Join Us Current Penn State Students
The Schreyer Honors College welcomes applications from students currently enrolled at Penn State or those transferring to Penn State from another institution.
The Honors College promotes achieving academic excellence with integrity, building a global perspective and creating opportunities for leadership and civic engagement. Our student body is dynamic, diverse and driven to change the world for the better.
The application for current students is available from early April through mid-May for those meeting the eligibility criteria outlined below. When the application is available, a link to apply will appear below. The application content below may change and is provided for informational purposes only.
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Eligibility
Current Penn State students must have:
- At least two semesters of college completed by the end of the application semester
- At least three semesters remaining as of the fall semester after you apply
- A cumulative GPA of 3.70 or higher at the end of the semester of application
- An application semester GPA of 3.50 or higher
- An intended graduation campus of University Park, Abington, Altoona, Berks, Brandywine, Erie, or Harrisburg
The criteria above are minimums set by the Honors College. In some cases, additional criteria have also been established by colleges and departments at Penn State and will be noted on the online application once you indicate your intended graduation semester and campus, college, and major.
We can consider transfer applicants starting at Penn State in the following summer/fall semester if they have met these expectations at their prior institution. Because our evaluation happens in the summer, your decision to attend Penn State should not be premised on acceptance to the Schreyer Honors College. Please contact SHCAdmissions@psu.edu if you have questions.
The Paterno Fellows Program (PFP) is a special Liberal Arts enrichment program that includes membership in the Schreyer Honors College for qualifying members.
Entrance to the Paterno Fellows Program is handled through a separate application process.
Application Components
Involvements & Accomplishments
Applicants will need to provide, via Microsoft OneDrive, a list and brief description of your most important involvements and accomplishments since you started college. You can include earlier information, but it won’t weigh as heavily in our evaluation. If you have a resume or CV prepared, you can use that.
CV Resources OneDrive HelpEssay Questions
There are three required short essays: one about a potential honors thesis and two about aspects of the Schreyer Honors College mission. The specificity of the thesis question varies according to your intended major — guidance will be provided in the application once it becomes available. Certain colleges or majors may have a fourth question specific to them.
Academic Recommendation
As part of the application process, potential Scholars are required to request an academic recommendation letter. Your recommender should be a Penn State faculty member or adviser familiar with your potential honors work in the major.
Transcript
While not submitted as part of the application, the Schreyer Honors College will pull your college transcript during the review of your application. Your transcript will include your current GPA along with past and current-semester course enrollment. Grades will be displayed where applicable.
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April 1 Application available online
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May 15 Application deadline
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June - July Decisions announced
What We Look For Application Review Process
Honors advisers in your intended major will evaluate your application and make the admissions decision. That decision will be communicated to you by the Honors College. Decisions are based on the following criteria:
- Academic achievement since beginning college
- Desire, ability and motivation to conduct research or creative projects leading to the completion of an undergraduate honors thesis
- Demonstrated enthusiasm for the Schreyer Honors College's mission
