fsu honors program essay questions

Florida State University

FSU | University Honors Program

University Honors Program

Division of Undergraduate Studies

High School Students

The FSU and University Honors Program/Presidential Scholars Program applications are currently closed. 

To apply to the Florida State University Honors Program and the Presidential Scholars Program, potential students must complete following steps:

1. APPLY TO FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

To be considered for the University Honors Program and the Presidential Scholars Program, first-year applicants must first submit a complete application to Florida State University (including all required materials) by December 1, 2023, and select "Yes" to the question “Are you interested in applying to the Honors Program?”

• When applying through the FSU Application, this question is located on the Additional Academic History page.
• When applying through the Common App, this question is located under Academics in the Questions section.

Once the university application has been submitted, please allow some time for the University Honors Application to become available on the Application Status Check. For students applying through the Common App, this may take up to 48 hours.

Note: The application essay for the  Presidential Scholars Program  is the same as the University Honors Program application essay.

2. COMPLETE THE HONORS PROGRAM APPLICATION ESSAY

Students must indicate their interest in and complete their supplemental University Honors Program application essay by 11:59 pm EST on December 1, 2023, to be considered for the University Honors Program and the Presidential Scholars Program.

The University Honors Program Application asks applicants to submit a supplemental short answer response to the following prompt:

FSU’s Honors Signature Courses encourage curiosity; intellectual breadth; the ability to analyze and integrate knowledge across disciplines; and self-driven learning. Design an Honors Signature Course that includes these characteristics while addressing a societal problem or complex issue. Name the course, describe the societal issue, and explain why it is important to you or your community. How would you engage with this issue as an honors student on our campus and beyond?

Applicants will be evaluated based on a holistic approach including, but not limited to, grades and strength of curriculum, honors and awards, extracurricular achievements, unique individual talents, quality of the Honors prompt response, and test scores.

Applicants will be notified of whether they were admitted to the University Honors Program on February 15, 2024.   

I'm a Current FSU Honors Student & Presidential Scholar: Have Questions? Ask Away!

Hello, prospective FSU students! I’ve noticed a lot of people asking about the academic rigor and prestige of FSU versus other universities. As an Honors student, a Presidential Scholar, and an Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) leader-in-training, I can offer a lot of information and answer questions about FSU academics and involvement. This is my attempt to break through FSU’s reputation as a lesser university and a party school, so please feel free to ask me anything. I study neuroscience and have two years of neurophysiological research experience in one of FSU’s many labs, so I can tell you pretty much anything about our psych program, our bio program, and the research opportunities available around campus. I can also answer any questions about the Honors Program, Presidential Scholars, UROP, fellowship opportunities and awards through the Office of National Fellows (e.g. Rhodes Scholarship, Fulbright Fellowship, etc.), and Study Abroad, as well as some questions about the CARE Program, Honors Medical Scholars, Honors Legal Scholars, Service Scholars, Global Scholars, financial aid, living situations, meal plans, getting involved etc. I hope some of you find this thread helpful!

MODERATOR’S NOTE: Anyone is free to ask or answer questions in this thread.

As a potential honors student who is a bit on the introverted side and not a huge partier, are there any students who are more studious and not just huge parties? I don’t plan to rush, so I’m worried that the huge Greek prescence will put a damper on my social life as a non-Greek.

Also, as an honors student, if I were accepted, I would live in Landis. As an honors student and Presidential scholar, do you live in Landis? If so, how social of a dorm is it? Is it overall a noisy dorm or is it pretty quiet and relaxed, being the honors dorm?

Finally, given that you are a Presidential Scholar and honors student, what were your test scores and GPA? I hear admittance to the honors program has become heavily competitive. I have a 3.83 UW GPA and 4.45 W (however FSU recalculates; this was just on my transcript), and am a National Merit semifinalist (hoping to become a finalist in a few weeks) and have a 2260 SAT score (not superstored). Would this make me a competitive applicant for the Presidential Scholars program, provided I proved good responses on the application?

I really love FSU and toured the school in early October, and visited the Honors, Scholars and Fellows House. Both my parents attended FSU, and really want me to go there, but I’m still worried that it’s more of a haven for partying Greeks than studious intellectuals, and that UF has more studious, intelligent students (still quite the pernicious stereotype, but is it really true?). Help me get over my perception of this university as the school for UF rejects (I don’t hate the school, I’m a huge Seminole football fan, not a Gator lover). Pleas prove me wrong!!!

Hey Icgusa,

I’m definitely introverted too, so I completely understand your concerns. We’re all heard the stereotype that FSU is full of partiers who only go there because they were rejected from UF. I can assure you this is utter nonsense. There are tons and tons of very serious, studious students who aren’t particularly into partying. Even though there is a large Greek presence on campus, it’s nothing that would affect your social life. I ended up making more friends at FSU than I did my entire high school career.

Presidential Scholars are required to live in Landis their first year in order to ensure a smooth transition into college life. Landis, being the Honors dorm, has pretty strict quiet hours and is not a noisy dorm. I had no issues with noise when I lived there, and even if you do, people are generally really respectful if you ask them to quiet down. A lot of studying usually goes on in the common areas.

With your scores, you have absolutely nothing to worry about. The Presidential Scholars Program, while an academic, merit-based scholarship, looks for far more than just your testing scores and GPA. We give a very thorough look into who you are as an individual, what passions drive you, and your commitment to giving back to the community. It’s a highly competitive scholarship (there were ~700 applicants last year, 100 were selected to come back for interviews, and 26 were awarded the scholarship) that looks for individuals who stand out from everyone else with comparable testing scores.

I was accepted to UF and rejected their offer–a common story you hear from FSU Honors students. FSU is a diverse campus that offers havens for both partiers and bookworms, as well as the people who fall somewhere in between. You just have to make the decisions to surround yourself with the right people. FSU is not any less rigorous than UF, and the stereotype is simply just that–a false stereotype. FSU has produced three Rhodes Scholars (one of the most competitive academic scholarships in the world that awards full tuition and acceptance to Oxford for a PhD) since 2006 (the most out of any Florida university, to my knowledge), as well as countless other international awards and fellowships. Go to FSU’s Office of National Fellows website for more information about awards won by our students this past year. FSU has countless resources to help you become the best human being you can possibly be.

If you love FSU, reject the blatantly false stereotype people put on us Noles and help our school prove them wrong. Best of luck with Honors and Presidential Scholars applications, and in making the school choice that is right for YOU and only YOU (not what anyone else thinks).

Thanks for your offer to help @obocks

My D is only a high school junior, but it looks like it may come down to a decision between FSU and UF for her.

She should have that stats for the Honors program and it is definitely something she would be interested in pursuing. The UROP however, is what really got her attention as she is interested in grad school. The admittance criteria for the UROP does not seem to be defined. How selective is the program? Was is the admission criteria? Is the best course to follow for those that need research experience for grad school?

For any Florida national merit semifinalists (and soon to be finalists, if you don’t get a rejection letter sometime in January), the FL legislature guarantees full COA to FSU (anything Bright Futures doesn’t cover), among a few other state universities in FL. If I happened to be named a finalist, do you think FSU would let me stack my scholarships? @obocks Do you have any idea of their general policies toward stacking scholarship $$? I received their University Freshman Scholarship ($1200/semester), so I was thinking, if I attended, I could put that stipend toward the cost of the dorm and meal plan that the NMF scholarship doesn’t cover. This scholarship is funded by the FL legislature and only began for the incoming class in fall 2014, so it’s relatively unknown.

TotallyTrudy–

The interview weekend for the Presidential Scholarship is always the highlight of my year! When I went through it, it was SO nerve-wracking, but it was also the first year they offered the scholarship, so they were still working out the kinks. Everyone always seems to have a really fun time! I don’t want to give away any of the details of the itinerary, but you basically get treated like a VIP while you’re on campus in addition to the formal interview. Good luck with your application! With your scores, I don’t think you would have a problem getting into Honors.

@obocks Thank you! Would you say that the best way to get an interviews is through the essays or do scores and extracurriculars also play equal weight?

CaucAsianDad–

UROP is one of the best programs FSU offers, in my opinion! It gives students a comprehensive introduction to research, and is a great thing to have on your resume when applying to grad school. UROP is selective, but definitely less competitive than scholarship programs. I’m not entirely sure about the application process for UROP because I was automatically admitted through my Presidential Scholarship; however, I do know that it’s not a difficult application and just wants to screen in the students who are truly interested in research. Quite a few students are admitted to UROP each year. There are many talks about expanding UROP to include even more students, so I doubt your daughter will have a problem with being admitted as long as her scores and essays are strong, and her interest is clear.

Congratulations on your accomplishment! To the best of my knowledge, I believe that FSU allows you to keep any and all scholarships and financial aid that you have earned. That is definitely a question for financial aid though, because I don’t want to give you any incorrect information! I know that from all of my scholarships, I get a substantial amount refunded to me at the end of each semester that covers just about my entire cost of rent, so I’d imagine that you’d be allowed to keep something you worked so hard to earn. Any refunded financial aid is deposited directly into your bank account, so you can use it to put towards other costs like room/board and meal plans.

There wasn’t a huge difference in cost between the minimum meal plan needed to still live in Landis and the unlimited, so I went with the unlimited meal plan (meaning unlimited access to both buffet-style dining halls) with the VIP program. The VIP program allows you one $6 (if I’m not mistaken about the amount) swipe per day at select vendors around campus. The dining halls were certainly convenient to pop in and grab a meal at any point during the day; that being said, as a very health-conscious person, I wasn’t particularly impressed with the food. It usually tasted decent, but I felt that they never served enough protein and were lacking in healthier choices. It’s not the best food situation and it’s irritatingly expensive, though it’s certainly manageable and I avoided the dreaded freshman fifteen. The food wasn’t a deal breaker for me. If you have any dietary restrictions or allergies, you can talk to the manager and they will accommodate you. There is always a vegetarian station, and generally a few gluten-free options available.

@TotallyTrudy –

The Presidential Scholarship selects applicants for interviews holistically. We are interested in who you are as a person and how you think, rather than just the sum of your parts. I hope that makes sense! Since it’s an intensive program, and not just a scholarship that shows up in your account that you just forget about, the selection process is complex. I know it sounds lame, but just be yourself! We want to get to know you through your application. Have cool extracurriculars and ideas that you want to be known? Make it obvious in your application how they give insight into who you are. Good luck!

Let me go ahead and say thank you for taking the time to do this it will really help a lot of potential students make a decision.

There seems to be a large stigma that ACT scores and GPA can lead to a full ride at FSU. However, after being accepted I simply don’t see how this could be possible. Just a basic background 33 ACT and 4.5 GPA. I was offered a freshman admission scholarship and am currently applying for the presidential and the service scholar. However, even assuming all of that works out there is still a large expense to be paid for attendance. Do more scholarships come later, can financial aid negate the costs? I’m mainly asking if there is more beyond what I know and could I achieve it.

@Columbus1492

You’re welcome! It’s my pleasure, and my goal is to help prospective students see beyond FSU’s stereotypes. If I help one student make a more informed decision, I’ll be happy.

FSU does not provide any full scholarships based solely on merit–only need-based and for athletics. Between my FAFSA, Bright Futures, University Freshman Scholarship, Presidential Scholarship, AND Florida Pre-Paid, I have everything covered and receive a nice sum back each semester to cover my rent. The highest merit-based scholarships offered by FSU are through Presidential Scholars (which also awards a $12,000 supplement than can even be applied to study abroad–if it’s something you’re interested in, it’s a HUGE help. I wouldn’t have been able to go abroad without it.) and Service Scholars. There are other FSU Foundation scholarships for which you may be eligible, but again, these are primarily need-based. You will be automatically considered for these scholarships based on acceptance to FSU. FSU accepts any other private scholarships you have been awarded–take advantage of this.

I’m very fortunate that finances for undergrad were not something I had to be concerned about, and the Presidential Scholarship played a major role in that. If I didn’t have Florida Pre-Paid for my tuition and first year of room/board, I believe I would’ve found the financial situation rather difficult; my family is in that awkward middle-class position of making too much money to be considered for need-based scholarships, and yet not enough where college for myself and my siblings is affordable. I have several friends who did not have Pre-Paid and have taken out student loans to cover expenses. If you are coming in with IB/AP/DE credits, these significantly help your pocket. You might even be able to graduate a year early to really save money.

I hope this information is helpful! For more information or to fact-check anything I’ve written here (everything written here is my personal opinion, and is based on my own experiences and varying levels of knowledge of different FSU-related topics–I wouldn’t consider myself a financial aid guru), please visit FSU’s Office of Financial Aid website. College is notoriously pricey, but FSU has a very good return on investment if you work hard and take advantage of school resources.

We are visiting next week. My daughter has been accepted to FSU, and is applying for Honors. She is entering industrial engineering. She has also applied to Va. Tech and UF. As parents, we are concerned about the difference in program rankings, particularly with Va. Tech. Can you comment? Anything specific you would recommend for our visit?

@20112parent

Congratulations on your daughter’s acceptance! I unfortunately don’t know much about FSU’s industrial engineering major (I have a few friends doing chemical engineering who absolutely love it) or the engineering program in general, so I’m probably not the best person to ask about specifics. FSU’s College of Engineering is at an off-campus location, with bus service running back and forth from the main campus. Something to keep in mind is that FSU’s engineering program is absolutely no joke: it’s very difficult and competitive, and produces highly skilled graduates. We also have the MagLab in Tallahassee (I don’t know if this pertains to your daughter’s interests), which is the largest and highest powered magnet laboratory in the world. One of my best friends has been doing research in there and loves it.

Program rankings are definitely more important for selecting a graduate school rather than undergraduate. The truth of the matter is that nobody was ever denied a job offer because they chose to go to a public state university. Where you go for undergraduate doesn’t matter; it’s what you accomplish there. I can’t speak for the quality of the education at any of the three universities you mentioned, but FSU is different because it has countless resources for students to take advantage of. FSU has a fabulous program called the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program that, if your daughter were to apply and be accepted into the program, she would be able to conduct engineering research under a distinguished professor, with opportunities for giving conference presentations, publishing papers, and winning research grants. I don’t know what kinds of programs Va. Tech or UF offer, but UROP is a relatively unique program not offered by most universities. Graduate programs and employers are going to base their decisions off of far more than just the university’s name on her degree. She’ll have to do more than just go to class and finish her homework if she wants to stand out among her equally-capable classmates. Which university affords her the best opportunities to do so?

A lot goes into selecting a university, far more than just the ranking. If your daughter loves everything else a university has to offer and the price is right, then that’s the right choice for her. I hope you enjoy your visit! Make sure you stop by the Honors, Scholars, and Fellows house for more information about the countless opportunities FSU has to offer.

Thank you so much for the advice. We weren’t up to speed on the UROP program. Do you think that perhaps it’s a lot to take on for a freshman engineering student?

Also, how do you feel about the engineering college being off campus?

Of course! I completely understand your concerns. Everyone wants to make the best decision for their child’s future.

No, it’s definitely manageable, even with the engineering classes. UROP Colloquium meets once every two weeks, and students arrange their own schedules with their research professors, spending 5-10 hours a week in the lab of their choice. My engineering friends also participated in UROP their freshman year and never once found the work overwhelming. If you’re still concerned that it might be too much for her to take on, she can always apply to participate in UROP her sophomore year.

One of my friends did chemical engineering research under Dr. Steve Acquah, director of the Sir Harold Kroto Legacy Research Group and colleague of Noble Laureate and FSU professor Sir Kroto. When my friend–a freshman at the time–presented his research at the Spring Research Symposium, his poster had Sir Kroto’s official laboratory seal on it. Pretty neat stuff, right? It’s unfortunate that stories like this get buried underneath the stories about football and partying.

Please make sure to inquire about UROP during your visit! Here is more information about it in the meanwhile: http://cre.fsu.edu/Students/UROP-Undergraduate-Research-Opportunity-Program

As for the College of Engineering being off-campus, that has never been something that has affected me since I do not study engineering. I would believe that it can sometimes be inconvenient for students who do not bring a car their freshman year, but it’s not a huge complaint from what I’ve heard. There is regular bus service to and from the College of Engineering and the main FSU campus, and most students are always down to carpool. This is definitely a question worth asking during your visit to see how current engineering majors feel about it, and whether or not it impacts your daughter’s feelings about FSU being an option for her.

Thanks again. Very helpful info.

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How to Write the Florida State University Essays 2021-2022

Located just west of Tallahassee, Florida State University is a suburban public university that hosts over 41,000 students on its campus. FSU offers its students a wide selection of 351 programs, including 107 undergraduate majors across various disciplines.

Florida State is well known for its vibrant social scene and its top varsity athletic programs. The beloved “Seminoles” have won many Atlantic Coast conferences and national championships. The intensity of the football team’s rivalry with the University of Florida’s Gators spreads throughout the entire student body and reaches a climax at the annual Sunshine Showdown.

Approximately 37% of applicants gain admission. Calculate your chances of acceptance to FSU using our free chancing engine.

Florida State accepts its own FSU Application, the Common Application, or the Coalition Application. For the FSU and Coalition Applications, there are 5 essay topics you can choose from. You only need to choose one and write a 650-word essay. We’ve broken those 5 down below. For the Common Application, you can choose from the Common App prompts .  

FSU Application Essay Prompts

Essay prompt instructions.

Candidates are to compose one 650-word essay after deciding on one of the five prompts published on the school’s website.

The purpose of the essay is to help the admissions committee learn more about you as a person. Although the essay is described as only “highly recommended,” in reality admissions officers are expecting serious applicants to submit an essay (unless under extenuating circumstances). Your writing will paint a personal picture for the admission officers and demonstrate serious interest in the school.

Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.

The first prompt asks for you to discuss a memory or story of a situation that either showcased or affected you personally. FSU’s goal here is to assess your storytelling ability and better understand your values and character through a specific example.

It is crucial for you to connect your story and its effect on your character to who you are as a person. It would be an easy mistake to use all 550 words to discuss this important narrative and ignore the crux of the question: its “demonstration of your character.”

Impactful essays do not have to be based on extreme physical or mental experiences. In fact, it is the accumulation of small experiences that defines how we react during turbulent times. An act of any scale that was especially memorable to you can work; it’s about how you analyze the incident, not what the incident was.

For instance, you might choose to write about being friends with someone who faced mental health issues and how that changed your feelings toward such illnesses and led you to participate in a campaign for raising mental health awareness. You could take it a step further, explaining how the experience shaped your behavior not only around that particular friend, but also around everybody else you know.

Keep in mind that the scope of the question also includes experiences that helped shape your character, so you can even choose to write about something you’ve witnessed others do. Remember to use concise but vivid imagery to describe the situation in the first 150-250 words and then devote the rest of the words to analyzing its impact on character.

It may be wise to write longer drafts at first (in the 700-word range). This allows the editing process to filter for the essence of the writing, instead of trying to add more content, thereby ensuring the fluency of the writing.

Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. Discuss the challenges and rewards of making your contribution.

This question appears to be more challenging than the previous one, as you have to detail a selfless act of sacrifice while explaining your motivations and avoiding corny wording.

Note that this “greater good” contribution does not limit you to instances in which you interacted with groups of “great” numbers. No matter the scale of your impact, if there existed a beneficiary to your actions, then you can write about it. Remember that “greater good” excludes class assignments or other activities that were required of you.

The key to this essay is making sure your motivations for the contribution are portrayed as personal and unique to you.

Many students will choose to write about a volunteer experience they participated in. If you choose to discuss a community service activity, make sure you differentiate your experience by highlighting your motivations and your emotions during the experience (rather than describing simply the activity you participated in).  

For example, you might choose to write about a mission trip to another country that you took in your sophomore year of high school. However, rather than discussing the trip as a whole, it would be more effective to focus on a particular moment or problem that you encountered during the trip.

For instance, you could elaborate on the experience of visiting one of the children’s homes and the feeling of speaking to his parents directly. Describing a particular moment, as well as the specific emotions you felt and how your perspectives changed because of it, would help the essay stand out in a pile of volunteering essays.

In addition, focus on the process of the contribution and how you felt emotionally throughout the act.

Try to answer the following questions:

• What would have happened if you did not make that sacrifice/contribution? How would you have felt then?
• How did the contribution make you feel? How did it make others around you feel? How did it make the beneficiaries feel?
• What did you learn?

Emphasizing the internal development that occurred during your experience is key to making this essay shine.

Has there been a time when you’ve had a long-cherished or accepted belief challenged? How did you respond? How did the challenge affect your beliefs?

This third prompt asks to hear about a philosophical difference you have had with a family member, teacher, peer, society at large, or even yourself. In a sense, this prompt is similar to the previous one about the “meaningful contribution.” In both cases, FSU wants to learn about a process occurring in your mind. The previous prompt emphasizes actions and their effects, while this focuses more on an ideological struggle.

For example, though you’ve believed in religion all your life, perhaps you learned of a different viewpoint while reading a research paper and began questioning the validity of adhering to the religion in which you grew up. The research paper may have been the stimulus that led you to develop your own feelings toward particular values or even the presence of the supernatural.

An average essay would discuss an incident in which you completely disregarded the challenging viewpoint or, on the other end of the spectrum, completely threw away your previous tenet and grasped onto the new idea. Such an essay does not show any meaningful growth or internal re-evaluation. Instead, a great essay would elucidate the internal struggle stemming from confronting a new viewpoint and the difficulties associated with challenging your own beliefs.

As with the first prompt, remember to focus the essay on your response to someone/something’s questioning of your tenant. Using too much of the essay for a description of the conundrum will render it ineffective in answering the latter two parts of the question.

What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What’s the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?

This prompt is the wild card. It allows more room for creativity and “fun” writing than any of the other questions. FSU’s goal here is not only to evaluate your ability to reflect on experiences, but also to understand what you value in life.

This essay can be particularly difficult to write well because it requires additional effort to compose an engaging, intriguing, fun, but also appropriate essay. There are universal challenges to being a teenager: arguments with parents; teenage angst; finding one’s place in school, family, and life, etc. It is completely fine to write about “common” obstacles, but you need to be able to differentiate your stories from others.

Humor and style of writing will play large roles in this essay, so we recommend this prompt if you sincerely enjoy creative writing, particularly short stories, novels, and comedies. Keep in mind, however, that the majority of admissions officers reading these essays are going to be in a generation older than you. It is not a bad idea to consider what kinds of teenage experiences would be relatable to them.

Additionally, the essay is asking for the “hardest part” as well as the “best part;” answering both of those separately in 550 words can make both answers short and ineffective. We recommend that you choose one single story that can relate to both of those questions. For example, you could use stories from your part-time job at Dairy Queen to connect the difficulties of adjusting to added responsibility in conjunction with the increased respect you received from your parents.

Submit an essay on a topic of your choice.

This last question is a catch-all.

Do not let your guard down because you can write about anything here. Unless you already have a great essay prepared from answering another school’s prompts, without a prompt here your creative idea may lose focus. Oftentimes, candidates are so engrossed in telling the story that they lose sight of what is really important: selling yourself.

As with the previous essays, you should decide and write down concretely what exactly you want the admissions officers to think about you upon finishing this essay. Build the rest of the essay around how you want them to perceive you, and dedicate more than half of the writing to demonstrating that main point through various anecdotes, not general statements.

We here at CollegeVine wish you the best of luck on your FSU essay!

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Florida State University

FSU | Presidential Scholars Program

Presidential Scholars Program

Division of Undergraduate Studies

Application Process

The Presidential Scholars Program offers the premier undergraduate merit scholarship at Florida State University and invests in undergraduate students with extraordinary potential to be the transformational leaders of their generation. The program provides four years of support, and the application is open to high school seniors who are admitted into the Florida State University Honors Program . 

To be considered for the Presidential Scholars Program, incoming first-year prospective students must: 

1. Apply to Florida State University

To be considered for the Presidential Scholars Program, first-year applicants must first submit an application to Florida State University by December 1, 2023, and select "Yes" to the question “Are you interested in applying to the Honors Program?”

• When applying through the FSU Application, this question is located on the Additional Academic History page.
• When applying through the Common App, this question is located under Academics in the Questions section.

Once the university application has been submitted, please allow some time for the University Honors Application to become available on the Application Status Check. For students applying through the Common App, this may take up to 48 hours.

Note: The application essay for the  Presidential Scholars Program  is the same as the University Honors Program application essay.

2. Complete the University Honors Program/Presidential Scholars Program application essay. 

Students must indicate their interest in and complete their supplemental University Honors Program application essay by  11:59 p.m. EST on December 1, 2023 , to be considered for the University Honors Program and the Presidential Scholars Program.

Incoming prospective first-year students will be notified of their admission status to FSU and to University Honors by Feb. 15.

Applicants will also be notified on this date if they are selected to be semi-finalists for the Presidential Scholars Program.

3. Semi-finalists complete the supplemental video responses.

Semi-finalists will be required to submit video responses to two prompts to be considered finalists for Presidential Scholars. These are due Feb. 25 by 11:59 p.m. EST.

The following informational video addresses frequently asked questions about how to create your applicant videos:

4. Finalists attend interview and recruitment weekend in Tallahassee. 

Finalists for the Presidential Scholars Program will receive notification and an invitation in early March to a required on-campus interview April 5 – 6, 2024.  

All finalists for Presidential Scholars are also admitted into the University Honors Program.

The following informational video addresses frequently asked questions about Recruitment and Interview Weekend:

Questions about Presidential Scholars?

Email FSU Presidential Scholars

Welcome to the application page for the Honors Program at Florida State University.

To apply to the Honors Program, make sure to read and follow everything below as it contains important information. The Lateral Application is for students in their first year at FSU.  To apply please follow the directions below: 1.) Click the log-in button in the top right corner and select "Sign in with FSUID" 2.) After logging into your account, you must click the "View programs" to access the application 3.) After finishing all questions, you will see a mark as complete box. Once you click that box, the submit button with appear. Applications are not reviewed unless you hit submit! Transfer students and students still in high school should not use this application to apply for honors.  If you have any questions or problems, please email the Honors Program at [email protected] .