Your application to the Clemson University Honors College is separate from (and in addition to) your Undergraduate Admissions application. After you submit your first-year Undergraduate Admissions application, you will receive access to the Honors College application in your Clemson admissions portal if you selected “Honors Interest” while completing your Undergraduate Admissions Application.
You can also scroll to the bottom of your Clemson admissions portal to find the section that asks if you have interest in applying to the Honors College.
Before you apply, you are welcome (but not required) to sign up for a visit to the Honors Center, where you will meet Honors staff, tour our facility, and meet current Honors students.
| Priority Deadlines | |
|---|---|
| October 15 | Undergraduate Admissions Early Action application submission deadline |
| October 22 | Honors Priority application deadline |
| November 1 | Honors Priority materials deadline; Undergraduate Admissions Early Action required materials deadline |
| Mid-January | Honors Priority decisions released |
| General Deadlines | |
| January 1 | Undergraduate Admissions Regular Decision application submission deadline |
| January 8 | Honors General application deadline |
| January 10 | Undergraduate Admissions Regular Decision required materials submission deadline |
| January 15 | Honors General materials deadline |
| March 7 | Honors General decisions released |
| Late Applications | |
| April 1 | Undergraduate Admissions application deadline, Undergraduate Admissions required materials deadline, Honors Late application deadline, Honors Late required materials deadline |
| Rolling after May 1 | Honors Late decisions released |
The Honors College offers Priority, General, and Late application deadlines for prospective students.
Applicants who meet all Honors Priority deadlines are eligible for consideration for the National Scholars Program and Breakthrough Scholars Program.
Prospective students who start an Honors College Priority round application but are not able to complete it before Priority deadlines (including letters of recommendation) will be moved to the General round for consideration. If General round timelines are also not met, the application will be considered late.
Honors decisions will be released only to students who have received an admission decision from Clemson Undergraduate Admissions. Honors College Priority applicants who do not receive an Early Action decision from Undergraduate Admissions will not receive an Honors decision until the General Honors decisions are released.
Applications that are not submitted and completed by the General round deadline are considered late and may be reviewed on a space available basis. However, we cannot guarantee that such applications will receive consideration.
Late Honors applicants may be updated about their Honors status on a rolling basis after May 1. The incoming first-year student application will close on April 1.
The Honors College application consists of:
The Honors application is generally available to students within 24 hours if they are completing the Undergraduate Admissions application via the admissions portal. Students who apply to Clemson via the Common App between August 1 and August 15 will not have access to the Honors application until August 15.
Successful applicants show clear evidence of intellectual engagement and vision, as well as community engagement and leadership through their high school activities, application essays, and other application materials.
To be considered, please take great care in producing a thoughtful and well-written application.
Write well-developed essay responses (650 words maximum each) for the required essay prompts. Essays constitute a critical part of your Honors College application. Thoughtful and original responses will provide the application reviewers with key insights into your accomplishments, intellectual curiosity, and vision.
Be genuine in your essay responses, highlighting personal insights and experiences, rather than merely listing your accomplishments. Use these essays as an opportunity to separate yourself from the competition - what makes you an ideal candidate for the Honors College?
Describe up to seven of the most significant leadership, service, work, learning, and/or enrichment activities (e.g., independent research or study, clubs, studies abroad, internships, employment experience, family or childcare, athletics, hobbies) in which you have participated in your high school career.
For each activity, you will be asked to provide:
Describe up to five awards or recognitions you have received during your high school career that you regard as significant.
Please take great care in reviewing your Honors application before submitting.
We are not able to edit your application after submission. The only changes you can make after submission are to upload additional, optional supplemental materials or to withdraw your application.
It takes approximately 24 hours to receive uploaded materials in our application system. Please check your Clemson admissions portal the day after you submit to verify receipt.
Clemson is test optional. Applicants are not required to submit a standardized test score to be considered for admission for the 2025-26 academic year. If a student elects to have test scores included in the review of their application to Clemson, that will apply to the Honors College as well.
Upload your SRAR through your Clemson admissions portal.
Two letters of recommendation are required for your Honors College application to be considered complete. We strongly suggest that both be academic references, including at least one letter from a teacher who can speak about you as a student.
All recommendation letters submitted with your Clemson University Undergraduate application will be able reviewed as part of your Honors application.
If you applied to Clemson University via the Common Application, please select to share your letters of recommendation with Clemson University via the Common Application recommendation system.
If you applied to Clemson University via the Clemson University or Coalition applications, you can upload your recommendations directly to your admissions portal. You or your recommender can also submit recommendations via your school’s system such as Naviance or SCOIR. Alternatively, you or your recommender can email your recommendation letters to honors@admission.clemson.edu.
Your Clemson admissions portal will continue to accept supporting materials through the end of the application cycle; however, these additional materials may not be considered once your application status is Awaiting Decision.
You have the option to upload up to two additional supporting materials (e.g., resume, writing sample, etc.) when you complete your Honors application. After your Honors application has been submitted, you cannot make changes to it; however, you can add up to three additional supporting documents. All supplemental materials submitted with your Clemson University Undergraduate application will be also reviewed as part of your Honors application.
Watch your email and admissions portal for ongoing updates about your Clemson Undergraduate Admissions and Honors applications.
You will receive regular updates about outstanding required materials, such as recommendation letters, until all items have been received.