Community Starts with You

At the Honors College, we strive to build the same sense of community as a small liberal arts college, but with the resources of a major public university.

Getting involved can take many shapes and forms, from playing in a musical ensemble, to conducting service for the local community, to participating in academic workshops.

Every engagement and service opportunity is curated with the goal of enriching your life as an Honors College student and giving you experiences that transcend traditional classroom learning.

Honors Requirements

All Honors College students must complete a minimum of 8 engagement activities and 20 service hours (virtual or in-person) each academic year. Engagement activities and service progress are reviewed each semester. Students who do not meet the minimum requirements will have their priority registration delayed by two days.

To receive an Honors College transcript notation upon graduation, you must complete all Honors graduation requirements, including completing engagement and service during your final academic year at FIU.

Tips for Completing Your Requirements

  • Start Early

    Requirements can be completed between Summer B and Spring. Start early to ensure you have plenty of time to get involved. That also means having more choices available!

  • Reflect on What You’re Already Doing

    You might be completing engagement or service opportunities already! As you take on jobs, internships, research, leadership positions and more, check to see if they could be connected to the pathway or qualify you for volunteering hours.

  • Be on the Lookout

    You might receive information about engagement and service opportunities from your college, department, professors or other FIU mailing lists. Most FIU activities give you credit for the pathway, so make sure to connect with our team to receive credit for participation.

  • Stay Up to Date with our Newsletter

    Every Friday, we send engagement, service and career opportunities straight to your inbox! Our Next Week in Honors newsletter is a great resource to start getting involved.

  • Inspire Each Other

    Every Honors student completes engagement and service requirements differently. Look around at your fellow peers to see what they’re doing and think about how you might help each other meet your requirements.

Important Dates and Deadlines

Deadline Type

Date

Mid-semester Progress Report

Monday, October 19, 2026

Fall Graduate Progress Report

Monday, October 26, 2026

Fall Graduate Deadline

Friday, November 27, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. EST

Mid-year Progress Report

Monday, January 11, 2027

Alternative Engagement Opens

Monday, January 11, 2027

Alternative Engagement Closes

Friday, February 12, 2027

Spring Graduate Deadline

Monday, March 15, 2027

IDH Course Exemption Opens

Summer B

IDH Course Exemption Closes

Friday, April 9, 2027

Engagement Deadline for All Students

Friday, April 9, 2027

Tracking Your Engagement

Students can track their engagement requirements progress and see upcoming events via Panther Connect. Additional events, activities and opportunities can be found in our weekly Honors College email and Instagram @FIUHonors.

Students can track engagement and service every academic year from the beginning of Summer B/Early Fall to the end of the Spring semester. Just go to your Panther Connect account and check your HC Engagement Pathway.

Go to Panther Connect

  • Engagement Categories
    Engagement Categories

    Category

    Blue Tier

    Gold Tier

    Dean's Tier

    Academic, Research & Scholarship

    2

    2+

    5+

    Career & Professional Development

    2

    2+

    5+

    Personal & Social Wellness

    2

    2+

    5+

    Honors College Week

    2

    2+

    5+

    Total Engagement Activity

    8

    9-11

    15+
  • Tier Breakdown
    Tier Breakdown

    Tier

    Benefits

    Blue

    Standard Honors Benefits, Honors Designation at Graduation

    Gold

    Blue Tier Benefits, Certificate of Achievement, Leadership Opportunities

    Dean's

    Blue & Gold Benefits, Exclusive Honors Events, Award Nominations, Formal Recognition

  • Honors College Week

    Honors College Week (HCW) occurs once every Fall and once every Spring. You are expected to attend at least one HCW event to complete that category in the engagement pathway. 

  • Mid-year Engagement Alternative

    Students who have completed 20 service hours by the start of Spring but are missing engagement activities may complete an alternative opportunity which allows students to focus on two engagement categories of interest to fulfill remaining requirements. 

    Mid-year Engagement Alternatives open on January 11, 2027 and close on February 12, 2027. 

  • IDH Course Exemption

    Honors College Students who completed their upper-division Honors coursework by Summer B are not required to complete the standard engagement and service requirements. They may instead participate in an alternative engagement activity that aligns directly with their academic or professional goals. 

    IDH Course Exemptions open in Summer B and close on April 9, 2027. 

  • Fall Graduate Requirements

    You must complete engagement and service requirements if you are graduating during Fall. If you completed the previous year’s requirements, Fall requirements will be cut in half (i.e. four engagement activities, 10 volunteer hours, etc.). 

    If you did not complete the previous year’s requirements, your engagement and service must be completed in full between the start of Summer B and your Fall graduation. 

  • Summer Graduate Requirements

    There are no additional engagement and service requirements over the Summer, provided students completed their engagement and service requirements by the Spring deadline.  

Finding Community Service Opportunities 

An important part of being a member of the Honors College is demonstrating leadership by serving your extended community. 

Every academic year, you are required to log 20 annual volunteer hours via the Honors College subgroup in GivePulse. This platform also provides a listing of volunteer opportunities. Honors College service events, FIU service events, and non-FIU service are accepted as community service.  

Volunteer hours should reflect actual time spent providing support or service in an unpaid activity. Donations in exchange for hours are not accepted. Volunteer hours are tracked through GivePulse. 

To view additional volunteer opportunities, check out our weekly Honors College newsletter, follow us on Instagram at @FIUHonors and explore listings on GivePulse. 

Want to get involved?

Join Honors College Engagement team as a student intern or engagement volunteer. Contact Valeria Perez, Engagement and Program Manager, via email at perezva@fiu.edu for more information.