Learn more about Continuing Education ACCESS enrollment requirements.
Fall 2024 registration for ACCESS starts on Monday, August 19.
After you apply, a welcome message will be emailed to you as confirmation of your eligibility to enroll. The welcome message will contain your CU student identification number (SID) and enrollment instructions.
Tuition Assistance Benefit Users
If you are a CU faculty/staff/dependent intending to use the university’s Tuition Assistance Benefit (TAB), you must complete a different application and not Continuing Education’s non-degree application. Follow these CU Boulder Employee Services instructions for TAB.
High School Students
If you are a high school student, refer to the High School ACCESS program information.
How to Apply
If you are new to CU as a non-degree student, complete and submit the Enrollment Application for Continuing Education.
Summer 2024 Continuing Education Application
Fall 2024 Continuting Education Application
Note: if you already have a bachelor’s degree and intend to take undergraduate courses, you must choose “Undergraduate” as your status on the application. Otherwise you will be charged the graduate tuition rate and will not be eligible to use the College Opportunity Fund.
If approved, you will receive a student identification number to activate your Identikey and search/enroll in courses via Buff Portal.
Non-Degree 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 September 15 for fall or January 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.
Residency
You’ll answer questions on your non-degree application regarding your residency that determine how you are classified and what tuition you are charged. Key factors in establishing Colorado residency:
- Domicile in Colorado for 12 consecutive months prior to the start date of the term in which you apply
- Legal ties to Colorado and not other states
- Colorado identification, and voter and car registrations, and voter registration obtained within the timelines listed on the Residency Guidelines page
- Military members, review the CE Veterans Tuition Exception Form in Step 7 on the Non-Degree Veterans page.
- Non-degree students only taking CE Online Credit courses will be charged a single rate regardless of their in-state or out-of-state classification.
International Non-Degree 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.
Non-degree 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.
If you are a continuing non-degree student and you have enrolled in a CU Boulder course, you are automatically enabled to enroll in courses through Buff Portal for the next term. If you didn’t enroll in the term that you applied for, your account will be discontinued at the end of the term. You must resubmit an enrollment application through the Division of Continuing Education. If more than 12 months have passed since you were last enrolled as a non-degree student, you must submit an enrollment application.
Summer 2024 Continuing Education Application
Fall 2024 Continuting Education Application
Non-Degree 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 September 15 for fall or January 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.
Residency
You’ll answer questions on your non-degree application regarding your residency that determine how you are classified and what tuition you are charged. Key factors in establishing Colorado residency:
- Domicile in Colorado for 12 consecutive months prior to the start date of the term in which you apply
- Legal ties to Colorado and not other states
- Colorado identification, and voter and car registrations, and voter registration obtained within the timelines listed on the Residency Guidelines page
- Military members, review the CE Veterans Tuition Exception Form in Step 7 on the Non-Degree Veterans page.
- Non-degree students only taking CE Online Credit courses will be charged a single rate regardless of their in-state or out-of-state classification.
International Non-Degree 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.
Non-degree 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.
If you didn’t enroll in the term that you applied for, your account will be discontinued at the end of the term. You must resubmit an enrollment application through the Division of Continuing Education.
If more than 12 months have passed since you were enrolled as a non-degree student at CU Boulder, you must submit the enrollment application.
Summer 2024 Continuing Education Application
Fall 2024 Continuing Education Application
Non-Degree 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 September 15 for fall or January 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.
Residency
You’ll answer questions on your non-degree application regarding your residency that determine how you are classified and what tuition you are charged. Key factors in establishing Colorado residency:
- Domicile in Colorado for 12 consecutive months prior to the start date of the term in which you apply
- Legal ties to Colorado and not other states
- Colorado identification, and voter and car registrations, and voter registration obtained within the timelines listed on the Residency Guidelines page
- Military members, review the CE Veterans Tuition Exception Form in Step 7 on the Non-Degree Veterans page.
- Non-degree students only taking CE Online Credit courses will be charged a single rate regardless of their in-state or out-of-state classification.
International Non-Degree 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.
Non-degree 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.
How to Enroll
Eligibility to Enroll in Credit Courses
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 academic 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.
Obtaining Prerequisite Approval
Coursework completed outside of CU Boulder has to be manually reviewed. Even if you attached transcripts to your non-degree application, outside coursework is not articulated on your student account.
If the course you wish to enroll into has prerequisites in the Registration Restriction area of a course on the CU Boulder Class Search classes, a CE academic advisor must manually review your outside transcripts for enrollment eligibility.
After you apply, plan ahead:
- Schedule an appointment with an academic advisor or email ceadvise@colorado.edu for a transcript review
- Our advisors will review your prior coursework to determine your eligibility. If approved, they will place a class permission for you to self-enroll; or, they will direct you to complete the Course Request Form and attach approval. If you haven't had your transcripts manually reviewed and approved, you will receive a prerequisite error message when enrolling.
If you are a new non-degree student at CU Boulder, please ensure you have followed the New Non-Degree application instructions in the How to Apply section before you try to enroll in courses.
After you receive an email with your student identification number and activate your Identikey, you will be able to search for and enroll in courses through Buff Portal.
You can find more information about how to add a course in Buff Portal and enrollment dates on the Registrar's Add a Class page.
If you have enrollment questions, talk to a CE academic advisor or email ceregistration@colorado.edu.
Obtaining Prerequisite Approval
If the course you wish to enroll into has prerequisites in the Registration Restriction area of a course on the CU Boulder Class Search, a CE academic advisor must manually review your transcripts from other institutions for enrollment eligibility. Outside coursework is not articulated on your student account, even if you attached transcripts to your non-degree application,
After you apply, plan ahead:
- Schedule an appointment with an academic advisor or email ceadvise@colorado.edu for a transcript review
- If prior coursework is approved by an advisor as eligible for a prerequisite, the advisor will place a class permission for you to self-enroll; or, they will direct you to complete the Course Request Form and attach approval. If you haven't had your transcripts manually reviewed and approved, you will receive a prerequisite error message when enrolling.
Vaccination Requirements for Non-Degree Students
All non-degree students residing in the state of Colorado must meet the campus vaccination requirements.
Non-degree students born on or after January 1, 1957 must submit proof of two (2) doses each of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination. If you have previously submitted these during an earlier term, you do NOT need to resubmit.
Learn more about the vaccination requirements and submission for non-degree students on the Health & Wellness Requirements Page.
If you have questions about these requirements, please contact us at ceadvise@colorado.edu.
If you are a continuing non-degree student and you enrolled in CU Boulder courses within the past twelve months, you can enroll in Continuing Education courses without completing a separate application. You can enroll in Continuing Education courses through Buff Portal.
You can find more information about how to add a course in Buff Portal and enrollment dates on the Registrar's Add a Class page.
If you have enrollment questions, talk to a CE academic advisor or email ceregistration@colorado.edu.
Obtaining Prerequisite Approval
If the course you wish to enroll into has prerequisites in the Registration Restriction area of a course on the CU Boulder Class Search, a CE academic advisor must manually review your transcripts from other institutions for enrollment eligibility. Outside coursework is not articulated on your student account, even if you attached transcripts to your non-degree application,
After you apply, plan ahead:
- Schedule an appointment with an academic advisor or email ceadvise@colorado.edu for a transcript review
- If prior coursework is approved by an advisor as eligible for a prerequisite, the advisor will place a class permission for you to self-enroll; or, they will direct you to complete the Course Request Form and attach approval. If you haven't had your transcripts manually reviewed and approved, you will receive a prerequisite error message when enrolling.
Vaccination Requirements for Non-Degree Students
All non-degree students residing in the state of Colorado must meet the campus vaccination requirements.
Non-degree students born on or after January 1, 1957 must submit proof of two (2) doses each of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination. If you have previously submitted these during an earlier term, you do NOT need to resubmit.
Learn more about the vaccination requirements and submission for non-degree students on the Health & Wellness Requirements Page.
If you have questions about these requirements, please contact us at ceadvise@colorado.edu.
If you are a former non-degree student at CU Boulder, please ensure you have followed the Former Non-Degree application instructions in the How to Apply section before you try to enroll in courses.
Once you have submitted an enrollment application and it’s been processed, you will be able to search for and enroll in courses through Buff Portal.
You can find more information about how to add a course in Buff Portal and enrollment dates on the Registrar's Add a Class page.
If you have enrollment questions, talk to a CE academic advisor or email ceregistration@colorado.edu.
Obtaining Prerequisite Approval
If the course you wish to enroll into has prerequisites in the Registration Restriction area of a course on the CU Boulder Class Search, a CE academic advisor must manually review your transcripts from other institutions for enrollment eligibility. Outside coursework is not articulated on your student account, even if you attached transcripts to your non-degree application,
After you apply, plan ahead:
- Schedule an appointment with an academic advisor or email ceadvise@colorado.edu for a transcript review
- If prior coursework is approved by an advisor as eligible for a prerequisite, the advisor will place a class permission for you to self-enroll; or, they will direct you to complete the Course Request Form and attach approval. If you haven't had your transcripts manually reviewed and approved, you will receive a prerequisite error message when enrolling.
Vaccination Requirements for Non-Degree Students
All non-degree students residing in the state of Colorado must meet the campus vaccination requirements.
Non-degree students born on or after January 1, 1957 must submit proof of two (2) doses each of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination. If you have previously submitted these during an earlier term, you do NOT need to resubmit.
Learn more about the vaccination requirements and submission for non-degree students on the Health & Wellness Requirements Page.
If you have questions about these requirements, please contact us at ceadvise@colorado.edu.