The Governor’s Scholars Program is a summer residential program for outstanding rising high school seniors in Kentucky. The Program originated in 1983 and now has over 39,000 alumni from across the Commonwealth. The Program’s mission is to enhance Kentucky’s next generation of civic and economic leaders. 

Selection for the program is highly competitive, with an application process similar to that of prestigious colleges and universities. In addition to an academic profile that includes difficulty of course load, GPA, and at least one standardized test score, the application requires an outline of all extracurricular activities, service, and a list honors/awards. A Teacher recommendation which includes both a quantitative evaluation and qualitative descriptions of the student’s performance and potential; as well as a Community Recommendation which shows how a student performs in a community setting beyond the high school are also required. The final component of the application is an original writing entry.

Student applications are reviewed at the high school and district level first, followed by a statewide competition.  Students who attend public, private, or homeschools in Kentucky are invited to apply.  They must be current juniors who are planning to return to a Kentucky school for their senior year.

Students who are selected attend the Program free of charge. In the spirit of partnership, the Office of the Governor, the Kentucky State Legislature, and private enterprise come together to provide the financial support for the Program.