Experiential Learning Deadlines
Winter 2025
| By… | You must have… |
|---|---|
| Monday, Jan 20 @ 9:00am | Submitted a complete application for any activities happening this quarter |
| Monday, Jan 27 @ 9:00am | Received a confirmation email stating that the Honors staff approved or denied your application |
| Monday, Feb 3 @ 9:00am | Received a confirmation email stating that your supervisor approved or denied your application |
| Monday, Feb 10 @ 9:00am | Submitted any revisions for applications denied by either Honors or your supervisor |
| Monday of Week 9 of the Quarter | Received an email from Honors with a link to your final reflection form |
| Last day of instruction @ 9:00am | Submitted your final reflection |
| Tuesday, Mar 25 @ 5:00pm | Have had your supervisor submit final evaluation (a confirmation email is sent to you when this has occurred) |
Spring 2025
| By… | You must have… |
|---|---|
| Monday, Apr 14 @ 9:00am | Submitted a complete application for any activities happening this quarter |
| Monday, Apr 21 @ 9:00am | Received a confirmation email stating that the Honors staff approved or denied your application |
| Monday, Apr 28 @ 9:00am | Received a confirmation email stating that your supervisor approved or denied your application |
| Monday, May 5 @ 9:00am | Submitted any revisions for applications denied by either Honors or your supervisor |
| Monday of Week 9 of the Quarter | Received an email from Honors with a link to your final reflection form |
| Last day of instruction @ 9:00am | Submitted your final reflection |
| Tuesday, Jun 17 @ 5:00pm | Have had your supervisor submit final evaluation (a confirmation email is sent to you when this has occurred) |
Summer 2025
| By… | You must have… |
|---|---|
| Monday, Aug 25 @ 9:00am | Submitted a complete application for any activities happening this quarter |
| Monday, Sep 15 @ 9:00am | Submitted your final reflection |
Summer Term Updates
As of 2025, Summer Experiential Learning activities can be submitted on a rolling basis until [August 25] at 9 AM. Applications will be reviewed on a weekly basis and you can expect to receive
approval within 2 weeks of submitting your application. We strongly recommend you submit applications for your activity before you start your activity.
Please keep the following in mind when applying for Experiential Learning in the summer:
- Activities must have a minimum of 20 hours remaining from the date of submission to be considered for experiential learning. Otherwise, the application will be considered retroactive.
- The final day to submit any [Summer 2025] Experiential Learning Activity is August 25th at 9 AM. This includes Early Fall Study Abroad programs.
When should I apply for my Summer Experiential Learning Activity?
- All Summer Experiential Learning activities should be submitted before August 25th. This includes Early Fall Study Abroad Programs.
- Your Experiential Learning activity must have a minimum of 20 hours remaining from the date of submission. Applications that do not meet this requirement will be considered retroactive.
- If you are studying abroad, we strongly suggest you apply for experiential learning BEFORE leaving for your trip.
Overview
The Honors Program believes that participation in activities outside of the classroom enhances and enriches the undergraduate experience, helping students connect their education to the larger world. Knowing that you will participate in many different types of activities throughout your undergraduate years, our goal is to help you take academic risks, actively engage in your own learning, explore the world, and ultimately develop a deeper understanding of yourself and your goals.
Therefore, Interdisciplinary Honors students must complete the experiential learning application and reflection process for two distinct activities during their time at UW within the following areas: international engagement, service, research, and leadership; each activity must be from a different area.
A project or period of study which involves travel or extensive engagement outside the U.S. This can also be met through working with an international community or project in the U.S. However, if you have an activity in mind that does not involve leaving the U.S., it must be of considerable depth, scope, and duration to qualify for this category. Examples include, but are not limited to, Honors study abroad programs or working for an internationally-focused group like a refugee resettlement organization.
A project or period of engagement with a campus or community-based service organization or group. You must demonstrate sustained engagement with both the organization/project and with the issues the organization/project addresses. Examples include, but are not limited to, participation in any service learning course, community engagement and service programs through the UW’s Center for Experiential Learning and Diversity, internships and fellowships with a service or community participation focus, or volunteering at the UW Medical Center.
A research job or project in any field. This includes working with a faculty member or scholar on research, or implementing a research project of the student’s design. Research related to your Honors thesis or departmental work is eligible. Examples include, but are not limited to, departmental Honors thesis/research participation, opportunities through the Undergraduate Research Program, or independent research conducted with a faculty mentor.
An activity in which you demonstrate vision and then translate that vision into sustained action while collaborating with various partners. You must play a guiding role in said activity and demonstrate an engagement that clearly illustrates your commitment and collaborative skills. Examples include, but are not limited to, participation in Honors 100 as an Honors Peer Educator, acting as a FIG leader, or serving as a Resident Adviser (RA).
Please remember that all projects must be approved individually by the Honors Program via the application process, even if it is a program sponsored by the Honors Program or listed here as an example.
Application and Evaluation
Experiential Learning Application
Evaluation Guidelines
Strong Experiential Learning Applications are typically cohesive and detailed. Responses speak to one another and draw from each other.
Click here for the Evaluation Rubric
| Application Questions | Strong | Sufficient | Insufficient |
| Summarize your proposed experiential learning (EL) activity, including the primary focus of your activity and whatever tasks or actions it entails. | Provides a comprehensive picture of the role the student is filling. I have a general understanding of what their day-to-day tasks and projects might entail
Contextualizes their role in the existing structure/organization/ group they are working with/at Is appropriately suited for the EL category selected |
Provides a general picture of the role the student is filling. It might be unclear as to what the daily tasks are, but know what their overarching projects and goals are, and how their activity contributes to this.
Contextualizes their role in the existing structure/organization/ group they are working with/at Is appropriately suited for the EL category selected |
Lacks detail necessary to understand the student’s role and responsibilities. It is not clear what the work is or how it connects to their broader organization.
Provides limited to no context to the role/activity in existing structure/organization |
| In your own words, define [Experiential Learning Category] + EL category-specific questions | Makes a sincere attempt to define the category in their own words drawing from past experiences
Draws a connection between definition and the project/activity References student’s past experiences to create a definition |
Provides a definition of the category in their own words
May or may not relate to the project/activity |
Provides a general, circular, or insubstantial definition, or definitions that do not connect to the value or purpose of experiential learning Examples: “a leader is someone who leads,” “community engagement is participating in community events” Is too brief to actively engage with the questions asked. Does not relate to personal experiences or the project/activity |
| Why did you choose to engage in this activity? Why is [EL Category] valuable? | Substantially connects student’s activity to their interests; connects what they’ll be doing to their motivations for pursuing their activity
Draws relevant connections between the importance of the category and other parts of the application Incorporates both personal relevance and bigger-picture thinking in response about the value of the category |
Connects the activity to the student’s interests. Not particularly specific, but demonstrates relevance of the activity to student’s interests.
Has a thoughtful response about the value of the category Is limited in scope; meaningfully connects to personal relevance or bigger-picture relevance, but not both |
Has a generic or surface-level “why” that doesn’t connect to broader goals or interests Examples: “I want to get hands-on experience in my field”—Why is that important to you?; “This will look good on my med school application”—Dig a little deeper! Why might a med school value that activity? How does that impact why you value it?; “I’m leading this RSO because I like the RSO”—What about the RSO made an impact on you that inspired you to get more involved?) Does not engage with the broader impact or value of selected category, or does not draw a connection between the value and activty |
| What tangible skills or experience do you hope to grow during this activity? How does this activity connect to your coursework? How does it speak to your educational, professional, or personal goals? | Highlights specific skills and general takeaways that are strongly integrated into the activity
Finds tangible, meaningful connection with specific coursework OR provides context why activity does not connect to coursework Connects skills and responsibilities of activity to goals Is cohesive; all parts of the response speak to one another. |
Highlights a few specific skills the student aims to develop, or highlights general takeaways that the student connects to their activity
Finds tangible connection with coursework OR provides context why activity does not connect to coursework Connects skills and responsibilities of activity to goals |
Does not highlight specific skills that connect to activity or experiential learning category OR only highlights general skills and goals, connected to category more so than the activity
Makes vague or no reference to coursework or states that it does not connect to current coursework without providing context States that activity connects to goals without evidence |
| Student’s choice question: broader impact/considerations/reflection | Makes a sustained effort to acknowledge personal assumptions and ethical considerations of activity
Highlights the complexity of questions posed and offers examples of how this might apply in activity Attempts to offer solutions or personal practices that address issues brought up in the questions Actively connects response to personal experiences Connects response to the activity |
Acknowledges complexity of personal assumptions and ethical questions posed, but does not substantially connect to activity
Offers general, thoughtful solutions or commentary to address questions May or may not connect to a student’s relevant personal experience and project |
Might make references to the complexity of personal assumptions and ethical questions but does not directly engage them
Does not address personal assumptions or ethical questions, nor their complexity. Offers vague or no solutions or commentary and does not engage in critical thinking about the category Does not make connection to relevant personal experiences. |
Fulfilling the Experiential Learning Requirement
The intent of this requirement is to think deliberately and reflectively about experiences you are having and how those experiences tie into your education and broader goals. Keep the following in mind as you begin your experiential learning activities:
- Experiential learning does not need to be satisfied by Honors-specific opportunities. There are a wide range opportunities for students to engage in experiential learning on and off-campus.
- If your project fits into more than one of the four categories, you should choose the category that best represents the project and your goals. Please keep in mind that your two experiential learning activities must fall within different categories.
- You are not required to complete additional work outside of your established commitment to your organization or position for Experiential Learning.
- The Experiential Learning requirement will not be marked complete on your Degree Audit until two experiential learning activities have been completed. Once both activities are completed, your Degree Audit will be updated by the Friday following the final grading deadline of the quarter in which your activity ends.
- You are required to include at least one Experiential Learning activity in your portfolio (though we encourage both). On completion of one experiential learning activity and six or more Honors course requirements, you can register for HONORS 496.
Expectations and Policies
- You must submit an official application in order to count it towards the requirement. Applications are available during autumn, winter, spring, and summer quarter.
- Activities cannot be approved retroactively. Applications must be submitted by the application deadline of the quarter during which the majority of the activity will occur. If the activity is already in progress when you apply, there must be a minimum of 20 hours remaining after the application deadline.
- You must demonstrate sustained engagement in their activity. This will differ by activity, but it is a minimum of 20 hours of participation and the completion of your agreed-upon commitment to your organization or partners.
- You are required to include at least one Experiential Learning activity in your portfolio (though we encourage both). We recommend you archive your application, reflection form, and any relevant artifacts for use in your portfolio. On completion of one experiential learning activity and six or more Honors course requirements, you can register for HONORS 496.
- If you are in your first quarter of Interdisciplinary Honors, we strongly recommend completing HONORS 100 before submitting an Experiential Learning application. We will spend time in HONORS 100 exploring Experiential Learning in-depth.
Choosing a Project Supervisor
For each Experiential Learning activity, you must choose a supervisor to oversee your progress and evaluate your completion of it. This person can be associated with the UW – as faculty, staff, or student – or may be a member of the community or organization in which you are working. It is important to choose a supervisor who will have direct involvement with the project, is able and willing to supervise you throughout the project, and can submit a final evaluation of the project and your reflective component. The project supervisor’s approval and satisfactory evaluation is required in order for an activity to count toward the Experiential Learning requirement.
Learn more about the expectations for students and supervisors »
Experiential Learning Checklist
Read to apply? Ensure that your activity meets the following requirements:
Looking for an example of a past Experiential Learning application?
Frequently Asked Questions
What activities can count towards the categories of service, leadership, international engagement or research?
Our categories for experiential learning are intentionally broad; any supervised activity that you feel is helping you grow professionally, academically and/or personally, is likely eligible for experiential learning. However, it is up to you in your application to articulate how you feel your activity is helping you grow in the respective category. When submitting your application, reflect on how the activity you are pursuing is reflected in your categories definition below:
- Service: the action of helping or doing work for someone (whether paid or unpaid)
- Leadership: the action of leading a group of people or an organization
- International Engagement: responsible, and meaningful interaction with other countries, learning about places and cultures, and gaining intercultural skills in the process
- Research: research is a systematic inquiry to describe, explain, predict, and control the observed phenomenon
If I’m getting paid or getting course credit for an activity, is it still eligible for experiential learning?
Yes! As long as the activity meets the requirements listed above, it is eligible for the experiential learning requirement.
Who can my supervisor be?
Supervisors can be anyone that is in a good position to oversee your work and provide you with feedback, whether this be another student, community leader, or faculty member. Ultimately, we rely on them to both approve your activity and complete the final evaluation, so make sure you’re choosing someone reliable.
Does my supervisor need to be affiliated with UW?
No, your supervisor just needs to be someone who is in a position to oversee your work and give you good feedback.
What does the final reflection look like?
At the end of their experiential learning activity, students are asked to reflect on their experience. Some guiding prompts to consider when writing your reflection are listed below, but feel free to address other questions, or include different information if you wish.
- How has your completion of the project changed how you would answer the questions on your initial application?
- How has this project furthered your educational or personal goals and experiences?
- How does it connect to your future or current coursework?
- How did your project contribute to the work of the organization or your partners?
- Do you see yourself continuing to work with the organization or partners, or on issues related to this project?
- What did you learn about yourself and the importance of this project over the course of the last quarter?
My Degree Audit still shows my experiential learning requirement as incomplete but I know I completed one activity already, what gives?
The Experiential Learning requirement will not be marked complete on your Degree Audit until two experiential learning activities have been completed. Once both activities are completed, your Degree Audit will be updated by the Friday following the final grading deadline of the quarter in which your activity ends. If this date has passed and you do not see it in your degree audit, email uwhonors@uw.edu.