Fort Hays State University (FHSU), a picturesque academic institution on the plains of northwest Kansas, was created as a special act of Congress. Congress deeded the grounds of Fort Hays, a frontier military outpost that was vacated in 1889, for creation of the university in 1902. The fort, located in the city of Hays, Kansas, and the city itself are historically known for such western figures as General George Armstrong Custer, Buffalo Bill Cody, and Wild Bill Hickok (sheriff of Hays City and Ellis County).

The campus property includes more than 40 limestone buildings. It is the fourth largest of the six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents, with an enrollment of approximately 9,588 students, of whom 7,884 are undergraduates and 1,704 are enrolled in graduate programs.

FHSU can be best described as a commuter, residence, and long-distance campus, boasting four traditional residential life buildings with a potential occupancy of 1,335 students and two apartment complexes with a potential occupancy of 218. The remaining students reside within the city of Hays and surrounding areas.