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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; 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.

Admission Based on University Performance for Current UMass Students

UMass Amherst students may apply after completing one full-time semester of 12 or more graded credits at UMass Amherst and earning an overall and most recent semester GPA of 3.400 or higher at UMass Amherst. However, meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to Commonwealth Honors College.

Applications are accepted via an online process. More information on application requirements and deadlines is available at www.honors.umass.edu/apply.

Transfer Admission

Upon admission to the university, entering transfer students' applications will be reviewed for eligibility to enter Commonwealth Honors College. There is no separate application process. 

Students not invited 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. To join, the student must, upon arrival on campus, see a Commonwealth Honors College advisor regarding CHC admission and requirements.