Western Kentucky University

Welcome to Western Kentucky University, home of the Hilltoppers. Our hilltop campus is your home away from home. It embraces a proud heritage and a bold, ambitious future.

WKU is in the midst of a transformation - physical, intellectual, cultural and economic – and is becoming A Leading American University with International Reach. Whether in a neighboring community or in a distant country, WKU faculty and students are engaged in relevant applied research that provides solutions to real problems.

WKU is home to many highly ranked and nationally-recognized academic programs such as Journalism and Broadcasting, Education, Engineering, Business and our award winning speech and debate team. More than 21,100 students grace our campuses in Bowling Green, Glasgow, Owensboro and the Elizabethtown area. We also send students each semester to Harlaxton College in Grantham, England and other students circumnavigate the globe with the Semester at Sea program, as well as faculty-led and exchange programs throughout the world.

A place where all students can succeed, WKU is the home of the Gatton Academy for Mathematics and Science for exceptional Kentucky high school juniors and seniors. The Academy was named the number one high school in the U.S. in 2012 and 2013 by Newsweek. WKU is proud to have Kentucky’s first and only independent Honors College in the Commonwealth. WKU honors students enjoy an intimate scholarly environment on a vibrant campus and are encouraged to become involved in community service, applied research and study abroad. These are among the reasons why WKU is becoming the university of choice in the Commonwealth and the intellectual heartbeat of Kentucky.