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Chancellor Donde Plowman and former Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam answers questions during “Leading with Courage” (UNHO 347), an honors course at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s Baker School of Public Policy and Public Affairs

Important Dates & Deadlines

University Honors Application Timeline

If you’re thinking about applying to University Honors at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, it’s important to plan ahead. The first step in the process is applying to UT.

Important reminder: Students must apply to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville before they can apply to University Honors.

Prospective first-year students should submit their UT application by the early action deadline. After applying to the university, qualified students will receive an invitation by email to apply for University Honors.

Key Dates for Incoming First-Year Students

  • November 1 – UT Early Action Deadline: Apply to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville by November 1st through the Go Vols Portal or Common App to be considered for University Honors.
  • November 15 – UT Early Action Materials Submission Deadline: Make sure your University of Tennessee application is fully completed by November 15.
  • November 18 – Chancellor’s Honors Program Application Deadline: Submit your University Honors application for the Chancellor’s Honors Program by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
  • November 20 – Haslam Leadership Scholars Application Deadline: Submit your application for Haslam Leadership Scholars by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

Notification Timeline

Students who submit a Chancellor’s Honors Program application by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on November 18 can expect to receive an admissions decision by mid-December.

Applicants who are denied admission to the Chancellor’s Honors Program may request additional consideration if new information has become available since their original application was submitted. This may include updated standardized test scores, a revised grade point average, or other meaningful academic updates. However, students should note that a secondary review does not automatically result in a change in admission status.

Students who submit a Haslam Leadership Scholars application by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on November 20 will be notified during the spring semester if they are selected for a semi-finalist Zoom interview.

Plan Ahead for a Strong Application

Because University Honors applications open only after a student applies to UT, families should plan their timeline early. Applying by the university’s early action deadline helps ensure students have time to review essay prompts, prepare strong responses, and submit all materials before the University Honors deadlines.

University Honors Essay Prompts

Chancellor’s Honors Program Prompts

  1. Reflecting on your academic journey and personal experiences, why are you interested in applying to the Chancellor’s Honors Program (CHP), and which specific aspects of the program are you most excited about?
    (maximum 300 words)
  2. Please identify a local community need or problem that holds particular importance to you. Describe the nature of the problem and explain how it relates to you personally or academically. What did you learn about yourself or others through this experience? What questions remain unanswered for you? (maximum 400 words)

Haslam Leadership Scholar Program (Video Prompt)

  1. Please describe how you’ve shown up as a leader in your community through extra-curricular activities, jobs, sports, church, etc. What characteristics did you possess? What did you learn? What, if anything, would you do differently? How has your leadership left a legacy up to this point? (Videos can not exceed 5 minutes. Videos over 5 minutes will not be considered part of the application). **Note: Videos will be recorded directly in the Go Vols Portal and not uploaded.

 

 

 

 

 

 

*For the most current application details, students should review the official University Honors application page and monitor their email for next steps.