The Honors Program

College guides regularly rank Carolina not only among the best public research universities in America, but also among the "best buys." Especially compared with private colleges and universities, UNC's historical commitment to keeping costs low means that tuition is "discounted" for all students and not just those receiving scholarships.

Although being chosen to participate in the Honors Program does not automatically carry with it a scholarship award, the University is committed to meeting the demonstrated financial need of all incoming freshmen who are selected to participate in Honors and meet the March 1 Financial Aid Preference deadline.

The University's Johnston Awards Program, administered by the Office of Scholarships and Student Aid, is the largest need-based academic scholarship program in the South, providing 75 first-year students each year with scholarship, support, special seminars, leadership training, and opportunities for faculty mentorship. Many Johnston Scholars are chosen for immediate participation in the Honors Program; others join the program during their first year of college.

The Office of Scholarships and Student Aid also coordinates a growing number of non-need-based academic scholarships, including the Jackson, Davie, Pogue, Johnston, and Carolina Scholars scholarships. Most students offered one of these scholarships are also selected for participation in the Honors Program.

The Morehead-Cain Scholars Program, administered by the Morehead-Cain Foundation, is the nation's premiere independent undergraduate scholarship program. All high school students in North Carolina and students at selected schools across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. are eligible to be nominated by their schools for the Morehead Award. The scholarship provides the full cost of college education at Carolina and exceptional summer enrichment opportunities.

The Robertson Scholars Program covers full expenses at Duke University or the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  More than just a monetary award, the Robertson Scholars Program allows students to take advantage of the faculty and other resources of two of the most highly regarded universities in the nation, producing an undergraduate experience that is unequalled in American higher education. It empowers students---generally 18 at Duke and 18 at UNC-Chapel Hill each year-- to make their own education. It provides students with the resources to further pursue their passions, the freedom to experience living abroad, and the mentorship to guide them through their years in college and beyond.  Any high school senior may self nominate by submitting a Supplemental Materials form available on the Program’s Web site.

Being selected as a Morehead or Robertson Scholar does not automatically entail selection for Honors, but because of these students' outstanding academic credentials, most are.