are tightly linked, especially in agriculture, environmental studies, and community development. That structure gives undergraduates unusual access to labs, field sites, and outreach programs that put classroom ideas to work.
Get to know Kentucky State University
College Highlights
KSU treats experience as part of the curriculum. Courses across majors build in fieldwork, labs, simulations, internships, and community projects so students practice their craft in authentic settings and start compiling a record of real work before senior year. Career Services backs that up with coaching and a Handshake portal for internships and part-time roles.
Signature opportunities stand out. In the land-grant programs, students learn at the Harold R. Benson Research & Demonstration Farm, where projects range from small ruminants and pollinators to urban and organic agriculture. Monthly Third Thursday Thing workshops bring producers and students together for sustainable agriculture training that has run for more than two decades. Aquaculture majors study reproduction, nutrition, water quality, economics, and fish health in a program nationally known for integrating teaching, research, and extension.
ENROLLMENT BY ETHNICITY
Non-U.S. Citizen: 3%
Hispanic/Latine: 1%
Black or African American, non-Hispanic: 67%
White, non-Hispanic: 9%
Native/Indigenous American or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic: 0%
Asian, non-Hispanic: 0%
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic: 0%
Two or more races, non-Hispanic: 3%
Race and/or ethnicity unknown: 16%
Instruction at KSU is personal and practical. Small, discussion-driven classes make space for quick feedback and iterative projects, while faculty advising ties assignments to skills that employers and graduate programs actually use. Honors students dive into Great Books seminars of fifteen or fewer, sharpening analysis and communication in writing- and discussion-intensive courses.
Mentorship extends into research and public scholarship. Faculty invite undergraduates to present work at events like the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Honors Research Symposium, and institutes such as the Atwood Institute for Race, Education, and the Democratic Ideal connect academic study to civic questions in Kentucky and beyond.
Student life is active and welcoming, with organizations spanning academic clubs, service groups, faith communities, media, and business associations. Students find easy ways to lead—planning events, mentoring peers, and collaborating across majors—while the Thoro10 essential-skills framework reinforces communication, teamwork, and problem-solving through co-curricular activities.
School spirit runs through NCAA Division II athletics in the SIAC conference, alongside campus traditions and city-based service in Frankfort. The capital location puts state agencies, nonprofits, and regional employers within reach for practicums and internships during the semester.
Career preparation is steady and structured. The Career & Professional Development Center offers one-on-one coaching, résumé and interview support, employer events, and a Handshake hub that surfaces internships, co-ops, and entry-level roles. Many placements grow out of land-grant projects, labs, and community partnerships where students already contribute.
Graduates step into agriculture and environmental work, business and public service, health and education, as well as graduate and professional study. Because so much learning happens in real settings—farms, labs, classrooms, studios—students leave with supervisors who know their work and with portfolios that show what they can do.
Admission
TEST SCORES
Optional
FRESHMAN PROFILE
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing
25th Percentile: 420 | 75th Percentile: 500
SAT Math
25th Percentile: 400 | 75th Percentile: 510
ACT Composite
25th Percentile: 14 | 75th Percentile: 20
ACT Math
25th Percentile: 15 | 75th Percentile: 18
ACT English
25th Percentile: 12 | 75th Percentile: 20
Tuition & Cost
Tuition (in-state): $8,088
Tuition (out-of-state): $12,134
Fees: $1,126
Room: $4,500
Board: $3,686
Contact Kentucky State University
Contact Admissions
kysu.edu/student-success-and-retention/admissions
(502) 597-6813
admissions@kysu.edu
Campus Location
400 East Main St.
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502) 597-6000