What is the LSA Honors Program?
The Honors Program is a Michigan learning community that provides its students with academic and extracurricular opportunities to help them grow intellectually, personally, and professionally.
Is Honors a 4-year program?
Students applying for Honors as a high school senior are applying for the lower-division program. Lower-division Honors encompasses a student’s first two years of study at U-M and is meant to provide a more engaged experience with the liberal arts. Upon finishing their sophomore year, Honors students have the opportunity to interact further with the program through the upper-division by declaring an Honors major. Honors majors, which usually span the student’s last two years of study, typically culminate in a senior thesis. Honors major requirements vary by field of study, so students can go directly to the website of their desired/declared major to learn more about the declaration process and requirements.
Is Honors the Honors College?
We are intentional in calling ourselves a program and not a college, as the LSA Honors Program is a program within the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA). Our students are held to the same policies and standards as all other LSA students. While we do not have many additional requirements for our students, we provide a plethora of additional opportunities that we encourage our students to take advantage of.
What are the program requirements?
In order to remain in good standing in the Honors Program, students must adhere to the following requirements (both to be completed by the end of the second semester of their second year):
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- Complete an Honors Core Course that fulfills the First Year Writing Requirement (FYWR)
- Achieve a cumulative 3.400 GPA
What are the advantages of Honors?
The Honors Program has three pillars: academics, community and engagement. In addition to having access to the academic offerings of LSA, Honors students also have the unique ability to enroll in Honors Core Courses and Honors-specific sections and to pursue Honors conversions. Students are able to build community by living in Honors housing with other Honors students and participating in various extracurricular activities. Honors also contains its own advising unit; all Honors students are assigned to one of our advisors who is knowledgeable on Honors, LSA, and University requirements.
When should I apply to Honors?
You must be admitted to the College of Literature, Science and the Arts (LSA) prior to applying to the Honors Program. You do not, however, need to decide if you are attending U-M before applying. We encourage you to apply as soon as you are admitted to LSA, as we are a space-limited program. Application dates are posted on your left.
How do I apply?
You will apply by completing the essay questions on the Apply Here page and submitting them through the linked online application portal. The application consists of two brief essays. Be creative—we want to see how your mind works!
Do I need to be invited?
The Honors Program is available to all LSA students. Anyone who is admitted to LSA is encouraged to apply!
I am applying to the Ross School of Business/School of Music, Theater, and Dance/Stamps School of Art & Design. Should I apply to Honors?
If you have expressed interest in another school or college in your U-M application, we will admit you to Honors if, in addition to a strong overall application, it is clear that you also plan to pursue a degree in LSA as well as Ross/SMTD/Stamps.
How many students apply and are accepted each year?
Our application reviewers read approximately 1800 applications to fill an incoming class of approximately 425 students.
Should I apply if I’m not sure I’m attending U-M?
We strongly urge you to apply to Honors even before you know that you are going to come to U-M. That way it is likely that you will be able to base your decision, in part, on whether or not you are in Honors.
Is it possible to complete a joint degree with LSA and another U-M school?
Yes! Several special degree programs are offered by the joint cooperation of LSA and other colleges or schools within the University. You will want to work with your Honors Academic Advisor to discuss your options.
When will I hear if I am accepted into Honors?
Refer to the application date guidelines on the left for a reply timeline. Your Honors decision will go to either (1) the email that is linked to your friend account and U-M application or (2) your umich.edu email address, if your deposit has been paid. If you do not receive a reply–either to your inbox or spam folder–and have a record of submitting your essay, use the “Contact Us” quick link below.
Can I or my parents call prior to the notification date for an admission decision?
Due to our compliance with FERPA regulations, Honors cannot notify parents or discuss a student’s application decision without the explicit consent of that student. Furthermore, we do not release admissions decisions early. Students can expect to hear back from us via email on the date corresponding with when they applied.
Can I visit campus and meet with an Honors student or Honors advisor?
Yes! Honors participates in every Campus Day date and you can talk with one of our advisors during the Q&A. If you are visiting campus and/or are unable to attend a Campus Day, we offer meetings with current Honors students so you can learn more about the program. You can access the meeting request form on our Visit Us & More Information page, underneath the Honors Ambassadors section. We also host virtual Q&A sessions from February-April. Our advisors are unable to meet one-on-one with prospective students due to limited availability.
Quick Links:
Honors Application Link
Contact Us
Undergrad Admissions
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