First-Year - FAQs

First-Year applicants: Apply using the Common Application.

You are a first-year applicant if you are currently in high school or you have graduated from high school but have not attempted any college courses since after graduating from high school or earning a GED. If you take college courses over the summer directly after high school graduation, you are still considered a first-year applicant.

Transfer applicants: Apply using the CU Boulder Transfer Application and see the Transfer Application FAQs.

You are a transfer student if you have graduated from high school (or completed a GED) and earned a grade or W in at least one college course from a recognized institution at any point after your high school graduation.

Domestic

To complete your application you will need:

• Permanent and mailing addresses for yourself and your parents or guardians
• College or school and major for which you will be applying
• The names, cities and attendance dates of any high schools and collegiate institutions you have attended or are currently attending
• All courses not currently posted on your high school or collegiate transcripts that will be completed before the term for which you are applying, including term/year, course title and department (also course number and credit hours for collegiate course work, if applicable)
• Activities, positions of leadership and academic honors received in high school
• Most recent employers, hours worked per week and dates of employment (first-year applicants only)
• Parents’ occupation, place of employment and level of education

International

To complete your application you will need:

• Permanent and mailing addresses for yourself and your parents or guardians
• College or school and major for which you will be applying
• The names, cities and attendance dates of any secondary schools and tertiary institutions you have attended or are currently attending
• All courses not currently posted on your high school or collegiate transcripts that will be completed before the term for which you are applying, including term/year, course title and department (also course number and credit hours for collegiate coursework, if applicable)
• Activities, positions of leadership and academic honors received in high school
• Most recent employers, hours worked per week and dates of employment (first-year applicants only)
• Parents’ occupation, place of employment and level of education

The benefit of applying by the non-binding early action deadline is to give first-year applicants a guaranteed notification date. If you have chosen CU Boulder as one of your top schools and apply by the early action deadline, you will receive a notification of admission, deferral to Regular Decision or denial by February 1. A completed application includes the Common App, high school transcripts, essays and letter of recommendation. Early action only pertains to summer and fall applicants; spring applicants have one deadline - October 1.

Yes. Because our decision is non-binding, you are still permitted to apply to other schools that use an early admissions program such as early action or early decision. Early action is for first-year applicants only.

No. The non-binding early action decision allows you to apply to and enroll at another school if you so choose. Early action only pertains to summer and fall applicants, spring applicants have one deadline - October 1.

First-Year applicants: Complete the personal essay and writing supplement listed below.

Personal Essay (required, 250–650 words): Choose one of the seven essays from the Common Application.

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Short Answer Question: (This short answer must be different written responses than what you provided for the Common Application essay)

• Required question (250 word limit) – What do you hope to study, and why, at CU Boulder? Or if you are still exploring, what area(s) of study are you considering? Think about your prior/current coursework, extracurricular activities, work/volunteer experiences, future goals, or anything else that has shaped your interests. 

Transfer applicants: Complete academic interest question listed below.

• Transfer Academic Interest (required, 250 word limt): What do you hope to study, and why, at CU Boulder? Or if you are still exploring, what area(s) of study are you considering? Think about your prior/current coursework, extracurricular activities, work/volunteer experiences, future goals, or anything else that has shaped your interests. 

Yes. If you graduated high school after 1988, the Office of Admissions needs your final, official or unofficial transcript including your graduation date in order to complete your file and give you an admission decision. Transcripts should be sent by mail or electronically to transcripts@colorado.edu or uploaded to your application or status page. Transfer students should refer to the Transfer FAQ page.

As long as you come to CU Boulder the fall after you graduate high school, your summer classes will not make you a transfer student. However, if you take a break before coming to CU (e.g. graduate in spring, take summer classes, and don't come to CU until spring, summer or fall of the next year), you will be reclassified as a transfer student.

If you apply with the intention of attending CU Boulder directly after you graduate high school, we do not require transcripts for any college work completed while you were in high school in order to review your application for an admission decision. However, if you are admitted, you will be required to submit official transcripts for all college work completed while in high school so we may review the work and, if applicable, award you credit.

If you are applying as a transfer student, you will need to submit unofficial or official transcripts for all completed college work, including college work completed during high school, in order to complete your application for an admission decision. process. If you submit unofficial documents, gain admission to CU Boulder and choose to attend, we will require official transcripts upon enrollment.

The Office of Admissions does not host interviews, but we would love to connect with you by phone, email or during a visit program to talk with you about CU Boulder or answer any questions. If there is something that you would like to explain in your application, we encourage you to use the essays to articulate information. Contact the Office of Admissions Service Center at 303-492-6301 to speak with one of our current students, contact your admission counselor or come see us at one of our campus visit programs.

If you have questions about how to complete CU Boulder’s application, please contact our office at 303-492-6301.

If you have questions about the Common Application, please follow the instructions on their website regarding how to receive support.

All materials must be received by our office by the deadline in order to be considered for that deadline.

A completed application consists of:

• Common Application
• $65 application fee, $70 for international students or approved fee waiver
• Official or unofficial high school transcripts*
• Common Application essay and short answer response
• One letter of recommendation

*Official transcripts can be sent electronically by the issuing institution to transcripts@colorado.edu. Unofficial transcripts can be self-submitted to transcripts@colorado.edu or uploaded to your status page. Transcripts written in a language other than English must be accompanied by a literal certified English translation.

No, you are not required to submit test scores. If you would like to have them considered, you should indicate this on your Common Application. To submit scores, you can self-report in the application, upload an unofficial score report to your application status page, or submit an official score report to CU Boulder.

The easiest and fastest way for your ACT and/or SAT scores to be received by CU Boulder is to self report them using your application status page. If you did not request your scores to be sent to CU Boulder when you registered for the exam, you will need to request an additional score report from either ACT or SAT.

CU Boulder's SAT code is 4841 and the ACT code is 0532.

For first-year applicants: One letter of recommendation is required to complete your application. Make sure you choose someone who can provide good insight into your character and your abilities as a student. If you choose to submit additional letters of recommendation, we suggest sending no more than two. Make sure you choose people who know you well and can talk about your strengths and how you will contribute to the CU Boulder community.

Official transcripts are mailed or sent electronically directly to us by the issuing institution or by the student if the transcript is still in its original sealed envelope. Unofficial transcripts can be used for the purpose of making admissions decisions. All credentials written in languages other than English must be accompanied by a literal certified English translation.

Note: Official transcripts sent via a third party to the student and then uploaded to the application status page are considered unofficial transcripts. 

Official transcripts can be sent to CU Boulder from your school by mail or electronically to transcripts@colorado.edu - we also accept unofficial transcripts uploaded to your status page or emailed to transcripts@colorado.edu. Mailed transcripts received by October 1 will meet the spring application deadline; received by November 15 will meet the first-year, non-binding, early action fall and summer deadline; received by January 15 will meet the first-year fall and summer application deadline. 

First-year applicants: Payable online at the time you submit your Common Application. We recognize that some students may be faced with financial constraints in paying the application fee. Waivers can be granted for documented hardships. Request an application fee waiver at the time of submitting your Common Application.

We extend our support to any student who may have been affected by significant natural disasters or other disruptions. We understand that such disruptions may make it challenging to submit applications, transcripts, and letters of recommendation in time for CU Boulder’s application deadlines. Please contact your admissions counselor explaining your situation and they will work with you to find a solution.

Upon submitting your application, you will receive an email with instructions on how to access your application status page. Your application status page will provide important information regarding the status of your application, such as if we are missing anything or if a decision has been made. If you applied through the Common Application, please allow 1-2 business days for your application to get into our system and to receive your application status page activation email.

No. Once you submit your Common Application, you will not be able to request a major change until after your application is complete and a decision is released. 

You may be able to make some updates to your application in your status page. If you are unable to or have more specific questions, please reach out to your admissions counselor or contact us at admissions@colorado.edu.

First-year applicants: You can check your application status, as well as what we have and have not received, through your application status page. If you submit a required credential electronically, please give us at least two weeks to receive, process and update your checklist. If you submit a required credential by mail, please give us at least four weeks to receive, process and update your checklist.

In order for us to populate your checklist, we need at least four business days after you submit your application to review our systems and properly connect your documents with your application. If it has been more than four business days since you have applied, more than two weeks since you submitted a required credential electronically or more than four weeks since you submitted a required credential by mail, please contact our office at 303-492-6301 or admissions@colorado.edu.

If you submit a required document through the document upload feature on your application status page, please allow 15-20 minutes for your checklist to update. If you submit a required credential electronically, please give us at least two weeks to receive, process and update your checklist. If you submit a required credential by mail, please give us at least four weeks to receive, process and update your checklist.

We accept official test scores through the testing agency or if you have chosen to submit test scores but they still show as missing, you can upload an unofficial score report in your status page.

If you have requested that your transcript be sent to us, please give at least four weeks to process and begin to evaluate your application and required credentials. If you have questions about what has been received after that amount of time has passed, please contact our office at 303-492-6301 or at admissions@colorado.edu

• Dates (mo./day/yr.) of continuous physical residence in Colorado
• Dates (mo./day/yr.) of absences from Colorado of more than two months in duration within the past two years
• Dates (mo./day/yr.) of employment in Colorado
• Exact years for which personal resident Colorado income tax returns were filed
• Dates (mo./day/yr.) of active duty military service
• Dates (mo./day/yr.) stationed in Colorado
• Dates you/your family member have had a Colorado driver’s license or ID card (mo./day/yr.)
• Current Colorado driver’s license or ID card number
• Exact years of Colorado motor vehicle registration
• Current Colorado license plate number
• State in which currently registered to vote
• Dates (mo./day/yr.) of Colorado voter registration
• Dates (mo./day/yr.) of ownership of a home in Colorado that is your/your family member's primary residence.

We do not require first-time first-year students to submit a college transcript in order for us to make an admission decision. If you are admitted and confirm your intent to enroll, you must submit your official, final college transcript by July 1. Once you are admitted and confirm your intent to enroll, your transcript will be evaluated for transfer credit within two weeks of your final transcript being received.

First-year applicants:

• Fall and Summer: If you applied and all of your required materials were received in our office by November 15, you will receive notification by February 1. If you applied and all of your required materials were received in our office after November 15, but by January 15, you will receive notification by April 1.
• Spring: We begin processing applications for the spring term on a rolling basis after the October 1 deadline. After this date, please give us six to eight weeks to receive, process and begin to evaluate your application and required credentials.

Once we process your application and required credentials, we may find that additional credentials are needed in order to consider you for admission. Please submit these credentials as soon as possible so we may review your application and provide you with an admission decision. If you submit a required credential electronically, please give us at least two weeks to receive, process and update your checklist. If you submit a required credential by mail, please give us at least four weeks to receive, process and update your checklist.

It may mean that your application was not complete by November 15, or that we are still missing required material(s) from you before we can process your decision. Please check your application status page and contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@colorado.edu if you have additional questions.

Your admission decision is also posted online. Applicants can check their status on their application status page.

It may mean that your application was not complete by January 15, or that we are still missing required material(s) from you before we can process your decision. Please check your application status page and contact the admissions office at admissions@colorado.edu if you have additional questions.

Your admission decision is also posted online. Applicants can check their status on their application status page.

Early action applicants will learn of their decision no later than February 1.

No. All applications are reviewed using the same admission criteria. Applicants who apply by the November 15 non-binding, early action deadline are not only guaranteed an early decision, but are also given the opportunity to strengthen their application if the Office of Admissions requests additional information. Visit our plan page for more information regarding how applications are reviewed.

The CU Boulder Scholarship Application becomes available on November 1. Once you have submitted your admission application, you are eligible to apply for CU Boulder scholarships. You do not have to be admitted to begin your scholarship application.  

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) (including school code 001370) will be available for submission starting on October 1. We encourage you to submit your FAFSA as soon as possible. You can apply for financial aid before receiving a CU Boulder admissions decision. 

Official Advancement Placement (AP) scores must be sent to the Office of Admissions directly from the College Board. CU Boulder's CEEB/ETS code is 004841.

International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations, whether leading to a full IB diploma or to an IB certificate, often qualify students for advanced standing at CU Boulder. In general, credit is granted for approved IB examinations at the higher level with a score of four or better. Students admitted to the University of Colorado Boulder, who have graduated from high school having successfully completed an IB Diploma program, shall be granted 24 semester hours of college credit. This credit will be considered applicable toward degree requirements only if approved by the college or school. Depending on the student’s degree program, some of the 24 credits may not be applicable towards degree requirements. No CU Boulder tuition will be charged for these credits and the 24 credits will only be granted if the student receives a score of four or better on an examination administered as part of the IB Diploma program. If the student scores less than four on each IB subject test, the credit hours granted shall be reduced accordingly. Official scores must be sent to the admissions office directly from the IB organization.

Please note: Scores should be sent once all tests are completed and scores are reported--usually at the end of the senior year and not in between your junior and senior year.

Visit Credit by Examination page for more information.

Prior to receiving an admission decision and before the first day of classes for the initial application term, you may request to move your application to a future term (within one year), by using the term change form on your application status page. If you would like to withdraw your application, you may do so by using the withdrawal option available on the right-hand margin of your application status page.

If you have not yet accepted your admission offer and have decided not to attend CU Boulder, log into your application status page, click the 'Confirm your intent to enroll' form, and select 'I decline my offer of admission.'

If you have accepted your admissions offer and paid the $200 confirmation deposit, you can request to move your enrollment for up to one year by using the term change form on your status page. If you are considering deferring to a different entry term, please read through our Things to Know About Requesting a Term Change webpage.

If you have accepted your admission offer, but have decided not to attend CU Boulder, and if classes haven't started, email admissions@colorado.edu to request a withdrawal. Please be sure to include your full name, date of birth, and student ID in your email. If classes have started, you will need to submit a withdrawal form to the Office of the Registrar. Find out more about withdrawing here. 

Please note, if you cancel your application or withdraw before the third Wednesday of classes (i.e., you don't receive W grades on your transcript), you're no longer an active student. If you decide to come back to CU Boulder, you'll need to submit a new admission application.

Yes. To complete your student record, the Office of Admissions requires the submission of official final transcripts from all institutions attended. Failure to submit final transcripts will result in a hold that will prevent registration for your second semester. For transcripts to be considered official, they must be sent electronically or by mail directly to CU Boulder Admissions from the issuing institution. Official transcripts can be sent to CU Boulder from your institution by mail or electronically to transcripts@colorado.edu. Please note: Official transcript review can take 3–5 weeks. 

If you are student with a disability and would like to request services from Disability Services, you can submit documentation of your disability and request an intake and a Disability Specialist. Disability Services is located in the Center for Community, Suite 200, or by calling 303-492-8671 or emailing dsinfo@colorado.edu. For more information, visit the Disability Services website.

Congratulations on your admission to CU Boulder! Please log in to your application status page to confirm your intent to enroll. The confirmation deadline for the fall term is May 1. Students admitted to the summer term should confirm their intent to enroll as soon as they are ready, as summer registration for incoming students often opens in April.

Students in Exploratory Studies have demonstrated significant academic achievement and potential. While not directly admissible to the competitive degree program of application, students possess the skills necessary to succeed at CU. Exploratory Studies recognizes there are several pathways to disciplines such as business, engineering or design. Our advisors help students identify the pathway that best matches their goals, whether that be their original program of application or the discovery of a different option.

No. Students in Exploratory Studies will graduate from one of the seven colleges, schools or programs on the Boulder campus. University Exploration & Advising Center (UEAC) advisors work with first year Exploratory Studies students to develop academic pathways for more than 70 majors and to discover complementary co-curricular experiences that align with their interests.

Many students transfer to one of the degree-granting academic colleges and schools on campus after their first year or opt to continue with Exploratory Studies through their third semester.

We are currently updating our criteria for the automatic consideration scholarships. Please check the Office of Financial Aid website for more details.

If you are admitted and confirm your intent to enroll, your AP, IB or previous college course work will be evaluated to determine what credits will transfer to CU Boulder and how this will be applied to your degree. This process can take several weeks after you have confirmed your intent to enroll.

We continue to see record number of applications every year. Unfortunately, this results in us having many more qualified applicants than we are able to offer admission at this time. If you would like to accept your waitlist offer, please complete the Waitlist Request Form in your application status page.

You should accept your spot on the waitlist in your application status page for best consideration. We will not consider additional transcripts, letters of recommendation, or other items for waitlisted students.

Every year is different, and as we continue to review applications, our waitlist evolves and changes. In previous years, we have admitted as few as zero and as many as the entire waitlist. If you would like to accept your waitlist offer, please complete the Waitlist Request Form in your application status page.

No, we do not rank our waitlist. We review applicants on our waitlist periodically based on space availability. If you would like to accept your spot on the waitlist, you should complete the Waitlist form in your application status page. This is the best way to indicate you are still interested in CU Boulder.

We will continue to review space availability throughout the spring, up until and even after May 1st. If space becomes available at any point, we will notify you via email and your application status page. We will provide all final decisions before July 1.

No, you are not able to appeal your waitlist decision. If you would like your application to still be in consideration should additional space become available, please complete the Waitlist Request Form to accept your spot on the waitlist. Accepting your spot on the waitlist is the best way to indicate you are still interested in CU Boulder, should space become available.

Yes, you can still apply for federal financial aid using the FAFSA; you do not need to be admitted to CU Boulder in order to do so. Most scholarships in the CU Boulder scholarship application close on March 15, but some opportunities may still be available. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid with questions.

Yes! Please view our decisions definitions document that goes into detail about what all of our admissions decisions mean. If you have any further questions please contact your admissions counselor. 

Due to increasing numbers of applications and the overall strength of the applicant pool, some students who did not receive admission into their first-choice major are admitted to Arts & Sciences Open Option. While not directly admissible to the selective degree program of application, students possess the skills necessary to succeed at CU. Students have the option to stay in Arts & Sciences Open Option and explore the 40+ majors offered or may choose any program in the College of Arts & Sciences, select majors in the College of Media, Communication and Information, or the School of Education through their confirmation form in their application status page.

Students who applied to the College of Engineering or the Leeds School of Business and received the alternate major options may choose a new major when you complete the ‘Accept or decline your admission offer form’ located in your application status page.

While you may choose to remain in Arts & Sciences - Open Option, students are strongly encouraged to consider a major in either A&S, CMCI, or the School of Education when confirming their enrollment. This ensures progress towards degree requirements from the start of your time at CU Boulder. Once you have chosen a new major and paid your $200 confirmation deposit, you will be directly admitted into your chosen major.

Available majors are as follows:

• College of Arts and Sciences – any major
• College of Media, Communication & Information – Communication, Information Science, or Media Studies
• School of Education – Leadership/Community Engagement or Education Studies

If you would like to wait on declaring a major and further explore your interests, you can remain an “Arts & Sciences - Open Option student.” While not a major with which you can graduate, it signals a desire to explore our majors and our academic advisors will help you craft a first-year experience accordingly.

While you may choose to remain in Arts & Sciences - Open Option, students are strongly encouraged to consider a major in either A&S, CMCI, or the School of Education when confirming their enrollment. This ensures progress towards degree requirements from the start of your time at CU Boulder. You will still need to confirm your intent to enroll and pay your $200 confirmation deposit through the confirmation form in your application status page.

You will be required to submit the criminal history supplemental form which will be added to your application status page after you submit your application. You will also be required to upload your arrest report or other court documents with this form. Your criminal history information will undergo a specific review separate from the admissions review. Find more information about the Conduct Review process.

Any stalking, sexual assault and/or domestic violence offense needs to be reported no matter how long ago the incident took place. Any assault, kidnapping, voluntary manslaughter or murder charges within the past 5 years need to be reported. Please be as thorough as possible in your explanation.

Applicants who have a pending criminal charge OR who have ever been adjudicated guilty or convicted of assault, kidnapping, voluntary manslaughter or murder within the past 5 years OR who have ever been adjudicated guilty or convicted of stalking, sexual assault and/or domestic violence must disclose this information.

Applicants answering ‘yes’ to any of these questions will undergo an additional review by a committee to determine whether the applicant’s offense(s) should have an impact on their admission decision. Factors included in the review process include the nature and gravity of any conduct and whether it bears a direct relationship to a particular aspect of the applicant’s admission, the time passed since the occurrence, the age of the applicant at the time of the conduct and evidence of rehabilitation or good conduct provided by the applicant. For more information please visit our Criminal and/or Disciplinary History Procedures page. 

The review process will be completed within a reasonable period of time and may generally take 2-4 weeks following the receipt of all necessary information. This timeline may be extended if additional information is pending from the applicant or third parties such as probations officers, law enforcement agencies, etc. or in other circumstance of good cause as determined by CU Boulder. If the timeline is extended, applicants will be notified of the updated timeline.

No. All applicants who have answered ‘yes’ to the criminal history questions are reviewed on an individual basis.

All applicants denied as a result of their criminal history information have the right to appeal this decision. For more information please visit our Criminal and/or Disciplinary History Procedures page. 

It is required that all applicants disclose their background in the application. If a student is found to have provided inaccurate information on the application, they may be subject to disciplinary action – including revocation of admission and/or dismissal from the university – due to a violation of the Student Code of Conduct.

All applicants are required to notify the Office of Admissions if this information changes after they submit their application for admission. You may contact the Office of Admissions at 303-492-6301 to discuss your options.

You will be required to provide an explanation of your disciplinary history in the application for admission. After submitting your application, you may be asked to submit supporting documentation, like a disciplinary report or other documentation from your school. Your disciplinary history will undergo a specific review separate from the admissions review. More information about the Conduct Review process can be found at www.colorado.edu/policies/procedure-applicants-conduct. 

All explanations should include the approximate date(s) of the probation(s)/suspension(s)/expulsion(s), the sanctions issued (e.g., two-day suspension, five-day suspension, expulsion, etc.), and a description of the specific actions that led to the sanctions. Please note that it is important to describe the specific behavior that led to the sanctions. A description such as “I was suspended, because I broke school rules” is not sufficient. Incomplete descriptions will delay the processing of your application. 

Applicants answering ‘yes’ to the disciplinary history question will undergo an additional review by a committee to determine whether the applicant’s offense(s) should have an impact on their admission decision. Factors included in the review process include the nature and gravity of any conduct and whether it bears a direct relationship to a particular aspect of the applicant’s admission, the time passed since the occurrence, the age of the applicant at the time of the conduct and evidence of rehabilitation or good conduct provided by the applicant. For more information please visit our Criminal and/or Disciplinary History Procedures page. 

The review process will be completed within a reasonable period of time and may generally take 2-4 weeks following the receipt of all necessary information. This timeline may be extended if additional information is requested or in other circumstance of good cause as determined by CU Boulder. If the timeline is extended, applicants will be notified of the updated timeline. 

All applicants denied as a result of their disciplinary history information have the right to appeal this decision. For more information please visit our Criminal and/or Disciplinary History Procedures page. 

It is required that all applicants disclose their background in the application. If a student is found to have provided inaccurate information on the application, they may be subject to disciplinary action – including revocation of admission and/or dismissal from the university – due to a violation of the Student Code of Conduct. 

All applicants are required to notify the Office of Admissions if this information changes after they submit their application for admission. You may contact the Office of Admissions at 303-492-6301 to discuss your options. 

Due to recent legislation in the state of Colorado, the conduct review process has been split into pre-admission and post-admission phases in order to allow greater access to education for applicants. The pre-admission questions you answered on the application were specifically targeted to certain offenses, while the post-admission questions are broader and will determine eligibility to participate in campus life. How you answer the post-admission questions will not affect your admission or your ability to enroll at CU Boulder.

Not filling out the form on your status page will prevent a housing assignment from being released and will prevent you from registering for your second semester on campus. It will not prevent you from confirming your intent to enroll, applying for housing or registering for your first semester.

Visit our COVID-19 Information website for information on the campus' mask policy, vaccine requirement and other public health guidance.