CU Complete | Admitted Students
Finish your CU Boulder degree
You will find all the information you need below to get started on your journey at CU Boulder.
Get Started
Once you are readmitted to the university, you will receive a welcome email that includes your student ID and instructions to access your student portal (Buff Portal) and CU email. Note: You should receive this email within two business days, if you do not, please check your spam folder.
- Buff Portal allows you to check enrollment dates, personal information, class schedule, textbooks, grades, tuition bill, advising appointments and more.
- Faculty and staff will use your colorado.edu email account as their primary means of communication with you. In fact, some instructors will only respond to messages sent from this address. Please be sure to check your colorado.edu account regularly.
Enrollment
To register for classes, you must complete the following steps:
Submit final transcripts from any colleges or universities attended since you left CU Boulder, if applicable. Have your official transcripts emailed to transcripts@colorado.edu. It may take a few weeks to process these transcripts.
CU Boulder assigns holds or to-dos to inform you of steps you may need to complete. A hold prevents you from taking some kind of action (such as registering for classes), and a to-do is a recommended action that certain students need to complete.You can see holds and to-do’s on the Holds & To-Dos card in Buff Portal.
When you register for classes, you will be prompted to complete the pre-registration items – updating your address, phone and emergency contacts (located in Buff Portal under the Class Registration guide card). Once pre-registration is complete, you can search for classes, add them to your shopping cart and then continue with enrollment.
Enroll in classes during open enrollment or during an assigned enrollment appointment. This information is provided in the Class Registration guide card in Buff Portal.
Financial Aid
After your intake appointment, the academic advisor will provide you with our CU Complete Program - Scholarship Application, which will finalize your participation in the program. Once you submit this application, the CU Complete scholarship will show up on your account automatically each semester before your tuition bill deadline, which is based on when you enroll. You only need to fill out the CU Complete Program - Scholarship Application once to receive up to six semesters of the scholarship; you do not need to apply for your award each semester.
The FAFSA will determine if you are eligible for any additional aid including loans, grants and scholarships. You will need to complete the FAFSA form every academic year. You must be readmitted to CU or active in the CU record system before a financial aid advisor can review your application.
- Colorado residents not eligible for federal aid can fill out the CASFA form for Colorado state aid. Personal information shared through CASFA is not shared with a federal database.
- The CU Complete financial aid advisor is UndocuAlly trained and knowledgeable about the financial aid process for all students, including undocumented students. Please email CEfinaid@colorado.edu with any questions.
Colorado residents taking main campus classes should apply for the Colorado Opportunity Fund (COF) stipend online.
- Continuing Education classes such as CE Evening Credit, CE Online Credit and Winter Session are not eligible for COF. However, the cost of these classes is similar to that of main campus classes where COF is applied.
After you apply for COF, you must authorize COF in Buff Portal.
Tuition Payment
Bill due dates are based on when you enroll. Your bill will become viewable in Buff Portal by the second Thursday of each month, after the term begins and you have registered for classes. Payment is due on the 5th of the following month. Notably, your CU Complete scholarship will not appear on your account until close to your tuition bill deadline.
- View and pay your bill on the Tuition & Fees card in Buff Portal. You may also set up a payment plan.
- Confirmation deposit: Students taking any main campus classes will be charged a $200 confirmation deposit, which will be returned after graduation. If you take only Continuing Education classes, this deposit is not required.
Health insurance: Students enrolled in six credits or more are charged for the Anthem Gold Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP) as well as additional fees. These charges are applicable regardless of whether the classes are in CE or on the main campus. Students who already have health insurance can waive SHIP and the fees, but must do so by the semester deadline.
Keep track of deadlines in case you decide to drop a class. CE and main campus classes have different deadlines, depending on the session. You can view more information on main campus deadlines via the Office of the Registrar’s Academic Calendar page and more information on CE deadlines via the Dates and Deadlines page. If you drop after the deadline, a W will post to your record, and you will be responsible for the full or partial cost of the class. If you have any questions, please reach out to your CU Complete academic advisor at cucomplete@colorado.edu.
Before Classes Begin
Your CU Complete academic coach offers holistic, tailored coaching with a focus on deepening self-awareness, enhancing motivation and self-confidence, developing academic and life skills, and facilitating goal setting and accountability. Topics are highly varied but may include time management, active learning strategies and stress reduction. Schedule an appointment by emailing michelle.pagnani@colorado.edu or calling 303-735-4743.
The BuffOne Card serves as your campus identification, and it allows you to add funds to dine in campus restaurants, print documents and enter sporting events. It also serves as a transit pass for all fee-paying CU students and benefited employees, which allows you free use of the RTD bus system across Boulder County and Denver including to and from DIA.
Students are required to carry a comprehensive medical plan while attending CU. You may elect coverage through a CU plan or waive this option in favor of private insurance. Students must meet this requirement their first semester and at the beginning of each academic year. Student insurance plans provide coverage from fall through summer unless a student changes their selection during the next enrollment period.
- If you are taking six or more credits, you will be automatically enrolled in the Anthem Gold SHIP, but can opt out with proof of private insurance coverage. Students taking fewer than six credits do not need to complete the insurance selection and waiver process.
- Please see the Student Health Insurance page for all dates related to coverage and open enrollment.
- If you do not take action to enroll or waive by the appropriate deadline, you will be automatically enrolled in the Anthem Gold SHIP and charged for this coverage. There will be no refunds granted following the deadline.
If you are taking only CE classes and waive the insurance plan, the Student Fee Package will be waived as well. This fee package includes the RTD bus pass, plus access to the Student Recreation Center and student groups. (Students taking main campus courses will still be assessed the Student Fee Package if they waive the insurance plan.) Notably, students taking only Continuing Education classes may complete the student fee package request form to add the Student Fee Package back to their accounts.
All students are required to submit proof of vaccinations including MMR. Please go into the MyCUHealth portal to submit proof of your vaccinations, and see the Immunization Requirements page for deadlines.
All CU Boulder students are charged the CU Book Access fee, but you can opt out of this fee. See which textbooks and materials are required for each course at the bookstore. If you determine that the cost of materials is less than the CU Book Access fee, you may opt out by going into Canvas, searching for My Course Materials and following the steps to opt out. If you are interested in printing your digital readings, you may do so at various printing kiosks on campus for a fee. Reference librarians in the Norlin Library are available for assistance.
Students can rent Macs, PCs, or Chromebooks from the CU Book Store at daily, weekly, monthly, or semesterly rates.