The Letters & Science Honors Program celebrates the outstanding achievements of its students in academics, service, and leadership, making them prime candidates for prestigious scholarships and grants. Notably, the Kirby-Jones and Duval Scholarships are exclusively designated for Honors Program students. Upon completion of the program, students earn a Completion of the Honors Program designation on their transcript, with some eligible for additional awards at graduation. Honors students also have the opportunity to engage in other prestigious honors opportunities, including campus awards, departmental honors programs, and international or national scholarship competitions.

 

 

Expand the menu below to learn more about Campus Awards and Scholarship Opportunities.

Honors Program Scholarships

Duval Scholarship

Scholarship History: Bettina and Glenn Duval generously endowed a scholarship in honor of their son Bennett for students who are in the College of Letters and Science Honors Program and who are pursuing a double major.

Students are encouraged to apply if they meet the following criteria:

  • they are in good standing in the College Honors Program;
  • they will have at least 90 units completed by the end of the spring quarter in which they are applying;
  • they will be full-time registered students at UCSB throughout the next academic year;
  • they have declared a double major (or pre-major).

Selection criteria will include GPA, overall academic achievement, and motivation for pursuing a double major. Some consideration will be given to financial need; however, eligibility for financial aid is not a criterion for application. The recipient will be announced by the end of spring quarter.

Application Process: Complete the online Duval Scholarship Application (to be opened in late February 2025). Deadline: TBA

Duval Scholarship Application (opens Feb. 2025)

Please address any questions via email to honorsmail@ltsc.ucsb.edu.

Kirby-Jones Scholarship

Scholarship History: Marvel and Robert Kirby generously endow scholarships in honor of their granddaughters, for students in the College of Letters and Science Honors Program. 

Students are encouraged to apply if they meet the following criteria:

  • they are in good standing in the College Honors Program;
  • they will have at least 90 units completed by the end of the spring quarter in which they are applying;
  • they will be registered full-time students at UCSB throughout the next academic year;
  • they have been residents of Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Ventura, or Kern Counties for the majority of their lives and/or have graduated from a high school in one of these counties.

Selection criteria will include GPA and overall academic achievement. Some consideration will be given to financial need; however, eligibility for financial aid is not a criterion for application. The recipients will be announced by the end of the spring quarter.

Application Process: Complete the online Kirby-Jones Scholarship Application (to be opened in late February 2025). Deadline TBD

Kirby-Jones Scholarship Application (opens Feb. 2025)

Please address any questions via email to honorsmail@ltsc.ucsb.edu.

 

Other Recognition for Undergraduates

Departmental Senior Honors Programs for Distinction in the Major

Separate from the Letters & Science Honors Program, many departments within the College of Letters & Science offer senior honors programs. Departmental senior honors programs allow students to engage in research and independent study within their major field. Typically, students are chosen for these programs at the end of their junior year. During their senior year, they dedicate a significant portion of their time to developing and completing an original research project or senior thesis.

Students who participate in departmental honors programs and excel in their project or thesis may be nominated by their departments for the Distinction in the Major award. This recognition highlights exceptional achievement in their field of study.

Any courses taken as part of a departmental senior honors program are automatically applied toward participation in and completion of the Letters & Science Honors Program. Participants in departmental senior honors programs also enjoy special privileges, such as access to UCSB Davidson Library resources usually reserved for graduate students. Additionally, they have the opportunity to apply for research funding through the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities.

For more information about departmental senior honors programs, contact your department or refer to the General Catalog.

Honors Recognition at Graduation

Honors at Graduation are automatically awarded by the University to the top 20 percent of graduating students who complete 60 or more letter-graded units at the University of California, as follows:

Highest Honors: Top 2.5 percent
High Honors: Next 6 percent
Honors: Next 11.5 percent
Please visit the Office of the Registrar’s website for grade-point average thresholds for the current academic year.

No application is needed. Students do not need to file any separate paperwork to be able to receive Honors at Graduation. When the graduating class is finalized by the Registrar, the appropriate honors level is noted on the diploma and transcript as Honors, or High Honors, or Highest Honors. Questions regarding Honors at Graduation may be emailed to the Registrar's Office at GraduationMatters@sa.ucsb.edu. 

Students with Honors Recognition at graduation will be able to purchase a Fourragere Cord to wear at graduation. The College will receive a list of potential honors levels from the Registrar's Office, which will be used to determine Commencement-related designations for publications and to create the honors fourragere cord eligibility list provided to the UCSB Bookstore. Eligibility is based on potentially earning at least one of the following honors at graduation: Highest Honors, College Honors, a City Club Prize, or one of the Letters & Science Honors Graduation Awards. Students who are eligible to purchase honors fourragere cords at the Bookstore will be notified via email in mid-May. If you have any questions about Commencement-related honors levels, please contact honorsmail@ltsc.ucsb.edu.

College Honors

College Honors are awarded to graduating students in the College of Letters & Science who have completed 135 or more letter-graded units at the University of California with a GPA of 3.85 or higher.

No application is needed. If a student meets these criteria, you will automatically receive College Honors; no additional paperwork is required. This achievement will be noted on your transcript as College Honors.

Dean’s Honors

Dean’s Honors are granted at the end of each quarter to all students who have earned a GPA of 3.75 or higher on 12 or more letter-graded units for the quarter, with no NP grades. Dean’s Honors are noted on transcripts.