Applicants to the Honors Program will be evaluated based on a holistic approach including, but not limited to, grades and strength of curriculum, honors and awards, extracurricular achievements, unique individual talents, quality of responses to the short-answer questions, and ACT/SAT test scores.

Students are accepted into the University Honors Program by application only. Acceptance occurs prior to enrollment at FSU and is based on an evaluation of the student's entire academic record submitted to the university during the admission process. Students also may apply to the Honors Program at the end of their first semester (lateral admission) or as a transfer student from another university or college. More information on each of these modes of acceptance can be found on the Application Process page.

We are always happy to speak with prospective students and their families. To arrange a meeting with one of our Honors advisors, email honors@fsu.edu or call us at (850) 644-1841.

If you are planning a visit to FSU, we also suggest you contact the Florida State University Visitor Center. Through the Visitor Center, you can take a van tour of the campus, go on a guided walking tour, or attend an admissions information session.

December 1, 2023

• Deadline for application to FSU and the Honors Supplemental Application for first year students to FSU.
• Deadline for transfer students wishing to start in the Spring 2024 semester.

For students still in high school, University Honors decisions will be released at the same time as your admission into Florida State University.

Students who apply via our lateral application will receive a decision one business day before drop/add of the Spring semester. 

Transfer applicants will receive a decision one business day before drop/add of your first semester at Florida State University.

FEBRUARY 15, 2024

For students still in high school, University Honors decisions will be released at the same time as your admission into Florida State University.

April 1, 2024

• Deadline for transfer students wishing to start in the Summer 2024 semester.

Transfer applicants will receive a decision one business day before drop/add of your first semester at Florida State University.

August 1, 2024

• Deadline for transfer students wishing to start in the Fall 2024 semester.

Transfer applicants will receive a decision one business day before drop/add of your first semester at Florida State University.

For more information, please visit the Application Process page.

University Honors Program applicants will automatically be considered for candidacy for the Presidential Scholars program upon submission of their University Honors Application, embedded in the FSU general application. No separate application is required. Upon their acceptance into the Honors Program, students will be notified if selected for an interview for the Presidential Scholars Program. These finalists must attend the interview weekend; there are no exceptions. Students who are not invited for this opportunity can still join and fully engage with the University Honors Program.

For more information on the benefits of the Presidential Scholars Program, please visit their webpage.

HONORS MEDICAL SCHOLARS

Applicants who are accepted to the Honors Program will be considered for the Honors Medical Scholars Program, if they completed an application to this program through the FSU general application process. More information can be found on our website on the Apply page.

HONORS LEGAL SCHOLARS

In order to apply to this competitive program, students must either be admitted as freshmen to both Florida State University and the Honors Program OR be currently enrolled Honors students in good standing. There is a specific timeline that students must follow in order to apply.

Both university admission and the Honors Program invitation must be achieved by specific dates. Applicants for freshman admission must apply for general university admission and Honors Program admission by December 1, 2023, to receive timely notification of admission to the university and a timely invitation to the University Honors Program.

Students who qualify for an invitation to the University Honors Program during the appropriate time frame will be provided with further information and access to the Honors Legal Scholars Program application.

More information can be found on our website on the Apply page.

SENEFF HONORS BUSINESS SCHOLARS

In order to apply to the Seneff Honors Program, students must:

1. Be a current University Honors student in good standing,
2. Be a business major or conditionally admitted to the College of Business, and
3. Continue enrollment at FSU for a full academic year or more after being accepted into the program.

The application period for the 2023-2024 Seneff Scholars will open on Monday, August 8, 2023, and close on Monday, September 19, 2023. Please contact Luke Hopkins for more information on how to apply.

More information can be found on our website on the Seneff Honors Business Scholars page.

Yes. Students who were not initially invited to the University Honors Program as first-term freshmen may choose to apply for consideration to participate as a:

• Lateral Admission – Any incoming, first-time-in-college student at Florida State University who was not admitted to the Honors Program through the standard admission process may apply for lateral admission. A limited number of students are admitted laterally to Honors at the end of the spring term of their first year.
• Honors in the Major – Students who are not accepted into University Honors Program may still choose to write an undergraduate Honors in the Major thesis as part of their undergraduate academic experience. Any FSU student officially admitted to their major who has at least a 3.20 GPA (both FSU and cumulative) and will have at least 60 completed credit hours by the start of their Honors thesis are welcome to apply. Additional requirements are in place for specific majors, so be sure to consult your department's Liaison for more details. For more information on Honors in the Major, please visit Honors in the Major on our website.

FSU developed the Honors in the Major Program to encourage students to explore their major disciplines in greater depth by completing a research or creative project, and the program is open to all qualified FSU students (see admission requirements here). While many students conduct traditional research­, the program also supports the creative endeavors of students in majors such as Creative Writing, Dance, Film, Music, Studio Art, and Theatre.

Students earn Honors in the Major by completing a research thesis or creative project in their major area of study under the guidance of a faculty committee. You will work with this committee to select a topic, develop a prospectus, complete a written document based on your research or creative project, and defend your thesis orally before your committee. This process normally takes two to three semesters, during which you will register for six to nine hours of 4000-level thesis credit. Once you have completed and successfully defended your project, you will graduate "with honors" in your major, a distinction that is announced during commencement and designated on your official transcript (not your diploma).

HOW TO APPLY

Students do not need to be part of the University Honors Program in order to start their honors thesis. In fact, any FSU student officially admitted to their major who has at least a 3.20 GPA (both FSU and cumulative) and will have at least 60 completed credit hours by the start of their honors thesis are welcome to apply. Additional requirements are in place for specific majors, so be sure to consult your department's Liaison for more details.

For more information on Honors in the Major, please read the Honors in the Major Handbook and visit the Honors in the Major section of our website for more information.

Students can use the course search option on Student Central to identity courses that are offered as Honors for the upcoming semester. Visit the Search for Honors Courses page for detailed instructions.

Students are encouraged to participate in events hosted by the Honors Program and the Honors Student Association. There are many opportunities for social engagement, professional development and leadership within University Honors once accepted into the program. In addition to the information sent to your student email from the University Honors listserv, you can find us on Facebook and Instagram for timely updates!

Once you are accepted into the Honors Program, you may schedule a meeting with an Honors advisor using Campus Connect. Instructions on how to do this are posted on the Honors Advising page under the About Us tab. Students are encouraged to meet with an advisor once per semester. If you are not yet a current student, please contact us to schedule an appointment.

Students who are considered to have finished the University Honors Program have the phrase "Completed Requirements of Liberal Studies Honors Program" noted on their transcripts and earn an Honors medallion. To earn this designation, students must have a final 3.2 GPA upon graduation. Additionally, University Honors students are required to earn 18 Honors points by graduation. Thirteen of these points must be earned by successfully completing Honors courses. The additional five points may be earned through coursework or participation in accepted achievement opportunities. Students must earn at least 18 Honors points. Earning more than 18 points does not earn a student additional recognition. For step-by-step instructions on calculating your honors points, read Tips for Calculating Honors Points.

Finally, students must apply for Honors completion recognition in the semester they intend to graduate. Read more about our retention and graduation requirements on the Retention & Graduation Requirements webpage.

Tips for Calculating Honors Points : Step-by-Step Instructions on Calculating Your Honors Points