2026 Application Timeline and Honors Day

2026 Application Timeline

• Friday, January 9: Centralized Application Portal Opens at 3 p.m. CST
• Sunday, February 1: Centralized Application Portal Closes at 11:59 p.m. CST
• Monday, February 9: Outstanding Student Award application deadline at 11:59 p.m. CST
  • Some awards have deadlines beyond February 9. Please see the Awards page for specific deadlines.
• Friday, April 4: Tapping on the Mound Ceremony at 1:30 p.m. CST on the Mound at the UA Quad (Rain Location – UA Student Center Ballroom)

Honor Society Application

The following Honor Societies will utilize the application portal for the 2026 application cycle:

• The Anderson Society
• Blue Key Honor Society
• The Carl A. Elliott Society
• Lambda Sigma
• Mortar Board
• Omicron Delta Kappa
• Iota Iota Iota

There are an additional 25+ Honor Societies that are not using the centralized application portal. Students interested in a Society not listed above should contact that society directly using the contact information provided on the UA Honor Socieities website or on mySOURCE.

I missed the deadline. Can I still apply?

No. The centralized application cannot be reopened.

When will I be notified about selections?

• Notification timeline: Selection notifications are expected to begin on or after Friday, March 6. While timelines may vary or fluctuate by honor society, applicants should not anticipate receiving any notifications prior to this date.
• Blue Key, Anderson Society, Mortar Board, Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK), and Outstanding Student Award recipients: Selected applicants will be notified via email indicating they have been selected for one or more senior honor societies or an outstanding student recognition. These individuals are formally recognized during the tapping ceremony; however, it is tradition to keep selections confidential until that time.
• Elliott Society, Lambda Sigma, and Triota: These organizations notify their inductees independently and follow their own notification timelines. Questions regarding selection or notification should be directed to the respective organization.
• Non-selection notifications: Some honor societies choose to notify students who are not selected, while others do not. Questions regarding selection or notification should be directed to the respective organization.

I met all the criteria, have a 4.0, and I’m highly involved. There must be a mistake and I was not selected.

The Honor Society and Outstanding Student Award process at The University of Alabama is highly selective, with most societies selecting less than 30% of applicants. Meeting the criteria does not guarantee acceptance, and many who exceed the criteria are not selected. As this is a uniquely competitive process, please do not be discouraged if you are not selected, but consider instead applying again next year.

Please trust that this does not diminish your collegiate success, potential, or contributions!

I have been selected for an honor society. Will I participate in Tapping on the Mound?

Tapping on the Mound is a ceremony for senior honor societies, including Anderson Society, Blue Key Honor Society, Mortar Board, and Omicron Delta Kappa.

Other honor societies may host their own induction ceremonies or recognition celebrations. Details about those events will be shared directly by the respective societies.

Outstanding Student Awards

The following Outstanding Student Awards will be accepting applications:

• Outstanding Freshman Award
• Outstanding Sophomore Award
• Outstanding Junior Award
• Outstanding Senior Award
• Outstanding Transfer Award
• Outstanding Graduate Award

More information about each individual award including criteria, application details, and deadlines can be found on the Awards page.

I made a mistake on my application. Can I fix it?

Students should contact the sponsoring organization directly regarding any application issues. See the Awards page for contact information.

When will I be notified?

You may or may not be notified prior to Honors Day. Some organizations notify the award winners, while others do not. If they have been selected to win an award, they and their family will be invited to the Honors Day Ceremony.

It is up to each sponsoring organization whether they send rejection notifications.

Did my application go through?

Student should contact the sponsoring organization.

Families

Will families know which honor society and/or award their student was selected for before the ceremony?

To preserve the tradition and surprise of Tapping on the Mound, the specific honor societies and awards a student is selected for are not shared in advance. Families will not be notified of the exact number of societies or awards prior to the ceremony.

Parents or guardians listed on the student’s application will receive an email confirming that their student has been selected for one or more honors. Details regarding individual societies and awards will be revealed during the Tapping on the Mound ceremony.

Ceremony Logistics?

Logistics can change based on weather. We will provide additional details via email. However, the following things to consider if you plan to attend:

• Seating at the outdoor ceremony is first come, first served.
• Accessible seating will be available. Please remind your student to list accommodations needed on their Honoree Survey (received via email).
• Guests typically begin arriving to the Mound as early as 12 p.m. (noon).
• You can take pictures from your seats, as well as before and after the ceremony; due to live-streaming, we will request that individuals do NOT approach the Mound to take photos during the event.
• The ceremony last approximately 90 minutes.
• The ceremony will be live-streamed for those who are unable to attend. Details for accessing the livestream will be made available and posted to our information page.
• Parking is available at the Campus Drive Deck, as well as the UA Student Center Deck.