First-Year Students

Prepare for Registration

Run and review degree audit
Degree Audits Explained
Check that transfer/AP/IB credits processed and speak with your advisor if you want to change your major or minor.
Schedule advising appointment (watch this video for instructions)

View your enrollment date and time (visit the Office of the Registrar for instructions)
Check for any registration holds in Buff Portal!

Complete registration for classes on your enrollment date. Learn more »
Most students will register after Thanksgiving.

View the spring 2021 class schedule
Learn more about classes via the CU Boulder Catalog
Search for classes and add to cart
See this how-to video for instructions

Continuing Student Registration Guide

Follow these steps to prepare for class registration.

Review Degree Audit in Buff Portal (Feb. 1 to 15)

How to navigate the official student portal:

Click on the hamburger menu icon () next to Buff Portal and type 'Degree Audit' in search field or click on Registration Checklist.

Click on the arrow next to 'Run a Degree Audit' to expand the menu and run your report. Do not simply click 'Run a Degree Audit', all that does is check a box!

Click on Transfer Evaluation, if applicable, to review AP/IB/Transfer credit.

Request an audit type:

For declared programs, click Run Declared Programs.
To view alternative programs of interest, click Select Different Program. Select criteria from the drop-down menus. Click Run Different Program.

After the degree audit is finished processing, click View Audit (look for the link on the right).

From the degree audit, make a list of classes for major(s), minor(s), certificate(s) and/or core (general education) classes to take in the upcoming term.
New first-year students are encouraged to register for a minimum of 13 credits from the class options below.

View Sample Schedules

CMCI 1010 Concepts and Creativity 1: Media, Communication, Information—4 credits (required class for Fall 2020)
Select from CMCI Core Class(es)—3 to 7 credits:
- Quantitative Reasoning or Computing or Natural World
- Lower Division Composition
  - WRTG 1160: CMCI First-Year Writing and Rhetoric (recommended)—3
- People and Society
- Humanities and the Arts
- Historical Views
- Diversity and Global Cultures
A 1000-level and/or 2000-level class(es) listed for your major(s), such as—3 to 6 credits:
- Communication:
  - COMM 1210: Perspectives on Human Communication—3
  - COMM 1300: Public Speaking—3
  - COMM 1600: Group Interaction—3
- Information Science:
  - INFO 1111 (Fall): Introduction to Information Science: Understanding the World Through Data—4
  - INFO 1121 (Spring): Introduction to Information Science: Designing Interactions—4
- Media Production:
  - CMDP 1400: Introduction to Contemporary Media Cultures—4
- Media Studies:
  - MDST 1001: Foundations of Media Studies—3
  - MDST 1002: Introduction to Social Media—3
  - MDST 2002: Media and Communication History—3
- Journalism:
  - JRNL 1000: Principles of Journalism and Networked Communication—3
- Strategic Communication:
  - APRD 1003: Principles of Communication—3
Class(es) for secondary area of study (second major/minor/certificate)—2 to 4 credits
Elective class—1 to 3 credits

Make an Appointment with an Advisor (Feb. 1 to March 15)

Click on the advisor's photo under 'Student Success Team' to view their calendar.

Click on an available meeting to reserve an appointment.

Confirm or cancel appointments by clicking 'Show History' under My Meetings in the upper-right corner of the Buff Portal Advising Site.

View the Buff Portal Advising Student User Guide for more details.

Check Your Enrollment Date (March 4)

The Office of the Registrar notifies students via email when enrollment dates are posted.

To check individual enrollment dates:

Click on Registration Checklist and select the term from the drop-down menu.

Note: The enrollment appointment is listed in mountain (MST) time. Complete the following steps as close to the enrollment start date and time as possible!

Check for Any Holds or To-Do Items (March 4 to March 25)

Holds and To-Do items are listed in Buff Portal.

View any Holds and To-Dos.

Expand the menu for more information.

Holds: Prevent you from taking some kind of action (i.e. registering for classes). CU Boulder departments and offices may place a hold on a student's record for a number of reasons. Resolve holds as quickly as possible by following the instructions associated with each hold listed.

To-Do items: Recommended actions necessary to complete specific outcomes. Some to-do items become holds if not completed by a specific date. Monitor to-do items closely and follow the instructions to resolve it.

Learn more about Holds and To-Do items »

Search for Classes/Add to Cart (March 4 to Enrollment Date)

Click on Registration Checklist.

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Search for classes: CU Class Search

Simple 'Search Classes' tips

Use the following search criteria:

Title, Subject, Instructor or Keyword: enter class code (e.g. CMCI 1010 or 1020)
Term: (e.g. fall, spring, summer)
Any Campus: select Main Campus (Continuing Education classes cost extra)

'Advanced Search' tips

Select the following:

Open, Waitlisted or Closed: use Open Only

Use A&S general education attributes to search by category

Search classes by A&S general education categories to complete CMCI Core requirements.

A&S General Education		CMCI Core:
Foreign Language	=	Foreign Language
Written Communication	=	Composition and Expression
Quantitative Reasoning	=	Quantitative Reasoning
Natural Science Lab	=	The Natural World Lab
Natural Science	=	The Natural World Non-Lab
Social Sciences	=	People and Society
Distribution - Arts and Humanities	=	Humanities and the Arts
Diversity - Global or Diversity - U.S. Perspective	=	Diversity and Global Cultures

Search classes by A&S core attributes to complete CMCI core requirements.

A&S Core Attributes		CMCI Core
Classes listed in your degree audit or any HIST class	=	Historical Views

Click on the class options generated from the search. Review class registration restrictions, description, time and location and section information.

Registration Restrictions:

Prerequisite: a specific class that must be completed before taking another class at the next level.
Co-requisite: a specific class that, if it has not been completed already, must be taken at the same time as another class.
Recitation: some classes require enrollment in a Lecture (LEC) and a Recitation (REC); a recitation is a smaller class that meets in addition to the lecture.

Click on the desired section(s). Note: Classes may require a LAB or REC (Recitation) along with the LEC (Lecture). Select both to register for the class.

Click Add to Cart.

Hints:

To view instructor and/or class ratings, click on the hyperlink with the instructor's name or on Course Evaluations. The scale is 1 (lowest rating) to 6 (highest rating).
You can view most syllabi from past semesters. (Not all are currently available.)

Register for Classes (Enrollment Date)

At the date and time of your enrollment, log in to Buff Portal.

Click on Classes and Registration, Registration Checklist and select Enroll in Classes

Select Continue.

Scroll down to CU Boulder Shopping Cart to select desired classes.

Click Add Selected Classes.

Click Finish Enrolling.

Review schedule in the Buff Portal to confirm enrollment.

See the Office of the Registrar's website to learn how to waitlist for a closed class, swap a class or drop a class.

Important notes about registration:

Saving classes in the shopping cart does not save a spot in the class. Students are not enrolled until they complete their enrollment through Buff Portal.
Students are encouraged to avoid waitlists and confirm enrollment. Waitlisted classes do not count towards enrollment.
RAP Coordinators need to make any changes to RAP classes. First-Year Academic Advisors are not authorized to add, drop or swap RAP classes.
Students may make changes to their schedule (with the exception of any RAP classes) during the first full week of classes.

Review Academic Calendar Dates (Enrollment Date)

Deadlines: Add, Drop and Withdraw

View all academic dates »

Prioritize Your Mental Health

Student Counseling Services

Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) offers confidential, on-campus mental health and psychiatric services for a variety of concerns such as academics, anxiety, body image, depression, relationships, substance use and more. All services are remote this semester.

Screening appointments can be scheduled through the patient portal. This is the first step for all clinical services.

SilverCloud Health: CU’s online program to support emotional health and well-being at your own pace.
Peer Wellness Coaching: Free service available to all CU Boulder students. Attend one-on-one virtual meetings with peer coaches to help set and achieve wellness goals. Schedule a session online.

CAPS hosts workshops on a variety of topics. View upcoming dates for workshops on managing anxiety, practicing mindfulness, determining ways to coping with emotions, and methods to manage stress.
Health and Wellness Services also hosts workshops. Visit their site for workshops on managing anxiety, practicing healthy sleeping habits, and managing stress.
Feel Good Fridays is a drop-in group that lead you through a powerful guided meditation to help you reduce stress, relax and feel better.

First-Year Students

Undergraduate Advising

Connect with Advisors

First-Year Advisors

Kira Hachtel

Anna Hemming

Types of Advising Support

Events for First-Year Students

Campus Resources

Career Services

Prepare for Registration

Continuing Student Registration Guide

Review Degree Audit in Buff Portal (Feb. 1 to 15)

Make an Appointment with an Advisor (Feb. 1 to March 15)

Check Your Enrollment Date (March 4)

Check for Any Holds or To-Do Items (March 4 to March 25)

Search for Classes/Add to Cart (March 4 to Enrollment Date)

Simple 'Search Classes' tips

'Advanced Search' tips

Register for Classes (Enrollment Date)

Review Academic Calendar Dates (Enrollment Date)

Deadlines: Add, Drop and Withdraw

Prioritize Your Mental Health

Student Counseling Services

Search

Breadcrumb

First-Year Students

Undergraduate Advising

Connect with Advisors

First-Year Advisors

Kira Hachtel

Anna Hemming

Types of Advising Support

Events for First-Year Students

Campus Resources

Career Services

Prepare for Registration

Continuing Student Registration Guide

Review Degree Audit in Buff Portal (Feb. 1 to 15)

Make an Appointment with an Advisor (Feb. 1 to March 15)

Check Your Enrollment Date (March 4)

Check for Any Holds or To-Do Items (March 4 to March 25)

Search for Classes/Add to Cart (March 4 to Enrollment Date)

Simple 'Search Classes' tips

'Advanced Search' tips

Register for Classes (Enrollment Date)

Review Academic Calendar Dates (Enrollment Date)

Deadlines: Add, Drop and Withdraw

Prioritize Your Mental Health

Student Counseling Services