Admission Requirements
The Honors College seeks intellectually engaged, well-rounded students who care about the world they live in and want to contribute to their community. Each student brings something unique; community engagement (including service, church, community groups, social justice, political activism), international experience, multicultural perspectives, or work experience.
INCOMING FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS
Students starting at the University in 2013
First-year students applying to the University can apply for the Honors College by emailing information to info@honors.utah.edu. Please send the email with the subject as “Honors Application Incoming Freshman,” and include your full name, U of U student number (found on your Admission letter from the University), address, email, and response to this essay question:
Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” What goals do you currently have for yourself and how will the Honors College help you “make a difference, live and live well” in the community around you?
Your response should not be more than 500 words. Attach your response to the email as a Word, Pages, or PDF document.
Students will not be notified of their Honors acceptance unless they are first accepted into the University.
New Admissions Process for students starting at the U in Summer 2013 or Fall 2013
For incoming first-year students applying for admission starting Summer 2013, there is no separate application for the Honors College; it is included with the regular University of Utah application. To find out more information about the new application to the University of Utah, click here. December 1 is the priority deadline for admission, with a continual process throughout the year. We do not currently have a final deadline for admission.
The dates for release of the University’s Admission letters are below:
- January 7: Admission decisions for all students who met the priority deadline of December 1.
- March 1: Admission decisions for students who have applied between December 2 and February 15.
- April 15: Admission decisions for students who have applied between February 16 and April 1.
We will continue to accept students throughout the summer, and will release admission decisions on a rolling basis.
The Honors College uses a holistic admissions process. We consider all the elements of your University of Utah application, including GPA and test scores. The most important element for admissions into the College is your response to the essay question. Please consider this essay carefully.
There are no minimum GPA or test scores requirements for admission. Our average admission profile for an incoming Honors freshman for Fall 2012 was a 3.88 unweighted GPA, and a 27 composite ACT (or a 1210 SAT combined Math and Critical Reading scores). These are only averages, and we admit candidates above and below these values.
We do not require letters of recommendation, but if you would like to have letters as part of your application, please have them sent to:
University of Utah Honors College
attn: Jennifer Ziarko
1975 DeTrobriand St
Bldg 619, Fort Douglas
Salt Lake City, Utah 84113
For students who do not apply to the Honors College while going through the main admissions process for the University of Utah, the essay can be sent via email. If you have already submitted your admissions application and now wish to do the Honors application, please email your essay to info@honors.utah.edu, follow the prompt and directions described above.
TRANSFER STUDENTS
Transfer students applying to the University for Fall 2012 and Spring 2013 semesters can apply for the Honors College by emailing your essay to info@honors.utah.edu. Please send the email with the subject as “Honors Application Transfer,” and include your full name, U of U student number (found on your Admission letters to the University), address, email, and response to the essay question towards the top of this page. You must already be admitted to the University of Utah to apply.
For transfer students applying for admission starting Summer 2013, there is no separate application for the Honors College; it is included with the regular University of Utah application. To find out more information about the new application to the University of Utah, click here. Honors will use a holistic admissions process, and will consider all the elements of your University of Utah application. The most important element for admissions into the College will be your response to the essay question. Consider this essay carefully.
For students who do not apply to the Honors College while going through the main admissions process for the University of Utah, the essay can be submitted via email. If you have already submitted your admissions application and now wish to do the Honors application, please submit your U of U student number (found on your admission letter from the University), address, email and response to the essay prompt at the top of this page.
CURRENT UNIVERSITY OF UTAH STUDENTS
Current University of Utah students can apply to be in the Honors College if they have a minimum 3.5 GPA with 12 hours of credit. You can apply for the Honors College by emailing your essay to info@honors.utah.edu. Please send the email with the subject as “Honors Application Current,” and include your full name, U of U student number, address, email, and response to the essay question towards the top of this page.