Admissions COVID-19 FAQs

We ask that you confirm your enrollment and reserve your place in our incoming class by May 1. Students can continue to confirm after May 1 if space is available.

The confirmation deposit is non-refundable.  However, if you have extenuating financial circumstances, we will review deposit refund requests on an individual basis until August 1.  Please email admissions@colorado.edu to request a deposit refund including details of your request and circumstances. 

You can request a confirmation deposit payment extension through your application status page when you confirm your intent to enroll. You will be prompted to complete the request form when you click on the “Accept or Decline your offer of admission” form.

You can request a term change or deferral for up to a year by submitting the term change request form located on the right-hand side of your application status change.  You will receive confirmation of your term change in 2-4 business days. Deferral requests must be made prior to the start of the term to which you were admitted. For example, if you are admitted for Fall 2020, you must submit your request for deferral no later than August 24.

We recommend deferring your admission for up to one year and then contacting us to request further deferral exceptions once that year has passed.  At that time, you will need to specify why you are requesting an exception to defer for longer than one year.  Please keep in mind that merit scholarships cannot be maintained for deferrals longer than one year. Military and other special circumstances may be allowed to defer for a longer period.

If you have questions about deferring, contact your admissions counselor. We encourage students to wait to make a deferral decision until more information becomes available. You should only submit the request if you are certain that you cannot enroll for the fall semester, whether that is in person or online. 

Although we currently require an official final transcript with graduation date to be issued directly from your academic institution before financial aid can be disbursed, we understand that it may be difficult to obtain your transcript due to COVID-19.  We will continue to monitor the situation, evaluate new guidance and update policies as appropriate.  You can also contact the Office of Admissions and we will be happy to work with you in your individual situation.

We understand that the spring 2020 academic term may have been disrupted due to the response to the COVID-19 outbreak and realize that the grades received may not be a true reflection of your academic achievement. We will not rescind your admission if you graduate high school.

If you have already paid your confirmation deposit, it is better to wait until you have decided where you are going, then to withdraw your deposit at that time. You may also choose to defer your enrollment for up to one year. You can request a term change or deferral for up to a year by submitting the term change request form located on the right-hand side of your application status change.  You will receive confirmation of your term change in 2-4 business days.

If you wish to take a gap year, we recommend you defer your admission. You can request a term change or deferral for up to a year by submitting the term change request form located on the right-hand side of your application status change.  You will receive confirmation of your term change in 2-4 business days.

Yes. However, it is important for you to make sure you register for classes that will transfer. Learn more at colorado.edu/admissions/2018/09/17/will-my-credits-transfer-cu.

Any passing grades will be considered as successful completion of the course.

Yes. We recognize all the work that goes into taking an AP or IB course and/or studying for the exam. Rest assured that a change in testing format does not change how CU Boulder awards credit for AP exams or IB credit. For more information on these policies and required scores, visit the credit by examination webpage.

Our intention is to be back in-person this fall, as much as circumstances allow. Informed by the latest data, science and public health guidance, our campus is taking steps to create an innovative, in-person, residential experience that will keep our community safe, ensure access and quality for our students and advance our academic and research mission during the COVID-19 era this fall. For the latest information about CU Boulder’s COVID-19-ready fall semester, visit the Road Map to Fall 2020 website.

Our intention this fall, as much as circumstances will allow, is to resume our in-person, residential campus experience in a modified form that enables social distancing and mitigates COVID-19 health risks. Our decision-making will take into consideration a variety of factors, the primary being the latest data, science and public health guidance we receive at the local, state and federal levels. For the latest information about CU Boulder’s COVID-19-ready fall semester, visit the Road Map to Fall 2020 website.

Our intention this fall, as much as circumstances will allow, is to resume our in-person, residential campus experience in a modified form that enables social distancing and mitigates COVID-19 health risks. Our decision-making will take into consideration a variety of factors, the primary being the latest data, science and public health guidance we receive at the local, state and federal levels. Our university works closely with the local public health department and with the state. Our decisions on university operations will continue to align with social distancing recommendations in place at the time. For the latest information about CU Boulder’s COVID-19-ready fall semester, visit the Road Map to Fall 2020 website.

For the latest information about CU Boulder’s COVID-19-ready fall semester, and the health and safety measures CU Boulder is taking, visit the Road Map to Fall 2020 website.

These issues are being considered and answers will be posted as soon as information is available.

Yes, if the course is eligible for transfer credit, CU Boulder will accept a ‘P’ or ‘S’ grade (or equivalent) earned in the spring 2020 semester or quarter in transfer credit.

Those colleges and schools who use specific letter-grade thresholds for specific courses for transfer admission will accept a ‘P’ or ‘S’ grade earned in spring 2020 for any of those courses in lieu of a letter grade.

Yes. We recognize all the work that goes into taking an AP or IB course and/or studying for the exam. Rest assured that a change in testing format does not change how CU Boulder awards credit for AP exams or IB credit. For more information on these policies and required scores, visit the credit by examination webpage.

Yes. We understand it may be difficult for you to submit an official college or high school transcript(s) at this time. If you have not already submitted official transcripts, we will accept an unofficial copy of your transcript(s) for review and decision purposes.

Not at all. We are here to support you and continue to review and notify applicants of their decision within 4-6 weeks of submitting a completed application.

The confirmation deadline for transfer students is June 15 if you received your admission decision on or before June 1. For those admitted after June 1 we ask for you to confirm within two weeks of receiving that decision. If you need more time to decide if you want to confirm, please contact your admission counselor.

Our application is still open for fall.  We encourage you to submit your application and all required documents as soon as possible since we do not know how long the application will remain open. Decisions will be made on a rolling basis after your complete application is received. 

• Will there be merit aid awarded?
  No.  In order to be considered for merit aid, you must have applied by our January 15 Regular Decision Application Deadline. 
• Can I apply for financial aid? 
  Yes, please complete your FAFSA and include us as a school to send it to (001370). 
• Will any of the CARES funding be saved for incoming students? 
  CARES funding will be considered for enrolled students.

Admitted graduate students should contact their department and request a term change/deferral. The graduate department can choose to approve or deny any deferral requests. All departments have been encouraged by the Graduate School to be as flexible as possible with deferral requests. 

This is determined by each department and we recommend you contact your department for more information.

Our intention this fall, as much as circumstances will allow, is to resume our in-person, residential campus experience in a modified form that enables social distancing and mitigates COVID-19 health risks. Our decision-making will take into consideration a variety of factors, the primary being the latest data, science and public health guidance we receive at the local, state and federal levels. For the latest information about CU Boulder’s COVID-19-ready fall semester, visit the Road Map to Fall 2020 website.

Our intention this fall, as much as circumstances will allow, is to resume our in-person, residential campus experience in a modified form that enables social distancing and mitigates COVID-19 health risks. Our decision-making will take into consideration a variety of factors, the primary being the latest data, science and public health guidance we receive at the local, state and federal levels. For the latest information about CU Boulder’s COVID-19-ready fall semester, visit the Road Map to Fall 2020 website.

Our intention this fall, as much as circumstances will allow, is to resume our in-person, residential campus experience in a modified form that enables social distancing and mitigates COVID-19 health risks. Our decision-making will take into consideration a variety of factors, the primary being the latest data, science and public health guidance we receive at the local, state and federal levels. Our university works closely with the local public health department and with the state. Our decisions on university operations will continue to align with social distancing recommendations in place at the time. For the latest information about CU Boulder’s COVID-19-ready fall semester, visit the Road Map to Fall 2020 website.

For the latest information about CU Boulder’s COVID-19-ready fall semester, and the health and safety measures CU Boulder is taking, visit the Road Map to Fall 2020 website.

Due to Embassy closures and the ongoing global impacts of COVID-19, we have extended the enrollment date for international students to June 15, 2020. We will continue to monitor the situation and evaluate new guidelines as information becomes available. We encourage you to contact your Admissions Counselor if you have any questions.

We don't know the answer to this question yet, but these issues are being considered and answers will be posted as soon as information is available.

We don't know the answer to this question yet, but these issues are being considered and answers will be posted as soon as information is available.

I-20s must be used to apply for the term to which you were admitted. Currently, I-20s are being emailed to students directly, and are being sent to confirmed international students outside of the United States three business days after a term change request has been submitted. When a student who has already confirmed submits a term change request, they will automatically have a new I-20 for the correct term emailed to them after three business days.

 Yes, on an individual basis. Please contact your Admissions Counselor for more information.