The South Carolina Honors College consistently ranks among the nation’s top public honors colleges. Here, you'll thrive in an environment that seamlessly blends the close-knit community of a small liberal arts college with the extensive resources of a major research university. If you love learning, discovery and exploration, you'll be right at home in the Honors College.
General Information
There are so many reasons to apply to the South Carolina Honors College. Here are just a few:
- Nearly 600 courses offered each year, ranging from honors versions of traditional subjects like biology and English to our signature “cool courses” like The Development of Modern Medicine and Artificial Intelligence and Shakespeare.
- Priority advisement and course registration.
- Many beyond-the-classroom experiences only for Honors College students beginning freshman year.
- Average class size of 16 students.
- Opportunity to design your own major through the honors BARSC degree program.
- Option to apply for guaranteed admission to pre-med and pre-law programs.
- Guaranteed admission into the Global International Business Program’s classic track and the Smart Start Nursing Program.
Many students entering the Honors College have already earned college credits through various advanced placement programs. While these credits do not count directly towards honors requirements, they can be beneficial in many ways:
- Credit recognition: The Honors College recognizes credits earned through advanced placement programs such as AP, IB and CLEP. These credits can contribute to a student’s overall degree progress, even if they don’t fulfill specific honors requirements.
- Course placement: Advanced placement credits often serve as prerequisites for higher-level honors courses. This allows students to enter more advanced coursework in their areas of study.
- Curriculum flexibility: By fulfilling general education requirements or lower-level courses in a major, AP and other credits can create a space in a student’s schedule. This flexibility enables students to pursue a more challenging and diverse honors curriculum.
Application
No. To apply to the Honors College, you must first complete and submit the general university application followed by the South Carolina Honors College application, which will be available 24-48 hours after submitting your university application. Both applications are reviewed by the University of South Carolina Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
For questions on how to apply, please reach out to our Scholar Recruitment team at admhonor@mailbox.sc.edu.
The middle 50% of students admitted to the South Carolina Honors College have an SAT score between 1410-1510* or an ACT composite score between 32-34*. On average, students admitted to the Honors College were in the top 4% of their high school class and had an average weighted GPA of 4.6-5.2.
*Note: SAT/ACT scores are not required for admission consideration.
After submitting your general university application, you will receive access to the Honors College application on your USC Admissions Portal checklist within 48 hours.
If you answered “no” on your freshman application and now wish to apply to the Honors College, or if you answered “yes” but no longer plan to apply, you can update your selection by emailing admhonor@mailbox.sc.edu .
Students in their second semester at USC who have a minimum 3.6 GPA in all attempted college work can apply for transfer admission to the Honors College. Please note that admission to the Honors College is very competitive.
For more information about transferring into the Honors College, click here.
Students interested in applying to the Top Scholar Program should complete the South Carolina Honors College application. There is not a separate application specifically for the Top Scholar Program. Students who are invited to move forward in the Top Scholar selection process will receive additional information about virtual interviews and the finalist weekend in late January.
Decision Notifications
All students admitted to the South Carolina Honors College will receive a merit-based scholarship from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Scholarship offers will be released by mid-March. You will receive an email to check your USC Admissions Portal when your scholarship offer has been released.
Invitations to virtually interview for the Top Scholar Program will be released in late January.
All Honors College applicants will receive a decision by mid-February. Please note that Honors College decisions are made separately from your university decision and are not released at the same time.
We are unable to accept additional information as part of your Honors College application. All honors applicants will receive a final decision by mid-February.
Appeals are intended for students who can provide justification of any academic or personal circumstances that were not considered at the time the original decision was rendered, or if there was a substantive error in the initial review of the student’s application. More information on how to appeal your Honors College decision will be made available after decisions are released in mid-February.