First Year, Current and Transfer Students
Students who do not meet these criteria may apply for admission to the Honors Program and their application will be considered holistically.
These admission requirements are “target criteria.” While priority consideration will be given to students who meet or exceed the requirements, the Honors Program Admissions Committee considers the totality of each student’s application with emphasis on academics and civic engagement. UMKC wants Honors Program students who will be leaders in the classroom, in all aspects of campus and community life, and who are highly motivated to succeed academically.
First Year Students
First-year students should have a minimum cumulative high school GPA of 3.5 or above in the core (17-unit) curriculum.
- Students who are eligible for Trustees' will not see the Honors application on their Application Status page checklist.
- Students accepted to Trustees' Scholars Program are automatically added to the Honors Program, no application or confirmation necessary.
- Students who apply to Trustees' but are denied will have their application automatically sent to the Honors Program for review but must still confirm their acceptance to the Honors Program. Details will be included in the Honors Program decision letter.
Transfer Students
Transfer students must meet at least one of the following criteria.
- All the admission criteria for first-year students as stated
- College-level GPA of 3.5 or above
- Participation in the Honors Program at their previous college or university
- Phi Theta Kappa members with a GPA of 3.5 or higher are guaranteed admission into the Honors Program after filling out the application. Students must still confirm their acceptance to the Honors Program. Details will be included in the Honors Program decision letter.
- Phi Theta Kappa members with a GPA below 3.5 are still invited to apply and will be given priority consideration. Reach out to honors@umkc.edu to get access to the application.
Current Students
- Students currently enrolled at UMKC must have a UMKC cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above
- Students who are freshmen or sophomores (by credit hours) who end the semester with a 3.5 or higher cumulative GPA will receive an invitation to join Honors in late May and early January.
- Junior and senior students with at least three semesters before graduation are also welcome to apply. Contact honors@umkc.edu to get access to the application.
Application and Confirmation Deadlines
Applications for admission to the Honors Program are considered on a rolling basis, and students are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Accepted students must also confirm their admission to officially join Honors.
- Fall Semester – August 1st, confirmations due Aug, 10th
- Spring Semester – January 7th, confirmations due Jan. 15th