Admission Process

  • Transferring
  • Tips
  • Essays
  • Deadlines
  • Test Scores
  • Standards
  • Notification

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    Plan II Honors announces a new transfer application  process. 

    • Potential transfer applicants must currently be registered at the University of Texas at  Austin.  
    • Registered UT students may apply during the first, second or third semester.  Those who have completed 45 hours of course credit (students currently in their fourth semester) are ineligible. Transfer credits from other academic institutions are considered in  the 45-hour maximum.  The admissions committee will consider only classroom hours—not credit hours earned through AP, SAT, IB, CLEP or other tests.     
    • Candidates will submit an essay responding to the posted transfer essay prompt.  The essay prompt will change for each application semester and will be posted only during the (two) months that essays will be accepted.  Beginning in March of 2009, Plan II will accept essays during March for potential fall candidates and during September for spring candidates.  
    • The admissions committee will evaluate the essay to  determine whether a candidate moves forward to the preliminary interview stage.  Candidates will be notified by email within two weeks of submitting  the essay.  
    • The preliminary interview will determine if the candidate will  be invited to apply to transfer to Plan II Honors. Candidates will be notified by email within two weeks of the  interview.  
    • Those invited to apply will complete and submit a brief application form and also submit a letter of recommendation from one  UT Austin faculty member.    
    • Applicants will be notified of their transfer admission status within two weeks of submitting the transfer application and letter of recommendation.  
    • Admitted transfer students will meet with a Plan II professional adviser before October registration for spring semesters or  before April registration for fall semesters.    
    • Plan II Honors will suspend transfer admissions any time the program is over-enrolled.


    Information for those interested in transfer to Plan II Honors:

    Successful transfer applicants will have very strong writing skills; evidence of a broad range of talents, skills and interests; an  excellent high school record of involvement in clubs, volunteering and leadership positions; a first-rate high school record of grades and test  scores; an excellent college record and a letter of recommendation from a University of Texas at Austin faculty member.

    Plan II is not  necessarily the honors program for every “honors” student.  The fact that  a student was an honors student (AP or IB) in high school or is a student who currently earns straight “A’s” in college, does not mean that Plan II is the  “right fit” program.  Plan II is an arts and science honors major with an  interdisciplinary core curriculum.  Plan II offers stimulating  educational and collegial experiences for high-ability, highly motivated  students with wide-ranging interests and abilities; students who desire a very broad, classical style of education, but who may still seek the opportunity and flexibility to concentrate or specialize in one or more areas of study (usually necessitating an extra year in college).  Plan II is a interdisciplinary major with a very specific set of relatively inflexible core requirements, including courses in humanities, the natural and social sciences and fine arts.   It is not a “build your  own major” or a fast-track major.  The curriculum incorporates numerous, sometimes extensive writing assignments, oral presentations and research requirements, including a required thesis.  

    There are no specific classes to prepare for a transfer application to Plan II Honors. Prospective transfer candidates should take classes that will fulfill general requirements and progress the student whether a student is admitted to Plan II or not—classes in the current major and general education/core courses such as American history courses, US government courses, language  requirements, etc.  We do, however, recommend taking at least one course with a substantial writing component or writing flag.  

    We remind all UT students that our campus offers other honors opportunities in addition to Plan II.  We encourage those interested in honors level education to also investigate departmental honors programs which are offered in every academic department in the College of Liberal Arts, usually requiring additional honors  seminars and a required thesis.  The sLiberal Arts Honors Programs (LAH) provides layers of enrichment opportunities such as Junior Fellows and other collegial and community-building activities to departmental honors students. Majors can decide to pursue these departmental honors tracks as late as their junior years.  

    LAH also oversees the Humanities major, which is an interdisciplinary major incorporating research.  The Humanities Program, which also requires an application, offers the highly motivated and able student the opportunity to fashion his or her own course of study as a major.  

    We encourage current science majors or transfer students seeking a major in the College of Natural Sciences to  investigate the Dean’s Scholars program which accepts transfer students.  DS offers exceptional science and mathematics majors the opportunity to enrich their undergraduate education with research opportunities and advanced  courses with other highly motivated students.  The Business Honors  Program in the Red McCombs School of Business is designed to provide intellectual challenge and professional development for students with  exceptional academic abilities and leadership skills. BHP accepts transfer applications from second-semester freshmen for admission in the third  semester.

    The University of Texas at Austin is a world-class research  institution at the top of many national rankings.  We have the best  faculty in the state of Texas--very many of whom are also among the best in  the nation—and the most highly developed professional advising network in the  country.  Most of the UT student body would easily qualify for honors status at many other highly ranked schools, so essentially every UT class is  filled with very bright, highly motivated students and functions at an honors  or near-honors level.  Please note also that all UT students have the opportunity to pursue double-majors, dual-degrees, study abroad and many other  academically enriching programs, so students who are not in a specific honors  program need never feel they lack opportunities or resources.