How to apply to the Honors Program
Spring 2013 Admission to Honors and beyond
Our on-line Honors Program application is now available. If you experience problems completing your application to Honors, please contact our office at honors@nau.edu or 928.523.3334.
ALL student applicants to the Honors Program for Spring 2013 and beyond must submit an on-line Honors Application, a resume or list of activities and accomplishments, AND an Honors Essay of Admission (see unique prompt below).In order to complete the on-line Honors application, you must first have 1) been admitted to NAU and 2) have your NAU user ID and password. Also, please have your essay and resume ready to submit BEFORE clicking the "Apply to Honors on-line" link below. Documents are accepted in .doc, .docx, and .pdf formats ONLY.
Admission to Honors is based on an evaluation of the student from a multitude of perspectives. We do take test scores and HS GPA into consideration, but that criteria is not exclusively used to admit to Honors. Our current Honors student class averages 27 on the ACT and 1236 on the Math and Reading portions of the SAT. There is no deadline to apply to Honors, but we strongly encourage submitting application materials prior to March 1 if you would like to live in Cowden Hall (this date allows us to review and process your application for Honors in enough time in advance of Cowden room selection); and May 1 is our priority date to ensure enrollment in our first year Honors seminar. Admission to Honors will continue through the Summer on a space available basis.
Your formal essay should be 500-750 words and be structured like an essay for an academic class. It will be evaluated both on your content and ideas as well as on writing conventions such as thesis, supporting evidence, organization, style, and mechanics.
Your Honors Essay of Admission needs to cover BOTH a and b:
a) Discuss a current local, national, or international news event that has affected your education;
OR
Describe your favorite book/text/class and its personal and academic significance;
AND
b) How has your understanding of, or relationship to, that event, book, text, or class prepared you for a University Honors education?
Please note: Honors Program admission criteria are verified through the university’s student LOUIE system.
We may request additional information from you to gain a better understanding of you as a student. We'll communicate with you if we need a letter of recommendation from someone familiar with your academic abilities.
Transfer student requirements
Incoming students to the Honors Program are considered "transfer students" when they are transferring 30 or more semester credit hours into NAU and have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or above. Transfer students must submit an application and essay for consideration. Unofficial transcripts sent to Honors MUST follow the transfer Honors application.
Current student requirements
If you do not meet the criteria for new or transfer admission, you may apply for the Honors Program after completing 12 credit hours of coursework at Northern Arizona University. Current NAU students must submit an application and essay for consideration. The coursework to be considered for admission must count toward liberal studies and/or toward major or minor requirements.
To be eligible for admission, you must have a cumulative Northern Arizona University grade point average of 3.50 or above.
Please have your Honors Essay of Admission (prompt above) and resume ready to submit BEFORE clicking the "Apply to Honors on-line" link below. This link is only accessible to prospective Honors students who have first been admitted to NAU.