Applicants to Clark Honors College will complete a single application to apply to both the honors college and the University of Oregon at the same time, either through the UO's online application (the Oregon Application), the Common Application, or the Coalition Application. The requirements are the same, and your application will be treated no differently regardless of which option you choose.
If you apply to the UO (but not CHC) during the early admissions cycle, you can still apply to the CHC during the regular admissions cycle by contacting admissions@uoregon.edu.
Application Deadlines:
- Early Action
- Application due November 1st
- Supporting Documents due November 15th
- Notifications sent by December 15th
- Regular Notification
- Application due January 15th
- Supporting Documents due February 15th
- Notifications sent by April 1st
To check the status of your application for admission to the Clark Honors College, visit your Application Status Portal.
If you have questions, please email admissions@uoregon.edu or call 1-800-BE-A-DUCK.
Application Checklist
All items listed are required. Incomplete applications are not considered for admission. You are responsible for ensuring that all items are received by the University of Oregon and the Clark Honors College.
- Application: there are three ways for undergraduates to apply to the University of Oregon. See the university's Apply Now page to learn more about them.
- If you are applying through the Oregon Application (the UO's online application), check "yes" when asked if you want to apply to the honors college. You will then be asked to complete an additional essay in response to the prompt provided on that page.
- If using the Common Application, click on the “Questions” tab in the University of Oregon section of the application to view the list. Complete each section including the “Honors College” section at the bottom. After clicking “yes,” you will be able to enter your honors college essay.
- For the Coalition Application, in the UO application section, after indicating that you want to apply to the Clark Honors College, you will be able to enter your honors college essay.
- Official high school and college transcripts (if applicable): Official high school transcripts are not used in the university or CHC admission process. Instead, it is very important that you accurately self-report your full high school record. Common and Coalition application users will do this as a part of your application. Oregon Application users will submit their application prior to doing this, then receive a special link via email to complete the process. Admitted students who choose Oregon will be required to submit official final transcripts at a later time.
- Official Test Scores (SAT or ACT): Effective with applicants for fall 2021 or beyond, submitting scores from the SAT/ACT is now optional for admissions. Many students will still provide scores, so if you do send them, we prefer scores to be sent directly from the testing service to the University of Oregon. We also accept scores reported on official high school transcripts. The UO's school code number for the SAT Reasoning Test is 4846; our code for the ACT is 3498. If submitted, official test scores will be shared between the University of Oregon and the Clark Honors College; additional copies are not required.
- Clark Honors College admission essay
- Special circumstances: Advise us of any special circumstances that affected your academic performance. We encourage you to provide details of any serious illness, diagnosed disability, personal difficulties, or family circumstances that have affected your education.
- Note: The submission of teacher recommendation letters is no longer required.
There are additional or modified requirements for transfer students and international students. Please explore those pages for complete information.
Essay
Think ahead on this one. The formal essay is an important component of your application to the Clark Honors College.
Essay Instructions:
The CHC endeavors to be a diverse and inclusive place. The faculty are involved in the review of applications and are eager to learn about how you think, and how your mind works. The best essays will demonstrate effective storytelling, include thoughtful analysis, synthesize themes in a meaningful way, and give us a sense of your personality and perspective.
Essay Prompt:
Tell us one specific story about yourself. Choose something that illustrates what you would contribute to the CHC and/or what you hope to get from your time at the CHC (650 words maximum).
Applicants using the Oregon application:
- Write one essay in response to one of the Oregon Application Personal Statement prompts.
- Write an additional essay using the honors college prompt above.
Applicants using the Common Application:
- Write one essay using one of the Common Application prompts. This will be the essay that is submitted to any college to which you apply using the Common Application service.
- Write an additional essay using the honors college prompt above. When you answer “yes” to the honors question, the honors essay prompt will appear immediately below the honors question on your screen.
Applicants using the Coalition Application:
- Write one essay using one of the Coalition Application prompts.
- Write an additional essay using the honors college prompt above.
The Clark Honors College Admissions Review Committee will consider both the essay that you submit in response to the prompts from the Oregon Application, Common Application, or Coalition Application, as well as your response to the following Clark Honors College essay prompt. The Clark Honors College faculty are involved in the review of applications and are eager to learn about how you think, and how your mind works.
Note: All honors college applicants must complete the university application essay requirement and the honors college essay. The UO general essay topic cannot be used to fulfill the Clark Honors College admission essay.
Taking a Gap Year
A Gap Year is the year after high school, but before college, that you may choose to take in order to refresh, reset, or redirect yourself in a positive way before transitioning into university study. During a Gap Year you might:
- Travel
- Participate in an Internship
- Volunteer
- Receive Specialized Training
- Conduct Research
If you are considering taking a Gap Year, then you should apply to the University of Oregon and the Clark Honors College during your senior year of high school. After your application has been accepted, you can then apply for deferred enrollment.
LEARN MORE AND APPLY FOR A GAP YEAR