2026 Honors Application

The Honors Scholars Program is a community of diverse, deeply curious students keen to engage big questions alongside dynamic professors—in and outside of the classroom. Does your pulse quicken at the possibility of tackling substantive topics from interdisciplinary perspectives? Are you animated by opportunities to bring the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences together to think more broadly about the world? Do you want to build your skills as a scholar while conducting research or generating a creative project alongside a faculty mentor? Find your people: please apply—we would love to read your application.

Priority will be given to applications submitted by November 1, 2025. To be considered for acceptance into the Honors Scholars Program in the fall of 2026, complete the application by January 15, 2026.

Applications received after January 15, 2026 will receive consideration only for a spot on our waitlist.

See the honors website for full details »

*required

Tell Us About Yourself

First name

Last name

Birthdate

Email address

Mailing address

Country

Street

City

Region

Postal Code

Mobile phone number

Primary phone number

May we text you important updates and reminders?

Yes

Current or most recent high school:

Starting at Calvin:

Student type

Please respond to the following prompt with 200-300 words. The goal is not a polished 'product' but a glimpse into how you think about yourself and how you interact with ideas. Do your best to avoid cliches
(e.g. standard AP content) and neat moralizing conclusions -- life is messy, and we love ambiguity and complexity. Above all, convince us that your response wasn't written with the help of AI tools.

Identify something you learned or interacted with intellectually this year (be specific) and explain why this concept/idea was important for you.

Next, name three people (living or deceased, actual people or fictional characters) you would like to sit down with over coffee to discuss this concept/idea further. Explain why you chose these individuals.

Keep in mind that while we’re interested in the intellectual concept you identify and the people you choose, we’re particularly interested in understanding why this idea matters to you and how you’re engaging with it alongside these individuals. Note: your response may serve as the beginning of a conversation that continues into the next stage of the application process (things that don’t fit in a brief essay could be part of an in-person dialogue)."