Incoming Freshmen
The Honors College offers opportunities for you to discover your passions and connect with a diverse student body to develop a standard of excellence. We encourage students from all disciplines and backgrounds to apply to the Honors College.
Admission Guidelines
Admission into the VCU Honors College is competitive, and all applicants are expected to have challenged themselves in high school through their course selections. The Honors College conducts a holistic review on all applicants with the following recommended admission guidelines:
- Unweighted high school grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
- Combined SAT score of at least 1330 (writing not included) OR an ACT composite score of at least 29.
Students who do not meet these criteria but feel an exception should be made remain eligible to apply as other components (extracurricular, honors, leadership, etc.) will be used in the holistic review and may offset lower quantitative scores.
Please note: For the 2024-2025 application year, test scores will not be required for general admission into the Honors College. Applicants who are able to take a standardized test and would like the scores to be used in our holistic application review may still submit scores. Students without test scores will receive a holistic review on all other portions of the application. Submission of test scores remains a requirement for all Guaranteed Admission Programs.
If you are a high school student interested in joining the Honors College, consider registering for an information session via Zoom. Questions about the information sessions can be directed to the Honors Recruitment and Enrollment Counselor, Will Gilbert (gilbertws@vcu.edu).
Application Process
In addition to the submission of your VCU Common Application, prospective students must submit an Honors College application. As a first-time user, you will be prompted to create a username and password on the Honors College website. Once you have created a username and password, your application can be saved and completed at a later time. Upon submission of your Honors College application you will receive a confirmation email.
The Honors College will confirm your test scores and grade point average through the materials sent in with your Common Application. You do not need to send additional transcripts or scores to the Honors College.
As you prepare to apply, please consider these application components:
Submission of VCU Honors College application. You will need the following information to complete the application:
- Your unweighted high school GPA.
- Date(s) and score(s) for your SAT and/or ACT (optional for 2024-2025 admissions cycle).
- Date(s), subject(s) and score(s) for any Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate tests you have taken or plan to take.
- List any extracurricular involvement (leadership, service, honors, awards, etc.).
- Submission of a personal education paper. The personal education paper should address the following question: How will membership in the VCU Honors College assist you in pursuing your academic and career goals while also helping you become an active citizen in the community? The paper should be 2-3 pages double spaced. Essays may include, but are not limited to the following:
- Major influences on your intellectual and personal development, such as curricular and extracurricular experiences, community service or important people, events or ideas
- Your immediate educational goals and plans for achieving them
- Your goals and dreams for the future
Important Dates & Deadlines
The VCU Honors College application will be available in early August.
Applications to the Honors College from incoming freshmen are accepted through April 15 of the senior year in high school. However, students are encouraged to apply by our priority deadline of February 1. All prospective freshmen who apply to the Honors College by February 1 will be notified of our admissions decision by April 1.
Applications received after the priority deadline of February 1 will be considered on a space-available basis. All admissions decisions will be made no later than June 15. Applications received after 11:59 p.m. EDT on April 15 will not be considered.
Incoming Freshman Honors students are also eligible to apply for Honors College scholarships. Honors College scholarships require a supplemental application. Students will be emailed more information regarding scholarships. Students who wish to be considered for the University-wide scholarships from the Office of Admissions must also submit their Common Application by November 1.
Are you applying for an Honors College Guaranteed Admission Program?
Students interested in applying to the Honors College Guaranteed Admission Programs should begin the Honors College incoming student application and select which Guaranteed Admission Program they are interested in when prompted. Selecting a Guaranteed Admission Program will open the second half of the application, which is only for students applying to a Guaranteed Admission Program. This application must be completed in full with supporting documents by November 1 for consideration for the Guaranteed Admission Program. Students will be evaluated for both admission into the Honors College as well as into the selected Guaranteed Admission Program. Incoming freshmen who are interested in Guaranteed Admission do not need to complete a personal education paper. To learn more about the Guaranteed Admission Program requirements visit the link below.