Which honors programs does UT Austin have?

Which program matches the degree you want?

UT’s honors directory groups options by college. Plan II is an interdisciplinary Liberal Arts major. Liberal Arts Honors serves students in that college, while many departments have later honors paths of their own.

Natural Sciences offers Dean’s Scholars, Health Science Scholars and Polymathic Scholars, plus Turing Scholars in computer science. McCombs has Canfield Business Honors. UT also lists Texas CSB, Engineering Honors, ECE Honors, Moody College Honors, Texas Robotics, Strategy and Statecraft, Civics Honors, Great Books Honors and other school or department choices. This isn’t one ladder: compare the curriculum and required major, not just the word “honors.”

Which major does the program require?

The current honors application page ties each first-year program to a major choice. Plan II requires a Liberal Arts major; CNS honors requires a Natural Sciences major; Canfield requires Unspecified Business as the first choice; Texas CSB requires computer science and business as the two choices. Some programs accept transfer applicants, while others list first-year applicants only.

If your major choices block the honors form, UT tells applicants to email Admissions with their name, EID and requested majors. An approved change should open the application in three to five business days. Current UT students should use the individual program page or ask their adviser about departmental honors because the first-year form isn’t the route for every later option.

How do I submit a complete application?

1. Submit the UT freshman admission application by December 1 with a major that qualifies for the program.
2. Mark your honors interest in the admission application, or use the separate honors form in MyStatus after submitting it.
3. Answer the exact program prompt.
4. Upload any required resume and recommendation in MyStatus.
5. Submit by December 10 for fall first-year honors and check MyStatus through the March 1 decision date.

What does each program ask for?

UT reviews the normal admission materials plus each program’s additions. Plan II asks two written responses and a resume. CNS honors asks why you fit Dean’s Scholars, Health Science Scholars or Polymathic Scholars, plus a resume and math or science teacher recommendation. Canfield asks about teamwork and community, plus a resume and teacher recommendation.

Canfield’s recommended October 15 date has passed; the university’s final honors deadline is December 10. UT doesn’t publish a universal honors GPA, test score or acceptance rate on that page. Check the program’s requirements instead of treating an unofficial number as a cutoff.

Which curriculum would you choose?

Read the degree plan and sample courses for every realistic option. Plan II can be paired with another major, while Canfield is a business degree and Dean’s Scholars follows a Natural Sciences honors degree. The time and classes aren’t interchangeable.

Apply to the program whose required major and courses you would still want without the honors name. If that answer is none, keep the major you want and look at departmental honors after you enroll.