Frequently Asked Questions — University Honors Program

What are the benefits/advantages of participating in the Honors Program?

Honors students benefit from a number of advantages, including priority registration, Honors housing, and unique programming. Read more about these advantages »

How do I join the Honors Program?

First-year, first-time students must apply to the University of Louisville before applying to the Honors Program. Students who have applied to UofL and meet the eligibility requirements will see the Honors Program application appear in their admissions gateway checklist. The application will be completed through the New Cards Gateway. Please note: the Honors Program link will only appear on your Gateway if you meet the minimum GPA requirements to apply. For full details on applying, please visit this page. For more information about deadlines and requirements, visit our Prospective High School Students page.

If you are a current UofL student or transferring into the University of Louisville from a different institution, please see our page on Application Information for Current/Transfer Students for more information.

What types of Honors courses can I take?

Honors courses are offered in nearly every category of the Cardinal Core (i.e. general education). Additionally, many upper-level Honors courses, including interdisciplinary seminars, are offered in departments throughout the University that can count towards a student's programmatic, major, or supporting course requirements. Read more about Honors courses »

Are Honors courses more difficult than regular courses?

Honors courses are designed to challenge and engage you. Many students prefer Honors courses because of the emphasis on oral and written communication, the close relationships with other students and faculty, and the opportunity to explore topics more fully than in classes with larger enrollments. These characteristics tend to make Honors courses more stimulating and perhaps more demanding, though not necessarily more difficult than other college courses. Read more about Honors courses »

How many Honors courses do I have to take?

Students in the Honors Program are required to:

Complete three 3-credit Honors courses within their first four (full-time) semesters in the Honors Program; and
Complete a minimum of one 3-credit Honors course each year.

All Honors Program students are required to complete a minimum of 15 credit hours of Honors course work to graduate as a member of the University Honors Program.

Students who do not take at least three Honors courses in their first four semesters or do not take at least one Honors course per academic year after that will be placed on inactive status. Read more about Honors requirements »

How many Honors courses am I permitted to take each semester? Can I take all Honors courses?

Honors eligible students may take as many Honors courses per semester as they wish.

How do I register for Honors courses?

We encourage Honors students to discuss and plan with an Honors Advisor. All advisors are available by appointment prior to the start of registration. Read more about scheduling an advising appointment » Because enrolling in Scholars seminars requires permission from the University Honors Program, you must see an Honors advisor prior to registration to obtain permission to enroll in a seminar. For general Honors courses, students active in the program may enroll by adding them in the course registration system.

Honors classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, and the Honors Program does not over-enroll its courses. However, waiting lists are kept for Honors seminars, which are managed by the Honors advisors and staff. Students who wish to have their name added to the wait-list for a closed Honors seminar must see an Honors advisor. If a space becomes available in the course, students are given two days to register before their spot is relinquished to the next student on the list. Wait lists for Honors seminars are separate from the wait-lists managed through ULink.

What is the minimum GPA to remain in Honors?

To remain in good standing in the Honors Program, students must have a 3.35 or higher cumulative GPA. If a student falls below the minimum GPA after their first semester, they may be suspended from the Honors Program. Read more about the GPA requirement »

What happens if I am suspended from the Honors Program?

If you are unable to meet the minimum required GPA of 3.35 or complete the required Honors course hours, you will receive an email at your UofL email address notifying you that you have been suspended from the Honors Program. Because early registration occurs before you receive grades for a semester, you may be suspended from the Honors Program even though you are registered for an Honors course. You will not be removed from any Honors courses for which you are registered. However, you will not be permitted to register for additional Honors courses until your GPA reaches the required minimum.

To be readmitted to the Honors Program after you have been suspended, you may submit a Reinstatement Request Form once your cumulative GPA reaches a level of 3.35 or higher.

Are there any opportunities to study overseas with the Honors Program?

Yes! An exciting component of the Honors curriculum is the International Seminar. Offered annually, this course combines semester-long study at UofL with substantially subsidized travel to locations outside of the United States. Students have traveled to destinations such as England, Japan, South Africa, New Zealand, China and Taiwan. Read more about Honors travel seminars »

Why does the bottom of my transcript have Honors Program, Milestone Status: Not Complete listed?

The Honors & Honors Scholars Milestones will read Status: Not Completed until after you have graduated. Even if you have satisfied all of the requirements for the Honors Program or the Honors Scholars Program, the status will remain not completed until you have graduated. Approximately 4-8 weeks after graduation your degree will post and we will change your Honors Program status to indicate completion.

Do I have to live in Kurz Hall if I am an Honors student?

No. We highly recommend Kurz Hall to Honors students, especially first-year students, because of its central location on campus and the Honors community. There are, however, not enough beds to accommodate all Honors students, so it is not a requirement to live there. Read more about Honors housing »

How will the Honors Program stay in touch with me?

For the most part, all contact from the University Honors Program will come via e-mail to your official UofL e-mail address. Most weeks you will receive an e-mail containing information about upcoming opportunities and events or a link to the Honors newsletter, The Current. You are advised to read these emails and the newsletter each time they arrive in your inbox. Read the most recent edition of The Current »

I received an invitation to join a national honors society. How do I know if this is legitimate?

There are several national honors societies, and each has its own approach to programming, finances, and membership invitations. Some of these organizations have active chapters on UofL’s campus. If you receive an invitation to join such a group, we encourage you to research the organization (e.g., its goals, structure, for-profit or non-profit status, etc.) to assess whether it is a good match for you. The following links provide some additional information: http://odk.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/caucus_statement.pdf and http://www.achsnatl.org/quick_link.asp, but you may want to do additional research as well.

When should I begin to work on my senior thesis?

If you intend to complete a senior thesis in the College of Arts & Sciences, you need to begin formulating ideas and discussing these with a faculty member prior to the beginning of your senior year. Typically, for students graduating in May, thesis proposals are due near mid-September. View complete details on senior thesis requirements »

University Honors Program Fee

There is a participation fee of $50 per semester* Funds generated from the fee support Honors experiential learning opportunities, co-curricular programming, extracurricular events and organizations, living learning communities, and more. The fee also helps Honors support interdisciplinary academic programming for Honors students, as well as mitigating some costs associated with student research and Honors conference participation.

*Fee will be waived for Pell-eligible students. Fees are charged only in the fall and spring semesters.