Honors College Eligibility Requirements

Full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate students are eligible for admission to the Honors College per the following policies:

First Time New in College Students

There are three ways that first time new in college students can be admitted to the Honors College. A student must achieve at least one of the three to be offered an invitation to join the Honors College.

Base Admission Requirements

To be invited to join the Honors College, a student must have:

27 or higher ACT composite superscore (or 1280 or higher SAT composite score)

AND

3.9 or higher high school weighted GPA (or top 10% of high school graduating class)

Board of Governors Scholarship

Every student that has be awarded the Board of Governor Scholarship receives an automatic invitation to join the Honors College, regardless of whether they meet the Base Admission Requirements.

International Baccalaureate Diploma

Students who earn the International Baccalaureate Diploma receives automatic invitation to join the Honors College, regardless of whether they meet the Base Admission Requirements.

Students must provide the Honors College with a copy of the official diploma after successful completion of the program.

First time new in college students that meet Honors College requirements will receive a formal invitation via mail soon after their admission to Missouri State University. Students must accept their invitations in order to secure a spot in the Honors College.

Priority is given to candidates who accept their formal invitation by April 1st. Candidates may be admitted after April 1st on a space-available basis.

Student who may not satisfy the automatic eligibility requirements may apply for admission to the Honors College after completing at least one semester at Missouri State University.

Current Students

Student who may not satisfy the automatic eligibility requirements may apply for admission to the Honors College after completing at least one semester at Missouri State University. There is a small application for membership that consists of:

A one page form asking for basic information. This can be found on the Worksheets and Forms page.
A 250-word essay explaining why you wish to undertake honors studies and outlining your academic interests and goals.
A writing sample from one of your Missouri State courses that demonstrates your critical thinking skills and writing ability. This does not have to be an English paper.
A recommendation letter from a Missouri State faculty member who has instructed you that addresses your potential for success in the Honors College.

While not required, it is recommended that a student has a GPA of 3.5 or higher when applying to the Honors College.

Applications for admission will be reviewed in January and July and qualified candidates will be offered admission on a space available basis. Students are encouraged to apply prior to their fourth semester at the University.

Transfer Students

Transfer students may apply for admission to the Honors College following admission to the University. There is a small application for membership that consists of:

A one page form asking for basic information. This can be found on the Worksheets and Forms page.
A 250-word essay explaining why you wish to undertake honors studies and outlining your academic interests and goals.
A writing sample from one of your college courses that demonstrates your critical thinking skills. This does not have to be an English paper.
A recommendation letter from a college or university faculty member who has instructed you that addresses your potential for success in the Honors College.

While not required, it is recommended that a student has a GPA of 3.5 or higher when applying to the Honors College. Students who have completed course work in honors programs/colleges may be able to apply previous honors course work towards Honors College requirements.

Applications for admission will be reviewed in January and July and qualified candidates will be offered admission on a space available basis.

International Students

International students who did not receive a diploma from a United States high school may be admitted to the Honors College if they satisfy the following criteria:

TOEFL IBT score of 100 or higher or IELTS score of 7.0 or higher;
Completion of at least one of the following options:
- ACT composite score of 27 or higher or SAT combined score of 1280 or higher;
- Successful completion of the International Baccalaureate Diploma;
- British A-Levels course work: C average or higher (two course minimum);
- British AS-Levels course work: C average or higher (four course minimum);
- French Baccalaureate: overall average of 10 or higher;
- Score of 100 or higher on the English portion of China’s National College Entrance Exam;
- Completion of 12 or more credits at an American college/university with a 3.00 or higher GPA.

Students who are exempt from completing the TOEFL or IELTS exams and/or who did not have the opportunity to enroll in the academic programs outlined in point two may contact the Director of the Honors College and request a formal review of their academic qualifications.

International students who completed a diploma at a United States high school will be admitted under the guidelines outlined in Admissions Section A (see above).