Every year, the University of Kentucky (UK) has the pleasure of welcoming new students on campus from all over the world. Our team of International Student Ambassadors helps to make this possible by representing UK to prospective students in their home country and region. The ambassadors provide information about the application process, scholarship opportunities, student life, and degree programs. They also help with various outreach initiatives, such as participating in presentations and developing unique and creative content for social media and promotional purposes.
International Ambassador Scholarship
Finance Your Education and Get Involved on Campus
$16,000
maximum amount per year
Feb. 15
priority deadline
2.50
GPA requirement
"Being a Student Ambassador has been a life changing experience. It has helped me finance the fantastic education I've received here at UK, helped me come out of my shell and get involved across campus, and improved my resume as I enter the job market. It was one of the best decisions I made when applying to UK."
-Pallavi Raichur '22
FAQs
Who is eligible for the scholarship?
-New international freshman and transfer students on F-1 visa with a minimum GPA of 2.5
- Exchange and visiting students are ineligible
- current UK students are ineligible
-Applicants who are subject to non-resident tuition
- applicants who graduate from Kentucky high schools are ineligible
How can I apply?
- Fill out application, linked below
- 500 word essay
- A Letter of Recommendation attesting to your ability to serve as an ambassador
-Link to application: click here
-Please note that both the essay and the letter of recommendation should specifically address your potential and ability to serve as an ambassador.
When is the application deadline?
-The priority deadline for incoming international freshmen is February 15th
-The priority deadline for international transfer students is May 15th
Do I need to be admitted to the university before I apply?
-Yes, in order to be considered for the scholarship you must first apply to and be admitted to the University of Kentucky. Click here to apply.
What is the application process like?
-The review process starts after the February 15th deadline.
-Successful applicants will advance to the second round, where they will be required to produce a short video; those who reach the finals will participate in two group interviews.
-Scholarship decisions are announced by April 1st
How will candidates be evaluated?
-We strive to have a diverse team of ambassadors from all geographic regions. This means that not all qualified and excellent candidates will be offered an award. To stand out among the applicant pool, one should demonstrate strong interpersonal and teamwork skills, be responsible, organized, and enjoy communicating with and helping others.
What are the responsibilities of student ambassadors?
The role of an Ambassador has one core focus: representing the University to prospective international students. Ambassadors are assigned tasks that usually take about an hour a week. Here are some examples of ambassador engagement:
- Attend monthly Ambassador meetings.
- Hold presentations about UK in your home country.
- Encourage and attract the attention of prospective international students through social media and one-on-one online conversations.
- Emails prospective students and assist them with any queries that they may have about the application process.
- Hold social media events on platforms such as Instagram for prospective international students. Ambassadors show potential international students what being a student at the University of Kentucky is really like.
- Assist the selection committee by conducting interviews with prospective ambassadors during the Spring semester.