For information on the status of your application, including supporting materials, please check your status page. If you need assistance, please submit an admissions support ticket.
Creating an Account & Logging In
You can reset your password anytime by going to the application. Follow the instructions on the reset password page to request a new password by email.
No, please leave the accent off the letter. Instead, enter the character as if it had no accent.
You should enter a period “.” for your first/given name, and the entirety of your name into the “family/last” name field. We follow the SEVIS Name Standards in doing so. If you registered for a test (SAT, ACT, TOEFL, IELTS, etc.) under a different variation of your name, please provide us with your registration information by sending an email to intlgrad@colorado.edu.
Personal Information
Your Social Security Number (SSN) is not required on the admission application; however it is used by the Office of Admissions for record keeping and credential matching purposes. However, your SSN is required and should be included on your admission application if you are applying for financial aid. Your SSN will be used to match against the systems at the state and federal level for authorization of any state/federal financial aid.
This information is collected primarily for demographic and statistical purposes. It also helps to understand your situation better and to get a full picture of you as a person for a more holistic review of your application beyond just academic data.
List your former last name in the "Other Last Names" section. If you have used more than one previous last name, please separate the previous names using commas.
Citizenship
If you (or your family) have submitted the I-485 form (Application for Permanent Residency) and you’ve received a receipt for such, then you would be considered a domestic applicant. If you do not yet have a receipt for this form you are an international applicant.
You should select the visa type you are planning to apply for. If you do not know which visa type to apply for, select F-1 under ‘Current Visa Type’, as it is the most common visa type for international students seeking a full degree. You may then leave the ‘Issue Date’, ‘Expiry Date’, and ‘Immigration Number’ blank.
If you have dual citizenship and the U.S. is one of the countries, indicate ‘U.S. Citizen’. If the U.S. is not one of them, select the country that will issue your visa in the field 'citizenship' and the second country in the field 'dual citizenship'.
If you’re changing or considering changing your current visa type please enter the information for what you have now, and please contact us to let us know more about your visa status at intlgrad@colorado.edu.
Applicants who are undocumented or DACA should select the following options within the application:
| Application question or application component | How it applies if you are undocumented or DACA status |
|---|---|
| “Citizenship” | Select your country. |
| "Specify the visa type you currently have or expect to obtain. If you already have a US Visa, complete all fields below. If you are unsure of the visa type you will obtain, select "F-1 -Student" and leave the "Issue Date" and "Expiry Date" blank." | Select "Other" for the first box and "NA/NA." |
Academic History
It is important for us to get a complete and accurate picture of your academic history. Failure to list and submit transcripts from all institutions previously attended is considered to be a violation of academic ethics and may result in the cancellation of your admission or dismissal from the university.
When adding a school in the Academic History section, once you complete the Country and City drop boxes, if your school is not listed in the Institution drop box please select 'other'. You may then type in your institution's name and address information.
If the institution you are entering is where you received credit towards your Bachelor's or Associate degree, please select "undergrad." If the institution is where you received credit towards your Master's or Doctoral degree, select "graduate."
Standardized Test Scores
The institution code is 4841. You do not need to supply a department code and please only send official scores to the institution code.
Yes. When your official scores arrive from ETS they will be added to your application materials. Your scores must be received by the application deadline.
Yes, official GRE test scores are valid for 5 years after your testing date. For international applicants, official TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for 2 years from your testing date. Testing centers will not send official score reports after the expiration date has passed. Since we require the official score report, you will need to ensure your test scores are current for admissions purposes.
Employment History
Submitting your employment history helps provide a more holistic picture of you as an applicant. Uploading a current curriculum vitae or resume is required, so you do not have to fill out the employment history section in the application itself.
You should only include jobs that included work experience relevant to your graduate application.
Sensitive Data - Nonacademic Suspension
“Nonacademic” refers to disciplinary action that occurs for reasons of conduct as opposed to reasons of academic performance. A nonacademic suspension does not include a suspension for low grades, but it does include a suspension for academic dishonesty such as plagiarism or cheating.
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. Include information about what you have done since the incident, lessons learned, etc. 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 this question will undergo an additional review to assess the seriousness of the offense and to determine the likelihood of the applicant engaging in similar conduct at CU Boulder. Applications in this category take a little longer to review, but once the offense is cleared, it has no further impact on the application.
It depends on a number of factors, such as the severity of the offense, how recently it occurred, and whether such an offense would also carry sanctions here at CU Boulder. Many applications with a “yes” answer to this question take no more than an extra day or two. Some take longer and require extra information. You may be contacted by an official in the Office of Admissions or in the Office of Student Conduct. If this is the case, respond promptly to expedite the processing of your application. Note: Reviews of the files of applicants who answer yes to this question are not conducted until a complete application and all of the required credentials have been received.
Sensitive Data - Criminal History
Applicants who have a pending criminal charge or have ever been convicted of a crime, made a plea of guilty, accepted a deferred judgment, been adjudicated, or been required to register as a sex offender must disclose this information. Misdemeanor traffic offenses (e.g., speeding) are exempt.
Applicants answering “yes” to this 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 seriousness of the offense(s), number of offenses if there are more than one, and the time elapsed since the last offense.
It depends on a number of factors but in most cases this internal review process takes less than two to three weeks to complete. Cases that take longer result from a delay in acquiring the necessary information from outside agencies (e.g., court records, police reports, background checks) before the information can be reviewed by a committee. Note: The backgrounds of applicants who answer “yes” to the criminal history question will not be reviewed until a complete application and all of the required credentials have been received.
All applicants who have answered “yes” to the criminal history are reviewed on an individual basis. However, the following backgrounds would likely result in disqualification: a history of violence against persons; sexual assault; crimes involving the use of a weapon(s); serious or repeated drug or alcohol offenses; and/or offenses that include egregious theft, burglary, or damage to property.
You may contact the Office of Admissions at 303-492-6301 to discuss your options.
It is advised 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 dismissal from the university – due to a violation of the Student Code of Conduct. More information on the Student Code of Conduct.
FERPA
FERPA is the Educational Rights and Privacy Act where under federal law, matriculated students have the right to inspect and review the letter(s) of recommendation contained in their educational records. However, the applicant may waive the right of access. In that case the letter(s) will then remain confidential between the University of Colorado Boulder and the recommender(s). Recommenders will be notified of whether or not an applicant has waived their rights prior to submitting a letter on their behalf.
Click edit next to the recommender's name and then choose the ‘Exclude’ button. You will then be able to reenter the recommender information with the updated response as a new entry. Please note, you will not be able to change your response if the letter has already been received.
Admitted students will be able to access letters of recommendation if viewing rights were not waived. To obtain copies of these letters, you will need to visit our Office of the Registrar in-person once you are on campus. We cannot provide these letters to you before an admissions offer has been made or at any point via email.
Letters of Recommendation
You provide us with the name and email of your recommender(s) on the online application, and hit the 'send to recommender' button. The email will be immediately sent, and links them directly to the online recommendation form. They simply fill it out and submit the form online, along with their letter. We will receive it automatically, and you will be notified by email that we have received the recommendation. Your recommender will receive an email confirmation as well after they submit.
Yes, as long as the letters are confidential you may use one of these services. Within the application you should complete the recommender section and just let your recommenders know they may ignore the request from CU admissions. Interfolio (or whatever service you are using) should email your letters to gradprocessing@colorado.edu, or mail them to:
Graduate Admissions
University of Colorado Boulder
3100 Marine Street - 553 UCB Bldg RL3 Suite A122
Boulder, CO 80303-1058
The request for a recommendation will be sent out as soon as you hit the 'send to recommender' button. You may log in to your status page to send a reminder to the recommender any time after you submit your application.
They are not notified of the specific deadline. An email will be sent to your recommender with a link to an online recommendation form. We recommend notifying your recommender(s) that you have listed them as a recommender and reminding them when the form should be completed by.
Yes, you will receive an email when we receive a recommendation on your behalf if you are using our online system to request recommendations. You will not receive an email if your letters are emailed or mailed to us from the recommender and/or a credential management service.
If a recommender informs you that they did not receive a link to the recommendation form, log into your application status page. From there you can update your recommender's email address and resend the notification. You may also email us for technical assistance at gradadm@colorado.edu.
We strongly discourage mailing physical letters as this can cause delays in the processing of your application. It is best to have recommenders upload their letters electronically via the link that is sent to them. If a letter must be mailed in, the letters should come in signed and sealed envelopes. They may be mailed to:
For Domestic Applicants
Graduate Admissions
University of Colorado Boulder
3100 Marine Street - 553 UCB Bldg RL3 Suite A122
Boulder, CO 80303-1058
For International Applicants
For standard international mail or mail within the US, including USPS Priority and Express:
Office of Admissions/International
University of Colorado Boulder
3100 Marine St Suite A122 65 UCB
Boulder, CO 80309-0065
USA Overnight/Express Mailing Address (DHL, UPS, Fedex)
Office of Admissions/International
University of Colorado Boulder
3100 Marine Street - 65 UCB Bldg RL3 Suite A122
Boulder, CO 80303-1058 USA 303-492-6301
No, letters uploaded by applicants are not considered official and will not be used.
From your status page, under the checklist, there is a link to resend notifications to your recommender. Select edit next to your recommender's name and click "send reminder".
In order to change the email address of a recommender or replace a recommender (as long as the letter has not been received yet), you will need to edit the recommender and then choose to ‘Exclude’. This will then allow you to reenter the corrected recommender information as a new entry.
Upload Documents/Personal Statements & Supplemental Documents
You can upload either Microsoft Word or PDF files.
If you do not use Adobe Reader, the file will not save correctly and may come back blank. Please download the latest free version of Adobe Reader to complete the forms.
Uploading Unofficial Transcripts in the Application
A transcript is a year-by-year academic record which should include ALL post-secondary academic work completed to date, including courses appearing as transfer credit on other transcripts, credits earned in study abroad programs, and courses taken for college credit while in high school.
Yes. We require one copy of the scanned unofficial transcript from each undergraduate and graduate institution you attended. This includes community colleges, summer sessions and extension programs. While credits from one institution may appear on the transcript of a second institution, transcripts must be submitted from each institution, regardless of the length of attendance, and whether or not courses were completed. Failure to list and submit transcripts from all institutions previously attended is considered to be a violation of academic ethics and may result in the cancellation of your admission or dismissal from the university.
PDFs of all unofficial transcripts should be uploaded to the application. If you are offered admission and accept, then we will request that you have your official transcripts sent to the Graduate Admissions. Do not send your official transcripts until you are advised to do so.
Submit Application & Fee Payment
You will be emailed a receipt for payment as soon as the transaction is approved. You can also email gradadm@colorado.edu for receipt.
You will be asked in the application whether you would like to pay using Flywire or Quickpay.
If you choose Flywire, you will be presented with flexible payment options based on country of origin, such as online bank transfer, international bank transfer, debit/credit payments, etc. This option also enables you to choose your preferred currency, which will be automatically formulated to match the USD amount ($80.00). If you are having issues completing your international payment through Flywire, please contact them directly at support@flywire.com.
If you choose QuickPay, you will be provided with a payment portal where only credit card and electronic check payments are supported. This option tends to work best with U.S. financial institutions/billing addresses.
The Graduate School offers application fee waivers to U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are participants in the following programs only:
- AmeriCorps (currently serving)
- Black in AI
- Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity Initiative (BUILD)
- Científico Latino Graduate School Mentorship Initiative (GSMI)
- Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP)
- Gates Millennium Scholars
- GEM Fellows
- Leadership Alliance
- Life Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Program (LSSURP)
- Louis-Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP)
- Math Alliance Scholars
- McNair Scholars Program
- Next Gen Pop Fellows (NGP)
- Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program
- Minority Access to Research Careers Scholar Program (MARC)
- Peace Corps (currently serving)
- Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP)
- SMART
- Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
- Teach for America (currently serving)
- Women+ of Color Project (W+OCP)
If you are affiliated with one of these programs, you will be able to indicate your involvement within the online application under ‘Additional Information.’ We ask that you describe your involvement with the program, and upload supporting documentation there.
If you are in the U.S. military you will receive an automatic fee waiver as a thank you for your service (active duty, veteran, previously served, and active reserve are all eligible for this automatic fee waiver).
If you are undocumented and/or a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) beneficiary, please contact gradadm@colorado.edu to inquire about possible fee waivers.
You may also contact the department directly to ask whether they have fee waivers.
Yes, if you are applying to another University of Colorado campus in addition to CU Boulder, you must submit a separate application, official credentials and appropriate fee to each campus. You will use the same log in credentials for any of the three campuses to log in to the applications, but you must complete a different application for each campus.
You can pay your application fee on your status page. If you still experience difficulties you may email gradadm@colorado.edu to inquire about payment options.
If you are an international applicant paying through Flywire, it is best to work with Flywire directly to complete payment at support@flywire.com.
All application deadlines are at 10:00pm MST (midnight EST).
When the application is submitted you will have the opportunity to view your status page. You will also receive an email notifying you that your application has been submitted.
Application fees are non-refundable.
If you are not ready to pay at this time, you may save your application and log back in when you are ready to pay. Payment is required to submit the application and your application will not be considered until the fee has been paid. Application fee payments should be made by the application deadline unless a grace period has been provided by the department/program.
If you have initiated the application fee payment before the deadline, generally there is a 2-3 day grace period for processing. It is normal for international payments to take a few days to process and be completed. If your payment is marked as 'pending,' please contact the Flywire directly for assitance with cancelling or completing payment. You can reach Flywire Customer Support at support@flywire.com. If you need to cancel your payment, you will receive a new link on your status page to complete the application fee.
Additional Help
Please email gradadm@colorado.edu for assistance with technical issues.
Please contact the department to which you are applying for help with questions around the timing of review and decision release.