University of Kansas – Academic Accelerator

About the University of Kansas

The University of Kansas is a top-ranked public research university offering the highest-quality academic programs. KU has continuously had international students on campus since the 1890s, and currently more than 112 nations are represented, and with more than 28 percent of KU students study abroad, makes KU’s students global-minded among their peers and within their academic disciplines. 

In 2014, the KU Academic Accelerator Program was introduced to campus to ease the transitions of a U.S. university, combining credit-bearing courses from the first year of an international student’s degree with additional academic support, instruction, and cultural experiences.

Together, these features of the program combine to create a positive learning environment that promotes academic success and active involvement in campus life, so that students can become a part of the welcoming and nurturing Lawrence community.  

At KU, you can choose from over 190 fields of study. With a focus on research-based academics, KU’s business, engineering and petroleum engineering programs are recognized as some of the best in America.

• #61 Top Public Schools —U.S. News & World Report, 2019
• #80 Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs —U.S. News & World Report, 2019
• #11 Best Petroleum Engineering Programs —U.S. News & World Report, 2019
• #20 Best Pharmacy Program —U.S. News & World Report, 2019
• Top 100 Undergraduate Business Programs —U.S. News & World Report, 2019
• 90% of students are employed or starting graduate school within six months of graduation
• 338,000 alumni worldwide, including 27 Rhodes Scholars and 4 NASA astronauts
• Famous alumni include B.J. Yang (CEO, Hyundai Energy Resources Co.), Juan Manuel Santos (President of Colombia, 2016 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate), Linda Cook (former CEO, Shell Gas & Power) and Brian McClendon (former Vice President of Google Earth)

Jayhawks Get Involved

• 30+ sports clubs, 25+ intramural sports leagues, and 18 Division I sports teams
• 5 National Debate Championships and National Basketball titles
• 600+ student organizations such as the Arabic Club and the Biomedical Engineering Society
• State-of-the-art fitness center includes workout equipment, pools, a rock-climbing wall and an indoor golf simulator

Welcome to the friendly, caring and beautiful Midwest.

The University of Kansas is located in beautiful Lawrence, Kansas — a true college town located on the banks of the Kansas River. 

Friendly and caring, Lawrence boosts international cuisine, extensive outdoor recreation, shopping, and a thriving arts scene. A free bus system for all KU students, with bus routes arriving and departing throughout campus and the residence halls every seven minutes, helps everyone get around. Students can spend whole days perusing the shops, art galleries, and coffee shops of downtown Lawrence. And once the sun sets, students can watch a movie, band gig, DJ night any night of the week. This lively college town is ranked the #5 Small Town for Business and Careers by Forbes (2017).

Kansas City, just east of Lawrence, has a tech-fueled start-up culture, an international airport and tens of thousands of Jayhawk alumni. National Geographic magazine named Kansas City as one of its 2019 Best Trips destinations.

Experience Lawrence

• Home to more than 100,000 people, who are a warm and caring community for all students
• Average temperature is 4C in January, 29C in June, and 20C in October
• 50 parks, hundreds of shopping and international dining options, and a cool music scene
• Local companies that recruit KU students include Cerner, Deloitte, and Google.
• Kansas City International Airport (MCI) is less than an hour from KU

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