Florida State University’s Honors Program was ranked No. 1 in Florida by the college ranking publication College Transitions, a resource for high school students and college counselors and the primary source for honors college rankings.
On its 2026 list of “50 Best Honors Colleges,” College Transitions ranked FSU No. 17 nationally among all honors colleges and programs.
While some universities offer separate honors colleges, FSU offers a comprehensive program designed to meet student needs. The program placed No. 6 among honors programs on College Transitions’ list using methodology that considers selectivity, benefits and program rigor.
“Our Honors Program has seen so much exciting growth in the past few years, thanks to President McCullough’s visionary investments,” said DeOnte Brown, dean of Undergraduate Studies. “We’re proud to offer a vibrant community that nurtures highly inquisitive students, engages them in a dynamic academic experience with their peers and prepares them for a future where they can thrive out in the world.”
The Honors Program has grown during McCullough’s tenure from about 400 per class before 2023 to more than 800 in the Fall 2025 class. It is the only Honors program in Florida that has a dedicated faculty who design Honors Signature Courses — interactive, interdisciplinary classes available exclusively to Honors students.
Ten full-time Honors faculty members offer courses on a variety of topics such as superheroes and ethics, coffee and culture in the U.S. and gaming in the ancient world.
“I’m so grateful for the dedication of our faculty and staff across campus who mentor, teach and support our remarkable students every day,” said Joe O’Shea, vice president for Student Academic Success. “We are honored to serve the brightest scholars from across Florida and elsewhere so they can thrive as leaders in their fields and strengthen the future of our communities.”
“The Honors Program at FSU was such a meaningful part of my undergraduate experience. It gave me incredible professors and engaging courses, but most importantly, an amazing community and friendships that lasted throughout my time at Florida State.”
– Haley Schermer, FSU Honors graduate
Former Honors student Haley Schermer, who graduated in December with a cell and molecular neuroscience degree, is working as a patient care assistant in the Neuro and Cardiac Intermediate Care Unit at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare while she prepares to start medical school in the summer.
“The Honors Program at FSU was such a meaningful part of my undergraduate experience,” Schermer said. “It gave me incredible professors and engaging courses, but most importantly, an amazing community and friendships that lasted throughout my time at Florida State.”
Students can live in Honors housing in one of two centrally located residence halls and have dedicated program advising. They have access to classrooms, study spaces, gathering areas and resources such as advising, the Office of National Fellowships and the Center for Undergraduate Research and Academic Engagement in the Honors, Scholars, and Fellows House.
More than 200 students are enrolled in Honors in the Major, an opportunity within the Honors Program that provides students from any major the chance to engage in graduate level research, either with an original thesis or creative project.
Last summer, the Honors Program debuted its new Honors Global Experiences program in London, where 15 students traveled with Honors Associate Director Michael Furman to explore the city and surrounding areas while taking the Honors Signature Course “In the Footsteps of the Ancients: Roman Britain.”
Hayden Thomas is a senior political science and economics Honors student from Tampa who is studying abroad at the FSU London Study Center and interning at a United Kingdom policy organization.
“The Honors Program gave me a community of intellectually curious student leaders who pushed me to grow academically, professionally and personally,” Thomas said. “That foundation made it possible for me to pursue transformative opportunities, including serving as president of the Honors Student Association, conducting research through Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program and Honors in the Major, and engaging in immersive professional experiences.”
To provide more opportunities for students, FSU has also doubled the size of its Presidential Scholars Program in recent years. Presidential Scholars is FSU’s premier undergraduate merit scholarship program that invests in students who stand out for their potential to be the transformational leaders.
There are now 60 students admitted to each class of the Presidential Scholars Program, where students engage in a four-year sequence of learning and community engagement that focuses on four foundational tenets: wisdom, leadership, service and character.
On top of the generous scholarship funding, students in the program receive financial support for enrichment opportunities such as international study or service, internships, research and creative projects, and more.
“Both our Presidential Scholars and Honors communities serve students who are not only high achievers but also inquisitive, innovative and community oriented,” said D. Craig Filar, associate dean of Honors, Scholars, and Fellows. “We’re so grateful that the university’s support of these rewarding programs situates some of FSU’s most talented students to be at the forefront of their fields and continue building a legacy of discovery and leadership.”
In addition to the continued growth of the Honors Program, FSU’s recent Early Action admitted class reflects the university’s overall growing academic strength and includes students from across all 67 Florida counties. As of December 2025, about 33,700 Florida residents applied for Early Action consideration for the summer and fall 2026 terms, with about 12,900 students admitted.
The admitted cohort reflects FSU’s growing academic strength, with 91% of Early Action admitted students ranking in the top 10% of their high school class. Academically, 79% of admitted students in this cohort earned all A/B grades and posted an average core GPA of 4.5, along with an average ACT score of 32 and SAT score of 1420.
Of the nearly 90,000 total applicants for first-year admissions so far to FSU, more than 10,000 have applied to the Honors Program.
For more information about FSU’s Honors Program, visit honors.fsu.edu.