Why Join Honors?

The Honors Advantage: Your Path to a Better Degree

Joining the Honors College isn't just about adding a line to your resume. It's about gaining a competitive edge, finding your community, and accessing unique opportunities that will set you up for success during and after your time at UTA. Here's a look at what you can expect as an Honors student:

• Honors Distinction: Students who complete our program have the Honors graduate distinction noted on their diploma and transcript. This sets them apart from other applicants regardless of them wanting to go to graduate school, medical school, law school, or directly into the workforce. All honors coursework will also be designated on your official transcript.
• Scholarships: Honors Students have the opportunity to apply to over 15+ exclusive scholarships during their time at UTA.
• Honors Residential Life: The UTA Honors College offers a unique residential experience for on-campus students. Starting in 2026, all first-year Honors students who live on-campus will be housed together in our new community at Maverick Hall. This community will feature themed honors communities within it to help students deeply engage their peers, both academically and socially, and gives them the ability to live with like-minded students excited to get the best out of their UTA experience.
• Smaller, Honors-Designated Courses Taught by Award-Winning Faculty: Get exclusive access to small, discussion-based courses led by some of UTA's most distinguished professors. You'll build mentorships and engage with material in a dynamic, intimate setting. Several honors-designated courses are offered each semester that students can enroll in while earning honors credit upon completion of the course with an A or B.  
• Priority Registration: Our students can earn the opportunity to select their courses on the first day of registration if they attend three registration reward events during the semester. 
• Research Fellowships: The Honors College strives to promote campus research opportunities, like the Undergraduate Research Fellowship, which connects them with research faculty for an enhanced, one-on-one educational experience. Read more about Research Fellowships here.
• Honors Events: The Honors College hosts a variety of events throughout the school year to enhance community within the college. All Honors events fall into one of three categories, academic, social, or just pure fun. Honors students work hard every semester and events are not only a time to enhance their learning outside of the classroom, but also unwind from a busy week of classes and get to know their Honors peers.
• Honors Student Organizations: You can get involved with the Honors Advocates, Honors College Programming Board, or the Veneratio Newsletter Staff - shaping college life and developing your leadership skills. Every Honors College student is also a member of the College’s student organization, the Honors College Council (HCC). HCC meets every other Wednesday and hosts speakers, organizes Service Saturday events, and fosters a sense of community within the Honors College.
• Carolyn A. Barros Reading Room: Named for our founding dean and affectionately known as the CAB, this is a study lounge and computer lab located in College Hall. The CAB provides a place on campus for Honors students to study and work together, as well as use their free printing privileges.
• Extended Library Borrowing Periods: Honors College students may check out library books and keep them for the duration of the semester, rather than just a month at a time.