University of Kansas

Main campus - Lawrence, Kansas

On September 12, 1866, three faculty members greeted 55 students as the University of Kansas opened its doors and became the first state university on the plains.  The legislation that organized and established the university stated:

“The object of the University should be to provide the inhabitants of this state with the means of acquiring a thorough knowledge of the various branches of literature, science, and the arts.”

The University of Kansas has since striven to meet that goal and in the process, has attracted outstanding teachers and students from all over the United States and the world. 

Presently, more than 30,000 students are pursuing their educational goals through the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the 14 other Colleges  on the campuses located in Lawrence, Kansas City, and in Wichita.

The University of Kansas is a part of the Association of American Universities, which is a select group of leading institutions in the United States and Canada.  Members are chosen based upon their national significance in graduate studies and research.

KU’s main campus is at Lawrence, Kansas (about 40 miles west of Kansas City).  The University of Kansas Medical Center is in Kansas City and houses the University of Kansas School of Medicine, Schools of Allied Health, Nursing, and various Graduate studies programs.