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Summary
University of Louisville is a public institution that was founded in 1798. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 15,597, its setting is urban, and the campus size is 345 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. University of Louisville's ranking in the 2013 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, 160. Its in-state tuition and fees are $8,930 (2011-12); out-of-state tuition and fees are $21,650 (2011-12).
The University of Louisville is located in Kentucky on the banks of the Ohio River, about 100 miles from both Indianapolis and Cincinnati. Students at U of L, as it is known, can major in more than 170 areas of study, including master’s programs in the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law, and the fields of business and medicine. Outside the classroom, University of Louisville students can join more than 250 campus clubs, pledge with about 25 fraternities and sororities, and play intramural sports. More serious athletes can try out for the Louisville Cardinals varsity teams, which compete in the NCAA Division I Big East Conference.
On campus, U of L students can also check out the art museum, planetarium, and Auguste Rodin’s original sculpture of The Thinker. In the city of Louisville, U of L students can go to the zoo, the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, and the famous Kentucky Derby horse race. Notable University of Louisville alumni include National Public Radio (NPR) journalist Bob Edwards and the late Frank Neuhauser, who won the first National Spelling Bee in 1925 when he successfully spelled the word “gladiolus.”
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The UofL is intent on becoming a premier metropolitan research university, known for improving the lives of the citizens of Louisville and Kentucky. Ranked among America's top 12 "good neighbors" in a survey by the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities, UofL places special emphasis on its Signature Partnership initiative. That program is designed to enhance the quality of life and economic opportunity for individuals and families who live in Louisville's urban core. The goal is to work with various community partners to improve their educational, health, economic and social status. Working closely with community residents, the Jefferson County Public Schools, Louisville Metro Government, Metro United Way, the Urban League, faith-based organizations and many others, the university has coordinated and enhanced existing programs and launched new programs designed to eliminate or reduce disparities in that area. UofL is drawing upon the expertise and energy of faculty, staff and students from every school and college to deal with the quality of life issues that affect the community. UofL also serves as an economic engine for Louisville. An independent study showed that between 2003 and 2009 UofL-related investments resulted in the creation of 9,764 jobs - or about 40 percent of the new net jobs created in Kentucky during that time. UofL activities also added $1.2 billion to the commonwealth's economic output. The university's strategy includes taking underperforming assets and finding ways to help them reach their economic potential. This tactic is important for the university's economic well-being in a period when Kentucky has cut funding to state universities 11 times in 11 years. A significant portion of UofL's Shelby Campus is being developed into an office and research park. The campus has been underused in the past as classes take place either at UofL's Belknap or Health Sciences campuses. Revenue generated from ShelbyHurst Office and Research Park will support UofL's academic and research missions. UofL also is developing property in downtown Louisville at its Health Sciences campus and has long-term plans to develop property adjacent to its Belknap Campus south of downtown. Among the entities the park will house is UofL's Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research. While that development is in the planning stages, a development in downtown Louisville already is under way. NUCLEUS, Kentucky's Life Science and Innovation Center, provides business management and consulting services to support entrepreneurs engaged in life sciences. When it is completed, the research complex will house multiple facilities in close proximity to expedite collaboration and shared expertise among researchers and companies. Buildings and infrastructure are crucial for the economic well-being of Louisville and Kentucky, but without educated people in Kentucky, those lose significance. Four years ago, UofL started the Cardinal Covenant program - the first program of its kind in Kentucky - to help low-income families fund a college education. Kentucky families living at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level are eligible for participation. Students leave the program debt free and with a college education - ready to enter Kentucky's workforce. Helping students reach their potential takes many forms of support. Over the past decade, incoming UofL students have been increasingly better prepared than those who have come before them. Starting in 2000, the university created an office to help them apply for national and international teaching and research scholarships. The office has been so successful in identifying excellent scholars that UofL students and graduates received 46 Fulbright scholarships between 2003 and 2010. That number is more than all other Kentucky colleges and universities combined and it ranks UofL among the top-producing universities in the nation. One of those Fulbright winners went on to be a Rhodes Scholar. |
General Information
| School type | public, coed college |
| Year founded | 1798 |
| Religious affiliation | N/A |
| Academic calendar | semester |
| Setting | urban |
| 2011 Endowment | $769,337,000 |
Applying
When applying to University of Louisville, it's important to note the application deadline is August 25. Scores for either the ACT or SAT test are due August 25. The application fee at University of Louisville is $50. It is more selective, with an acceptance rate of 72.7 percent.
For more information about the tests, essays, interviews, and admissions process, visit the Applying to College knowledge center.
| Selectivity | more selective |
| Fall 2011 acceptance rate | 72.7% |
| Application deadline | August 25 |
| SAT/ACT scores must be received by | August 25 |
Academic Life
The student-faculty ratio at University of Louisville is 16:1, and the school has 26.8 percent of its classes with fewer than 20 students. The most popular majors at University of Louisville include: Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services; Engineering; Education; Parks, Recreation, Leisure, and Fitness Studies; and Health Professions and Related Programs. The average freshman retention rate, an indicator of student satisfaction, is 78.0 percent.
Student Life
University of Louisville has a total undergraduate enrollment of 15,597, with a gender distribution of 48.9 percent male students and 51.1 percent female students. At this school, 27.0 percent of the students live in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing and 73.0 percent of students live off campus. University of Louisville is part of the NCAA I athletic conference.
| Total enrollment | 21,153 |
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| Collegiate athletic association | NCAA I |
Campus Info & Services
University of Louisville offers a number of student services including nonremedial tutoring, women's center, placement service, day care, health service, and health insurance. University of Louisville also offers campus safety and security services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols, late night transport/escort service, 24-hour emergency telephones, lighted pathways/sidewalks, and controlled dormitory access (key, security card, etc). Alcohol is permitted for students of legal age at University of Louisville.
| Students who have cars on campus | N/A |
| Health insurance offered | Yes |
| Students required to own/lease a computer | No |
More About Campus Info & Services
Paying for School
At University of Louisville, 61.3 percent of full-time undergraduates receive some kind of need-based financial aid and the average need-based scholarship or grant award is $8,074.
Paying for college doesn't have to be difficult or devastating. Go to the Paying for College knowledge center to get advice on raising cash and reducing costs.
| In-state tuition and fees | $8,930 (2011-12) |
| Out-of-state tuition and fees | $21,650 (2011-12) |
| Room and board | $7,440 (2011-12) |
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* Overview details based on 2011 data
