Honors Admissions
First Time in College Admissions
HOW TO APPLY
Step 1: Submit the USF Application
Complete the USF online application or the Common App.
Common App Applicants
Please note: USF will not receive Common App applications until mid-September. You won’t be able to proceed to steps 2 and 3 until you receive confirmation that USF has received your admissions application and activated your NetID.
Step 2: Activate Your NetID
Activate your USF NetID and password. You will need your USF-issued UID (for example, U12345678) to apply. You will receive your UID via email within 48 hours after you submit your USF application.
Step 3: Submit the Judy Genshaft Honors College Application
Complete the Honors application. You don't need to wait for your admissions decision to apply!
ELIGIBILITY
The Judy Genshaft Honors College is open to students of all majors at all three USF campuses. While there are no specific GPA or test score requirements, most Honors students fit the academic profile noted below. If you are interested in the Honors College but don't fall within this exact profile, we still encourage you to apply, as we review applications holistically.
| Average GPA | Average SAT Score | Average ACT Score | Average CLT Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.10 - 4.58 | 1300 - 1460 | 28 - 33 | 92 - 105 |
NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
For the incoming Fall 2025 freshman class, students who are admitted to USF and who have been named National Merit Semifinalists and Finalists will be automatically admitted to the Judy Genshaft Honors College. These students are not required to submit an Honors College application and should be notified of their admission to the Honors College alongside or following their official USF admission decision. For questions about this process, please contact scholarships@usf.edu.
TIMELINE
The Judy Genshaft Honors College reviews applications in three groups: a Priority Group, a Standard Group and a Final Group.
| Application Groups | Application Deadline | Decision Date | Confirmation Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Priority* | November 15, 2024 | December 10, 2024 | February 1, 2025 |
| Standard | January 15, 2025 | February 14, 2025 | April 1, 2025 |
| Final | March 15, 2025 | April 14, 2025 | May 1, 2025 |
Each group has a specific timeline with a separate application deadline, decision notification date and confirmation deadline. To be included in a particular group, students must have submitted their application prior to the listed application deadline.
Decisions are released for the entire applicant pool on the listed decision dates. Due to our competitive review process and limited capacity for freshmen, students are encouraged to submit their application as early as possible.
*To be included in the Priority Group, applicants must also have submitted all necessary materials for their USF application by the November 15 Priority Supporting Documents Deadline. Honors applicants who miss this deadline are automatically carried over to the Standard Group.
Applications submitted to the Judy Genshaft Honors College after the final application deadline will be reviewed on a space available basis. Available space in the incoming class may vary across the Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Sarasota-Manatee campuses.