Prospective students have the opportunity to join the Judy Genshaft Honors College as First Time in College (FTIC) or Upper-Level (transfer/continuing) by submitting the appropriate application.

FIRST TIME IN COLLEGE (FTIC) ADMISSION

First Time in College (FTIC) Admission is for high school seniors actively applying for admission to USF. All FTIC students interested in joining the Judy Genshaft Honors College must submit an FTIC application. If accepted, students must confirm their spot in the college.

UPPER-LEVEL ADMISSION

Upper-Level Admission is for students who have graduated high school and are currently attending college, whether at USF or another college or university. All transfer and continuing students interested in joining the Judy Genshaft Honors College must submit an Upper-Level Admission application.

First Time In College (FTIC) students admitted to the Judy Genshaft Honors College must confirm their spot in the college.

There are no extra fees associated with joining the Judy Genshaft Honors College.

If you wish to live in the Honors Living Learning Community (LLC), there is a $125 per semester fee that covers Honors-exclusive programming.

Students admitted to the Judy Genshaft Honors College have the same benefits, opportunities, and curricular requirements, regardless of their home campus (Tampa, St. Petersburg, or Sarasota-Manatee). While each campus has a unique course offerings, it will be possible to complete all of your Honors requirements at any USF campus.

We are planning to enroll around 630 students on the Tampa campus and 125 students across the St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee campuses.

Students in the Judy Genshaft Honors College have access to:

• Honors-exclusive academic and study abroad scholarships
• Priority registration
• Small class sizes
• On-campus Honors housing community
• Personalized academic advising
• Honors-only study abroad experiences
• Internship and research opportunities
• Faculty mentorship

Honors students graduate with a portfolio full of academic and professional experiences that set them apart from their peers and prepare them for the next stage of their career.

The Judy Genshaft Honors College offers many engagement opportunities and activities. You can become involved in service trips, community engagement, local cultural partnerships, Judy Genshaft Honors College Student Council, and internships. The College also offers music opportunities, such as the Honors Philharmonic Orchestra, Honors Choral Ensemble, and Honors Jazz Ensemble.

The Judy Genshaft Honors College has a team of advisors. First-year Honors students are assigned advisors and are required to meet with them during the Fall and Spring semester before registering for classes to remove their academic hold. You are also encouraged to make an appointment with your Judy Genshaft Honors College Advisor after your first year to ensure that you are on track. These advisors are an excellent resource for any questions you may have.

Additionally, the Judy Genshaft Honors College offers peer advising for freshmen.

Yes. Honors Ambassadors are answering our main line (813-974-3087) Monday - Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and are happy to assist you with your inquiries.

Yes! Click here to learn how to schedule and in-person tour.

After registering for USF Orientation, Honors students are also required to schedule a dedicated Honors Onboarding session.

Learn more about Honors Onboarding on your campus.

Honors students must complete requirements in three components:

Honors students can choose to pursue a two-semester Thesis or a one-semester Capstone course to complete their Research Track.

The Senior Honors Thesis is a culmination of a student's Judy Genshaft Honors College experience, involving independent work, writing, and critical thinking. The project includes six semester hours of the baccalaureate degree program. The thesis itself may relate to your major but does not have to.

Students may also choose to participate in Capstone, where students enroll in an Honors course and work with a group of peers and the course's faculty member to solve a problem.

To remain in good academic standing with the Judy Genshaft Honors College, students must maintain a 2.75 overall GPA or higher. However, to earn Honors Distinction, students must have a 3.25 overall GPA or higher at the time of graduation.

No. Honors students take a total of six Honors courses throughout their undergraduate career (including a one-semester capstone or a two-semester thesis). Students complete their remaining prerequisites and major courses in their home department. For example, a mass communications student would take Honors courses with their Honors peers through the Honors College and take public relations courses with their major peers through the College of Arts and Sciences.

In many high schools, Honors courses are just more difficult versions of "regular" courses — Honors Chemistry is just like regular Chemistry, only with extra readings or assignments. That is not what classes in the Judy Genshaft Honors College are like.

Here, our Honors classes explore interdisciplinary special topics like Music and Emotions, Science Fiction, Science Fact, or Archaeology of Food, with deep discussion and active learning approaches. You will be in a class no larger than 19 students, with peers from all different majors. Each student will contribute their individual expertise to the conversation, and learning is richer because of the wide range of perspectives represented in the classroom.

Yes. Honors courses fulfill upper-level General Education Requirements (GERs), required of all USF students, regardless of major.

Honors faculty teach Honors courses and include a variety of experts, including former CEOs, medical practitioners, leaders in the Tampa Bay community, and more. 

Yes. Space permitting, all Judy Genshaft Honors College students are eligible to enroll in any IDH class on any USF campus, regardless of their home campus.

All Judy Genshaft Honors College students can receive $2,000 in scholarships.

This award is paid in three installments during the students' academic career:

• $600 after completing the community engagement requirement (or your first Experiential Learning Activity) 
• $600 after completing the global experience requirement (or your second Experiential Learning Activity) 
• $800 after completing the academic requirements

Each of the three scholarships is paid out once and are nonrenewable. Please see other scholarship timelines and information here. 

Most Judy Genshaft Honors College students also qualify for generous travel scholarships to fund study abroad opportunities. These scholarships are distributed based on the specific program, financial need, and available funding.

Also, thanks to the generosity of many donors, there are more than 30 other competitive scholarships, awarded to over 150 recipients, for which only Judy Genshaft Honors College students can apply. Students may apply for these Honors College-specific awards as well as general USF scholarships. These applications typically open in November and are due in the spring.

Students can also visit the Office of National Scholars for more information about competitive academic awards.

Qualified incoming students will also be able to apply for the prestigious Genspiration Global Explorers Scholarship, a merit-based $10,000 study abroad award. This invitation-only scholarship is awarded to qualified First-Time-In-College (FTIC) students from all three USF campuses. Qualified students can apply only if they are invited to do so. The scholarship is not open to all prospective students.

The housing timeline for applying and reserving a room is the same for all students. Honors students do not get priority application for housing, but they do get dedicated Honors Living Learning Community rooms (Tampa and St. Petersburg campuses).

Yes! Honors students on the Tampa or St. Petersburg campus may elect to live in the Honors Living Learning Community (LLC). This is an enriching experience where Honors students interact with other high-achieving peers from different majors to build a close-knit community. The Honors LLC offers specialized programming for Honors students, including career workshops, study away/abroad opportunities, service learning, fun social events, and more.

The Tampa Honors LLC has a fee of $125 per semester, which goes directly to student-centered programs and events, including the Reisen Scholarship, group outings, service-learning experiences, a dedicated Honors Program Director and Graduate Assistant who offer weekly office hours, in-hall private tutoring, and of course, Honors swag!

No, they are two separate entities. Please see below for more information.

The Business Honors Program is housed in the Muma College of Business; not the Judy Genshaft Honors College.

Yes! Students can be part of both the Judy Genshaft Honors College and the Business Honors Program.

There is a difference in coursework, graduation requirements, and amenities:

COURSEWORK
Judy Genshaft Honors College
Judy Genshaft Honors College students are required to take four Honors core courses, which satisfy General Education Requirements, and a Research Track: a two-semester independent thesis or an Honors faculty-directed capstone class and one additional Honors core course.

Business Honors Program
Business Honors students are required to take a BHP-specific professional development series (GEB 2098/2099) and a Bulls Business Community specific SLS 2901 section, both in their first two semesters, a QMB 3253 statistics course, and a Muma College of Business two-semester independent thesis. Some of the required BHP courses will satisfy major requirements and the BHP thesis satisfies the Honors Research Track.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Judy Genshaft Honors College
Judy Genshaft Honors College requirements include 50 hours of community service and two global experience activities.

Business Honors Program
Business Honors Program requirements include living in the Bulls Business Community (BBC) during the first year, attending a speaker series, participating in study abroad at least once, and completing at least one internship.

AMENITIES
Judy Genshaft Honors College
The Judy Genshaft Honors College offers students:

• Honors-exclusive academic and study abroad scholarships
• Priority registration
• Small class sizes
• On-campus honors housing community (Tampa and St. Petersburg campuses only)
• Personalized academic advising
• Honors-only study abroad experiences
• Internship and research opportunities
• Faculty mentorship

Business Honors Program
The Business Honors Program offers students:

• Scholarships
• Program-specific sections of business courses for personalized attention from faculty
• Professional development opportunities with potential mentors already in the field

Yes, there are USF department-specific honors programs students can join that are not part of the Judy Genshaft Honors College (including the Business Honors Program - see above).

Please click the links below for more information:

• Anthropology Undergraduate Honors Program

• Communication Undergraduate Honors Program

• English Undergraduate Honors Program

• Psychology Undergraduate Honors Program

• Sociology Undergraduate Honors Program

• TheatreUSF Honors Program