High School Students

See here for a digital version of our brochure -- it's flippable!

Eligibility & Admission

The University Honors Program invites all entering students with a demonstrable record of scholarship, leadership, and service to apply. Selection for the Honors Program is competitive and based on the overall profile of the incoming class. The University Honors Program does not require students to submit standardized test scores to be considered for admission. Test scores are optional. Students applying are able to decide whether or not they wish to submit test scores as a component of their Honors application. Students selected for Honors must maintain a 3.35 or higher GPA and enroll in honors courses each academic year. Benefits of participating in the University Honors Program include small honors courses, our upper-level University Honors Scholars Program, honors advising, and priority course registration. Additionally, honors students are eligible to live in Kurz Hall, the Honors residence hall, home of the Honors Living Learning Community (LLC).

To be considered for admission to the University Honors Program, entering students must meet the minimum eligibility requirements and submit an online application by no later than 11:59 p.m. (EST) on December 15. Eligible students will be invited to apply through the University of Louisville's admissions gateway. Admission to the University Honors Program is competitive and you will be considered for acceptance based on the strengths of your application and academic profile.

 Among the criteria considered for selection are:

  • Evidence of leadership, service, or research;
  • High school GPA (minimum 3.5; weighted);
  • Rigor of high school curriculum, including Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or any college-level courses completed;
  • Quality of essay;
  • Strength of resume, including involvement in curricular and extracurricular activities.

If you are a high school senior who plans to attend the University of Louisville, and you are eligible to apply, the Honors Program application will appear in your UofL application gateway. We encourage eligible students to apply by our Early Action deadline: October 15 (11:59 p.m. EST). Students who apply by this date will be notified of an acceptance decision in late November and will have an early opportunity to secure a space in the Honors residence hall (Kurz) in the Honors LLC of their choice. The standard deadline to apply is December 15, 2024 by 11:59 Eastern Standard Time.  

All Honors acceptance decisions will be sent via e-mail by no later than February 1, 2025. We will notify candidates of their acceptance status on a rolling basis from November through February. If you apply and do not receive a notification, please check your spam/junk inbox first, and then reach out to us at honors@louisville.edu. Students selected for the Honors Program must maintain a minimum 3.35 university GPA and enroll in Honors courses each academic year. To apply online, visit http://louisville.edu/admissions/apply/honors.

Additionally, students who apply for UofL’s mentored scholarship programs (Martin Luther King Scholars, Grawemeyer Scholars, and McConnell Scholars) are required to apply for the University Honors Program. If you are applying for any of these programs, please submit your Honors Program application by the December 15 deadline. 

Honors Incoming Freshman Profile

  • Average high school GPA: 4.23
  • Average Honors class size: 18 students
  • Number of Honors courses each year: 210+
  • Number of students in Honors Living Learning Communities (LLCs): 280
  • Number of entering Honors first-year students in Fall 2024: 588

Honors Housing (Living Learning Communities)

Kurz Hall is the Honors residence facility on campus. This hall is located in a prominent area of campus, near the Student Recreation Center (SRC), the Ville Grill Dining Complex, and a short walk from the University's Ekstrom Library and many academic buildings. Honors housing provides you with the opportunity to live in an environment that supports the academic, social, and personal development of Honors students. Our goal is to foster a stronger sense of community within the program, while also encouraging academic success. Honors students are not required to live in Kurz Hall but may wish to do so.

Living Learning Communities (LLCs) are academic and residential communities dedicated to a specific theme that creates purposeful links among academic, residential and social components of the college experience. First-year Honors students are encouraged to apply for the Honors LLC, located in Kurz Hall. Learn more about our Living/Learning Communities>>

University Honors Program Fee

There is a participation fee of $50 per semester* Funds generated from the fee are utilized to assist with costs associated with 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 conference participation.

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

Scheduling a Visit

Academically talented students are encouraged to set up a shadow visit. During this visit, you can:

  • Shadow a current Honors student to class, tour campus, and have a complimentary lunch;
  • Meet with a representative from the University Honors Program;
  • Meet with a faculty member from your area of academic interest;
  • Meet with an admissions counselor to review scholarship programs.

To schedule a visit, please visit the Office of Admissions at (502) 852-6531 or e-mail . At least two weeks notice is required to schedule a shadow visit.

If you have any questions about scheduling a visit, please contact Admissions at the link listed directly above. 

Please click the link below to watch a video featuring students discussing their experiences in the University Honors Program. 

Hear from Our Students