Honors Program

If you’re a highly motivated student who enjoys unique and innovative educational experiences, you may have what it takes to be a San Jac Honors student.

Honors Program Benefits

The Honors Program comes with many advantages. In addition to being a distinguished honors graduate, you’ll also benefit from:

Scholarships for tuition, books, and travel
Access to specialized, seminar-style, small classes
Access to the Honors computer lab
Opportunities to present at national conferences
Visits from distinguished guest lecturers
Internship and resume-building opportunities
Participation in community service, social responsibility, and civic engagement

Admission Criteria

To be an honors student, you must be a:

Continuing San Jac student, transfer student, or Dual Credit/Early College High School/MECA student with at least 12 college credit hours and a 3.25 cumulative GPA
Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society member
First-Time-In-College (FTIC) students, Dual Credit/Early College High School/MECA/Home-schooled students with fewer than 12 college credit hours who meet at least one of the following criteria:
- 3.25+ accredited high school GPA
- Score of 4 or 5 on an Advanced Placement (AP) exam
- Top 20% of high school graduating class
- Minimum SAT score of 1160 (i.e., critical reading and math combined)
- Minimum ACT score of 26
- Approval of the director or campus coordinator after a personal interview
Returning or non-traditional students who have completed at least 12 college credit hours in the past five years with a 3.25+ cumulative GPA for the most recent 12 college credit hours
Veteran

Apply Today

Learn more about the program with the Honors Student Guidebook. Then complete the application to be considered for the Honors Program.

Honors Student Guidebook Apply to the Honors Program- log in with your student ID to complete the application

In honors classes, you can expect small class sizes and close interaction with your professors. All honors classes are vetted and the faculty are ready to help you learn and apply that knowledge to real-world applications.

Honors Classes

Over 50 honors courses are offered each semester across each of our campuses. Explore your options for next semester and register for a class that interests you.

Honors Contracts

Make any class into an honors course by creating a contract with your professor. If a specific honors course or section is not offered or if you want to explore a subject not offered in the Honors Program, talk with your campus coordinator and your professor to create an honors-level experience for your non-honors class.

Honors Scholarships

As an honors student, you are eligible for up to $750 per semester in tuition scholarships. Apply for the Honors Scholarship today.

Take advantage of our partnerships to get the most out of your Honors Program experience.

Take Flight Rice Partnership

If you’re an active honors student interested in STEM, the Take Flight Stem Scholar Program offers unique research and networking opportunities. The program offers two tracks: STEM Engagement for Continuing Students is designed for first year students and Transfer Ready is just for second year students. In the first-year track, programming will focus on career exploration. Second-year students will receive STEM-specific advisement on selective-transfer application writing and transfer preparedness.

Both groups have access to specialized STEM opportunities offered by Rice University and STEM faculty and mentors. As a Take Flight student, you also receive specialized application support for funded, summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates. Take flight with this unique opportunity offered exclusively to honors students.

Prepare to Take Flight

The National Collegiate Honors Council

Great Plains Honors Council

Gulf Coast Intercollegiate Honors Council

Council on Undergraduate Research

If you’re an active honors student interested in STEM, the Take Flight Stem Scholar Program offers unique research and networking opportunities. The program offers two tracks: STEM Engagement for Continuing Students is designed for first year students and Transfer Ready is just for second year students. In the first-year track, programming will focus on career exploration. Second-year students will receive STEM-specific advisement on selective-transfer application writing and transfer preparedness.

Both groups have access to specialized STEM opportunities offered by Rice University and STEM faculty and mentors. As a Take Flight student, you also receive specialized application support for funded, summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates. Take flight with this unique opportunity offered exclusively to honors students.

Prepare to Take Flight

San Jacinto College has been an active member of the National Collegiate Honors Council for more than 25 years. As an active honors student, you can apply for NCHC scholarships, events, summer institutes, scholarships and more.
Each year, San Jac honors students are invited to attend the NCHC conference held in various locations around the country. The conference is a great opportunity for you to network with other honors students and faculty from across the country and possibly present on your research and creative projects.

About NCHC

The Great Plains Honors Council brings honors students together every year for a fall undergraduate research conference and a spring honors retreat. As a San Jac honors student, we encourage you to attend to meet other honors students in the area and present your work and publications.

About GPHC

The Gulf Coast Intercollegiate Honors Council brings honors students together every year for a fall undergraduate research conference and a spring honors retreat. As a San Jac honors student, we encourage you to attend to meet other honors students in the area and present your work and publications.

About GCIC

As a member of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR), you have the opportunity to work with other honors students from around the world. CUR events focus on providing high-quality, collaborative research and activities. Attend events to learn about successful models and strategies for research, creativity, and getting published.

About CUR

Here's a glimpse at the Honors Program travels and talks.

Honors Program students in Munich Germany

Historic tour of Munich, Germany in the annual summer student trip

Annual Honors Program retreat

STEM students visiting Rice University

Honors students visiting Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas

Honors students visiting Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas

Honors Program Student Showcase with students explaining their research

Honors Program graduates

Honors Program Student Showcase student explaining research

Student explaining her research at Honors Program Student Showcase

Students travel overseas to visit Museum Island in Berlin, Germany

Honors program students experience the rich culture and history of Spain

Every year, the San Jacinto College Honors Program offers its students an opportunity to explore international destinations and immerse themselves in diverse cultures. In 2024, the program embarked on a journey to Spain.

There is a big world outside of Houston, It's easy to get in our little bubble and think the whole world thinks the same way we do. It's important for our students to get out there and go see other cultures”

Cody Pogue

North Campus Government Professor

The group, consisting of 29 students and four professors, spent eight days exploring cathedrals and castles and enjoying the local cuisine in Barcelona and Madrid. Their itinerary also included day trips to nearby historic towns Segovia and Toledo, with most days involving walks of 10 miles or more.