Admission Information

Admission to the Honors College is competitive. There are three ways to enter Commonwealth Honors College:

Admission Based on High School Performance

First-year admission to Commonwealth Honors College is by invitation through the UMass Amherst admissions process. Students entering UMass Amherst with an exemplary high school record may be considered for admission to Commonwealth Honors College. There is no separate application process to Commonwealth Honors College. Students are notified of their selection with their general letter of admission. Note that the number and quality of applications for freshman admission affect the selectivity of the Commonwealth Honors College review process. Check the Office of Undergraduate Admissions website for more information about admission into UMass Amherst and Commonwealth Honors College as a first-year student.  

Admission Based on University Performance for Current UMass Students

UMass Amherst students may apply as early as in their first year if they have completed at least one full-time semester of 12 or more graded credits at UMass Amherst and earned an overall and most recent semester GPA of 3.400 or higher at UMass Amherst. However, admission is highly competitive, so meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to Commonwealth Honors College.

Applications are accepted via an online process. Check the Office of Undergraduate Admissions website for more information on application requirements and deadlines.

Transfer Admission

Admission to Commonwealth Honors College for students transferring from other institutions is by invitation through the UMass Amherst admissions process.

Students not invited into Commonwealth Honors College as an incoming transfer can apply online as a current UMass Amherst student after completing one full-time semester with 12 or more graded credits at UMass Amherst. The criteria for this online application process are based on a student's career at UMass Amherst.

Students accepted to UMass Amherst who have graduated from a Commonwealth Honors Program (CHP) at a Massachusetts community college are guaranteed admission to Commonwealth Honors College during their first semester at UMass Amherst with a transcript noting CHP completion. Students must first apply and be admitted to UMass Amherst. The student must, upon arrival on campus, see a Commonwealth Honors College advisor regarding CHC admission and requirements and bring a transcript demonstrating CHP completion. Check the Office of Undergraduate Admissions website for more information about admission into UMass Amherst and Commonwealth Honors College as a transfer student.