Opportunities to have your questions answered by UHP staff and students include:
University Open House (October),
Experience NC State dates (spring semester),
and virtual information sessions.
Below are the most common questions we receive from prospective students and their parents about the University Honors Program (UHP). You may have many of the same questions and our answers may help you to decide whether to apply for admission to the UHP.
The University Honors Program is NC State’s central program for academically-motivated and high-achieving students. It enriches the educational experience of a diverse community of academically motivated, intellectually curious, and high-potential students from all communities, providing them with advanced and innovative courses, unique enrichment programs, and high-impact experiences that will empower them to achieve their highest potential.
Consider carefully whether or not the goals of the UHP are consistent with your personal goals for your undergraduate education. We seek to:
No. There are Honors programs at the college and departmental level (please see respective websites), which generally issue their invitations to students during their sophomore or junior years.
Unfortunately, no. The UHP does not have any scholarship funds to disburse. Please note that the receipt of any of the university merit scholarships does not imply admission to the UHP.
Yes. UHP students may apply to live in the Honors Village (HV), a diverse community of high-achieving students from all majors and colleges at NC State who reside in The Quad (Becton, Bagwell, and Berry Residence Halls) on East Campus. The Honors Village is a dynamic living and learning community that enhances the intellectual exploration and personal development of its residents. The village offers students a wide range of educational and social opportunities that ease the transition to college life and help students make connections with their peers, NC State, and the world around them. It is not a requirement to live in the HV. To apply to live in the Honors Village, students should complete the Housing Application, including the Living and Learning Villages section, and fill out the application for the HV. For more information on the HV, you may visit the website.
If you are interested in participating in the UHP if you attend NC State, then we encourage you to complete the application questions while completing your application to the university. If you do not apply during your initial application process, then you will be able to access the application materials via your WolfPaw account.
In general, the notification date for students who are accepted into the UHP is approximately 2 weeks after NC State’s regular admissions decisions are released, via a notification sent to the email address you have on file in your WolfPaw account.
Notification about your application status will be available approximately 2 weeks after NC State’s admissions decisions are released. Students who are accepted into the program will receive more information about living in the Honors Village by email, generally within two weeks of the submission of your acceptance form. Your first introduction to the program will occur during New Student Orientation in the summer. The UHP staff will host an important information session for all incoming UHP students and their parents at each orientation session. You will receive an email with further details about this information session prior to orientation. Please contact the office if you will be unable to attend any of the orientation sessions, 919.515.2353.
Yes, there is a participation fee for students in the University Honors Program to partially offset the cost of the programs. As students progress through the program, they will be charged a progressively lower fee, as outlined below.
| Class Year | Annual Fee |
| First year | $400 |
| Second year | $350 |
| Third year | $300 |
| Fourth year | $250 |
The fee allows us to offer exceptional academic and enrichment experiences for our students. Specifically, the fee will be used to:
We seek talented students from all backgrounds. Students who are not able to pay the fee should complete a fee waiver request form (link opens in a new tab). Please note that NC State must have a completed FAFSA form for any student who requests a fee waiver.
Students who join the program during their second semester (Spring) at NC State will begin participating in the program during the second semester of their first year at the university. The fee will be assessed then according to the fee schedule listed on this page.
Students in the UHP must complete the following in order to graduate from the program. For additional details about and examples of specific program components, follow the hyperlinks embedded here.
| Requirement | Timeline |
| Two, 3 credit-hour HON seminars | Within the first two years |
| Two semesters of Honors Forum | Within the first two years |
| Six credit-hours of additional advanced coursework | Anytime before graduation |
| Three high-impact experiences | Anytime before graduation |
| Culminating portfolio project | Completed in the final year |
| Cumulative GPA of 3.25 | Throughout the program |
In order to successfully complete the program, UHP students are required to pass 12 hours of approved coursework by the time they graduate. Generally, these courses are used to satisfy General Education Program requirements so that students do not take additional courses to complete their approved coursework for the program. There are many types of courses that can be used to complete this requirement.
The HON seminars stimulate an undergraduate culture of research by providing a holistic “mind-on” research experience within a cross-disciplinary context as a way to prepare University Honors Program students for critical thinking, reading, and problem-solving skills development. The small class size provides an ideal setting for constructive argumentation, analysis, synthesis, and pointed conclusions.
Honors Forum is the co-curricular heart of the UHP. It is a zero credit-hour course that students must successfully pass for two semesters. In order to successfully pass the course, students must attend a minimum of 12 Honors Forum events over the course of the semester. Each semester there are roughly 200 events to choose from and include a wide variety of guest lectures, performances, field trips, and small group discussions.
University Honors students must complete a total of three high-impact experiences by the time they graduate. These are opportunities for students to engage in experiential learning outside the classroom in a way that directly aligns with their individual goals. This requirement also gives students the opportunity to reflect on how these experiences impact their learning in preparation for life after college such as graduate school or employment applications. Examples include, but are not limited to