New incoming students starting in fall semester will enroll in classes during July and August. New incoming students starting in the spring semester will enroll in classes November through January. 

Program in Exploratory Studies Advising and Coaching is operating remotely for fall semester

Although our physical office is closed, we are still here for advising and registration help. You can continue to schedule appointments with your academic advisor through Buff Portal Advising.

All advising appointments will be held via online Zoom meetings. When you schedule an appointment online, your Zoom meeting link will be in the confirmation email you receive.

  • Upcoming drop-in hours via Zoom: Weekdays Aug. 3-17 from 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. MDT (EXCLUDING 8/4, 8/10, 8/12).
  • Please send advising questions via email to your advisor or to UEACAdvising@colorado.edu

Preparing to Enroll

Complete the Online Experience

New Student & Family Program First Year Student Steps
Complete the Online Experience, our online orientation program. You’ll learn more about advising, registering for classes and campus resources. It must be completed before you can register for classes and should be completed prior to meeting with an academic advisor.

Complete Placement Assessments

You are encouraged to complete placement assessments as soon as possible. Not all assessments may be required for you, so please check with your academic advisor if you have questions about which assessments you will need to complete. Review and complete as many applicable placement assessments as possible before your scheduled advising appointment. 

Advising Questionnaire

All incoming students should complete the Advising Questionnaire before meeting with an academic advisor. A brief questionnaire to capture valuable information about you in order for us to provide the best possible support for you. 

Start Questionnaire

Math

If you plan to take a precalculus or calculus 1 class in the summer or fall semester you must take a math placement test. We recommend that all new Exploratory Studies students complete the math placement regardless of their initial major interests. 

About Math Placement 

Chemistry

If you plan to take a chemistry class in your first semester, you must complete the chemistry preparation and assessment program first. 

About chemistry placement

Language

If you plan to study a language you have some experience and/or coursework completed in - you must take a placement test.

Review language placement instructions

Writing

All new incoming Exploratory Studies students are encouraged to take the Writing Assesment. The brief questionnaire will help you determine an appropriate writing course for your first year.

Access the Student Portal to complete

Plan Ahead

Talk with your Advisor

Schedule an initial appointment with your advisor after you have completed the Online Experience to verify what you need to know as you start to create your schedule. You should consider: 

  • How many credit hours are right for you to be successful
  • If you should do a double major, dual degrees or changing a major
  • How to plan out your courses to meet both requirements and your interests

Schedule an Appointment

Resolve Holds and Pre-registration Items

If you have a hold on your account you will not be able to register for classes or receive a financial aid refund. Check your account in the Student Portal for: 

Access Portal

Confirm Your Enrollment Dates

Your enrollment dates are the specific dates and times when you can register for classes.  Everyone will have equal access to classes regardless of your enrollment window! 

  • You can find your enrollment dates in the Student Portal.
  • Enrollment dates are assigned based on the number of credits each student has earned.
  • You will also see the maximum number of credits you can register for.
  • If you miss your enrollment date window, you'll need to wait until the schedule adjustment (fall semesters only) or open enrollment period.

     

Appointment Scheduling Tip

  • You can schedule an appointment with any advisor assigned to your Student Success Team.
  • Any UEAC advisor can help with major interests, fall class selections and any questions/concerns you have.
  • On Buff Portal Advising, click on the photo of the advisor to see their calendar availability.
  • All new students will be assigned a UEAC advisor by late May.
  • Appointments will be conducted via Zoom.

Key Resources

  • Buff Portal Advising: Use this to make appointments with your Academic Advisor. For help, review the Student User Guide.
  • Buff Portal (student portal): Use this to access your enrollment dates, register for classes, see your schedule, run a your degree audit, register for classes and more.
  • How to IUT videos: Check out these short videos that summarize IUT requirements and deadlines for each of the colleges, schools and programs at CU.

Create Your Schedule

Your Pre-Enrolled Courses

To help get PES students started with their Fall 2020 schedules, we pre-enroll PES first year students in mid-July as follows:

  • All new PES first year students are automatically enrolled in FYXP 1500 for the Fall 2020 semester. This course is required and cannot be dropped for your fall schedule.
  • Additionally, new first year students are enrolled in at least one in-person course.
  • As seats for in-person courses sections are very limited, do not drop any of your pre-enrolled courses without consulting with an academic advisor first. Doing so could result in a completely remote class schedule for Fall 2020.
  • When you look at your information in Buff Portal in mid-July, you will see these courses on your Fall 2020 schedule. You will be able to add classes to your schedule during your enrollment window.
  • Should you have college credit for one of your pre-enrolled courses, consult with an academic advisor.

Meet with my Advisor

Search For Courses

You can place courses in your shopping cart in advance of your enrollment date to help plan your schedule.

  • Use the Class Search to plan out your schedule and populate your shopping cart.
  • Placing a course in your shopping cart does not guarantee it will be available when you can register.
  • Identify back-up courses in case your first options are no longer available or on a waitlist when you register.

Class Search

Understand how to use the registration system.

In advance of your enrollment window, you should review how to use the system to be prepared. Here are instructions on how-to:

Confirm Your Proposed Schedule

You should confirm your proposed course schedule with your advisor before your enrollment date.

Course Tips

  • Most courses are 3 credit hours, meaning they meet for about 3 hours each week.
  • 15 credit hours is the average students take per semester
  • To be a full-time student you need a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester
  • Plan 2-3 hours of outside study/class preparation for every hour you are in class.
  • Review any transferred coursework in your Degree Audit. Make sure the correct information is there and use the system to help determine courses to take.
  • When logged into Class Search, your cart automatically syncs with your MyCUInfo cart.    

Course Icon Meanings

  • Check mark, green: You've taken this class before. 
  • Check mark, gray: You've already enrolled in this class. If you don't want it anymore, you'll need to drop it.  
  • Hazard sign, yellow: There's a restriction that will prevent you from enrolling in that class. Possible restrictions include schedule conflicts and unmet prerequisites.
  • Shopping cart, blue: You've added this class to your shopping cart, but you haven't finished registering for it.

Instruction Mode Meanings

Every class at CU Boulder is taught using one or more of the following instruction methods:

  • In Person: The class meets in person, typically on campus, on scheduled days and times (synchronously).
  • Online: The class is taught online with no scheduled class meetings. Students can complete the coursework throughout the week when it's convenient for them (asynchronously).
  • Remote: The class meets over Zoom, lecture capture or Canvas on scheduled days and times (synchronously).

If a class uses a combination of instruction methods, then it's a hybrid class:

  • Hybrid In Person/Online: A combination of in-person and online instruction.
  • Hybrid In Person/Remote: A combination of in-person and remote instruction.
  • Hybrid Remote/Online: A combination of online and remote instruction.

Course & Academic Resources

  • Class Search: Use this to search and save courses to your shopping cart. You items will sync to MyCUInfo to complete your registration. 
  • Registrar Website: For detailed steps and instructions on how to use the registration tool. 
  • Guest Access: CU Guest Access provides read-only, online access for guests to view specific components of your education records. 

Time to Enroll

  • Begin enrolling in classes as soon as your enrollment window opens. Doing so will give you the best chance to secure your preferred courses and class times.
  • Identify backup courses in case your first choices are not available during your enrollment window. New students will be able to join course waitlists in late August.

Enrollment Tips

  • Waitlist tips: Avoid waitlists if possible! It is always better to be enrolled than on a waitlist. That may mean picking a different lecture, lab or recitation. The more flexible you are with your schedule, the less anxiety you will deal with on getting into a course from a waitlist.

  • If you do waitlist, be smart about it - choose the shortest waitlist whenever possible.

  • Have a backup plan – There is never a guarantee that you will get into a course from a waitlist, even if you are first on that waitlist. Always have additional course options ready.