LEXINGTON, Ky. — The University of Kentucky Wildcat Forum announced Friday that applications are now open for its Employee Educational Assistance Award, providing eligible staff members financial support to offset educational expenses.

The award offers $250 reimbursements to help cover books, materials, supplies and fees associated with UK coursework. The deadline for Summer 2026 applications is Friday, May 22.

To qualify, applicants must be regular, full-time employees working at least 0.75 full-time equivalent hours and must have submitted an Employee Education Program form, which allows UK staff to take up to eight credit hours per semester with tuition waived.

The award is particularly significant for employees balancing educational advancement with their current roles. "This award complements the existing tuition waiver program for UK employees by providing recipients with additional financial support," according to information from the Wildcat Forum, which aims to provide financial support to encourage continuing education among all campus employees.

Interested employees can apply online. Questions about the application process should be directed to ukwf@uky.edu.

The spring 2026 recipients, announced Friday, include employees from the College of Social Work, College of Nursing, College of Education, College of Fine Arts and other colleges across campus. The selection process is competitive, with applications evaluated and ranked by committee members based on how applicants describe their educational and career goals. Employees can receive the award once per academic year.