Founded in 1906, Western Kentucky University. is a Public college. Located in Kentucky, which is a city setting in Kentucky, the campus itself is Urban. The campus is home to 17,595 full time undergraduate students, and 2,676 full time graduate students.
The Western Kentucky University Academic calendar runs on a Semester basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 18:1. There are 763 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at Western Kentucky University include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.
Quick Facts
Acceptance Rate
94%
Application Deadline
Application Fee
45
SAT Range
860-1090
ACT Range
19-26
Admissions at WKU are considered Less Selective, with ,75% of all applicants being admitted.
In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 33 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling.
70% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 44% were in the top quarter, and 22% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.
STUDENT LIFE Reviews
We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at Western Kentucky University.
2%
“We”re apathetic”
20%
“We know about current events and vote”
70%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
8%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
3%
“We save it for the classroom”
21%
“Sometimes, but not often”
56%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
19%
“All the time, including weekends”
2%
“I”m always terrified”
7%
“I only go out in groups”
43%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
48%
“I feel extremely safe”
2%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
17%
“We bought the gear”
81%
“We live for the big game”
4%
“It”s not really our thing”
20%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
61%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
15%
“We”re a very artistic group”
6%
“Haven”t met them”
3%
“Available in class”
68%
“They keep regular office hours”
23%
“They”re always available”
2%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
6%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
82%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
10%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
3%
“We”re not into drinking at all”
24%
“Maybe a little, but it”s not a big thing”
44%
“We only party on weekends”
29%
“There”s some drinking happening every night”
7%
“Never, we”re here to learn”
58%
“There might be people who do”
29%
“People are known to partake on weekends”
6%
“There”s a huge drug scene”
2%
“We”re apathetic”
20%
“We know about current events and vote”
70%
“We participate and encourage others to get involved”
8%
“There”s nothing we won”t protest”
3%
“We save it for the classroom”
21%
“Sometimes, but not often”
56%
“There”s usually intelligent conversation to be found”
19%
“All the time, including weekends”
2%
“I”m always terrified”
7%
“I only go out in groups”
43%
“I usually let someone know where I”m going”
48%
“I feel extremely safe”
2%
“We don”t play sports”
0%
“We play recreationally”
17%
“We bought the gear”
81%
“We live for the big game”
4%
“It”s not really our thing”
20%
“Occasinally we gallery crawl”
61%
“There are a variety of opportunities”
15%
“We”re a very artistic group”
6%
“Haven”t met them”
3%
“Available in class”
68%
“They keep regular office hours”
23%
“They”re always available”
2%
“No greek life, but other groups to join”
6%
“There is some involvement, but not a lot”
82%
“Plenty of people join a sorority or fraternity”
10%
“It”s everything. If you”re not greek, you”re a geek”
197 Students rated on-campus housing 3.6 stars. 16 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate off-campus housing?
145 Students rated off-campus housing 3.7 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate campus food?
217 Students rated campus food 3.7 stars. 31 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate campus facilities?
217 Students rated campus facilities 4.1 stars. 35 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate class size?
217 Students rated class size 4.2 stars. 44 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate school activities?
217 Students rated school activities 4 stars. 35 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate local services?
219 Students rated local services 4 stars. 39 % gave the school a 5.0.
How would you rate academics?
217 Students rated academics 4 stars. 36 % gave the school a 5.0.
Western Kentucky University REVIEWS
What's your overall opinion of Western Kentucky University?
97 Students rated Western Kentucky University
Juston
Prospective04/10/2025
I’m a high school senior, and I’ve only lived in Kentucky for about 1 and a half years. Approaching my senior year, I had no idea where I wanted to go to college. I knew nothing about Kentucky or the culture. I had my mind set on attending the University of Louisville. That was until I went on a visit to Western Kentucky University. When I stepped foot on that campus, I felt welcomed. The campus was beautiful and it was the fall so the campus seemed very cozy. I’ve talked to adults that have attended this university and they recommended this university to me over any other college in Kentucky, and that says a lot. I look forward to attending this university and I know it’s the perfect fit for me. I can see myself being successful there.
Jaslynn
Prospective04/10/2025
Western Kentucky University is a beautiful, lively college. When I took a campus tour, everyone was happy and upbeat. The vibes at this school were unmatched. I also love the size of the campus. As someone with a shy personality, western doesn’t overwhelm me, but I feel like it would give me a great opportunity to have a social life if I ever felt the need have one.
Madison
Prospective04/03/2025
Western Kentucky University is such a beautiful campus in Bowling Green, Kentucky. What stands out to me the most, is they are the college of human health services. My major is human health services and they have a wonderful, outstanding program. I want to make sure I get a very good education so I can be successful in life. What better way to get a good education in health services than to go to the school that is known for it? Western Kentucky has amazing professors and so many opportunities for tutoring, so I will always have people to go to when I need help to make sure I am understanding everything and becoming successful. I can't wait to start here in the fall and make new friends, join clubs, and most importantly, get the best education that I can to start my successful future! Go Tops!
Katie
03/04/2025
Western Kentucky University is a great school with a beautiful campus and a strong sense of community. Plus, it is perfect for a nice walk around campus. The professors here are helpful, and there are tons of opportunities to get involved on campus. The Hill can be a workout sometimes, especially after eating some delicious food, but it is worth it to attend classes here. Some dorms could be better, but overall, I love it here.
Ciara
04/22/2024
It is a pretty campus and the professors are pretty nice. There is always something to do on campus and there are several groups to join. I will warn you though that the disability center is not the greatest. I am visually impaired and have struggled to get the resources I needed here. It took nearly the whole semester to get the books I requested for class. Thankfully the professors had PowerPoints that I could use.
TiSha
03/10/2024
It appears to be a great school. The campus is very nice. My overall reaction is that it's a big school, but it does seem that it has a general family like atmosphere. I'm looking forward to starting my college life at
Western Kentucky University. Thanks for your consideration
Madison
02/04/2024
WKU is a gorgeous campus with several places to study. The experience really depends on what college your major is in. I don’t recommend going to WKU for a STEM major.
Bryan
03/31/2023
I love it, I have always had a special spot in my heart for this place I have graduated and plan to go back for my masters this year, I do like how to apply and sign up for classes, some things do need to be updated however. Parking is still a nightmare, and getting updates via email could be faster.
Lauren
01/12/2021
I'm currently a Sophomore and going into my second semester. I've always like Western and it campus ever since I've visited my senior year of high school. The students and staff are nice and they welcome me with open arms. This is why I love campus and everything they have to offer.
Skylar
08/29/2020
It is a pretty good school. The campus has some nice scenery. They have lots of different student organizations. Anyone can find something to do on campus. There are many different options for dining. There are many great classes to choose from. Sports are important to a lot of students. Overall it is a descent school.
makayla
05/29/2020
Western Kentucky University is a place that makes you feel at home, even before I enrolled. If you don't have a car don't worry, they have buses you can take, or it's in walking distance. Western also has many opportunities for you to get to know the campus and meet new people.
Ariana
05/15/2020
Western Kentucky University isn't just a university, it's a second home. Western pushes its students to do the best for themselves. Western students, faculty, and staff are always there to help each other. It always provides the best for its students. It's a great university for any student academically and individually.
Amanda
03/13/2020
It's absolutely fantastic. I'm a dual credit student who goes to Western Kentucky University and the online availability and the professors are amazing. I have yet to attend as a full-time college student but It's been wonderful overall The food is the best with the meal plans and they always make sure you have everything needed and prepared. They have a Master Plan where you can attend to get the feel of campus, a meal plan to make sure you do not go hungry, and the classes are amazing. I recommend going to WKU.
keiara
01/28/2020
Western kentucky is an amazing school and they have alot of benefits for you as well. The only thing for me that i struggle with at this schoo lis all the expenses. This school is very expensive for me. That alone just made me want to transfer because i dont have the money to continue being here, but i decided to ride it out and see where it takes me.
Stephanie
01/15/2020
I love it! Very diverse and has a variety of shops and restaurants locally! There large class sizes. They live for sports, basketball, foot ball, swim teams, and some others I may not have mentioned. If there is one thing that I may change is the tuition and other expenses.
The fall 2020 acceptance rate for Western Kentucky University is 94%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020, _____ students were offered admission.
What should every freshman at your school know before they start?
I previously attended The University of Akron, I went there for only one semester. I have been here at WKU, since August 22. The overall feeling of being here at WKU is just amazing, my friends and I discuss how it has the home feeling. My experience here has been by far, the best yet! If you are a freshmen/transfer student they highly recommend this program called :Master Plan. I attended and we got to move in our dorms early and meet new friends, RAs, staff, teachers, and found out where all our classes were. That lets me know, that they really care, they just don’t want to throw you out there to the "wolves!" Knowing that my school cares, makes me feel special and in a way want to achieve even greater things in life. It’s a great feeling to know, that your university has your back, and they really want you to walk across that stage and get your diploma!
Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it.
My school is a fun and educational get away from home. Most of the time there is always something to do on campus. The food is great, and the students are pretty friendly for the most part.
What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?
I wish I had known that although they said that it is easy to get scholarships, in reality it is highly-competitive and cut-throat to receive money from this university. Also, I wish I had known that almost every weekend, most students go home so the campus is somehwat dead. I have adjusted to the lack of business during the weekend, but it was not what I had expected.
At Western Kentucky University i consider the best thing about my school, has to be the campus life. I feel very welcomed when I first attened the college. I feel as though it is a family oriented school. People speak when you walk by that you dont even know. That's what I think is the best about my college.
Our school is best known for specific programs such as our School of Broadcasting and Journalism and also is known for our school spirit along with our mascot Big Red. The scenery and beauty of the campus is one of the first things people mention when they first come to visit.
What's the most frustrating thing about your school?
This is hard for me to answer because I am transferring to WKU this year after obtaining two Associate Degrees from the Communiy College System. Right now I do not have any frustrations with the school. The application process and class scheduling has gone very smoothly. So far, the most frustrating thing is that it is in a different time zone from my home (I live in Eastern Kentucky)!
Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!
My school isn't based in a large city so it seems to be more personal. The campus and buildings aren't spread out over a downtown area, they are all together.
What kind of person should not attend this school?
Anyone could come to Western and love it. As long as they are not looking for a huge school in a huge city, then anyone would love it. There is not a lot to do in Bowling Green, but Nashville is only an hour away. There are also many things to do and be involved in on campus. I would reccomend anyone to go to WKU!
The quality of professor and lecture you get at WKU is a complete joke. Don't go to school here. They keep really bad professors, and the good professors leave because they don't pay enough - and they attract bad professors because of their mediocre salaries. While college life is important, if you have really bad professors, they can mess up your GPA and cause you a ton of stress - especially if you NEED to learn something for your future career.
There is no school pride at WKU. Half the students walk around with UK shirts on - and why shouldn't they?
There is no culture on this campus. There is only one campus restaurant outside of the cafeteria. There are limited social gatherings other than parties.
The athletic events are horrible. The football team is embarrassing and there are no student tickets to watch the basketball games. It's an embarrassing situation that nobody wants to really be a part of.
WKU is a boring university, but they don't even have the good quality professors overall to back it up. Take the tens of thousands of dollars you will invest in your education and go to another university.
Professors are horrible. I have had some really good ones, but compared to UK (I transferred) they are nothing alike. Half of my professors wouldn't have lasted more than a semester at UK because the students would have complained about how bad the lectures were and the unfairness. Half the teachers just don't have any clue what they are doing - they don't listen to students and literally one is rumored to be literally crazy and on psychiatric drugs. WKU keeps really bad professors around. They really couldn't care less about the education they provide to the tuition payers of the university. All they care about is putting up new buildings to impress future applicants. Half of your classes will be a pain because the teachers are so terrible - and they will really mess with your GPA because you might unfairly get a D or C when you shouldn't have.
All students must apply yearly for financial aid. This process starts with the FAFSA.
Though financial aid deadlines vary by school, it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. For the upcoming school year, you can apply as early as October 1 for the FAFSA. Additional school aid will be dependent on the FAFSA results.
94% of students attending Western Kentucky University receive some sort of financial aid.
37% were awarded federal grants.51%received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.
