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Governor's Scholars Program

FAQs

​​​​​​General Questions

Q: Where and when will the Governor's Scholars Program be conducted?
A: In 2025, the Governor's Scholars Program will be held on three different campuses: Centre College, Morehead State University, and Murray State University.

First Session:
Opening Day: June 14
Closing Day: July 18

Second Session: 
Opening Day: June 15
Closing Day: July 19

Third Session: 
Opening Day: June 22
Closing Day: July 26

Q: Are the programs the same at all three campuses?
A: Scholars will experience the same program at all three campuses. There may be minor differences in the course offerings, but overall, the program is the same.

Q: Do scholars have to attend the program for all five weeks?
A: Yes. If a student accepts the invitation to attend the Governor's Scholars Program, they must agree to attend for the entire five weeks. Any student who does not stay for the entire five weeks will not receive a Governor's Scholars Program certificate; therefore, this student will not be recognized as a Kentucky Governor's Scholar and may forfeit potential scholarship opportunities. There will be one day when students will be permitted to visit with family and leave campus. Additional temporary absences will be allowed only in the most extenuating of circumstances.​

Q: What behaviors are totally unacceptable and may result in immediate expulsion?
A: All members of the Governor's Scholars community must abide by the following non-negotiable rules:

  1. No firearms or deadly weapons of any kind will be allowed.
  2. The use or possession of drugs, including alcoholic beverages, is prohibited.
  3. Piercing of any part of the body is strictly prohibited.
  4. Automobiles and other motorized vehicles are prohibited, as is riding in unauthorized vehicles.
  5. Intentional destructive behavior will not be tolerated.
  6. Scholars must sign and live by our learning contract. It reiterates that scholars must attend class daily, be on time for class and participate fully. They will remain for the complete term of the Program and cannot leave before it is completed, except for illness or true emergency.

Other rules are developed for each specific campus.

Q: What is the cost to students to attend the Governor's Scholars Program?
A: The Commonwealth of Kentucky and private donors provide tuition, room, board, most class supplies, and program activities for those students who are accepted to participate. Families are expected to provide transportation to the Program, away from the Program at its conclusion, and pocket money for the five weeks. Additionally, the family is responsible for a residential life deposit, which is returned providing the student has returned undamaged all college property.

Q: Are there similar programs in other states?
A: The Kentucky Governor's Scholars Program is one of many excellent summer programs across the country affiliated with the National Conference of Governor's Schools. For more information, please visit www.ncogs.org.

Q: What is the Governor's School for the Arts?
A: The Kentucky Governor's School for the Arts is the sister program to the Governor's Scholars Program. It focuses only on the arts and is open to sophomores and juniors. For more information, please visit www.kentuckygsa.com.

Q: What is the Governor's School of Entrepreneurs?
A: The Kentucky Governor's School of Entrepreneurs is another sister program to the Governor's Scholars Program. It focuses on product innovation and business model design. For more information, please visit www.kentuckygse.com.

Application Process

Q: How are students selected to attend the Governor's Scholars Program?
A: To be eligible to apply and be selected as a Governor's Scholar, a student must:

  • Be in the 11th grade at the time of selection and intend to return to a Kentucky school district for the next school term. (Students skipping their senior year to enter college are not eligible);
  • Be a current resident of Kentucky;
  • Have taken the ACT, PSAT, or SAT in the 9th, 10th or 11th grades.

The student must then complete an application. The application consists of Academic Profile, Student Profile, Teacher Recommendation, Community Recommendation, and Writing Entry. There is also an optional Counselor Statement form. Each school must select its candidates and then send them to the district level. Each school district sends its allotted number of candidates to the state level. A statewide selection committee blindly reads the applications and makes final decisions about who will attend the Program.

Q: May school systems submit as many student applications as they wish?
A: No. Each school system is allotted a certain number of candidates based on its junior class enrollment.

Q: How does one apply to be a Governor's Scholar?

A: Student Application & Selection Packets are sent to every public, private, and parochial school district in the state. Applications may be picked up in the school guidance office the last week of September or online at gsp.ky.gov. Students will compete at the district level as well as the state level.

Q: Can homeschooled students apply?
A: Yes, students who are homeschooled in Kentucky can apply. For more information, please contact the GSP at
502-209-4420

​Q: How competitive is the application process?

A: Each school district is responsible for sending its candidates to the state level, and most often, this competition is very competitive. At the state level, typically over 2,000 applications are received and approximately 1,020 are selected to attend the Program.

Q: What is the application deadline?

January 10 Last day for school districts with only one school, private schools, and homeschool students to mail notifications and completed applications to the Governor's Scholars Program. (Student's deadline to district is prior to this date.) 

January 24 Last day for school districts with more than one school in the district (requiring a district selection committee) to mail notifications and completed applications to the Governor's Scholars Program. (Student's deadline to district is prior to this date.)

Q: Do the scholars get to select their Focus Area?
A: When completing their applications, students indicate the three Focus Areas in which they are most interested. GSP staff will assign each student to one of those three chosen Focus Areas.

Q: Are there attendance requirements?
A: Yes. Students must attend the Program for its duration. There will be one day when students will be permitted to visit with family and leave campus. Additional temporary absences will be allowed only in the most extenuating of circumstances.

Q: When will students be notified if they have been selected?
A: The Governor's Scholars Program will mail notifications to students of their status - accepted, alternate, or not accepted - no later than April 14, 2025.  Students must accept or decline their appointments by May 2nd.​

Q: May scholars request which campus they would like to attend?
A: No. Scholars may request a specific session, based on the start and completion date, if they have significant scheduling conflicts. Requests for session assignments will not be honored after May 2nd. Campuses are staggered to allow scholars to participate in other major events before or after they attend the Program.

Q: May ministers or others fill out the teacher recommendation form?
A: No. The Governor's Scholars Program wants to know how the applicant functions in an academic setting. Teacher Recommendations must be completed by a teacher who taught the student in a core content area in​ the 9th, 10th or 11th grades.

Academic Components of the Program

Q: Who are the faculty members at Governor's Scholars?
A: Faculty and staff for the Program are selected from among highly qualified applicants, representing public and private high schools, colleges, and universities. The staff is chosen on the basis of students' needs and interests and on an applicant's abilities and willingness to participate with students in rigorous and challenging work.

Q: Are grades or credits given at Governor's Scholars?
A: Neither grades nor credits are given; however, all students successfully completing the Program receive a certificate naming them Governor's Scholars. College applications often provide students with an opportunity to explain their participation in special programs such as the Governor's Scholars Program, and many offer scholarships for such participation. View a list of scholarship opportunities​ at Kentucky colleges and universities that are available exclusively to Governor's Scholars.

Q: How much time do scholars spend in class?
A: Scholars balance their time between three classes as well as co-curricular opportunities outside of the classroom. The schedule is often different for each day of the week and is designed to give students the opportunity to interact with members of the GSP community. The weekends consist of structured co-curricular activities and less structured time for interaction among community members.

Campus Life

Q: What type of accommodations do students have?
A: Students live in residence halls while on campus. Students have access to a lounge area, share central bathroom facilities and reside in residence hall rooms containing beds, desks, desk chairs, closet space, and dressers. All rooms are air-conditioned.

Q: May scholars request a roommate?
A: No; students will be assigned a roommate. Students are informed of their room assignment on the day of arrival. The Governor's Scholars Program encourages students to meet and make new friends during the five-week residency, and students should know that they will have plenty of time each day to visit with friends during mealtimes, at structured social events, and during free time.

Q: What size beds are in the residence halls?
A: Typically the beds in the residence hall rooms are extra long twin. Extra long twin sheets are recommended and are available at Wal-Mart, Amazon, Target, etc.

Q: Do students have a curfew?
A: Yes, there will be a 10:30 p.m. curfew on weeknights (Sunday-Thursday) and an 11:00 p.m. curfew on weekends. By curfew, all scholars must sign in with their RAs on their hall. Scholars may not leave their residence halls after curfew.

Q: Are male and female residence halls separate?
A: Yes, male and female students reside in separate spaces. Male and female Residential Advisors live on each of the residence halls with students of the same sex. Each student receives a key for their room.

Q: May scholars go home on weekends?
A: No. Scholars must remain at the GSP through the weekends except for one scheduled family day, on which students are permitted to leave with their parents or guardians and must return by curfew of the same day.

Q: Are scholars allowed to have visitors?
A: Each campus has a designated visiting day for families. Parents and other friends of the scholars are asked not to visit other than during the designated time.

Q: Are scholars allowed to bring vehicles?
A: Automobiles and other motorized vehicles are prohibited, as is riding in unauthorized vehicles.

Q: What personal items should scholars bring?
A: Scholars will receive a mailing detailing what items they should and should not bring to campus. The following is a list of items that may make scholars' stay more comfortable. These are merely suggestions, and scholars may not necessarily need all of them:

Bedding

  • 2 sheets and 2 pillow-cases-twin size (extra long or jersey knit fit best)
  • Mattress pad (egg crate)
  • Blanket
  • Pillow
  • Comforter/bedspread

Toiletries

  • Towels and wash cloths (at least 2)
  • Shower shoes (flip flops, etc.)
  • Towels for swimming
  • Shower caddy
  • Robe
  • Shampoo, soap, soap dish, toothbrush, toothpaste, hair products, hand soap, hair dryer, shaving equipment, deodorant

Room Accessories

  • Alarm clock
  • Power strip
  • Lamp/fan
  • Storage crates
  • Cleaning supplies
  • Decorations

Laundry Items

  • Basket/bag/hangers
  • Detergent/fabric softener
  • Laundry is free for students on each of our GSP campuses

First Aid

  • Band-Aids
  • Tylenol
  • Any prescribed or over-the-counter medication

Miscellaneous Items

  • Iron
  • Camera/film
  • Deck of cards
  • Things to read in spare time
  • Stationery/postage stamps
  • Small amount of paper products and silver ware (towels, plates, cups, forks, etc.), if you plan to eat in the residence hall
  • Food storage containers
  • Musical instruments, if you plan to practice or play in a group (pianos are available)
  • Spending money: you will need personal funds for such items as snacks, pizza, souvenirs, etc.

Dress
To help ensure a respectful community of learners and an environment conducive to learning, GSP establishes these guidelines for student dress:

  • Outdoor temperatures are usually warm, so bring light, mostly casual clothing (comfortable summer clothes, such as jeans, shorts, skirts, t-shirts, blouses, sport shirts, etc.).
  • Air conditioning keeps academic spaces well chilled, so warmer attire is recommended indoors
  • Avoid clothing that reveals midriffs, backs, or undergarments.
  • Clothing should be neat, comfortable, and modest. Shoes and shirts must be worn at all times.
  • You may also want to consider:  Raincoat, slicker, and/or umbrella; hiking clothes and shoes for field trips (be sure to include a long sleeve shirt).  Dress clothes, for religious services and special events (i.e., a dress, sport coat, tie and slacks).

Other Important Information

  • Each student will have a closet in their room. While we don't anticipate that there will be any real problems with theft, in a large community living situation such as ours, things may disappear. WE DISCOURAGE ALL STUDENTS FROM BRINGING ANYTHING VALUABLE (jewelry, large amounts of cash, etc.) with them.
  • The GSP can assume no responsibility or liability for loss or damage of personal items.
  • TV SETS, PERSONAL COMPUTERS,​ TABLET AND E-READERS ARE NOT ALLOWED.
  • CELL PHONES, APPLE WATCHES,  AND ANDROID WATCHES ARE ONLY ALLOWED IN SCHOLARS' ROOMS.
  • Incense, candles, or anything that produces an open flame is prohibited. Possession or use of alcohol, drugs, firearms or motorized vehicles is prohibited. Smoking/Vaping is not allowed in ANY of the buildings on campus.
  • Roller skates, roller blades, or skateboards are not permitted on campus.
  • No pets are allowed.

Q: Will scholars need extra money?
A: Scholars can bring extra money for snacks, stamps, etc. Students will be given the opportunity to visit a local store for necessary supplies. Students may also want to bring extra money for merchandice such as t-shirts, videos, pictures, etc.

Q: Are scholars responsible for their own laundry? 

A: Scholars are responsible for their own laundry. Machines are located in the residence halls on each campus. Laundry is free on each of our campuses. Students should bring detergent.

Q: What entertainment and cultural activities are provided? What kind of extracurricular activities are available? What recreational facilities are available?
A: Evenings and weekends tend to have a few structured social events so that students may enjoy themselves and relax with new friends in an enjoyable, supervised environment. Students attend convocations, performances, coffeehouses, as well as a host of other activities. Extracurricular activities are important parts of the Governor's Scholars Program. A full schedule of diverse programming is offered during afternoons, evenings, and weekends to enhance the curriculum. A film series is popular among students as are varied athletic and recreational events. In addition, workout facilities, pools, and various courts and fields are available on each campus for athletic endeavors. One favorite event conducted each week is the GSP Showcase, a variety show that highlights the many talents of students.

Q: What kinds of talents are featured at GSP Showcase?
A: There is a wide range of talents presented including, but not limited to, singers, dancers, musicians, actors, and comedians.

Q: Do scholars have computer access?
A: Yes, scholars will have access to computers in the various labs on campus. Personal computers are not allowed.

Q: What health services are available?
A: Scholars will have access to the on-campus health services and area hospitals.

Q: How can scholars keep in touch with home?
A: Scholars will be able to send and receive mail as well as email while on campus. Cell phones are permitted only in the scholar's individual residence halls.

Q: Who supervises the scholars while they are in their residence halls?
A: Each GSP campus has a residential life staff comprised of college students who have been selected through a competitive application process. They offer a diverse background, including previous RA experience and former Governor's Scholars.

Q: What athletic training opportunities will scholars have while at the Governor'​s Scholars Program?
A: Scholars will have the opportunity to participate in many athletic opportunities and use exercise facilities on each campus, but please be aware that not all extreme athletic training opportunities may be accommodated.

Q: Can scholars attend religious services?
A: Scholars will have the opportunity to visit religious services once a week. Most students are transported to services on Sunday mornings, but other services may be arranged for special circumstances.