Student life at KU
KU graduate students pursue singular disciplines, but we share a mutual mission of support and respect. In the classroom and beyond, you’ll belong to an enthusiastic and welcoming community of Jayhawks.
Student life
How Graduate Students Thrive at KU
KU is committed to ensuring a healthy graduate student community. Campus support resources — counseling through CAPS, comprehensive medical care at Watkins Health Services, on-campus childcare at Hilltop, and fitness and intramurals through KU Recreation — help KU's 5,570 graduate students meet everyday challenges and personal goals.
Mental healthCounseling & Psychological ServicesStudents experiencing psychological, interpersonal, domestic, or other issues can schedule individual or group counseling sessions with CAPS.Visit CAPS
Health careWatkins Health ServicesComprehensive medical care on campus. Walk-ins are welcome, and services include lab work, gynecology, massage therapy, athletic training, and more.Visit Watkins
Student familiesHilltop Child Development CenterHigh-quality, on-campus childcare during and between semesters, with priority for student families. Rates are on a sliding scale and may be subsidized by scholarships.Visit Hilltop
Fitness & wellbeingKU Recreation ServicesFrom personal fitness to team intramural sports, KU Recreation offers programs and facilities for students of all levels to improve their health and wellbeing.Visit Recreation Drag the card left or right — or use the arrows and names — to flip through the album.
Grad Student Life, Answered
KU Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) supports students experiencing psychological, interpersonal, domestic, or other issues. Graduate students can schedule individual or group counseling sessions with CAPS, part of KU's broader commitment to a healthy student community.
Yes. Watkins Health Services provides comprehensive medical care on campus, and walk-ins are welcome. Services include lab work, gynecology, massage therapy, athletic training, and more — so most everyday health needs are handled without leaving campus.
Yes. Hilltop Child Development Center offers high-quality, on-campus childcare during and between semesters, with priority for student families. Rates are on a sliding scale and may be subsidized by scholarships, making childcare more attainable while you study.
Yes. KU offers more than 100 graduate-focused clubs and organizations, ranging from interests and hobbies to academics and advocacy. Browse and join them through KU Engage, the university's hub for student organizations.
KU is home to 5,570 graduate students. About 38% come from beyond Kansas — including 17%, roughly one in six, from outside the United States — and one in five graduate students comes from a racially diverse background.
Graduate Student Resources
Clubs and organizations
International student life
Academic resources
Personal support and academic achievement go hand-in-hand. KU’s Academic Success programs provide students with individualized assistance and critical resources, in the classroom and elsewhere.