Minimum Admissions Requirements

The Graduate School at CU Boulder has established minimum standards for admission.

Qualified students may be recommended for admission to regular degree status by approved programs of the Graduate School provided they meet the following criteria. Individual graduate departments may have additional or more restrictive standards by which they evaluate graduate applicants. Be sure to visit the admissions pages of the programs that you are interested in for a full list of program specific application requirements.  

Applicants must:

  • Hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, or have done work equivalent to that required for such a degree.
  • Show promise of ability to pursue advanced study and research, as judged by the student’s scholastic record.
  • Have adequate preparation to enter graduate study in the chosen field. Have at least a 2.75 (2.00=C) undergraduate grade point average.
  • Applicants to programs in the College of Engineering and Applied Science must have a 3.00 (3.00=B) undergraduate grade point average. Note: applicants who cannot meet this undergraduate standard may still secure regular admission if they have completed 9 semester hours of relevant graduate course work with at least a 3.25 grade point average.

Additional Requirements for International Students

Graduate Application