Graduating with Honors (for students entering during or after Fall 2026)
Honors College students who have completed the rigorous academic requirements and have successfully presented a capstone project are eligible to graduate with University Honors. In order to earn this distinction, you must satisfy the requirements detailed below.
Graduation Requirements: Entering First-Year Students
Entering first-year students seeking to graduate with the distinction of University Honors must successfully complete 20 approved Honors credits, including the Honors Core (5-8 credits), the Inquiry and Analysis requirement (6 credits), the Experiential Learning requirement (3 credits), a Culminating Experience (0-3 credits), and any additional approved credits needed to reach 20 total Honors credits.
Click the link below to see a detailed set of requirements for entering first-year students.
Graduation Requirements: Continuing and Transfer Students
Continuing students and transfer students seeking to graduate with the distinction of University Honors must successfully complete 16 approved Honors credits, including HONR 150 or HONR 170 (1 credit), HONR 240 or HONR 340 (3 credits), the Inquiry and Analysis requirement (3 credits), the Experiential Learning requirement (3 credits), a Culminating Experience (0-3 credits), and any additional approved credits needed to reach 16 total Honors credits.
Graduation Requirements: Transfer Students with Associate Degrees or with 54 or more earned credits
Transfer students with an associate degree or more than 54 earned credits seeking to graduate with the distinction of University Honors must successfully complete 13 Honors credits, including HONR 150 or HONR 170 (1 credit), HONR 240 or HONR 340 (3 credits), the Inquiry and Analysis requirement (3 credits), the Experiential Learning requirement (3 credits), a Culminating Experience (0-3 credits), and any additional approved credits needed to reach 13 total Honors credits.
Graduation Requirements: Transfer Students with Associate Degrees or with 54 or more earned credits
Graduation Checklist for Transfer Students with Assoc Degrees
Honors College students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher.
If your cumulative GPA drops below a 3.5, the Honors College will place you on Honors probation and allow you one semester to raise your cumulative GPA. If it is not mathematically possible to do so or if you fail to raise your cumulative GPA to a 3.5 or higher during your probationary semester, you will be notified that you are no longer a member of the Honors College. However, you will be invited to reapply once your cumulative GPA returns to a 3.5. Seniors entering their final semester with a GPA below 3.5 will also be notified of their loss of membership in the Honors College, but may still be able to graduate with University Honors.
A student who experiences a decline in GPA during the final semester may be eligible for graduation with University Honors but is not permitted to take part in Honors commencement activities. Although students in this situation are removed from the Honors College, the Honors College will still review their final semester grades and consider them for graduation with University Honors. Students who wish to receive this consideration must notify the dean.
Completing your Honors College Graduation Application
Your Honors College graduation application is presented to the Honors College for review during the penultimate semester of your academic work.
- For students graduating in the Fall, the graduation application opens July 16 and closes August 15.
- For students graduating in the Spring, the graduation application opens November 1 and closes January 1.
- For students graduating in the Summer, the graduation application opens June 1 and closes July 15.
Please note that this graduation application is only for the Honors College. You will still need to submit a graduation application with your academic major.
You will need the following information to complete the application:
- Your total credits at VCU and overall GPA
- Your total honors credits and honors GPA
- A list of your completed and planned honors modules
- A list of your completed and planned honors semester courses
Recent Alumni Master’s Opportunity Program (RAM Opportunity)
The RAM Opportunity Program was designed by the Graduate School to encourage VCU students to apply to graduate programs. Graduating students can use this for one $75 graduate application fee waiver and a one-time $500 scholarship upon full-time enrollment (Virginia residents only). This program is open to ALL undergraduate students at VCU. Please note that this only applies to M.A. programs (not M.D., D.D.S., Pharm.D.).
Office of Admissions Application Waivers
The VCU Office of Admissions offers fee waivers to students applying to ANY graduate/professional degree program. This is available to students participating in a select group of programs, including membership in the Honors College. In order to receive this waiver, students must self-identify by sending an email to gradmail@vcu.edu and submit documentation of their current affiliation with Honors. There is a one-waiver-per-person limit in place for this program.
The Honors College is founded not only on academic excellence but also on academic integrity. Honors students represent the Honors College and the University in everything they do and are therefore expected to maintain the highest level of integrity.
Because the Honors College community is based on a culture of honesty, integrity and trust, Honors students must familiarize themselves with the VCU Honor System. Students should visit the Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity's website to review the Honor System as well as the Student Code of Conduct. Any Honors College student found responsible for an honor system violation, following any appeals made, will be removed from the Honors College immediately and will not be eligible for re-admittance.
Check out our Honors FAQ page for answers to questions like: What is a Capstone? What is a cohort? What is a course of intention? and more!