K - Academic Honors
K-1. Graduation with Honors
Candidates for baccalaureate degrees are graduated with honors if they have earned at least 56 credits in U of I courses and meet the cumulative U of I grade-point average as specified in K-1-a, K-1-b, or K-1-c. No credits earned through bypassed courses, credit by examination, experiential learning, or technical competence may be counted among these 56 credits.
Candidates for the degree of Juris Doctor are graduated with honors under the same conditions as described in K-1-a, K-1-b, or K-1-c, except the grade-point average considered is based exclusively on the student's record in the College of Law. Honors are not awarded with degrees earned through the College of Graduate Studies.
Note: Graduation with honors is determined at the point in time when the degree is posted to the student's academic record based upon the student's grade point average at that time. Grade corrections subsequent to the posting of the degree will be processed by the Registrar's Office but will not impact the honors designation for the student.
K-1-a. Summa Cum Laude
Candidates whose grade-point averages would place them within the top 3 percent of graduates from their respective colleges over the preceding five years are graduated summa cum laude (with highest distinction). See chart below for qualifying grade-point averages for 2025 graduates.
K-1-b. Magna Cum Laude
Candidates whose grade-point averages would place them within the top 6 percent (but below the top 3 percent) of graduates from their respective colleges over the preceding five years are graduated magna cum laude (with great distinction). See chart below for qualifying grade-point averages for 2025 graduates.
K-1-c. Cum Laude
Candidates whose grade-point averages would place them within the top 10 percent (but below the top 6 percent) of graduates from their respective colleges over the preceding five years are graduated cum laude (with distinction). See chart below for qualifying grade-point averages for 2025 graduates.
| College | Summa Cum Laude (top 3%) | Magna Cum Laude (top 6%) | Cum Laude (top 10%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural & Life Sciences | 4.00 | 3.97 | 3.93 |
| Art & Architecture | 3.98 | 3.94 | 3.91 |
| Business & Economics | 4.00 | 3.93 | 3.85 |
| Education, Health & Human Sciences | 4.00 | 4.00 | 3.95 |
| Engineering | 4.00 | 3.96 | 3.92 |
| Law | 3.84 | 3.74 | 3.64 |
| Letters, Arts & Social Sciences | 4.00 | 4.00 | 3.94 |
| Natural Resources | 4.00 | 4.00 | 3.95 |
| Science | 4.00 | 3.97 | 3.95 |
K-2. Dean's List
Undergraduate students who are registered for at least 12 credits (10 in the College of Law) and attain a grade-point average of 3.50 for a given semester are placed on lists prepared for the college deans.
Note: The 3.50 GPA is based on 12 graded credit hours (GPA hours) and does not include courses grade Pass/Fail. These lists are publicized within U of I and are distributed to news agencies.