Honors Humanities Prospective Students

First-year applicants to UMD are automatically considered for invitation to the Honors College when they submit a completed undergraduate application by the early action deadline of November 1 and are admitted. There is no separate application for the Honors College.

Invitations to the Honors College are extended to new first-year students who demonstrate exceptional academic ability and promise. Students' applications are carefully evaluated on the basis of academic achievement in high school, rigor of high school program, application essays, letters of recommendation, participation in extracurricular activities, and standardized test scores (where applicable based on UMD policy). Please see the Office of Undergraduate Admissions website for further information.

After students are invited to the Honors College, they are asked which living-learning programs capture their interest. The eight available living-learning programs are: Advanced Cybersecurity Experience for Students (ACES), Design Cultures & Creativity (DCC), Gemstone (GEMS), Honors Global Communities (HGlo), Honors Humanities (HoHum), Integrated Life Sciences (ILS), Interdisciplinary Business Honors (IBH), and University Honors (UH).

In addition to participating in a living-learning program, honors students may wish to participate in a departmental honors program in their academic major. Students must apply to most departmental honors programs in the sophomore or junior year.

Learn more about visiting the Honors College

The University of Maryland offers a variety of merit-based and need-based scholarships to new and current students. Merit-based scholarships are awarded solely on academic or creative talent. Need-based scholarships are awarded on the basis of financial need. Scholarship awards are independent of admission to the Honors College. There are no separate applications for merit scholarships.

All students who apply by the November 1st early action deadline are automatically considered. Merit scholarship award notifications are mailed beginning in mid-March. All students who wish to be considered for need-based aid should fill out the FAFSA. Students can be awarded both merit and need-based scholarships in the same academic year.

Freshman applicants admitted to the Honors College are automatically considered for the most prestigious merit scholarship offered to incoming UMD freshman, the Banneker/Key Scholarship. The Banneker/Key scholarship can cover up to the full cost of tuition, mandatory fees, room and board, and a book allowance.

Learn more about UMD scholarships:

• Banneker/Key Scholars
• Freshman merit scholarships
• Transfer merit scholarships
• National scholarships
• Need-based scholarships
• Study abroad scholarships
• Office of Student Financial Aid

Congratulations on your admission to the Honors College!

We are comprised of eight unique living-learning programs (LLPs), which attract some of the country’s—and the world’s—most brilliant minds. Being a part of an LLP means that you will be in a close-knit community, where faculty and staff work closely with your cohort to foster learning inside and outside of the classroom. 

There is no “right” or “wrong” LLP, so we ask you to learn more about the opportunities available in each program before you fill out your preferencing form. Following the completion of the form, we will work with program staff to place you into one of our eight programs. You will then spend the next 2-4 years working towards an Honors College Citation, which will be notated on your official transcript.

Admitted Student Information:

1. Learn more about the Honors College community by viewing our video.
2. Learn about our eight living-learning programs (LLP).
3. Identify which programs interest you the most and then complete your Program Preference Form by the best consideration deadline of by February 21, 2022: To fill out your form, log onto the Terps Application Portal *Please choose your LLP preference order carefully; transferring to another LLP once you are placed in an LLP is not guaranteed.
4. Confirm enrollment and apply for housing by May 1. Every new first-year student who desires to live in campus residence halls must complete the Campus Housing and Dining Agreement by May 1 to be eligible to live on campus. This includes Honors College students. The housing agreement can be found at reslife.umd.edu by selecting the "Apply for Housing" button on the top right of the page. Missing the May 1 deadline may impact a student's ability to secure on-campus housing.
5. Register for orientation. Students should register for orientation with the Orientation Office. Students must attend a two-day orientation program in the summer to build their fall schedules. The Honors College invites newly admitted students to attend Honors Orientation, but students also have the option to attend a regular orientation. Honors Orientation is scheduled for June 13-14, June 30- July 1, and July 11-12, 2022. Visit the Orientation Office for more information.

Note: Completing the Program Preference Form for the Honors College and your UMD Housing reservation does not obligate you to attend the University of Maryland or the Honors College. It merely reserves a place in Honors for you, should you decide to enroll at the University of Maryland.

Refer to the Admitted Fall Freshman Checklist for more information about dining options, financial aid, transfer credit and other important enrollment items.

The Honors Humanities Student of Color Collective is a student-run group that aims to provide a supportive space for ethnic and racial minorities in Honors Humanities. Our mission is to build a welcoming living-and-learning environment for all self-identified students of color who are interested in cultivating visibility, advocacy, and sustainable community.