Colorado Advantage Program

The Colorado Advantage Program introduces students to the outstanding science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) doctoral programs at CU Boulder. The program invites prospective applicants to CU Boulder during a weekend in the fall to learn about STEM doctoral opportunities, meet with faculty, tour research facilities and interact with current graduate students. Applicants for the program must be currently applying for admission into a STEM PhD program.

Colorado Advantage seeks to recruit STEM doctoral candidates from a variety of backgrounds and lived experiences, and all graduating senior, post baccalaureates and MS students interested in pursuing a STEM PhD are welcome and encouraged to apply.

Individuals from communities that have been historically excluded from STEM graduate education are also encouraged to apply. As identified by the National Science Foundation, they include African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, American Indians and Alaska Natives with tribal membership, and Pacific Islanders (native peoples of Hawaii, Guam and Samoa).

 

This program is open to all graduating seniors, post baccalaureates and MS students interested in pursuing a STEM PhD and does not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, creed, religion, veteran status, marital status, political affiliation, political philosophy, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression in accordance with state, federal, and Regent law.

  • Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
  • Minimum GPA: 3.0 (3.25 for engineering) on a 4.0 scale
  • Applicants must be currently applying to PhD graduate programs in STEM

Colorado Advantage participants are selected based on academic qualifications that would indicate their ability to be admitted into a CU Boulder doctoral program. Faculty members involved in departmental graduate admissions committees review applications and select students who are considered competitive applicants to their PhD programs.  

Successful applicants are those who have researched their department(s) of interest and prepared applications that demonstrate shared research interests.

The application to the Colorado Advantage consists of five components:​

  1. 2026 Application Form
  2. ​Personal Statement
  3. Curriculum Vita (CV)
  4. A Letter of Recommendation from a faculty member, and
  5. Transcripts. Official transcripts are preferred but unofficial transcripts will be accepted.

Please submit Application via our webform; all other materials should be emailed to gar@colorado.edu. Please specify Colorado Advantage and your full name in the subject line. Priority will be given to complete applications received by 4pm MST Monday, September 15th.  After that time, subsequent completed applications may be considered until the program is full. 

You should write your personal statement as if it were part of an application to a PhD program. State which department at CU Boulder you are planning to apply to. You may mention examples of faculty in your area(s) of interest, and explain how their research efforts connect with your interests. See the list of participating STEM departments. Each departmental website includes a list of faculty and their research interests. 

At the beginning of your statement, clearly name the CU Boulder department or PhD program you plan to apply to. Then describe your specific research interests. Move beyond broad areas such as “biology,” “engineering,” “computer science,” or “math.” Explain the problem, question, method, population, system, or application you hope to study.

You may mention faculty whose work connects with your interests. If you do, explain the connection clearly. Do not simply list faculty names. Strong statements explain how a faculty member’s research, lab, methods, or area of expertise aligns with the applicant’s goals.

Your statement should address the following questions. The maximum length is 1,500 words.

  1. Why do you want to pursue a PhD in this field?
    Describe your motivation, specific research interests, and long-term career goals. Explain how your interest developed through coursework, research, internships, work experience, teaching, mentoring, or independent learning.
  2. Why are you prepared for PhD study?
    Describe the experiences that have prepared you for graduate research. This may include coursework, research projects, lab work, fieldwork, computational work, technical skills, teaching, presentations, publications, internships, or professional experience. When discussing research, explain your role, the project goal, the methods or tools you used, and what you learned.
  3. Why are CU Boulder and your department of interest a good fit?
    Explain how the department’s faculty, research areas, labs, centers, courses, facilities, or interdisciplinary opportunities connect with your goals. Be specific enough to show that you have studied the department carefully.
  4. How would you contribute to the graduate community?
    Describe the perspectives, experiences, skills, leadership, mentoring, collaboration, or community engagement you would bring to your department, lab, cohort, or campus community.
  5. Is there anything in your academic record that needs context?
    If appropriate, briefly address academic hurdles, gaps, lower grades, withdrawals, or other weaknesses in your application. Keep this section brief. Provide context, explain what changed, and point to later evidence that shows your readiness for graduate study.

A strong statement should show:

  • clear research interests;
  • evidence of preparation for doctoral study;
  • understanding of what research requires;
  • specific fit with CU Boulder and the department;
  • intellectual maturity and reflection;
  • strong writing, organization, and attention to the prompt.

Avoid broad claims without evidence, such as “I have always loved science” or “CU Boulder is a great school.” Avoid listing your resume without explaining what you learned. Avoid focusing so much on personal background that the reader cannot see your research interests, preparation, and fit.

Because the statement is a crucial part of your application, we strongly encourage you to have it reviewed by a faculty member, research mentor, graduate student, advisor, or writing professional who has experience reading graduate applications before submitting it.

CV Guidelines

Your CV should help reviewers understand your academic preparation, research experience, professional background, and readiness for graduate study. A CV is different from a resume. It may include academic experiences, research projects, presentations, awards, leadership, professional affiliations, and relevant skills.

Your CV should include the following sections, as applicable:

Name and Contact Information
Include your full name as it appears elsewhere in the application. You may also include a preferred name if you use one professionally. Provide your current email address, phone number, and current city/state. You do not need to include a full street address unless you choose to do so.

Education
List all post-secondary institutions you have attended, including your current institution. Include the institution name, city/state, degree program or major, expected or completed graduation date, GPA if you choose to include it, and any relevant academic concentrations or minors.

Research Experience
Include undergraduate research, summer research programs, lab experience, independent study, honors thesis work, fieldwork, computational projects, or other research-related experiences. For each experience, include the institution or organization, lab or project name if applicable, mentor or supervisor if appropriate, dates, and a brief description of your role, methods, skills used, and outcomes.

Relevant Coursework and Technical Skills
You may include advanced or field-specific coursework that connects to your graduate interests. You may also list technical skills, such as lab techniques, programming languages, software, data analysis tools, field methods, instruments, or research methods.

Employment and Professional Experience
Include nonacademic, industry, professional, or work experiences from the start of your undergraduate education to the present, especially if they helped you build communication, leadership, technical, analytical, teaching, or problem-solving skills. For each position, include the employer, job title, location, start and end dates, and a brief description of responsibilities.

Presentations, Publications, and Posters
List any conference presentations, research posters, publications, abstracts, symposium presentations, or campus research showcases. Include the title, event or publication name, location if relevant, and date.

Honors, Awards, and Scholarships
List scholarships, prizes, fellowships, honors, academic distinctions, or other recognitions. Include the name of the award, granting organization if relevant, and date received.

Leadership, Service, and Mentoring
Include leadership roles, mentoring, tutoring, teaching assistance, student organizations, community engagement, outreach, or service activities that show your contributions to academic or professional communities.

Affiliations and Professional Memberships
List honor societies, professional societies, research organizations, or academic programs in which you are a member. Include the organization name, dates of involvement, and any position held.

CV Formatting Tips

Use clear section headings, consistent formatting, and reverse chronological order within each section, with the most recent experiences first. Keep descriptions concise and specific. Focus on what you did, what skills you used, and what you learned. For most applicants, a CV of 1–3 pages is appropriate.

A letter of recommendation from one faculty member is required. Choose someone who knows you well and can evaluate your potential for graduate school. If you have research experience, usually it’s best to ask your research mentor for a letter of recommendation. Faculty are asked to include their name, title, address and phone number, and in the body of the letter, discuss the student’s:

  • Academic performance
  • Potential for success in an intensive research doctoral program
  • Maturity and motivation for graduate school

The letter must be filled out by the faculty member and emailed directly to our office.

Electronic Transcripts can be sent by your registrar’s office directly to our office. Official transcripts are preferred but unofficial transcripts, emailed to gar@colorado.edu, will also be accepted.

For more information, contact Office of Graduate Access and Retention    

Program Dates: November 5-6, 2026

Priority Deadline for Applications: 4pm MST Tuesday, September 15, 2026

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Applications for Fall 2026 OPEN.

 

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