The Honors College is committed to expanding access to its courses, programming, and resources for students who are seeking enrichment and alternative pathways to educational success. To that end, we have a process through which rising sophomores (both Rutgers students and those from other institutions) may apply.
Beginning in 2027, a select and small group of rising juniors from NJ Community Colleges with Honors Programs will also be eligible to apply. Please read below for the processes and procedures for each category.
Admission into the Honors College for Rising Sophomores | Rutgers – New Brunswick (Internal Admission)
Rising Rutgers sophomores who wish to be considered for the Honors College in order to seek a more enriched and challenging curriculum and seek to become involved in our immersive community are invited to apply at the end of their first-year.
Successful applicants are those who not only have a cumulative GPA demonstrating academic success, but should also be heavily engaged in employment and/or extra- curricular and co-curricular activities, since their arrival at Rutgers.
After a successful first year, select high-achieving students will receive, in May, an invitation and notification on how to apply for admission to the Honors College as a continuing Rutgers student. While it changes from year-to-year, students who receive an invitation typically have at least a 3.80 cumulative GPA.
We intend to invite students in the top 10% of the first-year class after completing a minimum of 24 credits hours (12 each semester) and spending a full year as a university student. This includes students who enter Rutgers for the first time in a Spring semester who have a full semester of university enrollment elsewhere.
However, a student who does not get an invitation to apply may also apply via the same process and will be equally considered.
Application Requirements
- an electronic copy of a student’s unofficial RU transcript (uploaded into application by student),
- a personal statement/essay (uploaded into application by student),
- an updated and recent resume (uploaded into application by student), and
- one letter of recommendation from a Rutgers—New Brunswick faculty member (once you enter their name and email into your application and hit "submit" the faculty member will receive an automatic email with instructions on how to upload their letter directly).
Statement on AI and Authentic Voice in Personal Statements
We want to "hear" your authentic voice. There will be a prompt on the application asking you to describe whether and how you used GenAI tools in preparing your application materials.
Application Dates and Steps
- May 25. Honors College Sophomore Application OPENS.
- June 15. Honors College Sophomore Application CLOSES. No exceptions will be made and late applications will NOT be accepted.
- July 15. Targeted Date for notification of Honors College Sophomore Decisions.
- August 1. Must accept offer of admission into Honors College.
- August 1 - September 1. Must meet with School-based Honors Advising Dean or Advisor to adjust schedule, as possible.
FAQs
- What should I do if my reference declares that they have not received the automated request to submit a letter? Please email the Honors College [honorscollege@rutgers.edu] and provide your recommender's name, email, and institutional affiliation. We will either send them the link manually or help them troubleshoot (please tell them to check their Spam or Junk Email folders, as our Qualtrics response sometimes gets redirected).
- Will I be notified if my recommendation letter does not arrive by the deadline? Yes. The day after the application closes, the Dean will run a list and send notification to those who have not submitted. They will have 24 hours to complete the submission. Without a letter after that date, the application will be considered incomplete.
PLEASE NOTE: We do not admit rising-sophomores into Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy (EMSOP) or Mason Gross School of the Arts (MGSA). This admission process is only open to students enrolled in School of Arts and Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, School of Engineering, and Rutgers Business School.
Information Session for Rising Sophomores
View the presentation in a PDF format.
Watch the video below or view the recording on YouTube.
Admission into the Honors College for Students Transferring as Sophomores to Rutgers – New Brunswick
Students who are accepted into Rutgers as a Transfer Sophomore and who are committed to attending Rutgers, who wish to be considered for the Honors College in order to seek a immersive community are invited to apply once they have accepted admission into Rutgers.
Successful applicants are those who not only have a cumulative GPA demonstrating academic success, but should also be heavily engaged in employment and/or extra-curricular and co-curricular activities, since their arrival at Rutgers.
Application Requirements
- an electronic copy of a student’s unofficial RU transcript (uploaded into application by student),
- a personal statement/essay (uploaded into application by student),
- an updated and recent resume (uploaded into application by student), and
- one letter of recommendation from a collegiate-level faculty member (once you enter their name and email into your application and hit "submit" the faculty member will receive an automatic email with instructions on how to upload their letter directly).
Statement on AI and Authentic Voice in Personal Statements
We want to "hear" your authentic voice. There will be a prompt on the application asking you to describe whether and how you used GenAI tools in preparing your application materials.
Application Dates and Steps
- February 1. PRIORITY deadline for application to Rutgers as a transfer student. You may apply at any time, but your application, decision, and intent to enroll must be completed by the deadline in Step 2.
- May 15. Must accept Rutgers' offer of admission and deposit.
- May 25. Honors College Transfer Application OPENS.
- June 15. Honors College Transfer Application CLOSES. No exceptions will be made and late applications will NOT be accepted.
- July 15. Targeted Date for notification of Honors College Sophomore Decisions.
- August 1. Must accept offer of admission into Honors College.
- August 1 - September 1. Must meet with School-based Honors Advising Dean or Advisor to adjust schedule, as possible.
FAQs
- What should I do if my reference declares that they have not received the automated request to submit a letter? Please email the Honors College [honorscollege@rutgers.edu] and provide your recommender's name, email, and institutional affiliation. We will either send them the link manually or help them troubleshoot (please tell them to check their Spam or Junk Email folders, as our Qualtrics response sometimes gets redirected).
- Will I be notified if my recommendation letter does not arrive by the deadline? Yes. The day after the application closes, the Dean will run a list and send notification to those who have not submitted. They will have 24 hours to complete the submission. Without a letter after that date, the application will be considered incomplete.
PLEASE NOTE: We do not admit rising-sophomores into the Honors College for Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Mason Gross School of the Arts, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, and School of Management and Labor Relations. This admission process is only open to students enrolled in School of Arts and Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, School of Engineering, and Rutgers Business School.
Admission into the Honors College for NJ Community College Juniors Transferring to Rutgers – New Brunswick
We are excited to announce that, beginning with the fall 2027 term, the Honors College at Rutgers–New Brunswick will expand opportunities for a select group of high-achieving junior transfer students who have graduated with their A.A. or A.S. from New Jersey community colleges. Please note that this process will not be open to students already enrolled at Rutgers or transferring in from four-year institutions or non-NJ community colleges.
This new admission pathway will be available to fall-admitted transfer students enrolling in the following Rutgers–New Brunswick schools:
- School of Arts and Sciences
- School of Environmental and Biological Sciences
- School of Engineering
- Rutgers Business School–New Brunswick
Students selected for admission to—and accepting their spot in—the Honors College will receive an $8,000 scholarship, renewable for a second year at Rutgers–New Brunswick, providing additional support as they pursue their academic and leadership goals. As part of this enhanced commitment to transfer student success, the Honors College Scholarship will replace the Rutgers–New Brunswick Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship, which will no longer be offered.
Requirements for Consideration
Enrolling transfer students meeting the minimum academic requirements for consideration listed below will be invited to apply for Honors College consideration after May 1.
- At the time of application, the student must have completed at least 45 credits, including a minimum of 6 honors credits.
- Additionally, the student must have a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.25 (from all colleges attended), with grades from all college courses considered. Selected recipients will likely have at least a 3.8 cumulative grade-point average in all completed college courses.
- The student must earn an associate's degree in arts or science (A.A. or A.S.) by the time of enrollment.
- The student must enroll directly from the associate degree-granting community college without intervening enrollment at another institution.
Supplemental application requirements may include the following:
- A personal statement/essay
- An updated and recent resume
- One letter of recommendation from a collegiate-level faculty member
More detailed information for NJ Community College juniors enrolling at Rutgers in Fall 2027 will be available on this page in January 2027.