Future Admission to CU Boulder

Nondegree or ACCESS classes are a great opportunity to learn about academic departments, meet faculty and fellow graduate students, and earn credit. You may be able to take prerequisite or graduate classes through prior to admission to a graduate or degree program. The credits you earn as a nondegree student may be applicable toward your degree requirements if you are admitted to the program. For more information, ask the departmental advisor or set up an appointment with a Continuing Education academic advisor.

Undergraduate

If you are considering future undergraduate admission to CU Boulder, you should meet with a Continuing Education advisor before enrolling in courses. Depending on your specific circumstances, we may also encourage you to contact the Office of Admissions before enrolling in Continuing Education courses. An admissions counselor can assist you in determining what you will need as a nondegree student to satisfy the admission criteria established by the individual colleges and schools. For more information visit the prospective student website.

The credits and grade point average earned as a nondegree student may apply toward degree requirements once you are admitted as a degree student. However, applicability of these hours toward a degree is established by the schools and colleges. Limits and transfer credit criteria may vary by department.

Graduate

Admission to graduate programs is done through the individual departments. You may want to contact each of the departments in which you are interested to determine what is necessary for admission. For example, some departments may require prerequisites if you have not had the necessary educational background for a program. If you should need undergraduate or graduate courses as prerequisites before you can apply to a graduate program, you may take these courses as a nondegree (not formally admitted) student through Continuing Education.

Some graduate departments will require an admissions exam such as the Graduate Records Exam (GRE) before you apply. You may also be able to begin your graduate course work through the ACCESS program.

The graduate credits you earn as a nondegree student may be applicable toward your degree requirements if you are admitted as a graduate student. However, applicability of these hours is established by the schools and colleges. For graduate courses, a department may accept as many as 9 semester hours taken as a nondegree student toward a master’s and 21 semester hours toward a doctoral degree. Even with this guideline, limits and transfer credit criteria may vary by department, school, or college. Please contact the school or college in which you are interested in matriculating for more information.

Academic Advising Through Continuing Education

Our academic advisors can help you plan your course of study and schedule. We are here to assist:

• Current main campus students looking for ways to earn credit and stay on schedule to graduate,
• Returning students interested in completing their degrees,
• New students focused on earning college credits without interrupting work and family schedules.

Schedule an appointment with our Academic Advisors. You can also call us at 303-492-5148 or email us at ceadvise@colorado.edu.

No matter the situation, we are committed to helping you explore your educational goals.

Nondegree Advising

Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 in order to continue enrolling in Continuing Education course work. Students who have not maintained a GPA of 2.0 after completing one semester will have an academic advising hold placed on their records. These students will be ineligible to enroll in additional course work until they consult with an academic advisor and have the hold lifted.

Regardless of GPA, all nondegree students who have earned 15+ credit hours are encouraged to meet with a Continuing Education advisor regarding their academic goals.

Schedule an appointment with an Academic Advisor.

Financial Aid Advising

Students enrolled in university credit courses through Continuing Education may be eligible for financial assistance. Continuing Education has a financial aid advisor to assist you in exploring all the options available to you, whether you are a degree or nondegree student.

Detailed information about how to receive federal financial aid is available on the CU Boulder Financial Aid website.

Email questions to our Financial Aid Advisor at cefinaid@colorado.edu.

ACCESS Application

• Submit the Online Enrollment Application for Continuing Education:

• Fall 2023 Online Enrollment Application

• Fall registration for ACCESS starts on Monday, August 21.

• If you are a high school student, refer to the High School ACCESS program information.

• An Invitation to Enroll (ITE) will be mailed or emailed to you as confirmation of your eligibility to enroll. The ITE will contain your CU student identification number (SID) and enrollment instructions.

• If you are a Colorado resident you may be eligible for the College Opportunity Fund.

• If you are under 22 years old, you must confirm that you are eligible to enroll.

Buff Portal and IdentiKey

Buff Portal is the online campus portal and an important tool. It gives you access to credit course enrollment, your CU student email account, campus announcements, semester schedule, tuition bill, book lists, clicker registration, Canvas, and your final grades. Learn more about Buff Portal.

You’ll need an Identikey, or a unique username, to log in to and access Buff Portal. An Identikey allows you to register for CU courses and provides you with access to online services and campus computing facilities. Use your student identification number to activate your IdentiKey at identikey.colorado.edu.

If you have questions, contact us at ceregistration@colorado.edu or 303-492-5148.

Consenting to Do Business Electronically

When you log in to Buff Portal for the first time, you’ll be asked to consent to conduct business electronically at CU. If you don’t consent, you’ll lose access to the portal and instead receive information about how to conduct your official university business offline.

If you have questions, contact us at ceregistration@colorado.edu or 303-492-5148.

Eligibility to Enroll in Credit Courses

Nondegree Application Requirements

You need a high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma to enroll in credit courses. If you are under 23 years of age as of Sept. 15 for fall or Jan. 15 for spring, and not officially admitted or enrolled in a CU Boulder degree program, you must submit unofficial copies of either your high school equivalency scores or your high school transcript for review. High school transcripts must include the degree conferral date and must show that you completed your high school degree with at least a 2.0 GPA. Please upload your unofficial documents with your online application. For questions, please email ceregistration@colorado.edu.

Course Restrictions and Prerequisites

Some courses at CU—including mathematics, engineering, language and all graduate-level courses—may be restricted. Proof of completed prerequisites or departmental permission may be required to enroll. If you believe you meet the prerequisite from an outside university or have additional questions about prerequisite approvals, please connect with a CE advisor by scheduling an appointment or emailing ceadvise@colorado.edu.

Holds and Academic Status

A hold on your account (financial, academic, student conduct, etc.) may prevent you from being eligible to enroll. Students should contact a Continuing Education academic advisor with questions about academic probation/suspension/dismissal from the Boulder campus. More about probation and suspension.

International Nondegree Language Requirements

The Division of Continuing Education does not issue immigration documents for international guest students and cannot provide immigration advising of any kind. If you plan to enroll in classes as a guest student and you are not a US Citizen or legal permanent resident, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are maintaining your immigration status independent of CU Boulder. If you are studying in the US under an F-1 or J-1 visa and wish to enroll at CU as a guest student, your current school will maintain your I-20 record.

Nondegree applicants who will be living in the U.S. on temporary visas during their CU enrollment and those who will be completing CU coursework from outside of the U.S. are required to meet a minimum standard of English proficiency. Proof of English proficiency may include: TOEFL score of 75 or higher, IELTS score of 6.5 or higher, or Duolingo score of 100 or higher.

English proficiency test scores are required unless:

• You have completed at least two years of full-time academic study at a U.S. high school or at a high school in a country where English is the native language (e.g., Australia, U.K.). Must have received a minimum GPA 2.0 and unofficial transcript is required.
• You have completed at least one year of full-time academic study at a U.S. college or university or at an institution in a country where English is the native language (e.g., Australia, U.K.). Must have received a minimum GPA 2.0 and unofficial transcript is required.
• Your native language is English.

You may upload unofficial copies of your TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo scores in the Unofficial Test Scores section of your online application. Unofficial high school, college or university transcripts may be uploaded in the Academic History section of the application. Both kinds of documents may also be uploaded on your Application Status Page after application submission. A member of our staff will contact you if any further documentation is needed. If you have questions about the English proficiency requirement, please contact us at ceregistration@colorado.edu.

ACCESS Academic Calendar

All times are in Mountain Time.

* Students’ eligibility for a possible tuition adjustment or refund is dependent on residency status and number of credits. Non-resident students are not eligible for a tuition adjustment if they are enrolled in 4 or more credits after dropping or withdrawing from a course or courses.
**Drop by 11:59 p.m. online using Buff Portal.
***Withdraw by 11:59 p.m. online using Buff Portal, submitting an online withdrawal form, or by email to ceregistration@colorado.edu. A grade of W will appear on your transcript.
† Withdraw by 11:59 p.m. by submitting an online withdrawal form or send an email to ceregistration@colorado.edu. A grade of W will appear on your transcript.

^ Petitioning is designed to provide students who experience unavoidable, extenuating circumstances, the opportunity to waive a University policy that, if enforced, would result in unsatisfactory academic progress or financial consequences.
Nondegree students must petition the dean of CEPS and must have an instructor signature. Degree students must petition the dean of the college in which they are enrolled, and must have an instructor signature.

^^ If a College Opportunity Fund (COF) eligible student adds a course after this date, according to Colorado Department of Higher Education policy, the student will pay full tuition for the course, including the amount normally paid by COF, and the course will not be credited to COF hours used.

Continuing Education Important Dates

Add, Drop, and Withdrawal Info

Enrolled students must add or drop courses by the dates and deadlines listed in their program’s academic calendar. You may add, drop, or withdraw via Buff Portal or Class Search using the instructions outlined under Review Your Registration Actions. You may also submit an online withdrawal form or send an email to ceregistration@colorado.edu.

If you fail to drop by the deadline you may receive a grade of F and you may be liable for any tuition and fees. You may withdraw from a credit course after the published drop deadline. Withdrawals will result in a W on your academic record.

ACCESS Tuition Rates

ACCESS tuition is determined by your residency, not by the course format (i.e. evening, online, or hybrid).

In-State Students:

• CE Evening Credit, CE Online Credit, and Applied Music tuition is charged in addition to ACCESS rates when enrolled in both programs concurrently.
• If you have applied and authorized the College Opportunity Fund (COF) vouchers, you are only responsible for paying the student share for COF eligible hours. Learn more about how much the COF voucher is worth per credit hour on the College Opportunity Fund (COF) website.

Out-of-State students:

• Tuition for CE Evening Credit and Applied Music is included as part of ACCESS when enrolled in six or more hours of Continuing Education and ACCESS courses concurrently.

Tuition

In-State Undergraduate Tuition

Out-of-State Undergraduate Tuition

In-State Graduate Tuition

Out-of-State Graduate Tuition

The Board of Regents reserves the right to change the tuition and fee rates at any time.

Course and program fees are assessed in some schools and departments. Lab courses not linked to a lecture course may require a course fee. A & S Tech Fee (ASSET) Fee of $1.32 per credit hour assessed for Arts and Sciences courses. Course, program, and ASSET fees are nonrefundable.

Cost of Attendance

Tuition and fees are just one part of the overall cost to attend CU Boulder. The full cost of attendance for an academic year could include expenses such as on-campus housing and food, books and supplies, and items that are not billed by the university, such as personal expenses, transportation and medical insurance. View the full cost of attendance.

Nondegree Tuition Policy

You will be billed for your Continuing Education registration. Bills are available through Buff Portal. A 1% service charge is added to an unpaid balance after the tuition due date, and a financial stop is placed on your student record. All tuition and refund determinations are subject to audit.

Fall and Spring

Tuition for Fall and Spring Boulder main campus courses is charged the ACCESS rates.

Summer

During the summer semester students are charged Summer Session tuition rates. ACCESS rates are not available.

Out-of-State Flat Rate Tuition Policy

Out-of-state students who are enrolled in a combination of classes including CE Evening Credit, ACCESS, Applied Music and Individualized Instruction will have their credits combined as a flat rate once they hit six (6) or more credits. To learn more about the tuition flat rate for 6+ credits, visit our Tuition and Fees section.

Residency

If you have lived in Colorado for the past 12 months, you may be eligible for in-state tuition rates. To learn more or provide documentation of residency, contact our classification coordinator at 303-492-5148.

Fees for Nondegree Students Enrolled in Main Campus Classes

The fees assessed for ACCESS, certificate and/or Summer Session nondegree students depends on whether you are taking main campus in-person or online courses:

• Students taking main campus in-person classes are charged full mandatory fees per the campus fee schedule. These fees give students access to the RTD bus system and other campus services.
• Students taking main campus online classes only are charged online fees.

If you do not plan to utilize the resources covered by student fees, you may follow the instructions on this page to waive the majority of your fees.

If you have questions about student fees, please contact the Continuing Education Bursar’s Office at cebursar@colorado.edu or 303-492-2212 for assistance.

Please note that the Board of Regents reserves the right to change the fee rate at any time.

Fees Waiver

Nondegree and standalone certificate students may be able to waive all student fees except for the computing fee and A&S technology fee. If you are not utilizing resources such as the bus pass, Rec Center or health insurance, you may complete the online fee waiver form.

Instructions for Fees Waiver

1. Pay your bill by the published due date excluding the student activity fee.
2. Complete and submit the online fee waiver form by the deadline for the appropriate term.
   • Fall 2023 deadline: Sept 29, 2023
3. Within one week of submitting your petition, login to Buff Portal to verify your account balance.

You will receive an email confirmation when your form has been successfully submitted, and another when your waiver has been processed.

Contact Continuing Education with questions by calling 303-492-2212.

Financial Aid Advising

Students enrolled in university credit courses through Continuing Education may be eligible for financial assistance. Continuing Education has a financial aid advisor to assist you in exploring all the options available to you, whether you are a degree or nondegree student.

Detailed information about how to receive federal financial aid is available on the CU Boulder Financial Aid website.

Email questions to our Financial Aid Advisor at cefinaid@colorado.edu.

Nondegree Student Scholarships

Continuing Education offers scholarships for nondegree students.

Application and Award Process

• Submit the appropriate application along with a 250-500 word essay addressing your past educational history, your future educational and career goals, and the specific way in which the scholarship will assist you in meeting those goals.
• The award amount is based on available funding and a competitive essay review. Scholarship essays will be rated based on the following elements:

• • (4 points) Content The essay fully addresses all portions of the prompt and has a central point that is interesting, original, substantial, and maybe even striking. The author uses concrete details to “show” rather than merely “tell” their story.
  • (3 points) Readability/Organization The central idea is developed in the essay through well-chosen and appropriate language. The essay is organized and well-structured. There is a beginning, a body, and a conclusion and transitions help the paper flow smoothly. Introductory statements are interesting and appropriate. Concluding statements are satisfying.
  • (2 points) Tone The essay is written in the authentic voice of the writer. It is compelling and interesting. The tone is consistent and shows effort/thought was put in.
  • (1 point) Grammar/Standard language use Author has given thought to form, grammar, and structure and is writing at a college level of English.
• Awardees will be notified via the email given on the application.

If you have any questions or are unable to log into the appropriate application form, please contact us at ceadvise@colorado.edu.

Nondegree Fall & Spring Scholarships

Eligibility

• Nondegree student at CU Boulder (not formally admitted to a degree program)
• Must be enrolled in courses for credit offered through main campus, CE Evening Credit, CE Online Credit, and Applied Music

Scholarship Details

• The maximum award for the scholarship is $1,000, not to exceed 80% of the resident tuition rate of a three-credit course.
• Students may be awarded a Continuing Education scholarship only once during their time as a nondegree student.
• Scholarships offered through CE are classified as general fund (i.e. compatible with VA benefits).

The fall 2023 application deadline is September 8, 2023.

Apply now

College Opportunity Fund

The College Opportunity Fund (COF) is an amount of money given by the state of Colorado to Colorado residents enrolled in undergraduate credit courses at a Colorado college or university. Each year the Colorado Legislature sets the stipend (amount given to students as a per credit hour amount).

COF Eligibility

You are eligible for COF if you’re:

1. An undergraduate student (can be nondegree),
2. Classified as a Colorado resident and paying resident tuition (some exceptions apply);
3. Enrolled at CU Boulder in main campus courses through Continuing Education’s ACCESS Program, the Post-Baccalaureate Health Professions program, the Individually Designed program, or CU Boulder Summer Session; and
4. Have not exceeded the 145 lifetime credit limit (petition options are available).

How to Apply and Authorize COF

1. Apply online through the College Access Network.
2. Authorize COF when you enroll in your course(s).
Please note – it may take three to four days after you apply for COF for you to be able to authorize. You cannot apply and authorize COF on the same day.
3. Questions? Call us at 303-492-5148.

COF Restrictions

The COF stipend is not applicable for CE Evening Credit, CE Online Credit, Applied Music, Individualized Instruction, or International English Center courses. The tuition rates for many of these programs are based on the tuition paid by Colorado residents after the COF stipend is applied.