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2023-2024 Application
The March 7 deadline has passed. We continue to accept applications on a space-available basis. Any late applications received will be reviewed after all on-time applications. All submitted applications will receive final decision communications through email.
Joining the Honors College
Admission to WWU Honors is completed through a supplemental application process and is selective. Any student applying to WWU or admitted to WWU can apply to WWU Honors. Competitive Honors applicants clearly demonstrate a passion for challenging themselves in the classroom. All applications completed by the March deadline will be thoroughly reviewed, applications completed by the early January deadline will receive priority consideration.
We recommend that students connect with us if they have any questions about the WWU Honors experience. New, incoming students to Western can up for a new student info session and current Western students interested in joining Honors can sign up for academic advising with Dr. Linneman or Dr. Goldman to see how the Honors requirements will work with their current curriculum.
Rolling Admissions
The Honors College at WWU uses rolling admissions to evaluate and admit students as applications are received. While uncommon, we may fill our cohort prior to the regular admissions deadline, so it is advised to apply early.
Priority Deadline - Wednesday, January 4, 2023
The priority deadline for the 2023 Honors application is Wednesday, January 4, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. PT. All on-time, complete applications received by the priority deadline will be reviewed for a final decision or rolled into regular admissions review by late February.
Regular Admission Deadline - Tuesday, March 7, 2023
The regular admission deadline for the 2023 Honors application is Tuesday, March 7, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. PT. All on-time, complete applications will receive a final decision no later than early-April.
Application Steps
Please note: To prevent the application portal from automatically timing out during your submission process, it is highly encouraged to have both the personal essay and writing sample prepared prior to opening your application portal.
Students New to Western:
- Complete Western Washington University's general application through Slate or through the Common App. Students can only access the Honors College application AFTER they have submitted their general Western application.
- The Common App takes 24 hours after submission to appear in our system, so students will not have access to the Honors application until then.
- Complete the Honors application for new students linked below. The login will be the same account you used to submit your WWU application.
Current Western Students:
CURRENT Western students are those who are ACTIVELY enrolled in classes at Western at the time they apply.
- Complete the Honors application for current Western students linked below.
- Students applying for Fall quarters follow the Priority and Regular Admission Deadlines listed above.
- Mid-year applications are due two weeks prior to the start of registration for desired starting quarter. See 2022-2023 Important Dates and Deadlines for registration dates.
Required Honors Application Materials
Submit a sample of your best, analytical academic written work. The analytical writing sample should be an academic writing piece that provides an analysis or logical reasoning response for the committee to review. Although we do not need to see the graded work, we do ask that you refrain from updating your writing sample and submit your original work for the committee’s review.
Submit a personal essay answering both of the below prompts on a single document. This may be written as a single essay, in which the word count does not exceed 600 words. Or you may answer the prompts separately (but on the same document) keeping to a 300-word limit per prompt.
- At WWU Honors, our motto is to cultivate community by striving compassionately for knowledge. How do you see yourself upholding these community values while at Western and beyond?
- Share your personal perspective on what it means to be an intellectual, based both on where you've come from and where you plan to go; but also what roles you believe intellectuals play and whether an intellectual has duties or obligations they owe to the vitality of our shared communities.
Letter(s) of recommendation from a teacher or counselor are highly recommended but not required.
The Honors admissions team has access and will review all materials you submit to WWU - including letters of recommendation submitted with your general application. With that in mind, it is more beneficial for you to submit different letters of recommendation than the ones you have already sent to WWU.
Letters of recommendation can also be submitted by emailing them to honors@wwu.edu.