Access dozens of potential awards with one application.

Only one scholarship application is required to access dozens of potential awards in the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, our college has one of the largest scholarship programs at the University of Kentucky with awards based on criteria such as major, hometown, career goals, club involvement, and more.

Our college scholarships for first-year freshmen are awarded based on the student's unweighted high school grade point average, involvement, leadership potential and writing ability. The scholarship application gives a good overview of each applicant's development in those areas.

Our college scholarship application for Fall 2025 first-year freshmen will open on Monday, September 16, 2024. Applications may be submitted through 11:59 p.m. Monday, January 6, 2025. 

NOTE: Applicants must submit their UK admissions application before applying for the college's scholarships. However, students can (should) complete this application before they receive official admittance.

Application Overview

To be eligible for a Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment First-Year Scholarship applicants must:

  1. Apply for admission to the University of Kentucky with a primary major in the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. Students can (and should) apply for this college scholarship before being officially admitted to the University.
  2. Complete the First-Year Scholarship application. 
  3. Applicant unweighted high school GPA will be verified with the transcript sent to UK Admissions. If students do not complete the application for admission to the university by January 6, they will not be considered for scholarships within the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment.
  4. Write carefully composed essays, each of 500 words or less for each essay that answers the application questions (details below).

Applicants will be asked to outline their involvement and leadership activities throughout their high school career. This may include activities such as sports, clubs, part-time work, awards, volunteer work, and more. 

Students are encouraged to think through their extracurricular activities and create a list prior to beginning the application.  

The essay portion is extremely important. Applicants will be asked to answer the following two questions (each response should be 500 words or less):

Essay 1 - Required

Please describe your career aspirations. What led you to choose the major you did? What do you intend to do with your major upon graduation? What impact do you hope to have on your community/society once in your chosen career?

Essay 2 - Required

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Essay 3 - Optional

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

To create the best possible response, students are encouraged to draft their essays prior to beginning the application.  Use of AI to generate essay responses is prohibited. 

Scholarships from the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment are awarded for one academic year, in two equal amounts, for the fall and spring semesters. Students must re-apply for continuing student scholarships in the spring semester of each year.

NOTE: Other scholarships from the University of Kentucky may be renewed annually. 

The Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment scholarship application for incoming Fall 2025 freshmen will open on Monday, September 16, 2024.

Students may submit their application through 11:59 p.m. Monday, January 6, 2025. 

Click here to apply.

 

More money is available

In addition to our college awards, other University of Kentucky scholarships are available. Scholarship awards will be offered pending early application (pre-December 1) and availability of funds.

More UK Freshmen Scholarships International Student Awards

Questions?

For questions specific to our college scholarship, contact Mr. Jeffrey Husted in the Center for Student Success. For general questions about FAFSA, student loans, other University of Kentucky scholarships and more, contact your UK Financial Aid Counselor.

Find Your Counselor Contact Mr. Husted