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There are three ways to enter Commonwealth Honors College:

1) Admission Based on University Performance
High-achieving University of Massachusetts Amherst students may apply after they have completed a minimum of 12 graded credits at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The application process is competitive, and applications are accepted twice a year. More information on application requirements and deadlines is available at www.honors.umass.edu/admissions/apply-current-students.

2) Admission Based on High School Performance
Entering freshmen are admitted by invitation. Each student’s application to the University is evaluated on the basis of academic achievement in high school, test scores, an essay by the student, letters of recommendation, and evidence of leadership and community service. Average first-year honors students entering in fall 2013 ranked in the top 4.2 percent of their high school class, attained a weighted high school GPA of 4.2 in their academic coursework, and scored 1356 on their combined critical reading and math SAT I tests.

3) Transfer Admission
Entering transfer students are admitted by invitation based on evaluation of all academic credentials required for their general admission review. To be considered, students must have an overall GPA of 3.500 or higher and a grade of B or higher in College Writing. However, meeting the 3.500 minimum requirement does not guarantee admission to Commonwealth Honors College. Qualifications of students who have completed fewer than two full-time semesters at the college level at the time of application will also be evaluated on the basis of high school achievement and test scores.

Students accepted to UMass Amherst who graduated from a certified Commonwealth Honors Program (CHP) with an associate's degree are eligible to join Commonwealth Honors College during their first semester at UMass Amherst. These CHP students must meet, as soon as possible in the first semester at UMass Amherst, with a Commonwealth Honors College adviser regarding both admission to Commonwealth Honors College and honors requirements (Commonwealth Honors College requirements vary depending on the type of honors being pursued).