Highland Heights, Kentucky, USA
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Northern Kentucky University (NKU) is a highly rated university located in Highland Heights, Kentucky. Founded in 1968, it has been providing high-quality education for over 50 years, and is known for having excellent teaching and research.
NKU offers an impressive choice of undergraduate and postgraduate courses. There are seven academic schools and over 80 degree courses. The university encourages undergraduate research and practical learning, which means that NKU graduates are prepared for successful employment or postgraduate study. Every year, the university organises a Celebration of Student Research.
The university’s 420-acre main campus is located between downtown Cincinnati and the Highland Heights hills. The area is extremely safe, and is a great place to live and study. There are many opportunities locally for both academic and personal development.
The university is home to 14,000 students, and 12,000 are undergraduates. It is a diverse and inclusive community, with students coming from over 50 countries worldwide. NKU has 60,000 living alumni who have gone on to achieve success in many areas, including journalism, athletics, business and government.
NKU’s Highland Heights campus is a self-contained learning environment, just seven miles southeast of downtown Cincinnati, which provides everything students need for academic success within walking distance, as well as convenient transport to the city and nearby area.
The campus contains fully modernized computer rooms, a variety of study spaces, and a lively Students’ Union which organizes events throughout the year. The is the university’s state-of-the-art facility, home to hundreds of thousands of books and digital resources, as well as specialized research papers and journals.
NKU has a large and active Greek Life culture, with fraternities and sororities being some of the largest and most visible groups on campus. NKU’s Greek Life co-ordinates and advises over 20 organizations, including the inter-fraternity council, panhellenic council, and the National Pan-Hellenic Council.
There are fantastic sports facilities available for students to use for both competitive and recreational activities. NKU has a strong culture of athletics, with facilities for basketball, football, soccer, baseball and even a golf course.
NKU has made a string of recent investments in its campus facilities to ensure that students have full access to the tools and resources needed to make the most of their higher education. The university is continually looking for ways to add value to their student’s education.
The EDGE Award is offered to first-time undergraduate international students with an equivalent of a 2.5 US GPA or higher, and is valued at USD 5,000 per year. Applicants with a qualifying GPA equivalent who have submitted all necessary documents are automatically considered for this award. Full details are available at the university website.
Undergraduate tuition fees at NKU vary on a course-by-course basis, and prospective students are encouraged to visit the subject-specific pages for full information. The for the 2024/2025 academic year is USD 35,515, and this amount includes fees, accommodation, meal plans, books and other university supplies.
17,79,953 Undergraduate Fees are for indicative purposes, for details
13,21,296 Postgraduate Fees are for indicative purposes, for details
3,76,898 Living costs Source:
9,83,800 To live on campus Source:
The acceptance rate for NKU undergraduate admissions is 87 per cent, which makes it a moderately selective university.
Applicants with an unweighted high school GPA of 2.75 and higher will be offered admission to the university regardless of their ACT/SAT scores. Applicants with an unweighted high school GPA of less than 2.75 will be required to submit ACT/SAT as part of their submission file. There is a minimum unweighted GPA requirement of 2.0 to be considered for admission.
The university considers each application on an individual basis and may take prior work experience into account when offering places. Courses are delivered in English, and so there is also a minimum standard of English language proficiency, which prospective students much demonstrate before being admitted. Full details of undergraduate admission requirements are available .
NKU has a high standard of tuition and a progressive and innovative curriculum. Since its foundation in 1968, it has successfully graduated tens of thousands of students from all over the world who have gone on to make positive and impactful changes in society and industry.
The teaching staff are passionate about their subject, and students benefit from their enthusiasm and encouragement in NKU’s relatively small class sizes, which result in a more personalized learning experience.
Tutors are highly qualified and many have experience working and teaching overseas. The university cultivates a diverse and inclusive learning environment where students support each other and work towards their personal academic goals and career ambitions.
The university has developed an online learning portal, through which students can easily access course materials, communicate with tutors, and submit assignments. The online portal also facilitates a number of distance learning courses, which make NKU’s curriculum available remotely to students from all over the world.
Students at NKU have a huge selection of undergraduate pathways to choose from, with spanning the university’s seven academic colleges:
The university is known for its focus on including research into its undergraduate programs. Many courses are also designed with practical components including work experience and primary research opportunities and internships, which prepare students for entering professional roles.
NKU offer a double major option which allows students a great deal of flexibility when choosing their academic pathway. For example, a student could choose one major and three minors, or two majors and one minor. This enables students to tailor their learning, and make the most of the resources available in each department.
A degree from NKU is a globally respected qualification, which makes graduates highly desirable to future employers, and prepares students for meaningful career pathways in a wide variety of roles.
The university’s dedication to providing undergraduate research opportunities gives students the hands-on experience which makes them capable and versatile, as well as building teamwork and communication skills, putting them at an advantage in the workplace or in postgraduate research programmes.
Students have free and full access to the university’s , which provides resources and guidance, including interview training, CV writing support, mentorship schemes, and a timetable of networking events and workshops throughout the academic year.
Graduates also benefit from NKU’s network of over 60,000 alumni and professional partners, who can provide connections with industry and give valuable insights into employment options after graduation.
The university enjoys a graduate employment rate of 97 per cent, within six months of course completion.
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