Application FAQ

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• 1. Eligibility

  Students must be admissible to the University of Houston. For admission to the University, please visit the University of Houston Office of Admissions.

  All applicants are evaluated on an individual basis. The Honors College Admissions Committee considers the high school and/or academic record, extracurricular activities, test scores (when provided) and essay of each applicant.

  Average Honors students have graduated in the top 10% of their high school class with a score of 1300 or above on the SAT. The committee, however, does not use these numerical norms as required thresholds for admission, and students meeting these criteria are not automatically accepted. All interested students are encouraged to apply. See the Honors Profile for more entering class information.

• 2. How to Apply

  To apply for admission to the Honors College, students must submit the following:

  • Honors College Online Application
  • A full-length academic essay: a literary analysis with a central thesis and strong supporting arguments, 3–5 pages
  • Résumé or list of activities and interests
  • High school transcript (high school seniors only)
  • Transcript of all college-level work
  • SAT or ACT scores (high school seniors only)*

  Note: If you have already sent transcripts or test scores to the University, you do not need to re-send them to the Honors College. However, you can expedite the processing of your application to the Honors College by submitting unofficial copies of your transcripts directly to the Honors College. We will verify that your official transcripts have been received by the University Office of Admissions and process your application quicker.

  Students may submit their supporting documents via the online application or by email to honors@uh.edu. Please include your UH ID on all submitted documents.

  * University of Houston admissions requirements for spring, summer and fall 2025 are "test optional." You will select if you want your UH application to be reviewed with or without a test score. Additional information may be found here. The Honors College will continue to review applicants holistically based on test-optional selections.

• 3. If I have already sent my transcript and/or test scores to the University of Houston, do I need to send another copy to the Honors College?

  No. If you have already sent transcripts or test scores to the University, you do not need to re-send them to the Honors College. However, you can expedite the processing of your application to the Honors College by submitting unofficial copies of your transcripts directly to the Honors College. We will verify that your official transcripts have been received by the University Office of Admissions and process your application quicker.

• 4. Can transfer students apply to the Honors College?

  Yes. The Honors College accepts both students transferring to the University of Houston and students who have completed credit hours at the University of Houston. Please use the mid-career application for admission. Mid-career students are not required to submit test scores or class rank. Instead, the admissions committee will consider college coursework completed to date as the basis for the admission decision. Mid-career students should have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 to be considered; the admissions committee will also review closely the student's work in the core courses, such as English, history and mathematics. If interested, view the mid-career application.

• 5. What is the turnaround time on decisions?

  Admission decisions are made within approximately two to three weeks of our receipt of a completed application and all supporting documents. Admission decisions for the following fall semester occur on a rolling basis beginning in October. Admission decisions for the spring semester occur during December, contingent upon receipt of all documents.

  Admission decisions are delivered by mail and email and cannot be shared by phone. To confirm contact details, contact the Student Services Office at 713.743.9010 or 888.827.0366 or via email at honors@uh.edu.

• 6. What are the specific requirements for the application essay?

  Applicants must submit a 3-5 page literary analysis that has a central thesis with strong supporting arguments. This can be over a book, play, short story, speech or poem. A personal essay or research paper is not acceptable. We recommend submitting an essay that you've previously written for an English class that meets this criteria.

• 7. What are the minimum required GPA and test scores?

  Every Honors applicant is evaluated on an individual basis. The Honors College Admissions Committee considers the academic record, extracurricular activities, test scores* and the essay of each applicant. Average Honors students have graduated in the top 10% of their high school class with a score of 1300 or above on their SAT. The committee, however, does not use these numerical norms as required thresholds for admission, and students meeting these criteria are not automatically accepted.

  Mid-career applicants should have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 to be considered. The admissions committee will also review closely the student's work in their core courses, such as English, history and mathematics.

  All interested students are encouraged to apply. See the Honors Profile for more entering class information.

  * University of Houston admissions requirements for spring, summer and fall 2025 are "test optional." You will select if you want your UH application to be reviewed with or without a test score. Additional information may be found here. The Honors College will continue to holistically review an applicant's criterion.

• 8. Are AP/IB/Dual Credits accepted in the Honors College?

  Yes. For a full listing of AP and IB tests for credit, please visit the University of Houston admission site. Information on how to apply these credits to your University of Houston degree is also available at this site.

• 9. What will the Honors College offer me?

  The Honors College offers the resources of a major metropolitan state university, while also providing an intimate, challenging and supportive educational environment that fosters the development of intellect and character: the kind of environment that you would ordinarily expect to find at a small liberal arts college.

• 10. What are some of the benefits for students of the Honors College?

  Honors College students enjoy many benefits, including but not limited to: priority registration, eligibility for Honors residence halls and access to Honors private amenities such as the Honors study lounge and computer center. Additionally, Honors students regularly receive invitations to special campus activities and community events, such as the Fall Convocation, Honors Retreat, conversations with visiting scholars and Houston Grand Opera, Alley Theatre and Houston Symphony performances. What's more, Honors College students receive individual assistance and personal academic advising from Honors faculty and staff. Our students tell us that being able to talk to someone who cares and has the power to help is one of the most valuable Honors College benefits.

• 11. How will my Honors work be recognized?

  Students who complete 36 semester hours of the Honors College curriculum and are active members in good standing at the time of graduation are eligible to graduate with University Honors. If a student also completes a senior honors thesis or project, he or she is eligible to graduate with University Honors with Honors in Major. Students who complete a minimum of 21 semester hours in specified Honors coursework graduate with Collegiate Honors. Collegiate Honors students also have the option to complete one of three Honors minors to fulfill their Honors course requirements. Collegiate Honors students may also complete a senior honors thesis to graduate with Collegiate Honors with Honors in Major. Students who fulfill the requirements of their major with distinction and write a senior honors thesis graduate with Membership in the Honors College with Honors in Major. Moreover, all Honors courses are designated on a student's transcript. Research and experience have proven that graduate schools, professional schools and prospective employers are impressed by Honors College coursework.

• 12. Do Honors courses involve extra work?

  Honors courses typically encourage independent critical thinking and rely on student participation in the classroom. Such courses may indeed be more demanding than equivalent large-lecture courses, but they also are more rewarding. In most circumstances, the amount of reading, writing and testing required in an Honors course would not be substantially different from that of a comparable University course.

• 13. Why should I take Honors courses?

  Take Honors courses for three important reasons. First, the coursework presents challenging texts, ideas and methods whose aim is to add depth and breadth to every student's education and development. Second, Honors faculty members have been specifically chosen for their commitment to undergraduate education and their excellence as teachers, which means that students receive the finest quality of education possible. And third, in Honors courses, students will be among their brightest peers, allowing them to learn, not only from experienced professors, but from each other, both inside and outside the classroom.

• 14. Will I pay any fees for being a member of the Honors College?

  As with most undergraduate colleges, the Honors College does charge fees to pay for various services and events. All undergraduate college fees can be viewed at the financial aid site.