A private work college in Appalachia where students earn tuition through mandatory part-time employment.
Alice Lloyd College offers 18 major degree programs and eight pre-professional programs with a student-to-faculty ratio of 14.5:1 and an average class size of 18. As of 2010, 95% of graduates are accepted into graduate and professional schools. The college is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). As of 2011, 75% of graduates were the first in their families to obtain an undergraduate degree.
Alice Lloyd is one of nine work colleges in the United States and one of two in Kentucky with a mandatory work-study program. All students are required to work at least 160 hours per semester in roles such as janitorial staff, office assistant, tutor, or cafeteria worker. Students from 108 counties in Central Appalachia (Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia) pay no tuition through the Appalachian Leaders College Scholarship. The college does not receive direct state or federal funding but accepts federal and state student financial aid. In 2009, graduates carried an average debt of $6,500, well below national averages.
The 175-acre rural campus in Pippa Passes houses approximately 600 students in gender-separated dormitories with average annual housing costs of $1,900. The college requires professional dress on central campus until 2:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and for convocation programs. Located in Knott County, a dry county, alcoholic beverages are prohibited. While not religiously affiliated, the college emphasizes Christian values and offers religion coursework. The college choir, "Voices of Appalachia," formed in 1962, performs annually and has appeared on NBC's Today and CBS News Sunday Morning.
Alice Lloyd athletic teams are called the Eagles and compete in the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Division I Mid-East Region and as an independent in the Continental Athletic Conference (CAC) of the NAIA since 2025–26. The college competes in 15 intercollegiate sports including baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, track & field, cheerleading, softball, and volleyball. In 2021, the women's basketball team won the first national championship in school history at the NCCAA National Tournament.
Alice Lloyd owns the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Residence Hall (Caney Cottage) near the University of Kentucky in Lexington. Graduates accepted to UK's graduate school can live rent-free, while those attending other graduate schools may apply for cash scholarships toward tuition. Scholarship recipients must commit to service in the Appalachian region after graduation.