Apply to the Honors College

How to apply to The Honors College

Option 1

National Merit, Presidential-Level and Nevada Scholars (with a 4.0) will be admitted to The Honors College without submitting an application.

Limited to the first 50 students who accept admission when merit-based awards are sent out in mid-November.
Before that, all students should apply.

Option 2

Apply via The Honors College online application.

Scholarship matrix test scores and GPA explanation

To qualify, applicants must have a cumulative unweighted GPA between 3.7 and 4.0 and either an ACT score of 31-36 or an SAT score of 1390-1600.

**Cumulative Unweighted GPA and Test Scores to Qualify for Presidential Scholarship**
GPA	ACT Test Score	SAT Test Score
4.0	31-36	1390-1600
3.9	31-36	1390-1600
3.8	31-36	1390-1600
3.7	31-36	1390-1600

To qualify, applicants must have a cumulative unweighted GPA between 3.2 and 4.0 and either an ACT score of 22-36 or an SAT score of 1100-1600.

**Cumulative Unweighted GPA and Test Scores to Qualify for Nevada Scholars Scholarship**
GPA	ACT Test Score	SAT Test Score
4.0	22-30	1100-1360
3.9	23-30	1130-1360
3.8	24-30	1160-1360
3.7	25-30	1200-1360
3.6	26-36	1230-1600
3.5	27-36	1260-1600
3.4	27-36	1260-1600
3.3	28-36	1300-1600
3.2	29-36	1330-1600

To qualify, applicants must have a cumulative unweighted GPA between 3.1 and 4.0 and either an ACT score of 18-36 or an SAT score of 960-1570.

**Cumulative Unweighted GPA and Test Scores to Qualify for Pack Pride Scholarship**
GPA	ACT Test Score	SAT Test Score
3.9	19-22	960-1060
3.8	19-23	990-1130
3.7	20-24	1030-1160
3.6	21-25	1060-1200
3.5	22-26	1100-1230
3.4	23-26	1130-1230
3.3	24-27	1160-1260
3.2	25-28	1200-1300
3.1	26-36	1230-1570

To qualify, applicants must have a cumulative unweighted GPA between 3.0 and 3.9 and either an ACT score of 18-36 or an SAT score of 960-1570

**Cumulative Unweighted GPA and Test Scores to Qualify for Alphie Scholarship**
GPA	ACT Test Score	SAT Test Score
3.9	18	960
3.8	18	960
3.7	18-19	960-990
3.6	18-20	960-1030
3.5	19-21	990-1060
3.4	20-22	1030-1100
3.3	21-23	1060-1130
3.2	22-24	1100-1160
3.1	23-25	1130-1200
3.0	24-36	1160-1570

To qualify, applicants must have a cumulative unweighted GPA between 3.0 and 3.5 and either an ACT score of 18-23 or an SAT score of 960-1130.

**Cumulative Unweighted GPA and Test Scores to Qualify for Luna Scholarship**
GPA	ACT Test Score	SAT Test Score
3.0	18-23	960-1130
3.1	18-22	960-1100
3.2	22-24	960-1060
3.3	18-20	960-1030
3.4	18-19	960-990
3.5	18	960

Pack Promise+

Qualifying students from Nevada can receive at least $11,000 in gift aid (grants and scholarships) to help pay for your tuition, fees and books.

GPA-only new freshman scholarships

New incoming freshman students who complete all admissions requirements by required deadlines but do not submit standardized test scores or do not qualify based on the GPA and test scores matrix may be eligible for the following scholarships.

Nevada Scholars: 3,000 for one year of undergraduate study
Pack Pride: $2,000 for one year of undergraduate study
Alphie: $1,500 for one year of undergraduate study
Luna: $1,000 for one year of undergraduate study
Wolfie: $500 for one year of undergraduate study

Honors College application

The Honors College application form is accessed through the general University admissions portal. You must create an account and apply to the University prior to applying to the Honors College. Once you have applied for admission to the University, access the portal again and select “Application for Honors College Admissions” from the drop-down menu to apply to the Honors College.

In order to complete the Honors College application form, applicants must enter basic demographic and educational information as well as information on significant past activities. A 500-word essay (written- or video-based submission) is also required. In order to complete the essay, select the honors mission pillar that interests you most and/or responds best to your strengths and describe how membership in the Honors College will support your development in this area. The honors living learning community application is included (see below).

Admissions decisions are released via the application portal, and applicants must log back in to the portal to accept admission to the Honors College. Applicants are encouraged to monitor the status of their recommendations by logging into the application portal. Applications cannot be reviewed until both recommendations have been received. Additional copies of test scores and transcripts are not required by the Honors College.

Want help applying?

We're happy to answer any questions you have and guide you through the process.

Learn more

Applying to the Honors Residential Scholars Community

If you choose to join The Honors College, we strongly encourage you to select our Living Learning Community as your first option. We’ll be in Peavine Hall this year.

We are excited that you are interested in joining us at the University of Nevada, Reno, next year as part of the Wolf Pack! One of the great opportunities our campus offers are the Living Learning Communities in the residence halls. The Living Learning Communities (LLCs) are an opportunity for you to live with other students in the same major/area of study (academic-based LLCs) or a shared identity/cultural interest (identity-based LLCs).

For more information about the Living Learning Communities and which residence hall they are in, please visit the University of Nevada, Reno Housing website.

Important dates

Below are some important dates for living on campus for the 2025-2026 academic year. When you complete the housing application, if you are interested in a Living Learning Community, select “Yes” on the question on the application asking about your interest in LLCs — and then rank your top three preferences. For all housing dates for the 2025-2026 academic year, please view the housing application timeline.

Housing application available | Wednesday, November 13 at 12:01 a.m.

Fall 2025 Housing application becomes available for all students (incoming first-year students, returning students, transfer students, etc.).

Roommate requests open for 2025-2026 | January 15 – February 2

The Roommate Group Portal opens for 2025-2026 applications. Students can form roommate groups through the Student Housing Portal (maximum of three students per roommate group). More details can be found at the Roommate Matching website.

Priority application date for 2024-2045 housing | February 2 at 11:59 p.m.

All students who have submitted an application that has a "completed" status by this date will be able to self-select their building/room (starting February 21). More details about the next steps for students who apply after February 2, 2025, will be available by November 15, 2024, on the housing application timeline page.

If you have questions about Housing for the 2025-2026 academic year, please contact the Residential Life, Housing, and Food Services office at (775) 784-1113 or at housing@unr.edu.

Need some help deciding?

Our student ambassadors can answer questions about what life in the Honors College is all about. Connect with someone who knows what it's like in your shoes and can help support your goals.

Meet our student ambassadors

Ready to apply?

We're excited for you to start this journey, and we're here to support you each step of the way!

Fill out your application online

Apply to the Honors College