a two-year program for Outstanding Undergraduates

The Gaines Fellowship in the Humanities is a one-of-a-kind, two-year program designed to enrich undergraduates' experience in the humanities.

Fellowships are awarded in recognition of outstanding academic performance, a demonstrated ability to conduct independent research, an interest in public issues, and a desire to enhance understanding of the human condition through the humanities.

This is a highly competitive and prestigious program, with only twelve UK students being selected each academic year. Interested students from all degree programs are encouraged to apply.

Fellowship Overview

Successful applicants will make a two-year (four semester) commitment to the program, and while all Gaines students are expected to participate in the Center's activities throughout the fellowship, benefits and expectations vary by cohort and progress to completion:

Incoming (Junior) Fellows:

$2,000 stipend to be awarded over the academic year
Successful completion of a specially designed four-credit hour humanities seminar during both fall and spring semesters
- These seminars are led by a variety of outstanding University of Kentucky educators and will focus on a specific theme throughout the year.
Successful completion of an engagement project that serves a campus, Lexington, or personal community

NOTE: Renewal of the fellowship in the senior year will be contingent upon satisfactory academic performance and demonstrated participation in all Gaines Center events.

Senior Fellows:

$3,000 stipend to be awarded over the academic year
Eligible for the Betts, Rowland, and European Travel Scholarships which provide financial support for international experiences that significantly enhance Fellows' knowledge and abilities
Successful completion of a major independent research project (i.e., thesis) of six to fifteen credit hours
- These projects will be guided and graded under the direction of the Gaines Director and three UK faculty members whose expertise is relevant to the fellow's project area.

Traditionally, interested students will submit their Gaines application during the spring semester of their sophomore year.

While any University of Kentucky student may apply to the Gaines Fellowship, successful applicants will meet the following requirements:

Have at least two years (four semesters) of undergraduate coursework remaining after the given application cycle
Provide an outstanding academic record - typically measured at a 3.5 cumulative GPA or better
Demonstrated commitment to intellectual curiosity, independent research, and/or civic engagement

Again, students in all disciplines and with any intended profession are given equal consideration. Gaines Fellows come from all degree programs including Art History, Environmental Science, Psychology, Agricultural Biotechnology, and many more. Furthermore, enrollment in the UK Lewis Honors College is not required.

Lastly, while freshmen are eligible to apply, they must be able to articulate their scholarly interests and demonstrate academic maturity. If freshmen applicants are unsuccessful, they are encouraged to apply again during their sophomore year.

I'M NOT A HUMANITIES MAJOR; CAN I STILL APPLY?

YES! We welcome students from all majors in the Fellowship. You need only be prepared to examine your areas of interest through the lens of humanities, but most thesis projects are very interdisciplinary in nature

CAN I PARTICIPATE IN HONORS AND GAINES?

You can! Membership in Lewis Honors is not a requirement for Gaines, but if you’re already pursuing Honors coursework, the Gaines courses will satisfy your Lewis requirements.

WHO SHOULD I ASK TO BE MY RECOMMENDER?

We suggest asking UK faculty or staff who have interacted with you in a classroom setting and can speak to your academic motivations/dedications. We strongly discourage friends, high school teachers, or work supervisors, as often these recommendations are not as strong.

CAN I WRITE A CREATIVE ESSAY RESPONSE?

We welcome all formats/approaches to the application essay!

I WANT TO STUDY ABROAD. CAN I DO THAT AND GAINES?

Gaines fellows may study abroad over the summer, or during the fall semester of their senior year

DOES GAINES COST ANYTHING?

Gaines does not cost anything to participate—in fact, selected students receive a stipend of $2,000 their first year and $3,000 their second year

DO I NEED TO HAVE A MINIMUM GPA TO APPLY?

There is no minimum qualification to apply for Gaines. We’re looking for highly motivated students and understand that numbers often don’t tell the whole story.

IF I'M A CHELLGREN FELLOW, WILL I AUTOMATICALLY BE ACCEPTED INTO GAINES?

No. We have had many Chellgren fellows participate in Gaines, but this is not a requirement, nor an automatic admission into the program. Everyone who applies is given equal and fair consideration, regardless of their prior academic commitments.

WHEN CAN I APPLY FOR THE 2025 GAINES FELLOWSHIP?

Our application window for the 2025 Gaines Fellowship opens on Friday November 1, 2024 and closes at midnight on Monday February 3, 2025.

DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION SESSIONS COMING UP?

Yes! Information sessions for our next application window are listed below.

Tuesday November 19, 3.00pm - on zoom
Wednesday January 22, 2.00pm - on zoom

Have a question that we haven't answered here? Join us for one of the information sessions listed above, or reach out to Dr. Chelsea Brislin, Associate Director clbris4@uky.edu

Applications for the fall 2025 cohort of Gaines Fellows are now open! Applications will be accepted until midnight on Monday 3 February, 2025.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Life in Gaines

Gaines students and faculty come from many different academic and personal backgrounds, but we all have one thing in common: an appreciation for meaningful intellectual curiosity.

We are a community of artists, debaters, scholars, leaders, and social servants dedicated to preserving and amplifying the humanities for all walks of life.