How to Apply
The Honors College Fall 2027 application is now open!
ACCESSING THE HONORS COLLEGE APPLICATION
First-year and Transfer Students Applying to UNC Charlotte
- When completing your UNC Charlotte application for admission, be sure to check the box indicating interest in the Honors College.
- If you apply via NC College Connect, the University will send you a supplemental application form. When you complete this form, be sure to check the box indicating your interest in honors.
- Within two business days of submitting your application for admission to the University, provided you meet eligibility requirements, you will receive an email detailing how to apply to the Honors College.
- This email will be sent to the address supplied on your application for admission.
- If your undergraduate admissions application has been submitted to the University (this includes receipt of your application fee or waiver approval), and you have not received an email containing the Honors College application link, click here to let us know.
Current UNC Charlotte Students
To request the Honors College application use the button below.
APPLICATION DEADLINES & NOTIFICATIONS
| Decision type | deadline to apply | Decision Notification |
|---|---|---|
| Priority Decision -Your honors application is guaranteed a full review and decision. -Your undergraduate admissions application must meet all University Early Action deadlines | December 1, 2026 (recommendations received by Dec. 5) | February 2027 |
| As Space Available Decision -Your honors application may be reviewed should space still be available in the program. -Your undergraduate admissions application must meet all University Regular Decision deadlines | March 1, 2027 (recommendations received by Mar. 5) | March – May 2027 (Rolling) |
PROGRAM APPLICATIONS
- Applicants are automatically sorted by the major for consideration in three programs.
- Belk College of Business will first be reviewed by the Business Honors Program (BHP).
- College of Computing and Informatics will first be reviewed by the Computing Honors Program (CHP)
- All other majors (including undecided) will be reviewed by the University Honors Program (UHP).
- Applicants not selected for BHP or CHP may be considered for UHP admission.
- Please Note: Students may be a member in only one of these honors programs
REQUIRED APPLICATION MATERIALS
Prepare the following materials to apply to the Honors College:
1. List of Activities
Please list and describe your extracurricular activities, community service, summer enrichment, employment, and other accomplishments in the section below. If applicable, indicate your leadership responsibilities for each activity. This section is also an opportunity to list any recognition and awards you have received during high school.
You may share up to 10 total activities and awards. List your activities and awards in order of importance to you, with the first being the most important, the second being the second most important, and so on.
- Number each item 1-10
- Give the organization’s full name (not an acronym)
- Indicate during which grades you participated
- Include the start and end dates, how many hours per week, how many weeks per year
- Indicate any leadership positions held
2. Original Essay
Honors Essay 1 Instructions:
The purpose of this essay is to help us get to know you as a person and understand how you think. You should submit polished writing that demonstrates authenticity, creativity, and analytical reflection. The best essay will give the review committee a clear sense of the unique intellectual and creative contributions you are poised to make to the UNC Charlotte community.
- The Honors College expects that applicants’ responses to the prompt are entirely their own and reflect their personal experiences, ideas, and language. While it can be a helpful tool, artificial intelligence (AI) should not be used in the production of this essay.
- It is acceptable for you to use an essay you have submitted for another UNC Charlotte application if you feel it adequately addresses the prompt.
- Plain text only. Formatting such as bold, italics, or underlined text will be removed upon pasting.
- Be sure to specifically address the prompt provided in no less than 400 words and no more than 500 words.
- To avoid losing your work due to session timeouts, write and save your essay in a separate word processor (like Google Docs or MS Word) before pasting it here.
- Review your text in the box after pasting to ensure no formatting errors occurred during the transfer.
Honors Essay 1 Prompt:
Honors and merit scholars are intellectually curious learners. They ask questions, seek deeper understanding, and remain open to changing their perspectives. Tell us about an “aha” moment you had related to an idea or concept you were learning, either in a classroom or through independent exploration, that changed your thinking. Describe this concept or idea and how your thinking about it changed. How has this affected the way you approach learning today?
3. Two Academic Letters of Recommendation
Who to Ask
An academic reference is defined as a current or former teacher or professor who was your instructor for at least one academic course.
Who Not to Ask
Family members, friends, coaches, current/former employers or co-workers, leaders of a faith-based or community organization, or similar connections should not be used as academic references.
What Recommenders Should Highlight
Recommenders should speak on your academic achievements, level of motivation, work ethic, and potential for continued success in higher education. Recommenders who are able to provide information about your character, personality, and/or leadership skills are beneficial.
When to Ask Recommenders
Select and approach your recommenders early. Writing detailed letters can be a time-consuming process, and you should seek to provide enough time for recommenders to complete and upload their letter.
How Do Recommenders Submit Their Letter
- Recommenders receive an email and must upload their letters to the application portal. (Priority Decision recommendation letters are due no later than Dec. 5, As Space Available recommendation letters are due no later than March 5)
- Applications with incomplete recommendation letters on Dec. 5 will roll over to the As Space Available pool.
*It is acceptable for you to use the same academic recommenders you have used for another UNC Charlotte application.
NinerScholars is the University’s central resource for all students to apply for merit or need-based scholarships. Students applying for admission to the Honors College and/or the Levine Scholars Program should make use of NinerScholars to apply for additional scholarship opportunities.