Honors programs and colleges recognize the academic success of students and aims to give high-achieving students more academic opportunities.
Certain requirements must be met in order to join the Honors College.
The general UNCW application has an "Additional Information" section that will ask you if you are interested in being considered for the Honors College. Select "Yes." Honors will reach out if we need supplemental materials from you.
You can change it to indicate your interest if you accidentally selected "No" on the question.
You will receive an email from the UNCW Honors College with an invitation to submit the supplemental essay after receiving your acceptance from UNCW. This email will be delivered to your UNCW email inbox.
Please submit the supplemental essay ASAP to receive an admissions decision from the Honors College.
Make sure you submit the interest form to indicate your interest in Honors if it has been a few weeks since your acceptance and you haven't received a message from Honors.
Once you submit the interest form, you should receive messages from Honors.
Honors College decisions may be rendered as early as mid-January. We aim to send out decisions within two weeks of your submission of the supplement essay.
Submitting the supplement essay early will be key to receiving your Honors admissions decision ASAP.
Honors College decisions may be rendered as early as late February. We aim to send out decisions within 2 weeks of your submission of the supplement essay.
Submitting the supplement essay early will be key to receiving your Honors admissions decision ASAP.
You will receive an email in your UNCW inbox about your Honors admissions decision. Later, you will also receive a letter in the mail. Checking your UNCW email is the most reliable way to keep track of your UNCW Honors admissions decision.
Scholarship offers will usually not be made in the same letter as the Honors acceptance letter.
Please continue to monitor your UNCW email inbox to learn about your financial aid package.
The Honors College cannot admit you until after the Office of Admissions has done so.
Please hold inquiries about your Honors status until after you've received an acceptance from UNCW and submitted the Honors supplement essay as a checklist item in your application portal.
Please feel free to email us with any questions.
We have an online application for current UNCW freshmen and sophomores interested in applying to join Honors.
For prospective transfer students, learn more about our transfer curriculum, pathways, and application. Please make sure to apply to UNCW by the priority deadlines for transfer students.
We recommend that students apply to UNCW by the UNCW Early Action deadline. Applying Early Action will allow the Admissions Office to make a decision on your application sooner, which will allow Honors to assess your application sooner.
The sooner you apply, the better your chances of being offered a merit scholarship through the Honors College or through the university.
Honors College decisions may be rendered as early as mid-January. We aim to send out decisions within 2 weeks of your submission of the supplement essay.
Submitting the supplement essay early will be key to receiving your Honors admissions decision ASAP.
Honors College decisions may be rendered as early as late February. We aim to send out decisions within 2 weeks of your submission of the supplement essay.
Submitting the supplement essay early will be key to receiving your Honors admissions decision ASAP.
You will receive an email in your UNCW inbox about your Honors admissions decision. Later, you will also receive a letter in the mail. Checking your UNCW email is the most reliable way to keep track of your UNCW Honors admissions decision.
Scholarship offers will usually not be made in the same letter as the Honors acceptance letter.
Please continue to monitor your UNCW email inbox to learn about your financial aid package.
There is no fee to apply to Honors.
You can email us to inquire about your application if you apply Early Action (by Nov. 1, 2021), submit the supplement essay, and don't hear from the Honors College by March 1st.
You can email us to inquire about your application if you apply Regular Decision (by Feb. 1, 2022), submit the supplement essay, and don't hear from the Honors College by April 1st.
Continue to check the UNCW email that you received on your admission to UNCW for additional information.
Beginning in Fall 2021, the UNC System has stopped requiring applicants to submit ACT or SAT scores. The Honors College will abide by that waiver as well. However, applicants are still welcome (and encouraged) to submit scores if they have them.
Not all students will have test scores to submit. As a result, the Honors College will more closely focus on GPA, class rank, essays, and letters of recommendation this year.
UNCW does not require students submit a letter of recommendation, but we encourage students interested in the Honors College to do so. Standardized test scores and extracurricular activities will be considered after the other metrics.
Please note:
We do not pre-set a specific test score or GPA for acceptance to Honors. The Fall 2021 Honors first-year class has the following characteristics:
The supplemental essay, or "Honors essay," is an additional short answer essay (350 words or fewer) that students interested in the Honors College will be asked to write.
You will only be invited to submit this essay after you have received your general acceptance letter from the UNCW Office of Admissions.
In your application portal, after receiving your UNCW acceptance, you will see a checklist item titled "UNCW Honors College Supplement Essay."
You will have several prompt options for this essay and will also have the option to include an external URL to a project, performance, or any other linked item that demonstrates your academic or unique personal qualities.
You are welcome to think outside the box for this essay. Show us what makes you you.
We highly encourage you to submit it in order to be considered for the Honors College.
It's a common misconception that students in the UNCW Honors College (and any university's honors program) will spend most of their time with their noses in books.
As a general rule, Honors students are leaders heavily involved in making connections, solving problems, engaging in hands-on learning on campus.
Honors students can be found in every student organization from Student Government to the Quidditch team. And that's exactly how we like it.
We want students who think critically, solve problems, and question everything. Students who come to class not just for a grade, but for transformative learning are a perfect fit.
We want students who get their hands dirty. We want diverse students who contribute unique viewpoints to our community of scholars.
Your application to UNCW will show us your personal qualities. What UNCW Honors College students have in common is that they are intelligent, thoughtful leaders who want to do good in the world (or change it).
When you write your essays, we want to hear how you'll accomplish that on campus and beyond.
We receive hundreds of applications annually. The number accepted and the number enrolled differs from year-to-year.
For example, the Fall 2019 Honors first-year class had 190 students. The Fall 2020 class had 218 students. And the Fall 2021 cohort is just under 300 students.
We do not anticipate cohorts larger than 300 in the future.
We are able to award scholarships on the basis of merit and financial need to some of our incoming honors students. Almost half of the Fall 2021 first-year Honors class received scholarship funding.
From Fall 2021 onward, students are required to submit the UNCW General Scholarship Application to be considered for scholarships (both Honors scholarships and others at UNCW).
We wish we could grant merit scholarships to 100% of our incredible students, but they are quite competitive. The awards may range from $500 a year to an award equivalent of in-state tuition and fees.
Even if students do not receive an award in their first year at UNCW, it is very common for upperclassmen to receive honors scholarships later on, especially if they stay involved with the Honors College.
Yes, we encourage all of our Honors Scholars to study abroad.
Honors class sizes are relatively small. In 2018-2019, the average size of HON classes was 17 students, with classes ranging from 5 to 20 students. This helps you develop close interactions with the faculty from your very first semester.
Check out the most recent course catalogue for more information.
Students who enter the Honors College as freshmen must take:
This is a total of about 26 credit hours.
However, 12-19 of those credit hours will overlap with your University Studies requirements. These are courses you would have had to take anyway.
Completing University Honors will then likely require only 14 additional hours on top of your existing course load.
We would love to have you as a visitor!
Set up a virtual appointment to visit the Honors College
No, the Honors College does not conduct admissions interviews.
Students who are not admitted to the Honors College as freshmen are encouraged to apply after their first semester at UNCW, once they have established a GPA and gotten involved on campus.
We gain many excellent additions to the College this way.
We are located in Randall Library on the second floor, Suite 2006.
Many of your questions are addressed in the Honors Student Handbook.
If you have a question that is still not answered, please do not hesitate to call the Honors College at 910.962.2929.
UNCW Honors College
Phone: (910) 962-3408
Fax: (910) 962-7020
601 S. College Rd.
Second Floor, Randall Library, rooms 2006 and 2007
Wilmington, NC 28403