A note from SLHS about COVID-19

We understand that the COVID-19 pandemic has been disruptive to all and that student experiences in the wake of this have not been equitable. In response to these events, we recognize that some applicants will have concerns about the impacts these events could have on admissions. The graduate programs at the University of Colorado Boulder are dedicated to recruiting and supporting diverse, talented students, employing holistic application review processes and supporting students when they arrive on campus. 

We want to be clear that we understand 

  • students have been facing and will face unprecedented challenges during this time. 
  • testing centers have suspended operations, or moved to remote testing.
  • many students and institutions have chosen to adopt the Pass/Fail (or Credit/No Credit) option due to these events.
  • due to this disruption students may not have performed to their usual abilities during times of remote study or challenging classroom adjustments. 
  • some research projects will have been interrupted or will be incomplete as a result of university and facility closures. 
  • many students will be unable to take on internships and summer research programs or other professional development initiatives.
  • there are myriad other challenging circumstances that have arisen in individuals’ experiences.

We will take this all into consideration as we review applications holistically, understanding that our goal continues to be a graduate student cohort of future leaders, full of diverse life experiences and perspectives that will add new dimensions to our existing graduate community.

The SLHS department will waive the GRE requirement for all SLHS graduate programs for the 2023/24, 2022/23, and 2021/22 application cycle. The SLHS graduate programs do not require nor expect applicants to submit GRE scores. Our admissions procedures use a holistic evaluation of each application, including a comprehensive review of students' academic background and other experiences. Students are welcome to submit GRE scores as part of their application if they feel like it provides helpful information related to their overall application. If you have any questions about the admissions process, please contact the SLHS Department directly at SLHSGrad@colorado.edu.

 

Information on Applying to SLHS Graduate Programs

Please make sure to read all of the information on this page carefully and complete all the sections of the online application, even if doing so duplicates information from your resume or transcripts. We highly recommend completing your application before the deadline to avoid any last minute issues. Only complete applications will be reviewed by the admissions committees for all programs.

Apply Now

Frequently Asked Questions

Information Sessions

Programs and Deadlines

Summer admissions only

Master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology
The M.A.-SLP program prepares students for clinical practice and professional certification in speech-language pathology. This program has both a 2-year and 3-year track, depending on whether the student has completed all the prerequisite classes. Both tracks will apply using the same M.A.-SLP application (there is no separate application for the 3-year track). The M.A. committee will determine which track the student will enroll in based on the student's academic history. Students who are accepted to the 2-year track program will begin in the Summer term (begins in early August). Students accepted to the 3-year track program will begin studies in the Fall semester (late August).

Fall admissions only

Doctorate of Audiology
The Au.D. program prepares students for clinical practice and professional certification in the field of audiology. This 4-year program consists of academic coursework, clinical practicum experiences, a capstone project, and advanced clinical rotations.

Fall and Spring admissions

Spring admissions are rare because decisions for financial aid are made during the spring term of the following academic year.

Doctorate of Philosophy
The Ph.D. program is for students with a specific area of interest within the disciplines of speech, language, and hearing sciences. Students will work closely with a faculty member during the coursework of the program. Options are available for dual Ph.D. in SLHS and Neuroscience or Cognitive Science. 

For the 2022-2023 academic year, SLHS is only accepting new PhD students who obtain funding on faculty grants or who are self-funded. Before you apply to the PhD program, please contact potential SLHS faculty mentors to discuss whether they are accepting new students with funding. Students interested in the AuD/PhD program are welcome to apply this year. If an applicant is offered admission, it will be into the AuD program. Students can then apply to the PhD program in future years.

Master's degree in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences
The M.A.-SLHS program is for students who want to pursue research in the field of SLHS without clinical preparation. 

Program Application Deadline Begin Program
M.A.-SLP (clinical track) January 3rd

Early August (Summer semester) for students in the 2-year track

Late August (Fall semester) for students in the 3-year track
M.A.-SLHS (research track)

January 3rd
October 1st

 Late August (Fall semester) or mid-January (Spring semester) 
Doctorate of Audiology (Au.D.) January 3rd Late August (Fall semester)
Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) January 3rd
October 1st		 Late August (Fall semester) or mid-January (Spring semester)
Ph.D./Au.D. (dual program) January 3rd Late August (Fall semester)
Submit one application for each program

* Due to increased processing time, the international application deadline is December 15th for the Summer & Fall semesters, and September 15th for the Spring semester. 

  • Hold a baccalaureate degree, or its equivalent from an accredited college or university
  • Recommended overall undergraduate GPA of at least 3.25
  • MA-SLP applicants should have the necessary prerequisites and 25 observation hours
    • Note: prerequisites and observation hours do not need to be completed before applying. Students applying for the 2-year track should have these requirements completed before the program begins. Students with any gaps in these requirements should work with the MA-SLP advisor and/or the MA-SLP Director of Clinic to ensure these gaps in requirements are completed in a timely manner. 
  • AuD applicants should have the necessary prerequisites
  • Official GRE scores (not required for the 2023/24 application cycle)
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Personal statement
  • Current resume

Applications will not be given to the Admissions Committee for consideration until all required items below have been submitted:

One Transcript for Every College or University Attended
For review and decision purposes, you are required to upload an unofficial copy of your transcript(s) in the online application. Official transcripts are not required for admissions purposes. We require one unofficial transcript from each undergraduate and graduate institution that 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, unofficial 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. 

Official GRE Scores

The SLHS department will temporarily waive the GRE requirement for all SLHS graduate programs for the 2023/24 application cycle in order to support students who may have been disrupted by impacts of COVID-19. 
 

Three Letters of Recommendation
Letters of Recommendation can only be submitted online via the CU Boulder online application. Please do not tell recommenders to mail letters to the department. An email address is required for each recommender to submit a letter. Make sure to complete each field in the online application when adding a recommender. When your recommenders log into the online recommendation form, they will be asked to complete a rating list and to provide a narrative. We prefer that they upload a letter using their own letterhead. You will receive an automatic confirmation email for each letter submitted. You can send a request for recommendation before submitting your application, and letters can be received before your application is submitted.

The admissions committee prefers 2 letters from academic faculty whenever possible, especially from students who graduated within the last 2 years. The third letter can also be from an academic faculty, or it may be from someone with knowledge of your performance in a work, clinical, research, leadership, or teaching context. For applicants who have been out of school for several years or more, two letters do not need to be from academic faculty but please know that we do prefer to see at least 1-2 letters from faculty, if possible. You may tell your recommenders we are most interested in their comments about your academic promise, interpersonal skills, communication skills, respect for others, work ethic, responsiveness to critique/feedback, and maturity.

Personal Statement
Each program has a separate personal statement that applicants should be prepared to answer. The prompts are included in the application. Students should leave plenty of time to review the prompts and begin the application before the deadline. 

Resume
A one or two-page resume is required. A standard submission will contain sections with headings similar to those listed below, but you may have additional sections

  • Education: institution names, dates of attendance, GPA, etc.
  • Employment or volunteer experience(s)
  • Clinical experiences (if any)
  • Skills or certifications, including technological skills
  • Language skills in languages other than English

MA-SLP applicants should indicate on their resume which experiences fall into the following categories:

  • Work related to SLHS
  • Other work (including teaching)
  • Research
  • Volunteer/community service
  • Leadership
  • Other skills (e.g. language)

Detailed descriptions of experiences are welcome. The page limit for resumes is 3 pages. 

Graduate Admissions Application Fee
Graduate Admissions requires an application fee ($60 domestic; $80 international). The online application displays different paying options, but please do not mail checks to the SLHS department. 

Please visit the Bursar's Office website for tuition rates and university mandated fees for graduate students. The SLHS Department is part of the College of Arts and Sciences. 

To determine whether you qualify for in-state tuition, visit the Tuition Classification website. There are some exceptions that apply to the Colorado residency requirements. The Tuition Classification check will not be conducted until after you are accepted and admitted. 

Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP)
Through the Western Regional Graduate Program, the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) makes the Au.D. and M.A.-SLP graduate programs available at in-state tuition rates to residents of the following states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Please indicate in the Residency section of the online application if you qualify for the WRGP. You will apply to the WRGP after you have been admitted and confirmed your intent to enroll. 

SLHS only accepts applications through the CU Boulder Online application. You can check the status of your application in the same portal. 

The online application system is managed by Graduate Admissions. If you have issues using the online application website or technical support, please contact gradadm@colorado.edu.

If you have questions about the program or the application, feel free to email us.

Apply Now

Application Review and Notification
SLHS receives a large number applications. We typically notify applicants of decisions in early March. Your decision letter will be emailed to the preferred email address listed in the online application. SLHS adheres to the April 15th guidelines for the acceptance of admissions offers; however, given the large number applicants, notification of non-acceptance is appreciated as early as possible.