Universities in Kentucky

There are a number of public and private colleges and universities in Kentucky. The state has sixteen public two-year colleges that are governed by the Kentucky Community and Technical College System.

There are eight public four-year universities in Kentucky. The higher education system in the state comprises two general tiers: major research institutions (the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville) and regional universities. There are also a number of private, community and technical colleges in Kentucky.

Some of the major universities in the state are:

University of Kentucky: Located in Lexington, Kentucky, the University of Kentucky is a public co-educational university. Also known as UK, it is one of the state's two land-grant universities. The institution was founded in 1865 by John Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentucky. The major courses offered by the university include social sciences, medicine, law, humanities and life sciences. With an enrollment of 27,171, the university is the largest in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Dr. Eli Capilouto is the president.

Transylvania University: Founded in 1780, the Transylvania University is a private, undergraduate liberal arts college affiliated with the Christian Church. It is located in Lexington, Kentucky, United States and is also referred to as Transylvania or Transy. The institution offers thirty-eight majors, and pre-professional degrees in engineering and accounting. It is one of the oldest universities in Kentucky and consistently ranks in the top tier in the country. R. Owen Williams is the president of the university.

University of Louisville: Located in Louisville, Kentucky, the University of Louisville is a public university. It was founded in 1798 as the first city-owned public university in the United States. Students from 118 of 120 Kentucky counties, all 50 US states, and 116 countries around the world enroll in the university annually. The institution offers courses in medicine, nursing, business, arts, social work and information sciences. The president of the university is James R. Ramsey.