Prospective First-Year Students

Prospective first-year students should start their scholarship application process early to be considered for the most opportunities. Read through our prospective first-year checklist to make sure you don't miss any steps!

1. Apply for Admission

The first step in the scholarship process is to apply for admission to CU Boulder. Students are selected for Automatic Consideration Scholarships based on the strength of their admissions application. Your admissions application also grants you access to the CU Boulder Scholarship Application, which provides more opportunities based on your college, major and interests. Incoming first-year students are notified of scholarship selection with their admission decision. Spring admits will be notified after their admission decision; see View, Accept and Report Scholarships below for details.

Complete the FAFSA

We highly recommend that students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to be considered for scholarship opportunities. Our school code is 001370.

2. Complete the CU Boulder Scholarship Application

You’ll get access to the CU Boulder Scholarship Application from your Admissions Application Status page. The CU Boulder Scholarship Application allows you to apply for multiple CU Boulder scholarships with one general application and gain access to additional scholarship opportunities. The application opens November 1.

View step-by-step instructions and tips for completing the CU Boulder Scholarship Application.

3. Search for Private Scholarships

Be sure to look for scholarship opportunities outside of CU Boulder and within your community, like 4-H, Rotary Club, and local businesses. Searching for private scholarships is separate from the CU Boulder Scholarship Application. Browse our search resources.

4. View and Accept Scholarships

Congratulations on receiving a scholarship!

If selected for an Automatic Consideration scholarship, you will receive an offer with your admission decision. Spring admits will be notified of scholarship selection after admission and may check their Admissions Application Status page for updates.
If you receive a scholarship through the CU Boulder Scholarship Application, you will be notified by email and may view it in Buff Portal. Some scholarships require that you accept your offer within the application. Click ‘Apply for and Manage Scholarships’ to check if this is needed.
If you receive a private scholarship (by an organization outside of CU Boulder), you will need to work with your donor to submit the payment to our office.