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Information for counselors
Counselors can take three steps to share the University Honors Program with their students:
- Request materials: Our print pieces can be helpful to have during student consultations. To request a packet, get in touch .
- Schedule an event: Whether on our campus, on yours, or virtual, a presentation with our admissions team is one of the best ways to share information and answer questions with students. Reach out to our associate director of admissions and operations, Harry Swartz , to arrange the ideal event for your school.
- Encourage students to visit campus. That visit can include a general presentation and tour offered by the KU Office of Admissions, as well as an information session at Nunemaker Center with the University Honors Program. Registration for both events can be done at the same time through the KU Admissions website .
General questions can be sent to [email protected] .
Who should apply to the program?
We encourage all highly academically motivated students to apply to the University Honors Program. We do not have a minimum GPA (last year's average incoming GPA was 3.92).
What's in a complete application?
Four separate pieces must accompany every honors application:
- An essay in response to one of three prompts.
- A document with responses to all three short-answer questions.
- A transcript (if this transcript does not include courses a student is currently enrolled in, they will be asked to include those courses elsewhere in the application).
- A list of senior-year courses.
We do not require ACT or SAT scores, though students may submit them and they will be considered as part of a student's holistic review. Letters of recommendation are not requested nor reviewed if sent.
Essay and short-answer questions can be found on our Apply page .
How can students apply?
Students may apply to our program when applying to KU, or after through our separate application . (Inform students that each process involves checkboxes that must be checked for the application to be properly routed.) More information can be found on our Apply page .
When should students apply?
Below are a list of key deadlines for first-year domestic students and international students:
- July 1: Application open date
- Early fall: Beginning of application review
- Dec. 1: Domestic priority deadline
- Feb. 1: Domestic late-consideration deadline
- March 1: International deadline
Admitted students should also note May 1, KU's enrollment deposit deadline. This deposit acts as a student's acceptance of their offer of admission to KU and the honors program.
What's your evaluation criteria?
As part of a holistic, two-person review process, we evaluate each application for breadth, depth, leadership potential, and the strength of the essay. We look for a broad range of curricular and extracurricular activities, with specific interests emerging in both. Written materials give students an opportunity to define, clarify, or add complexity to these aspects of their academic careers and personal lives.
Students are also given a "challenge score" based on a number of curricular factors evident in their transcript. These factors include the level of math, science, and language coursework, the number of advanced courses (such as Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, dual enrollment, and community college courses), and grade trends. Academic performance will be assessed using unweighted high-school GPA or a submitted test score — whichever is stronger.
When can students expect a decision?
Summer applicants will receive decisions beginning in the early fall. We strive to send decisions no more than eight weeks from the submission of an application.
My student heard back. What's next?
For admitted students, remind them to take key steps:
- completing a contract with KU Student Housing ;
- paying KU's enrollment deposit by May 1;
- registering for a summer Orientation session once they've paid their deposit.
For waitlisted students, the most important step they can take is to submit a copy of their seventh-semester transcripts by Feb. 15. Final decisions are sent by March 15.
For denied students, please continue to encourage them to attend KU. Also notify them that students may reapply to the program once they're a current KU student; many students join our program this way. They may also be eligible for other honors experiences on campus, including those in a specific department or major.
What if a student wants feedback?
Requests for feedback should be sent to [email protected] . Application feedback may only be shared directly with the student. We cannot provide extensive feedback or meet with students to discuss declined applications.
Important Links
- Honors application
- Honors visit options
- Admitted student next steps
KU Links to Know
- KU Office of Admissions
- KU Student Housing
- Center for Orientation and Transition Programs
2024-25 Academic Catalog
University honors program, honors courses.
Honors courses are open to qualified undergraduates in any school of the university.
The goal of the University Honors Program is to challenge students to launch extraordinary lives. We do this by providing exceptional classes, advising, and enrichment opportunities to academically motivated undergraduates at the University of Kansas. From Convocation to Commencement, we strive to foster a transformational community of critical thinkers — a community that is diverse, highly qualified, engaged, and motivated to lead.
Honors classes are typically small, discussion-oriented, and taught by exceptional instructors. Many honors courses fulfill KU Core (or major) requirements, but they are likely to do so in more depth than their non-honors equivalents. While there is no required number of honors credit hours in which a student must enroll each semester, students must complete at least six (6) honors courses totaling at least eighteen (18) credit hours to graduate with university honors.
During each student’s first year in the program, a semester-long seminar provides an introduction to an academic area of study in an informal setting that allows students to get to know one another and their instructor. The seminar explores critical questions in society and acquaints students with resources available at KU.
Whatever a student’s school or major, the University Honors Program encourages them to explore their interests through the broad curriculum choices KU has to offer, expanding their knowledge through a range of liberal arts and science courses. Additionally, honors students are required to engage in educational experiences beyond the classroom such as research, study abroad, internships, or community service.
An honors student's success team includes honors advisors, faculty fellows, and honors mentors. Jayhawk Academic Advising facilitates early and frequent contact with honors advisors who are knowledgeable about the student’s areas of interest. Honors students benefit from priority enrollment, which provides flexibility in planning one’s academic curriculum.
More information is available at the University Honors Program website .
Students from all backgrounds who are seeking academic challenge, personalized guidance, and an intellectual community during their time at KU are encouraged to apply to the University Honors Program. The program uses a holistic admissions process. For incoming first-year students, the program considers a student's response to short-answer questions and an essay prompt, as well as their academic record and involvement. For current KU students and incoming transfer students, applications are evaluated based on college GPA, involvement and activities, and an essay. Students interested in applying can learn more by visiting the University Honors Program website .
Requirements for Completion
- Students whose GPA drops below 3.25 prior to their final semester will be expected to raise their GPA in subsequent semesters.
- Students whose GPA is consistently below 3.25 over two or more consecutive semesters may be discontinued from the honors program.
- One (1) first-year honors seminar ( HNRS 190 or HNRS 195 ).
- Courses designated HNRS.
- Honors courses offered by individual departments or programs.
- Graduate-level courses numbered 700 and above.
- Less commonly taught languages (maximum of two courses).
- Courses completed under an Honors Course Contract (maximum of two courses).
- Public Service.
- Cultural Literacy & Social Justice.
- Global Citizenship.
- Aesthetic Engagement.
- Professional Development & Social Entrepreneurship.
- Leadership.
- Research Skills & In-Depth Learning.
- Interdisciplinarity & Breadth of Learning.
To receive credit for an ELE, students must post a written reflection in their KU Portal when the experience is completed. Though some experiences may overlap between two or more categories, no single activity can be counted toward more than one ELE requirement. A course taken toward the 18 hours of honors credit can also be used to fulfill an ELE if the student completes an appropriate reflection.
For further questions regarding honors program requirements, please contact the University Honors Program at [email protected] or 785-864-4225.
Nunemaker Center
Nunemaker Center, home of the University Honors Program, is located on Daisy Hill across the street from Templin Hall. Honors students are encouraged to take advantage of the spaces available at Nunemaker, including several classrooms and study areas, a kitchen, and comfortable lounges. The center is open most days and some evenings.
A limited-enrollment, seminar course for first-time freshmen, addressing current issues in Honors. Course is designed to meet the critical thinking learning outcome of the KU Core. First-Year Seminar topics are coordinated and approved by the Office of First-Year Experience. Prerequisite: First-time freshman status.
This seminar serves as an introduction to the University Honors Program, to research opportunities and other academic resources available at the University of Kansas, and to specific disciplinary perspectives on an overarching theme. While closely examining the designated topic, students develop skills in research, reading, writing, and in-depth discussion. Required of all first-year Honors students; open only to first-year students in the University Honors Program.
This seminar serves as an introduction to the Honors Program, and to the research opportunities and other academic resources available at the University of Kansas. This seminar fosters the transfer students' oral and written communication and the critical assessment of their academic and pre-professional goals. The instructor of the student's seminar also serves as the student's honors mentor. Open only to transfer students in the University Honors Program.
This interdisciplinary course explores the historical and economic roots of citizen generosity and the role of the nonprofit/philanthropic sector. This service learning course combines volunteer experiences and public service internships with research and exploration of the missions and ethical orientations of nonprofit organizations. The course is designed to explore the social and the ethical contexts of the nonprofit sector with opportunities to demonstrate social and civic responsibility.
An interdisciplinary survey to acquaint students with some of the main ideas, methods, and outstanding problems in various areas of scholarship. The organization of human knowledge inside and outside the university, as well as the implications of this organization for scholarship and society, are emphasized. Ideas and methods in various disciplines are contrasted and compared. Required of and open only to newly admitted students in the University Scholars Program.
The Global Scholars Seminar is designed to foster academically talented and motivated undergraduate students' interest in global studies. Through interdisciplinary coursework, mentorship and research experience in global studies, the seminar provides cohorts of students with opportunities to develop their intellectual capabilities and interests to the fullest and better prepares them for careers, further study, and leadership roles in today's complex international arena. Required of and open only to newly admitted students in the Global Scholars Program.
This seminar helps students develop their personal writing abilities. Students analyze language and rhetorical choices in the genre of the personal essay. Students demonstrate rhetorical flexibility within the genre, considering audience, purpose, and application of the material. This course is intended for candidates for national fellowships, regardless of University Honors Program membership. (Same as LA&S 370 .) Prerequisite: Permission of the Office of Fellowships.
The focus of this class is on honing the two basic skills of critical thinking and advocacy. In this seminar, students develop a basic system for critical analysis that can be applied generally; test that critical analysis system in a series of practicums to develop the skills necessary to apply it; and develop a basic system for designing effective and ethical persuasive messages. (Same as LA&S 380 .) Prerequisite: Permission of the Office of Fellowships.
This seminar serves as an introduction to the KU Edwards Campus Honors Program, and to the research opportunities and other academic resources available at the University of Kansas Edwards Campus. The seminar focuses on an overarching theme or current societal problem, and explores specific disciplinary perspectives of that theme. While closely examining the designated topic, students develop skills in research, reading, writing, and in-depth discussion. This seminar fosters the KU Edwards Campus students' oral and written communication and the critical assessment of their academic and pre-professional goals. Required of all KU Edwards Campus Honors students. Prerequisite: KU Edwards Campus Honors Student.
This course focuses on the challenges facing practitioners in a specific professional field. Students will learn about the ethics, conduct, and other responsibilities associated with that profession, and will explore career choices within the field. Prerequisite: Membership in the University Honors Program, sophomore standing or above, and prior completion of an Honors Seminar ( HNRS 190 or HNRS 195 .) Concurrent enrollment with HNRS 195 is possible with special permission from the Honors Program.
An interdisciplinary study of different topics. Designed especially for juniors and seniors.
Individual and supervised study of an interdisciplinary topic or topics. May be repeated for a total of up to 6 hours. Up to one 3-hour enrollment will count as one course toward completion of the University Honors Program. Prerequisite: Membership in the University Honors Program and consent of the instructor.
Students participate in an internship in an organization related to their professional/career goals. An internship plan is developed by the student in conjunction with the student's academic adviser and an authorized agent of the internship site. Prerequisite: Instructor permission required.
Open to all Honors students selected to be Honors Seminar Assistants, regardless of major field. These students assist Seminar instructors in the teaching of an Honors seminar in various ways, including but not limited to: leading group discussions, engaging students in the learning process, developing classroom material, encouraging and guiding students to solve problems themselves and helping students prepare for their advising appointments. May be repeated. Prerequisite: HNRS 190 or HNRS 195 and membership in the University Honors Program.
This seminar serves as an interdisciplinary capstone experience for students KU Edwards Campus Honors Program, and as an introduction to the research opportunities and other academic resources available at the University of Kansas Edwards Campus. The seminar focuses on an overarching theme or current societal problem that students explore from the perspectives of several disciplines, incorporating experiential learning opportunities. While closely examining the designated topic, students develop skills in research, reading, writing, and in-depth discussion. This seminar fosters the KU Edwards Campus students' oral and written communication and the critical assessment of their academic and pre-professional goals. Required of all KU Edwards Campus Honors students.
Contact Info
Nunemaker Center 1506 Engel Road Lawrence, KS 66045 785-864-4225 785-864-5178 [email protected] http://www.honors.ku.edu/
Sarah Crawford-Parker, Director [email protected]
Mauricio Gomez Montoya, Student Experience Designer [email protected]
Justin Runge, Communications Manager [email protected]
Harry Swartz, Assistant Director, Admissions [email protected]
Emma Santora, Data and Records Coordinator [email protected]
Preston Braun, Student Experience Coordinator [email protected]
Dustin Vann, Communications Specialist [email protected]
Adam Lancaster, Administrative Associate [email protected]
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2024-25 Entire Catalog
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What are your chances of acceptance?
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How to Write the University of Kansas Essays 2019-2020
University of Kansas has an acceptance rate of 92%. The University of Kansas accepts the Common Application. Students applying to the SELF Program or the Honors Program will need to submit additional essays. Want to know your chances at the University of Kansas? Calculate your chances for free right now.
For Applicants to SELF Program
The self program’s primary goal is to develop passionate future engineering leaders in business, industry, and entrepreneurship. keeping that in mind, tell us why you are interested in becoming a self fellow and what you feel you would contribute. (500 words).
University of Kansas’s SELF Program offers a variety of scholarships and specialized programming for its fellows. Students in the SELF program participate in experiential learning through networking opportunities with various prestigious companies, weekly seminars, and large collaborative projects.
The first aspect of this prompt asks why you are interested in becoming a SELF fellow. The SELF program looks for students with a “fire in the belly,” or a passion for leadership and engineering. Your response to this prompt should reflect this passion and how you believe the SELF program in particular will allow you to achieve your goals.
Your response should emphasize the SELF program’s unique opportunities that you could not find in other universities. Many schools will have research opportunities or honors courses. What makes the self program stand out to you? Why is the integration of engineering and leadership interesting to you?
For example, instead of simply saying that you want the opportunity to participate in hands-on research, you could explain how SELF’s capstone program will allow you to spearhead and design your own project. The University of Kansas SELF webpage will provide you with information on SELF’s unique programs such as SELF on the Road or the weekly cohort meetings.
The second portion of this prompt asks you what you will contribute to the SELF program. Your response should explain how you believe your passion for engineering and leadership will positively influence your peers and the program as a whole. Discuss how you would contribute to various programs offered in the SELF Program.
For example, you could discuss how your passion for entrepreneurship and personal organization skills would allow you to be an asset in arranging the SELF program’s speaker lineup. You could also discuss how your passion for community service would encourage you to take on a leadership position for Engineering High School Design Competition.
Required for Applicants to SELF Program AND Honors Program
Please respond to one of the following essay questions. Your essay will be evaluated for the quality of your writing and your ability to provide a focused response to the question you choose. Your response should demonstrate intellectual curiosity and academic rigor, and should be thoughtful, well-organized and free of grammatical and spelling errors. Please limit your response to 500 words.
Option A: It has been said that there are two types of people. What are they? Which one are you? (500 words)
This prompt is intentionally broad to give you a wide range of appropriate responses. The question does not require a specific kind of tone — your response can range from lighthearted and humorous to serious and meaningful. Regardless of the tone you attempt to take, you need to present a thoughtful answer.
Choose “two types of people” that allow you to write a well-reasoned response. For example, while there may be pretzels people vs. chips people, or shower vs. bath people, you might have a hard time writing an entire 500-word essay about this distinction. If you feel that you have enough ideas for an essay this creative, however, do go for it — just make sure you incorporate some sound analysis, even if your topic is more fun.
For the shower vs. bath example, you could bring in environmental facts, such as which tends to use more water, or some history/culture on when and where each one is more popular. Of course, this isn’t to say that a more offbeat topic should become totally academic — you can still keep it light by incorporating jokes and anecdotes.
For a more serious essay, you might consider distinctions that center on personality differences or different perspectives on life. For example, are there thinkers and doers? Are there optimists and pessimists? Are there planners and improvisers?
Your response should clearly explain this distinction. For example, how are planners and improvisers different? What are the benefits of being a planner, and what are the benefits of being an improviser? Do you think one side of the distinction is clearly better than the other and why do you think that?
Once you have decided on your distinction, you need to explain which one you are. Remember that you want to show the reader which choice you are instead of simply telling them. Consider using an anecdote to explain why you believe that you are on that side.
For example, did you color-code your binders even in elementary school? Do you prefer pretzels over chips, as you used to make soft pretzels with your German grandmother? Did you leave for a vacation to Europe without any itinerary and plan the entire trip while you were there? Do you like showers because it’s easier to wash off the grime from your soccer games? These anecdotes will help bring your “two types of people” to life and get to learn more about you.
Option B: When did you know? (500 words)
This prompt is intentionally vague to allow a wide range of acceptable answers. Broadly, this question asks when you discovered a passion or something valuable about yourself.
Think about a time you had a clear moment of realization. For example, did you discover that you wanted to study medicine after a meaningful experience volunteering at the hospital? Did you discover your passion for community service after volunteering for a food drive? Did you realize you wanted to continue participating in student government after you made a big change in your school?
While longitudinal structure is usually a strong narrative setup, this prompt asks for a moment of impact. You can spend some time establishing the moment and its consequences, however your essay should primarily focus on this moment of impact and its significance to you. Remember that KU asks you to write a focused response.
For example, instead of focusing on the many times you volunteered at a local hospital over the years, you could talk about the time when you were able to meaningfully comfort the patient during a difficult time. You can then explain that this feeling made you want to help as many patients as you could, and therefore helped you decide that you wanted to go to medical school.
Your response should clearly connect your experience — or moment — to what you learned or discovered, and how that discovery impacted you. For example, you shouldn’t write about an impactful moment at a hospital without explaining what it helped you discover about yourself. You also shouldn’t write about your impactful moment at the hospital then discuss your desire to go to law school.
Option C: Write a letter to someone you consider to be a leader. (500 words)
This prompt seeks to assess your values in a creative writing format. Your response should be in the form of a typical letter, including a greeting and a closing. The epistolary format makes it easy for your writing to fall into rambling, so write down two or three key points you would like to make before you begin writing and structure your response around them.
First, choose your leader. Although it is tempting to choose large-scale influential figures like presidents, your leader can be someone from your everyday life or an unconventional path as well. For example, does someone in your community front a local organization that inspires you? Has one of your favorite artists been a zealous advocate for important social change? Does one of the teachers at your high school lead the entire department?
Once you have selected your leader, you need to think about what you would want to write to them. Do you want to tell them why they inspire you? Do you want to give them advice on a challenge they are facing or encourage them to consider an important issue that they haven’t given much weight to previously?
Despite being a letter, your writing should be coherent and contain logical arguments and points. Use a clear logical structure and try to have each body paragraph address a different point you are trying to make. For example, dedicate one paragraph to why your leader inspires you, one paragraph to the advice you want to give them, and one paragraph to raising an important issue.
For Honors Program Applicants Only
Optional: is there additional information about yourself, your family, your background, or any adversity (e.g. financial hardship, illness, etc.) you would like us to take into consideration while reviewing your application (150 words).
The University of Kansas Honors Program is one of the top-ranked public honors programs in the country. Honors students receive priority course enrollment, specialized advising, and access to specialized courses and an honors-specific residence hall. The Honors Program seeks to cultivate a diverse, committed group of scholars.
This prompt broadly asks if you would like to share any personal information not otherwise addressed in your application materials. Use this space as an opportunity to explain aspects of your identity or background that would not be readily apparent to the admissions committee. Topics can range from unusual family circumstances to low socioeconomic status.
Although your other essays will have room for creative devices, your response to this question should be concise and direct. Avoid detailed personal anecdotes or metaphors, as you have limited word space. Your response should explain your exceptional circumstance and briefly explain why you believe it is relevant to your application review.
Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.
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University of Kansas’s 2024-25 Essay Prompts
Self engineering leadership fellows essay.
The mission of the Madison (Al) and Lila Self Engineering Leadership Program is to develop passionate engineering and computer science graduates who are strongly goal-oriented and who bring the business skills and vision needed to guide the technology-based corporations of tomorrow. Describe how your personal vision aligns with the mission of the SELF Program.
SELF Engineering Leadership Fellows Short Response 1
Leadership, entrepreneurship and business are three points of emphasis for the SELF Program. Choose one of these and discuss specific actions that you might take and how you see yourself growing in this area during your time in the SELF Program and beyond.
SELF Engineering Leadership Fellows Short Response 2
Discuss an activity you are currently involved in and explain how it helped you realize that you wanted to pursue opportunities such as those offered by the SELF Program.
Select-A-Prompt Essay
Essays should be intellectually curious, thoughtful, well-organized, proofread, and limited to 500 words. We will evaluate the quality of your writing and your ability to provide an expansive yet focused response to one of these three prompts:
Physicist Albert Einstein said: “It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education.” Drawing from your formal and informal educational experiences, assess the truth of Einstein’s statement, then discuss how you plan to nurture your curiosity at KU and in the honors program.
KU graduate and NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara shared that seeing the planet from the International Space Station gave her “a sense of urgency to come back down to Earth and play a part in making it better.” What plans for college and beyond do you have for making our planet or society better? How have your experiences and background helped to ignite these aspirations?
The University Honors Program highly values interdisciplinarity. Tell us about two of your contrasting academic interests or passions and the ways they interact. How do you plan to continue exploring and interweaving them at KU as a member of the honors program?
Please upload your responses to all three questions as a single Word or PDF document and limit your total word count to 1,200 words combined. Convey the factors that shaped you and demonstrate skills of clarity and brevity when you answer each of these three questions:
List no more than five items — clubs and organizations, employment, community service, awards and recognition, extra-curricular interests, personal or family obligations — in descending order of significance, with the most significant item first. For each, explain your role, time commitment, length of involvement, and responsibilities.
How have your experiences affected your sense of who you are and what you hope to accomplish in college? There are no wrong answers.
Honors students make the most of available opportunities. Based on course availability at your school, how did you select the classes you took? Is there anything you want the admissions committee to know about your transcript?
What will first-time readers think of your college essay?
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