UNIVERSITY HONORS PROGRAM
Challenge yourself to fly higher.
DEAR FUTURE UOFL HONORS STUDENT,
Congratulations on your many academic successes! We are pleased you are considering UofL, and want to share with you the ways the University Honors Program can help you learn, grow and succeed on your personalized journey. The Honors Program has much to offer and this brochure provides an overview of its many benefits.
ENGAGE UofL is an elite metropolitan university, and the Honors Program is a small, tight-knit community of students, staff and faculty. It’s the best of both worlds — a top-notch liberal arts education coupled with all of the resources and opportunities UofL offers as a research university. Our staff get to know students’ interests, goals and passions, coaching them to success. Our mentors help students connect with faculty in their area(s) of interest, campus resources and community leaders. In addition, our Honors student groups are among the most active and diverse on campus and provide a great way to hone leadership skills and get involved locally.
ENRICH: Across academic interests, participating in the University Honors Program will help you make connections. You'll have opportunities for mentoring and professional networking as well as access to critical resources to assist you with deeper exploration. If you're interested in creating connections across campus, throughout our great city of Louisville or even across the globe, the Honors Program can facilitate these pathways. Interested in professional networking? Want to create connections with organizations on campus? The Honors Program can assist you as you explore in Louisville or abroad.
EMPOWER: Each semester you can choose from an array of exciting, exclusive Honors classes including offerings in general education, academic majors and minors and topical seminars. The class sizes are small, providing deeper engagement with course materials, peers and faculty members. Some classes involve domestic or international travel, hands-on work in the city of Louisville or other research opportunities. Honors interdisciplinary seminars provide chances for study in specialized areas with awardwinning professors.
The essence of the University Honors Program is embodied in the spirit, intelligence, drive, creativity and commitment of Honors students. Each student is unique, and we’re thrilled for the opportunity to join you on your path! Don’t be a stranger—arrange a shadow visit, so you can visit our space and ask questions, especially of our current students who are excited to meet you, too. Join the University Honors Program, where you’ll be engaged, enriched and empowered.
Sincerely, Staff, Faculty and Administrators of the University Honors Program
HONORS QUICK FACTS*
1,496
TOTAL NUMBER OF HONORS STUDENTS
598
TOTAL NUMBER OF HONORS FRESHMEN
1,450 UNIVERSITY HONORS SCHOLARS GRADUATES**
215 NUMBER OF HONORS COURSES PER YEAR
260 STUDENTS IN HONORS LIVING-LEARNING COMMUNITIES
45 TRAVEL SEMINARS SINCE 2000
4.17 AVERAGE HIGH SCHOOL GPA OF INCOMING HONORS STUDENTS
18% HONORS FRESHMEN FROM OUT-OF-STATE
* Facts are based on fall 2024 data.
** Since 2002 — University Honors Scholars is an optional program for high-performing Honor students.
PROGRAM BENEFITS
Courses
Choose from a variety of Honors courses, with an average of 215 offered annually, all of which are small in size, promote deeper engagement with course materials and allow for more interaction with faculty and peers.
Mentoring
Priority Registration
Honors students work one-on-one with Honors staff members to develop a partnership that maximizes the undergraduate experience. Through mentoring, students forge links from the academic experience to professional, leadership and extracurricular opportunities. Honors students are among the very first students to register for courses.
Conferences Honors LLC
Honors conferences at the state, regional and national level allow students to exchange ideas or share research with a group of peers and faculty members.
Consider residing in Kurz Hall, the Honors Living-Learning Community (LLC). With its convenient location and many amenities, it's an LLC in high demand and an excellent way to build relationships with other Honors students.
Honors Scholars Program
The University Honors Scholars Program enhances Honors education through seminars that encourage interdisciplinary perspectives. Students choose from a variety of 300-level or above seminar courses, some of which include national and international travel. Graduates with the Honors Scholars distinction receive recognition on their diploma and at commencement.
For more information, visit louisville.edu/honors/ Enrichment-opportunities
"Being a member of the Honors Program has taught me the true meaning of community. Whether it be the vibrant group of peers who are eager to try new things or the amazing team of supportive mentors who greet me by name, the Honors Program has always provided me the encouragement and confidence to pursue new opportunities and to grow into the person I am today."
TO APPLY
• Eligible students may apply in the New Cards Gateway beginning in August.
To be considered for the University Honors Program, students must apply by Dec. 1.
• Selection factors include:
» Evidence of leadership, service or research
» Highschool GPA
» Rigor of high school curriculum, including AP, IB or college level courses completed
» Resume
» Application essay
• Selection for the University Honors Program is competitive and based on the overall profile of the incoming class. Space is limited. Students selected for the Honors Program must maintain a 3.35 GPA and enroll in Honors courses each academic year.
To apply, visit uofl.me/apply-honors
Eligibility for the University Honors Program:
• Admitted to UofL
• 3.5 GPA (weighted)
• 24 ACT / 1160 SAT Honors Early Action Application Deadline Oct. 1 Honors
Anna Morris (center, photo above)
Vogt Scholar, Class of 2026, Geography & Urban Studies, President, Honors Student Council
COMMUNITY
The Honors Living-Learning Community (LLC), housed in Kurz Hall, is open to all new Honors students. Often students can be found in the lounges, kitchens or movie room after a day of classes or studying with their fellow classmates. Kurz also has a game room and multiple study rooms.
The hall is conveniently located near several popular campus locations, including the Student Recreation Center and the Ville Grill. Plus, residing in the Honors LLC provides easy access to meetings and events hosted in the hall by the University Honors Program and Honors student organizations.
The Etscorn Honors Center is conveniently located in Strickler Hall, offering easy
access for students. Honors is also home to the National & International Scholarships Office which works with students interested in applying for prestigious scholarships and fellowships (e.g., Boren, Fulbright, Goldwater, Truman). In the Etscorn Center lobby, students often gather to talk, play games, make tea or study with friends. Close by is the Honors classroom where many Honors courses, study sessions and student meetings are held.
Throughout the year, all Honors students have opportunities to engage in community service, an array of social events, celebrations of students’ creative work and discussions with prestigious
community leaders and scholars, all coordinated by student-run organizations.
Honors Student Council, The Black and Brown Honors Society and The White Squirrel Literary and Arts Magazine are three Honors student organizations that provide opportunities to get involved on- and off-campus. These organizations, and many others, will allow you to connect and collaborate, while developing valuable leadership experience. A prime example of a signature, student-led event is the annual Non-Profit Fair, where students can connect with approximately 100 community organizations each fall. Students who choose to participate in any of these groups experience the satisfaction of making a difference.
CONNECTIONS
Learning Beyond the Classroom
The Honors Program strongly encourages students to make connections with their peers, faculty members and other scholars through undergraduate research. Several opportunities promote student research endeavors. If selected for a research or creative presentation at the state, regional or national honors conference, the Honors Program funds student travel costs. Honors students have presented their research in cities across the nation — from Orlando, Florida to Seattle, Washington. In addition to being mentored by the faculty and staff of a top-tier research university, Honors students have the opportunity to pursue their intellectual interests by writing a senior thesis, presenting at undergraduate research forums, conducting fieldwork or working in university labs.
President's Council Mentoring Program
The President's Council Mentoring Program (PCMP) introduces students to community leaders and the businesses and organizations they represent. This program provides third-year students with an opportunity for real-world career exploration and helps forge the link between classroom and career. Students accepted into this program shadow experienced professionals and community leaders in the area of the student’s choice for one academic year.
"The University of Louisville’s Honors Program has surrounded me with a supportive network of students and faculty who challenge me to grow and believe in my potential, even when don’t see it myself. This program not only encourages excellence but also equips students with the tools to achieve it. Being part of the University of Louisville’s Honors Program has been one of the greatest privileges of my undergraduate experience. It has instilled in me a stronger sense of empathy, a love for interdisciplinary learning and the confidence to lead with purpose."
CLASSROOM & BEYOND
With a maximum class size of 25 students, Honors courses allow for greater interaction between students and professors and facilitate a deeper exploration of course materials. This small class size, combined with professors who are passionate about the topics they teach, results in an engaging and collaborative experience.
Offering, on average, more than 215 courses annually across a wide range of departments, Honors makes it easy for students in any major to participate. After the first year, students may enroll in Honors Scholars seminars. Capped at 16 students, these courses are meant to expand perspectives, encourage discussion and incorporate experiences beyond the classroom. A host of new seminar topics proposed by outstanding faculty becomes available each year. Honors students also have the opportunity to explore international locales and the United States through the President’s Council International Seminars and the Woodcock Society National Seminars.
These courses offer a semester of in-depth study followed by a coordinated and subsidized travel experience. Honors seminar students have traveled to the sanctuaries of the Galapagos Islands, the ancient archaeological and sacred sites in Greece, the wetlands of the Everglades and the Lord of the Rings film sites in New Zealand.
PAST NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SEMINARS INCLUDE:
• Ancient America (U.S. Southwest)
• Copernicus and Galileo (Poland; Italy)
• Music, Place and U.S. Cities (New Orleans; Memphis)
• Frankenstein and Its Contexts (Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany)
• STEM on Stage (New York City)
• Tolkien in Print and Film (New Zealand)
• Wellness across the Lifespan (Denmark)
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS
The University Honors Program’s Office of National and International Scholarship Opportunities connects students to mentoring, resources and networking directed toward maximizing student potential and culminating in the pursuit of prestigious, nationally competitive merit awards. The office works with undergraduates, graduate students and alumni. UofL Scholars have traveled to nearly every corner of the globe, often with the benefit of full tuition and stipends.
In the last four years, 27 UofL students have been named Fulbright scholarship recipients. These students performed research or taught English in Bahrain, Bulgaria, Chile, Czech Republic, Germany, Jordan, Moldova, Netherlands, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand and Turkey.
UofL Honors students have won dozens of other prestigious awards. The University of Louisville was the sole recipient institution in Kentucky of the prestigious Harry S. Truman Scholarship for public policy in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2021 and 2023. During the 2022-2023 academic year, a UofL student was selected
for the inaugural cohort of each of two new awards—the Voyager Scholarship (ObamaChesky Scholarship for Public Service) and the Quad Fellowship. Our students have also been recipients of the Rhodes Scholarship, the George J. Mitchell Scholarship, the Boren and Critical Language Scholarships, the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, the KnightHennessy Fellowship, the FAO Schwarz Fellowship and many more.
Visit louisville.edu/honors/scholarships for more information
“No other program has contributed to my success as a student and provided me with as many meaningful experiences as the Honors Program. It has allowed me to connect with faculty and engage in research, made meaningful courses and student organizations accessible, and helped me learn about the city of Louisville.”
Dammy Jeboda Jones Scholar, Class of 2025, Psychology Fulbright Research Award (Switzerland)
Phi Beta Kappa of Kentuckiana Award Winner, Black & Brown Honors Society (Registered Student Organization) Vice-President
FULBRIGHT SCHOLARS SINCE 2003
COUNTRIES HOSTING SCHOLARS
SCHEDULE YOUR VISIT
Explore Campus
UofL offers shadow visits for Honors-eligible students. Shadow visits include meetings with Honors staff, admissions counselors and academic departments. Go to uofl.me/shadow-visit to schedule. To see all visit opportunities: louisville.edu/visit
SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS AND FINALISTS 7
TIME NATIONAL TOP PRODUCER OF FULBRIGHTS SINCE 2003
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
502-852-6531
admitme@louisville.edu louisville.edu/admissions
uofladmissions
University Honors Program
502-852-6293
honors@louisville.edu louisville.edu/honors
University of Louisville Honors Program ul_honors
Updated July 2025 - 73634
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