Student Handbook

The Buff OneCard is your official student ID. It is official verification that you are eligible for student privileges. Regularly enrolled students receive their first Buff OneCard for free. Registered nondegree students may purchase a Buff OneCard for $30. 

See the Buff OneCard website or call 303-492-0355 for more information. 

An IdentiKey is automatically assigned to all incoming degree and nondegree students. It consists of your CU Boulder login name and IdentiKey password, and provides you with access to the university's online services. It must be activated through CU Boulder's IdentiKey Manager before use.

See the Office of Information Technology IdentiKey page to learn more or contact the IT Service Center at oithelp@colorado.edu or 303-735-4357 for assistance. See the IT Service Center page for hours and services.

Buff Portal is the University of Colorado Boulder's secure student portal. It allows students to register online for classes, view their schedules, pay tuition bills and much more. Before you can access Buff Portal, you will need to activate your IdentiKey.

See the sections below for specific information on updating your emergency and general contact information through Buff Portal.

CU Boulder is committed to providing timely warnings and/or emergency notifications to the campus community. Serious threats that could warrant text message alerts include severe weather, campus operating status and imminent dangers affecting our campus community.

Each semester, students are required to verify their emergency contact information as part of the preregistration process. See the Office of the Registrar website for more information. Keep your emergency notification information up to date through Buff Portal. 

Current contact information is required for all students. CU Boulder is not responsible for important information not reaching you due to outdated or invalid addresses.

You can update your information through Buff Portal at any time. See the Office of the Registrar website for instructions. 

Email is an official means of communication between students and CU Boulder administrators and faculty. Students are expected to check the messages sent to their university-issued email account on a regular basis. Once summer classes begin, all mailings related to summer (except for bills) will be sent to your CU Boulder email account.

In addition, all students are required to follow University of Colorado policies including the Colorado Creed and the Honor Code. For additional policies, see the CU Boulder Catalog website.

Your source for the information and resources for using technology to continue participating in class activities remotely, when in-person instruction is disrupted due to an emergency.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. FERPA gives students the right to inspect their own education records and also prohibits school officials from disclosing personally identifiable information about students to third parties without written permission.

If you would like to give a third party (e.g., a family member or sponsor) access to your education records, you must authorize FERPA consent to release and/or CU Guest Access for them.

If you wish to access your personal information over the phone or in person without your photo ID, you are required to provide a security passphrase to confirm your identity.

Security phrases should not be shared. See the Confidentiality of Student Records section above for more information.

If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit your accommodation letter from Disability Services to your faculty member in a timely manner so that your needs can be addressed. Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities in the academic environment. Information on requesting accommodations is located on the Disability Services website. Contact Disability Services at 303-492-8671 or dsinfo@colorado.edu for further assistance.  If you have a temporary medical condition or injury, see Temporary Medical Conditions under the Students tab on the Disability Services website and discuss your needs with your professor.

The CU Boulder Veteran and Military Affairs (VMA) is a one-stop shop for all programs, policies, pay, information and support for prospective and current student veterans and veteran dependents. 

VMA understands that veterans and military members living, working, and receiving their education at CU Boulder are a valued and vital component of our campus community. We recognize and honor their sacrifices and value their life experiences as they broaden the diversity of our staff, faculty and student body. We also recognize their special circumstances and the need for our campus to assist them in making the successful transition into our campus environment.

VMA supplements the recruitment and retention of veterans to the Boulder campus. We provide a key point of contact for counseling and program information for the veteran/military community at CU Boulder, while developing and maintaining productive relations with off-campus organizations and programs serving veterans. 

The office is located on the third floor of the Center for Academic Success and Engagement (CASE Building).

For more information, visit the Veteran and Military Affairs website, email veterans@colorado.edu, or call 303-492-7322.

Undergraduate students can take a leave of absence from the university for up to two semesters plus summer after their last graded semester without having to reapply to CU Boulder.

Eligible undergraduates have the option to maintain certain university benefits while on leave, such as Recreation Center access and health insurance through Wardenburg Health Services, for an additional fee. See the Office of the Registrar website for eligibility information.