What is the Honors Program?
The Honors Program is intended to serve the needs of highly motivated and academically talented students. It strives to provide enhanced educational opportunities for these students.
What are the admission requirements?
Admission to the Honors Program at Illinois State University is a holistic process designed to attract a broad range of highly-motivated students with a successful track record and the potential for further success in their college careers and beyond. Using a variety of criteria, this process helps us identify those students who best fit the culture and climate of this university, described in its mission statement as a diverse community of scholars. Current students in the Honors Program have a wide range of interests, disciplines, and backgrounds and are spread throughout all the six colleges. Freshmen who were admitted to the program for fall 2005 and 2006 had ACT scores ranging from 25 to 35 and high school GPAs ranging from 3.10 to 4.85.
Additional Admission information
What courses do I take as an Honors student?
Honors students take the same courses as other students, but have the opportunity to take Honors sections of courses as well as to earn Honors credit for regular courses. There are also additional opportunities for courses, including Honors colloquia, Independent Honors Study, Undergraduate Research Participation, and Honors Thesis.
Are only certain majors able to participate in the Honors Program?
Students from all majors are eligible to participate in the Honors Program.
Is there special recognition for Honors students?
Any Honors work a student does is indicated on the transcript with an “H” next to the course. There are also a variety of designations that Honors students can earn: Sophomore Honors Scholar, Honors Program Scholar, Certificate in University Honors, University Honors Scholar, and Departmental Honors. These designations are indicated on the transcript, and in some cases, the diploma.
Are there scholarships available?
Yes. The Honors Program offers scholarships in varying amounts to incoming freshmen as well as current students. The application for freshmen scholarships is March 1 for scholarships to be awarded for the coming academic year and the deadline for current students is typically in May for scholarships to be awarded for the coming academic year. Applications and more information are available on the website.
What do Honors students do when they graduate?
Honors students go on to work in various fields, including social services, education, business, science, and many others. Students also go on to professional and graduate schools. Some Honors graduates even work for the Honors Program.
How does one join the Honors Program?
Students can be admitted to the Honors Program as incoming freshmen, or as a current or transfer student. Incoming freshmen applications are evaluated based on ACT score, high school grade point average, high school class rank, as well as a personal statement. Other students are evaluated based on their Illinois State University or transfer institution grade point average and a personal statement. The application deadline for new freshmen students is April 15. The deadline for current and transfer students is July 1 for fall admission and December 15 for spring admission.
Now that I’m in the Honors Program, what do I have to do?
The Honors Program has both a grade point average and participation requirement. While in the program you must maintain a 3.3 cumulative gpa and complete three hours of Honors work each semester.
Are Honors courses more difficult than regular courses?
Honors courses are not more difficult, they are, however, different.
I've been invited to join an Honors society. Should I join?
Honors students are often invited to join various societies based on their GPA and campus involvement. For more information, visit our honor society page.
