Incoming Freshmen
The Fall 2021 Honors application will open on July 1.
Application Review Process
The most efficient way for you to apply to the University Honors Program is to apply as you complete your KU Application or Common Application. At that time, you will have the option to apply to KU Honors and upload your short-answer and essay responses. Or, you can apply to KU Honors once you are admitted to KU. Click the apply button below to get started.
KU Honors is looking for students who take advantage of the courses and opportunities available to them at their high school, as well as demonstrate academic excellence, leadership skills and potential, motivation and self-discipline, and intellectual curiosity.
There is no minimum GPA or test score requirement for admission. We accept the ACT Superscore. If you take the SAT, Admissions will convert your SAT score to the ACT equivalent.
Application
Our holistic application considers five parts:
- ACT composite score/SAT equivalent
- Unweighted GPA
- High school courses
- Short-answer questions
- Essay response
- Help us learn about you, your life, and your experiences. List no more than five items (clubs and organizations, work experience, community service, awards and recognition, extra-curricular interests, personal or family obligations, etc.) in descending order of significance (list the most significant item first). For each item, explain your role, time commitment (both amount of time you devote to the activity and the year(s) in which you were involved), and responsibilities.
- How have your experiences affected your sense of who you are and what you hope to accomplish? There are no wrong answers.
- The Honors Program intends to attract students who make the most of the opportunities available to them. Based on the availability of courses at your school, how did select the courses you chose to take? Is there anything you want the admissions committee to know about your transcript?
- The Kansas state motto “Ad Astra per Aspera” is Latin for “To the Stars through Difficulties.” What stars are you aiming for, and how have you learned/prepared to face challenges along the way?
- There are many questions to ask and problems to explore. If you were to choose a question, problem, idea, or issue (personal, systemic, local, or global) to explore during your undergraduate years at KU, what would it be? What might you create, design, invent, or engineer to explore this topic?
- As Jayhawks, our community is committed to a set of core values: To actively foster unity, strive for innovation, advocate for inclusion, and value engagement. Community might refer to your cultural group, extended family, religious group, neighborhood or school, sports team or club, co-workers, etc. Describe the world you come from and how you, as a product of it, might add to the KU community.
Application timeline:
July 1 – KU Application opens
Aug 1 – Common App opens
Nov 1 – Early Action Deadline
Dec 1 – Priority Deadline
Jan 15 – Late Consideration Deadline
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Transfer Students
Transfer students must first submit the KU Admissions application. After admission to KU, complete our Current/Transfer Student Application. Applications will be reviewed after students have at least one semester of college grades on record.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and due no later than two weeks before the start of each semester.
The Honors application is a competitive admissions process with an holistic approach in which the following factors are considered:
- GPA
- résumé highlighting community involvement and leadership potential
- essay
- completed coursework
- capacity to complete the Honors graduation requirements
Current KU Students
Current KU students who are interested in joining Honors should complete our Current/Transfer Student Application. Applications will be reviewed after students have at least one semester of college grades on record.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and due no later than two weeks before the start of each semester.
The Honors application is a competitive admissions process with an holistic approach in which the following factors are considered:
- GPA
- résumé highlighting community involvement and leadership potential
- essay
- completed coursework
- capacity to complete the Honors graduation requirements
International Students
International applicants applying to KU as incoming freshmen should complete the standard KU application along with their Honors application and demonstrate English proficiency in one of the following ways:
TOEFL—
- iBT—a score of 23 or higher for each section score
- Paper—a score of 57 or higher for each section score (with exception for Speaking, which may be lower) and a 4.5 or higher on the Test of Written English (TWE)
OR
International English Language Testing System (IELTS), academic format—6.0 or higher for each part and a total score of 6.5
OR
Exemption from the TOEL/IELTS admission requirement by the Office of International Admissions
International students who do not meet one of these three sets of requirements are invited to apply to the University Honors Program after completing one semester (12-18 credit hours) at the University of Kansas with a GPA of 3.5 or higher and obtaining clearance from required intensive English courses from the KU Applied English Center.
Current international KU students, please refer to the section on this page regarding Current KU Student applications and requirements.
