University of Missouri - Kansas City

Johnson County Community College Transfer Program to the University of Missouri - Kansas City Margo Gamache, Director of Student Services
UMKC Honors Program (816) 235-5569
Honors Program honors@umkc.edu
Academic Year 2025-2026 https://honors.umkc.edu/

Program Description: 

JCCC Honors Program students are encouraged to apply for admission to the UMKC Honors Program. Transfer applicants must complete their application for admission to UMKC and their UMKC Honors Program application prior to the respective deadline for each application.

Transfer students who apply to UMKC by February 15 for fall admission will be considered for scholarship awards. Students who transfer in the spring semester should apply before November 15. The Honors program application deadline is August 1 for fall semester and January 1 for spring semester.

UMKC Honors Program Admission Requirements:

JCCC Honors Program students who are admitted to UMKC will be automatically considered for any merit scholarships for which they are eligible, including the Chancellor’s Transfer Award, a scholarship of $2,000 per academic year, plus non-resident fee differential if applicable. This scholarship is awarded to students who meet the following criteria:

  • Transfer students from any community college or four-year institution
  • Must have completed 42 transferrable credit hours before attending UMKC
  • Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA in all college work attempted 
  • Full-time enrollment at UMKC
  • Must be working on first Bachelor’s Degree
  • Not available for Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy or Conservatory
  • Must be U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident 

Requirements for Transfer students:

JCCC Honors Program students who have a cumulative transfer GPA of at least 3.5 are automatically admissible to the UMKC Honors Program upon submission of the Honors Program application. If a JCCC Honors Program student’s cumulative GPA is below 3.5, they are still admissible to the UMKC Honors Program, provided that their Honors Program application is supported by a letter from the JCCC Honors Director affirming that the student is a member in good standing of the JCCC Honors Program.

JCCC Honors Program students who are accepted into the UMKC Honors Program may use up to 9 transfer honors credit hours toward the total honors credit hours required for graduation with University Honors from the UMKC Honors Program.

JCCC Honors Program students must earn a minimum grade of “B” in any JCCC honors course for it to be used to meet UMKC Honors Program requirements.

To graduate from UMKC with University Honors, students must complete 21 or 27 honors credits. The total number of honors credits required to graduate with University Honors is reduced for students who join the Honors Program after completing at least one full year of coursework at another university or college, as follows:

  • If a student enters the Honors Program with more than 50 academic credits, they must complete 21 honors credits to graduate with University Honors. Up to 9 transfer honors credit hours may be counted toward this 21-credit total, leaving a balance of 12 honors credit hours to be completed at UMKC. 

A minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.2 is required to graduate from UMKC with University Honors.

Students in the UMKC Honors Program have the option to complete a Senior Honors Thesis or Project, although it is not a program requirement. To graduate from UMKC as an Honors Scholar, students must complete a six-credit Senior Honors Thesis or Project in addition to the University Honors credit requirements noted above.

To help students develop the skills they need to solve social problems and address important issues, the Honors Program also offers students the option to participate in the Honors Leader Program. The program is a series of four one-credit courses focusing on the four Honors pillars: social justice and cultural awareness; environmental sustainability; leadership and ethics; and Kansas City history and urban engagement. Upon graduation, students who complete the series of classes in addition to the University Honors requirements are designated as Honors Leaders.

Last Approved Tue Aug 26 17:16:42 2025