Honors Programs
For high-achieving students, the University of Illinois offers a system of interconnected and cooperating honors options. Students can complete more than one option over the course of a normal undergraduate career. Some of these honors programs admit entering freshmen; others are designed to accept students in later semesters.
The University of Illinois offers two separate honors program options:
- College Honors Program: Many colleges within the University of Illinois have their own honors programs. These programs fall under the greater College Honors Program and participating students are known as James Scholars.
- Campus Honors Program: A selective, campus-wide program offered to a small number of incoming freshmen, regardless of college. These students are known as Chancellor’s Scholars.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should I join an honors program?
Honors programs at Illinois provide an extra measure of academic opportunity for students of exceptional ability. If you crave challenges and are eager to exceed academic expectations, an honors program will benefit you. These programs encourage students to grow exponentially as scholars and researchers.
Consider your future. Doing honors work and graduating with honors can have practical, professional value because prospective employers and graduate schools often look for evidence of extra initiative and intellectual depth throughout your undergraduate experience. The strongest appeal of an honors program, however, can be the community it fosters among lively, ambitious students and distinguished faculty.
When can I join?
You can join some of these programs before you start your first semester. Other programs become available further along in your collegiate career: when you choose a major, when your interests evolve, or when you earn the grades required to join.
How do I apply for honors programs?
Unless otherwise noted, for most honors programs that admit freshmen your Undergraduate Application for Admission is the same application used for admission into all honors programs. Your GPA and standardized test scores are reviewed, and your overall record and essay responses are considered very carefully by these programs in the decision process. If you are interested in joining a Illinois honors program, be sure to give complete and honest answers to every question on the application form. When the names, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses of teachers, coaches, or mentors are asked for, you need to provide them accurately. Use the essays on the application to describe your interests and achievements as thoroughly as you can.
If you are selected for one of these competitive programs, you will be notified directly by that program.