Budget

Our budget reflects our momentum and our steadfast commitment to the success of our people and the future of our state.

Our ability to provide raises, to expand leave options, to keep tuition increases to the lowest levels in a generation, to reduce students’ unmet financial need, and to expand efficiency and effectiveness is the result of the tireless work of so many people within the budget office and other areas in Finance and Administration, as well as in the Office of the Provost.

We begin a new fiscal year with a budget that embodies our community’s distinctive characteristics: an unwavering commitment to service and support, as well as a fierce determination to expand what’s possible for the University of Kentucky.

The $8.4 billion budget is $1.6 billion larger than last year’s $6.8 billion original budget, a reflection of the acquisition and integration of King’s Daughters Medical Health System in Ashland into the university.

The budget’s growth continues to be driven by the ongoing expansion of the university’s academic health system, its commitment to strategic growth of the student body and a thriving research enterprise.

A Promise to Enroll and Graduate More Students

• This fall UK welcomed a record first-year class of nearly 6,500 students and an overall enrollment of about 36,000. It’s the third year in a row first-year enrollment exceeded 6,000 students.
• UK’s six-year graduation rate is now more than 71% — another record that places the university among the top 100 public, four-year institutions in America, based on the most recent data. UK’s four-year graduation rate is now a little more than 60% — almost 30 percentage points higher than it was 15 years ago.
• UK will hold tuition increases, under the proposed budget, to 2.2% for Kentucky undergraduates — part of a continued commitment to ensuring access and affordability. Tuition for fall 2024 was $6,751, up from $6,606 in fall 2023.
• The four-year rolling average annual tuition increase is now 2%, down from more than 4% a decade ago.
• UK has invested a record of $175 million of undesignated General Funds in scholarships and financial aid — about 6% or $10 million increase in student financial aid and an increase of more than $70 million in the last decade.
• Kentucky undergraduates that come from families where the median family annual income is less than $25,000 have their tuition and mandatory fees are 100% covered by scholarships and grants, and provided an additional $3,315 that they could use for other costs associated with college.

A Promise to Expand Health Care to More Kentuckians

• The academic health system now represents more than $4.5 billion of the institution’s budget — a 300% increase from a decade ago.
• UK is in the design phases for approximately $2.4 billion in health care transformation over the next several years, including the expansion of the Albert B. Chandler Hospital footprint, an advanced cancer and ambulatory center and four ambulatory clinics throughout the region to provide greater access to care.

A Promise to Pursue Discovery and Answers

• The budget projects $494 million in revenue from research grants and contracts — the third straight year the research enterprise would top $400 million.
• Much of that revenue is directed toward Research Priority Areas — a focused attempt to address Kentucky’s biggest challenges around cancer, diabetes, substance misuse, neuroscience, heart disease, materials science, energy and building stronger community as well as systemic issues around race and equity.

A Promise to Take Care of the People Who Advance UK and the State

• More than 26,000 UK employees support  the continuous successes of our students, and the treatment and healing of more than 45,000 patients each year.
• For the 11th time in 12 years, the budget includes compensation increases for UK employees.
• Nearly $30 million has been invested from central sources over the last two years and represents the largest such investments in pay raises over a two-year period in more than 15 years.
• $18 million will be invested for a salary increase pool and more than $9 million to help offset the increases in health insurance costs.
• UK is also implementing baseline graduate stipends, using national benchmarking data by academic discipline.

The University of Kentucky’s budget is comprised of three fund groups: general (designated and undesignated), auxiliary and restricted. Each fund group includes specific revenues, expenses and transfers and is budgeted so that it has a zero balance: Revenues + Transfers In – Transfers-Out = Expenses.

Designated General Funds are received directly by the colleges and units that generate or earn the funds. The colleges and units use the funds in accordance with their missions and to maintain self-sustaining activities. 

Undesignated General Funds are received and managed centrally and the associated expenditure authority is allocated to the colleges and units as base support for education, research, creative work and service. The budget decisions related to the university’s educational and general activities are based on the availability of these undesignated funds.

Auxiliary Fund revenues are generated from the sale of goods and services to faculty, staff and students. Revenues are expected to cover the operating expenses of each auxiliary enterprise.

Restricted Funds are provided by governmental agencies, corporations and private donors, these funds are accepted by the university with explicit restrictions imposed by the external entity. The primary sources of Restricted Funds are sponsored projects, such as grants and contracts, gifts that must be spent in support of a specific program and federal and state student financial aid. As a steward of the funds, the university has a legal obligation to abide by the fund restrictions.