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Application Process

Application priority dates and admission notification.

Applications for degree candidates may be submitted beginning in August for the following spring, summer and fall terms.

The university reserves the right to deny admission to applicants whose total credentials reflect an inability to assume those obligations of performance and behavior deemed essential by the university and relevant to any of its lawful missions, processes and functions as an educational institution.

First-Year Applicants

Students can apply to CU Boulder using the Common Application.  Complete applications include transcripts, essays, a letter of recommendation, application fee and optional test scores.

Spring First-Year Applicants

Spring applications are processed on a rolling basis. The Office of Admissions begins notifying applicants about admission decisions in October. Decisions are made approximately six to eight weeks after an application is complete. Full consideration is given to applications that are complete (including the application fee and all required credentials) by the Oct. 1 deadline.

Summer and Fall First-Year Applicants

There are two admission notification periods for fall and summer candidates.

Non-Binding Early Action

First-year applicants who complete their file by Nov. 15 are considered early action and will receive an admission decision on or before Feb. 1.

Students meeting the non-binding, early action deadline may be admitted, deferred to Regular Decision, or denied admission. Deferred students will receive an additional review and are strongly encouraged to submit additional academic information to strengthen their applications. Students who are deferred do not typically receive an admission decision until April 1.

Early action students are not required to enroll at CU Boulder, but should, if they choose to attend, confirm their intent to enroll by May 1.

Regular Decision Application Deadline

The first-year regular decision application deadline is Jan. 15. All applicants with completed files by Jan. 15 will be notified of their admission decision no later than April 1.

Students should, if they choose to attend, confirm their intent to enroll by May 1.

Transfer Applicants

If a student submits a complete application on or before the transfer application deadline, they will receive an admission decision within six to eight weeks. A complete application includes transcripts (high school and college), academic interest response and application fee.

Transfer Application Deadlines

• Spring Term: Oct. 1
• Summer Term: March 15
• Fall Term Early Notification: March 15
• Fall Term Regular Decision: June 1

Applications are processed in the order in which they are received and completed. The earlier a complete application is submitted, the earlier a decision will be made.

Where to Send the Application, Fee and Credentials

Materials that cannot be submitted electronically, may be mailed to:

Office of Admissions Regent Administrative Center 125 University of Colorado Boulder 552 UCB Boulder, CO 80309-0552

Email and Mailing Addresses

Applicants must keep both their email and mailing addresses current at all times. We use email to communicate with students before, during and after the admissions process.  The mailing address is used for mailings until the applicant arrives on campus. Notices are also sent to this address regarding admission, registration and New Student Welcome, as well as other information. If an address changes or is no longer valid, notify the Office of Admissions immediately at 303-492-6301.

Application Checklist

• Online application for admission
• $65 nonrefundable ($70 USD for international students) application fee, payable online (if a student cannot pay the fee online, contact the Office of Admission at at 303-492-6301 or at [email protected])
• Unofficial high school transcript
• Unofficial college transcripts (if applicable)
• SAT or ACT test scores (optional)
• Common Application essay and one academic interest response (first-year applicants) or one academic interest response (transfer applicants)
• Letter of recommendation (first-year applicants only)
• Résumé or activities list (optional)

Confirmation Procedures

All admitted students are encouraged to confirm their intent to enroll through their application status page as soon as possible after receiving their admission notification. If a student cannot confirm their intent to enroll through their application status page, they must contact the Office of Admissions at 303-492-6301 or at [email protected] .

Confirmation Deadlines

• Summer: May 1
• Fall: May 1
• Spring: Dec. 1
• Transfers: varies; see confirmation instructions on application status page

If students register for classes and then decide not to attend, they may be assessed tuition depending upon the circumstances. For spring and fall semester policies, visit the Office of the Registrar's Withdraw from CU web page; for summer, visit Summer Session's Withdrawal web page. Important policy differences exist for continuing students versus new, readmitted and transfer students.

The confirmation deposits are used as registration deposits each semester as long as registration is completed by the published deadline. Once students have attended CU Boulder, the deposit (minus any fees or other charges owed) will be returned when they graduate. 

International Students

International students need to provide additional materials before they can accept their offer of admission and submit the $200 confirmation deposit. Students must complete the Next Steps Form found on their application status page. Once the Office of Admissions receives these materials they will review them to determine if they are sufficient.

Application Fees

Nonrefundable application fee ($65/$70 for international students), university of colorado boulder application.

Pay online when submitting the application or by check or money order (made payable to the University of Colorado) after submission. If submitting a check or money order, include the student's full legal name and birth date. We recognize that some students may be faced with financial constraints in paying the application fee. Waivers can be granted for documented hardships if the student submits an application fee waiver form. Students currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program at another University of Colorado campus who are applying to an undergraduate degree program on the Boulder campus are not required to pay the application fee.

Common Application

Pay online when submitting the application. We recognize that some students may be faced with financial constraints in paying the application fee. Waivers can be granted for documented hardships if the student answers the fee waiver question indicating that one or more of the listed financial need criteria are met .

Required Credentials

Credentials or information uploaded by an applicant will be accepted as unofficial documentation . Do not submit samples or photographs of design or artwork. A portfolio is not used for admission purposes and cannot be returned.

Submission of Altered College Transcripts 

All students applying for admission to the University of Colorado Boulder are required to provide unofficial or official, unaltered transcripts from all colleges or universities previously attended. Official transcripts are sent directly to the Office of Admissions by the former institutions and are in a sealed envelope. Digital transcripts sent directly from the institution to the Office of Admissions are also accepted. 

The submission of altered, falsified or counterfeit transcripts is strictly prohibited. Altered transcripts include:

• forged signatures
• tampered grades
• any other modifications that are not in accordance with the issuing institution's official document. 

The University of Colorado Boulder reserves the right to verify the authenticity of submitted transcripts by contacting the issuing institution. Applicants found to have submitted altered or falsified transcripts may be subject to a range of possible disciplinary actions, including admission revocation, expulsion or revocation of course credit, grades and degree. 

Applicants who believe their transcripts were mistakenly identified as altered or falsified may have the opportunity to appeal the decision. The appeal process, including the required documentation and timeline, will be communicated to the affected individual.

Unofficial Transcripts

Transcripts can be official or unofficial and submitted directly to CU Boulder from the issuing institution for admission review. Transcripts can be uploaded to your status page in the "upload materials" section, mailed or sent to [email protected]. Official final transcripts are required upon enrollment to verify credentials.

Transcripts that are marked, for example, "student copy," "issued to student" or "unofficial" are not accepted as official.

Unofficial transcripts cannot be used to post transfer credit .

High School Transcript

All undergraduate degree-seeking students are required to have graduated from high school or received a high school equivalency prior to their first term of enrollment at CU Boulder regardless of their age at the time of application. Students should request that their high school send an official transcript of all work completed, equivalent to U.S. grade 9 , directly to the Office of Admissions, regardless of the number of college hours the student has completed (if any) or the date of graduation from high school.

Transfer applicants who have completed 24 or more semester hours of work after high school graduation at the time of application do not need to submit a high school transcript unless they enroll at CU Boulder.

Students who have attended more than one high school and whose most recent transcript does not include the complete high school record must submit official transcripts from each school.

If any part of the high school record is missing from the transcript, the processing of the application will be delayed.

Students who have not graduated and do not plan to graduate from high school must request an official certificate of high school equivalency and official GED scores, plus an official transcript of any high school work (grades 9–12) completed, to be sent to the Office of Admissions.

Official transcripts must be sent to the Office of Admissions from the issuing institution either via email to  [email protected] , via electronic transcript services (i.e Parchment,  or by mail and must have the appropriate seals and signatures. All credentials written in languages other than English must be accompanied by a literal certified English translation.

College Transcripts

Students should request that their official transcripts from each collegiate institution attended (except any campus of the University of Colorado) be sent directly from the issuing institution to the Office of Admissions. Be sure to include all institutions, regardless of the length of attendance, whether or not courses were completed and whether or not the record might affect admission or transfer credit. Also include any institutions attended during summers, interim terms and during high school.

Failure to list and submit transcripts from all institutions previously attended before enrolling at CU Boulder is considered a violation of academic ethics and may result in the cancellation of admission or dismissal from the university.

SAT or ACT Test Scores (Optional)

ACT or SAT scores are not required for first-year students, but you may provide self-reported scores if you would like us to take your scores into consideration when reviewing your application.

CU Boulder's SAT code is 4841 and the ACT code is 0532 .

If a student would like their scores considered, they should indicate this on their Common Application. To submit scores, a student can self-report in the application, upload an unofficial score report to their application status page, or submit an official score report to CU Boulder.

The easiest and fastest way for a student’s ACT and/or SAT scores to be received by CU Boulder is to self report them using their application status page. If they did not request their scores to be sent to CU Boulder when they registered for the exam, they will need to request an additional score report from either ACT or SAT.

For further information:

• consult a high school counselor
• visit the SAT website , call 609-771-7600 or write to the College Board (SAT), P.O. Box 6200, Princeton, NJ 08541-6200
• visit the ACT website , call 319-337-1270 or write to ACT Registration, P.O. Box 414, Iowa City, IA 52243-0414

Personal Essays

CU Boulder requires first-year applicants to submit one short personal essay and one academic interest response and transfer applicants to submit one academic interest response. Applications without essays are considered incomplete and will not be reviewed. Personal essays are the best way for the Office of Admissions to learn about applicants as individuals and to evaluate a student’s academic performance within the appropriate context. There are no "correct" answers to the questions—responses should reflect the unique aspects and experiences of the applicant. The specific essay questions are available on the application.

Letters of Recommendation

One academic letter of recommendation will be required for all first-year applicants. The student's full legal name should be included at the top of recommendation letters.

Optional Documents

Applicants may submit additional letters of recommendation if they wish, however, doing so is optional. Applicants may also choose to submit a resume or list of co-curricular activities, work experience, leadership positions and awards.

College of Music applicants must also complete a College of Music application after their admission application has been submitted, submit a music essay, provide a letter of reference and schedule an audition.

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University of Colorado Boulder 2024-25 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Early Action: Nov 15

Regular Decision Deadline: Jan 15

University of Colorado Boulder 2024-25 Application Essay Question Explanations

The Requirements: 1 essays of 250 words  

Supplemental Essay Type(s):   Why

What do you hope to study, and why, at CU Boulder? Or if you don’t know quite yet, think about your studies so far, extracurricular/after-school activities, jobs, volunteering, future goals, or anything else that has shaped your interests.

This prompt is asking you to: describe what you want to study, explain why you like it so much, and address how you cultivated this interest. The admissions officer reviewing your application will expect you to connect your intended major to some prior experience and/or passion. In other words, tell a story. Lucky for you, we would have advised you to start with an anecdote anyway. The essays that stick with us are the ones that jump off the page with concrete descriptions from real life. What interests you and why? How have you gone about learning more about your major? When did your interest begin? What will this degree allow you to do? How have you already explored your inclination? While you don’t need to narrow in on the exact moment you became interested in geology or music education, try to focus on one significant experience. And if you’re going in undecided, take some time to explore CU Boulder’s academic offerings and choose a few to highlight in your response. Admissions doesn’t expect you to have your whole life figured out just yet–but they do expect you to put time and energy into your response.  

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How to Respond to the 2023/2024 University of Colorado Boulder Supplemental Essays

Katie Dixon is a former content writer at Scholarships360. Katie is an undergraduate student at Louisiana State University pursuing a degree in Mass Communications with a concentration in Journalism. Katie worked as a reporter for the LSU Reveille Newspaper and now works at the State Library of Louisiana.

Learn about our editorial policies

Bill Jack has over a decade of experience in college admissions and financial aid. Since 2008, he has worked at Colby College, Wesleyan University, University of Maine at Farmington, and Bates College.

Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research institution that focuses on aerospace, biosciences, energy, environmental sciences, and other major areas. If you are interested in becoming a Colorado Buffalo, it’s time to get to work on your University of Colorado Boulder supplemental essay! Writing stellar essays will help you stand out among all the applicants, so keep reading to learn how! 

The University of Colorado Boulder requires the Common App Personal Essay (250–650 words). Students should choose one of the seven essay prompts offered. In addition, students must submit one supplemental essay which we will go over below!

The UC-Boulder supplemental essay prompt

Research and innovation are a huge part of the University of Colorado’s identity. Before you begin writing, read Colorado Boulder’s strategic plan to learn more about them. This will help you tie your future plans with theirs. They want to know how you will fit in and push the University forward. Let’s take a look at the prompt:

“Please share a bit more about your academic interests. What do you hope to study, and why, at CU Boulder? Or if you don’t know quite yet, think about your studies so far, extracurricular/after-school activities, jobs, volunteering, future goals, or anything else that has shaped your interests.” (250 words)

Think of this prompt as a two-part question. Why did you choose your major? Why did you choose their college? As the prompt states, if you are unsure of a major, focus on what you do when you are not in school. If those activities  happen to relate to a possible major, by all means share! The goal is to connect back to UC-Boulder in a way that shows you belong there. 

Questions to consider:

• What inspired your interest in the major?
• How will Colorado Boulder tie into your future career plans?
• What will you bring to the table? 

Why your major?

Write about what you’ve done thus far that relates to your major of interest. Include clubs, classes, summer programs, etc. If someone special  inspired you, write about conversations you’ve had with them or speeches you’ve attended. 

Dig deep into how you will contribute to this career field. Write about the area you’d like to concentrate in and how you envision your future work. Lastly, write about how the University will further your specific interests to begin merging the two questions for this essay prompt. 

Why Colorado Boulder University?

Imagine you are already enrolled. Visualize what your experience would look like attending their college. Include ways you will attribute to Colorado Boulder. Write about how you would better their community. 

Spend some time researching Colorado Boulder to learn more about how you would fit in. Include their specific programs, classes, and learning techniques in your essay that tie your future career plan to your journey to get your degree. 

Think of ways you have contributed to your high school or outside programs and write how you will continue to show these attributions on campus. Don’t only tell them, show them through examples.

See also : College essay primer: Show, don’t tell

Writing tips:

• Use specific examples of experiences that show your role in the community. At what point did you look around and feel you belong? How has this role shaped you? Get personal. Write about how your role there made a difference. What conflict did you encounter and how was it resolved? You want to make the essay as visual as possible. 
• Try not to repeat what you wrote on other statements in the application process. You want to share as many qualities as you can with the reader.
• Sit down and just write. Don’t worry about the word limit on your first draft. Write everything that comes to mind involving your portrayed community. Then, choose your favorite details and re-write a shorter draft. 
• Connect the skills and values you are writing of with those of  the university. Do they have a similar community that you’d like to join?
• Be direct. Use powerful sentences that show confidence in yourself throughout the essay. 

Additional resources

• How to write a 250 or 500 word essay
• How to write an essay about yourself
• Guide to writing a great supplemental essay
• What looks good on college applications?

Final thoughts for students

When all is said and done, the University of Colorado Boulder supplemental essays are relatively straightforward. Try not to overthink when you begin writing. Your best bet is to write a rough draft without a  word limit. Show your best qualities and skills through examples and write of how you will continue to use them at college. These tips will help you write essays that stand out to Colorado Boulder University. While on your college admissions journey, make sure you apply for all the scholarships you are eligible for as well!

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Writing the CU Boulder Admissions Essay

Written by Steve Fernandez-Brennan on October 6th, 2020

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Financial Support | Scholarships

Continuing Education offers scholarships for some of our students each year. Below you will find information about those scholarships, who is eligible, and how to apply.

The scholarships include:

Need-Based High School ACCESS Fall & Spring Scholarship

Non-degree student scholarship, cu complete scholarship.

• Boundless Opportunity Scholarship

If you have questions about the scholarships or other financial support resources, please talk to one of our advisors .

• Dates & Deadlines
• Apply & Enroll
• Tuition & Fees
• Billing & Payment
• Scholarships

The need-based High School ACCESS Fall & Spring Scholarship is for students in the High School ACCESS program with demonstrated financial need.

Scholarship Details

• The maximum award will cover the tuition cost of one course, up to $2,500, with award amounts depending on a student’s credits.
• High School ACCESS students with financial need will be eligible to receive the scholarship more than once, contingent on available funding.
• Scholarships offered through CE are classified as general fund and are therefore compatible with VA benefits.

Students receiving this scholarship are also eligible to apply for the one-time Nondegree Scholarship during Summer Session.

Eligibility

• Non-degree High School ACCESS students at CU Boulder who are not formally admitted to a degree program.
• Must be enrolled in courses for credit offered through main campus, CE Evening Credit, and/or CE Online Credit.
• Must attest and provide documentation of financial need.

Students receiving CU’s Tuition Assistance Benefit are not eligible.

How to Apply

To apply, complete the application:

Fall & Spring Need-Based High School ACCESS Scholarship Application

Applications are accepted and reviewed on a first come basis until funding is exhausted. We encourage you to apply early!

Applications submitted by the second Monday of each month will receive a response by the end of that month. If the application is received after the second Monday of the month, it will be reviewed the following month. 

Application Deadlines

• Fall 2024 priority deadline:  August 1, 2024
• Fall 2024 final deadline: September 6, 2024

If you have questions or additional information, please email us at [email protected] . We are happy to help.

• Financial Need
• Scholarship Essay

This scholarship is intended to benefit high school students who require financial assistance in order to take courses at CU Boulder. Students may demonstrate financial need in a variety of ways.

For help understanding and obtaining the types of documentation listed below, speak with a parent/guardian or contact a school counselor and/or trusted teacher.

Accepted documentation types:

• A letter from a school counselor, teacher or other school personnel;
• A letter from another organization your family is working with to secure resources;
• A free/reduced lunch plan
• Boulder Valley School District’s Adelante program
• McKinney-Vento support
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA)
• Supplemental Security Income Federal Pell Grants or Subsidized Student Loans (either an older sibling or yourself, if you are a high school senior)

Any documentation that is submitted will be used to determine your scholarship eligibility only and will be stored in a secure database. Only the Continuing Education Scholarship Committee Chair will access the protected information.

In addition to submitting proof of financial need, students must also answer the personal essay question listed below and submit it in the online portal along with their complete application.

Please tell us more about your interest in the subject(s) you wish to study at CU Boulder. We would like to know:

• What makes you passionate about this subject?
• Do you have any special goals that you hope to achieve through your class(es) this semester?
• What is the #1 reason that you want to attend CU Boulder?

Scholarship essays will be rated based on the following elements:

• Content (4 points): 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.
• Readability/Organization (3 points): 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.
• Tone (2 points): 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.
• Grammar/Standard Language Use (1 point): Author has given thought to form, grammar, and structure and is writing at a college level of English.

Continuing Education offers scholarships for non-degree students for the fall, spring and summer terms.

• 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 Non-Degree Student Scholarship only once during their time as a non-degree student.
• Scholarships offered through CE are classified as general fund (i.e. compatible with VA benefits).
• You must be a non-degree student at CU Boulder (not formally admitted to a degree program), which includes High School ACCESS students
• You must be enrolled in courses for credit offered through main campus, CE Evening Credit, CE Online Credit, Applied Music or Summer Session. (Courses offered through the Extraordinary program, like CSPB or SLPP courses, are not eligible.)

To apply, complete the 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.

Non-Degree Student Scholarship Application

• Summer 2024 priority deadline:  May 28, 2024
• Fall 2024 priority deadline:  September 8, 2024

Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis after the priority deadline and awarded based on available funds.

Scholarship Award Process

The award amount is based on available funding and a competitive essay review. Scholarship essays will be rated based on the following elements:

• Content (4 points): 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.
• Readability/Organization (3 points): 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.
• Grammar/Standard Language Use (1 point): 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 [email protected] .  

Continuing Education is delighted to offer a scholarship opportunity designed to assist adult students who are completing their first undergraduate degree.

• Scholarships of up to $500 may be awarded to students enrolled in 5 or fewer credits in one term and scholarships of up to $1,000 may be awarded to students enrolled in 6 or more credits in one term. 
• Students are eligible for a scholarship only once and must meet all eligibility requirements. Awards are based on availability of funds.
• Students may be degree-seeking or non-degree seeking students.
• Scholarships may be applied to CU Boulder credit courses only.
• Students must be enrolled in a course or courses in order to receive an award.
• Students are eligible for this scholarship only once.
• Scholarships are dedicated to students completing their first bachelor’s degree.
• Students must have a minimum 2.0 GPA.
• Students must have taken at least one calendar year off or be in their final semester for consideration.

Applications are considered as they are received. To apply, download and complete the application:

CU Complete Scholarship Form

Completed applications may be submitted via email, U.S. mail or fax:

[email protected] (Preferred)

CU Complete Scholarship Continuing Education 1505 University Avenue, 178 UCB Boulder, CO 80309

Fax: 303-492-3962

For questions about CU Complete or the scholarship, please call 303-492-5148 or email [email protected] to speak with an academic advisor.

Boundless Opportunity Scholarship

The Boundless Opportunity Scholarship (BOS), made possible by a grant through the Daniels Fund in partnership with the Division of Continuing Education, is designed to benefit motivated non-traditional students who recognize the power of education to create a better life for themselves and their families. The BOS is available to non-traditional returning students with at least 60 credit hours completed and who are pursuing undergraduate degrees in high-demand career fields.

The scholarship awards $2,500 per semester for a maximum of four semesters or up to $10,000 over two years.

BOS recipients will have access to additional career advising, academic advising and academic coaching to support them in completing their degrees and obtaining employment in a field aligned with their majors. All recipients will meet with their BOS academic advisor and their BOS career advisor at least once each semester.

• Be degree-seeking in an approved major: Political Science, Economics, Integrative Physiology, Accounting, Business Analytics, Finance, Management & Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Computer Science, Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Information Science, Geography, Strategic Communications 
• Have graduated high school in Spring 2019 or before
• Have earned at least 60 credit hours (transfer and CU Boulder credits)
• Have taken at least two consecutive semesters off from higher education, and must apply to the BOS Program during either first or second semester back at CU Boulder
• Be a legal resident of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, or Wyoming, and a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or have refugee status
• Be pursuing first bachelor’s degree
• Exceptions may be made for students in their graduating semester
• Have a minimum 2.0 CU GPA
• Demonstrate financial need according to the FAFSA
• Any recipient who does not graduate by Spring 2026 will not be funded beyond this date
• Special consideration will be given to first-generation students

Expectations

• Maintain minimum academic requirements (2.0 CU cumulative GPA) and enroll full-time (12 credit hour minimum) throughout the duration of the program
• Meet with the BOS Academic Advisor at least once per semester
• Meet with the BOS Career Advisor at least once per semester
• Academic Coaching is offered and encouraged, but not required

To be considered for the 2024-25 year, complete the CU Boulder Scholarship Application by July 22nd, 2024 . Applicants must also have the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file.

CU Boulder Scholarship Application

After you complete the general application, you must complete the CE Boundless Opportunity Scholarship Application if eligible.

CE Boundless Opportunity Scholarship Application

Application Deadline

• Final deadline:  July 22, 2024

If you have questions or need additional help, please contact us at  [email protected] .

Renewal Criteria

This scholarship may be renewed each fall and spring semester until the program ends in Spring 2026. Recipients are automatically eligible for a renewal; no further application is required. The following criteria will be reviewed each semester to confirm renewal eligibility:

• Continue to meet eligibility requirements (i.e. undergraduate, full-time enrollment, approved major, etc.)
• Remain in good academic standing (minimum 2.0 cumulative CU GPA). Academic progress will be reviewed after each semester. (If a student falls below good academic standing, but then returns to good standing before Spring 2026, the student is eligible for renewal if funding is available.)
• Meet the program requirements of one BOS Academic Advising appointment per semester, and one BOS Career Advising at least once per semester.

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University Of Colorado Boulder Admission Essay Writing Guide

Application Guide

Essay examples, why cu boulder essay.

All college applications require you to submit a motivation letter that is more or else you promoting yourself, expressing your aspirations for future study plans, and how the program you choose will help you achieve your goals.

As part of your application to Colorado Boulder, you are required to respond to two essay prompts. Through the CU Boulder writing supplement essay, you have to bring out the best version of yourself, this being an opportunity for you to market yourself to the admission officers so that they will be able to see your worth and value.

For students writing an application letter for the first time, do not overthink it, or else you will end up trying too hard to impress the officials, thus coming off as a fake which is not what we are going for.

An outstanding CU Boulder application essay will guarantee you admission for graduate school and even for scholarships and for internship offered at the institution.

If you want to get a better sense of what the university is looking for, you can access the school’s site for deeper insights into how the university envisions student success and how they want to grow and evolve this.

University Of Colorado Boulder Writing Prompts

At the University of Colorado Boulder, no two buffs are alike. We value difference and support equity and inclusion of all students and their many intersecting identities. Pick one of your unique identities and describe its significance.

This is a 250 words statement essay requiring you as the applicant to open up and express a part of you that is not as evident in other parts of your application. In other words, CU Boulder wants to know what makes you, you in regards to your beliefs, perspectives, and values — this doesn’t have to be all business; feel free to bring out your charisma and charm if that’s your style.

Since you can only choose one of your identities, make sure you go with the unique one, and make it as human as possible, allowing yourself to find strength in vulnerability. Demonstrate how this identity has shaped you and your worldview, how you have become comfortable with it, what lessons you have learned along the way, and how you hope to impact others.

Please share a bit more about your academic interests. What do you hope to study at CU Boulder? What has inspired your interests in this area? Think about your prior/current coursework, extracurricular activities, work/volunteer experiences, future goals, or anything else that has shaped your interests.

This is also a 250 words essay requiring you to share more about your academic interests. The goal here is to merge your past academic background with future career goals and what you are passionate about. Here, it would help if you thought about the major you will choose and why you chose it.

This section is where you showcase your knowledge and passion about your interests, how they developed and how knew this was what you wanted to be part of. Do not shy away from communicating your interests and fascinations and how you have worked towards gaining the required skills over time.

It is, however, a good practice — for bachelor and for masters degree — to do extensive research to find out as much as possible about the school and the program you are applying for. If there is limited information on the application portal, visit the University of Colorado Boulder website and other public pages for their applicants’ standard expectations, CU Boulder essay examples, and qualifications.

How to Structure Your Motivation Letter

For university applications, writing entrance letters might be overwhelming, and one may tend to deviate from the main points hence losing the relevance of the essay itself.

An introduction letter helps the admissions board understand you, what motivates you and why you this means a lot to you, you are allowing yourself to fully immerse yourself in the process of writing the CU Boulder supplemental essays ensuring you include all the information needed. This structure applies to all applications for college.

The following steps are essential in writing an admission letter:

Write an outline.

Before writing your letter, outline the contents clearly, and think critically about whether you need to include everything you’ve written down. Ensure you do not miss topics on why you want to join CU, choose a specific major, and how your skills and values will benefit the university.

Introduction

This is a brief introduction of yourself to the admissions officials. If possible, address them by name to personalize your letter.

The officials will be going through many applications, so make sure from the first few sentences of your letter you have captured their attention, thus encouraging them to read more; with that being said, ensure to include details of yourself and your achievements in this section.

In this section, you can now expound more about your passion, values, skill sets, and achievements. Remember, this motivation letter aims at convincing the admissions board why you are fit for the opportunity to be part of CU Boulder; use compelling facts to be persuasive, but at the same time, do not be tempted to a little white lie to spice things up, we are aiming for authenticity.

You want to leave the officials reviewing your application with a good taste in their mouths, so summarize your goals and request the board invite you for an interview or contact you for more information. Do not forget to thank them.

After all, is said and done, proofread your letter to make it more concise. Correct any grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and wrong formatting. You can request your teacher, parent, or a trusted friend to proofread your letter. This puts you in confidence knowing you have submitted a quality motivation letter.

Please take advantage of our online site, which has many CU Boulder supplemental essay examples that will help you have a great idea of how it should be written. If you are having any doubts about your writing skills, you can check out one of the many online writing services where you can buy a sample at a cheap price, or you could pay for one to be written from scratch.

Pointers for Writing CU Boulder Application Essay

The following tips will help your cover letter stand out:

1. Follow all Guidelines

Ensure the formatting, word count, font and size, and length that have been provided in the instructions are followed. If the institution has not provided the instructions, use the standardized guidelines such as Times New Roman or Arial size 12 font.

2. Use Simple Terms

Avoid using unnecessary jargon and use accessible language. Ensure the sentences are short and active that cannot be misinterpreted.

3. Write with Personality

Use your own voice as naturally as possible as you would speak to a friend. Uniquely express yourself because your interests, feelings, and perspectives are yours, and only you can write them as they should be. This essay is meant to make you stand out among thousands of applications, making it as enjoyable as possible.

4. Focus on your strengths

Focus more on your strengths rather than your weaknesses; this helps the admissions board to understand your value to the institution:

• Faculties at The University
• College of Arts and Sciences
• Leeds School of Business
• School of Education
• College of Media, Communication, and Information

The student-faculty ratio at the University of Colorado Boulder is 18:1, and the school has 50.3% of its classes with fewer than 20 students.

The most popular majors at the universities are:

• Business Management
• Mathematics and Statistics
• Visual and Performing Arts
• Marketing and Related Support Services
• Engineering

University Of Colorado Boulder History

The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in downtown Denver. Founded in 1876, five months before Colorado was even a state, CU Boulder consists of nine colleges and schools and offers over 150 academic programs. CU Boulder ranks 99th in National Universities, 58th in Best Colleges for Veterans, 169th in Best Value Schools, 343rd in Top Performers on Social Mobility, 42nd in Top Public Schools, 31st in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs, and 10th in Aerospace/Aeronautical program.

For students seeking admission at CU Boulder, they should know the admissions are more selective, with an acceptance rate of 84%. The University of Colorado Boulder considers a students’ GPA a significant academic factor. The average freshman retention rate is 87%, which indicates student satisfaction.

Apart from the academic requirements, the university also requires you to submit a CU Boulder application essay in your application. We have provided several CU supplemental essay examples on our website to help you get started on yours.

The education you receive at CU Boulder is an excellent foundation that is going to stay with you even after graduation. The university cultivates a culture of comradery, support, spirit, and togetherness.

The university has a considerable number of alumni as Nobel laureates, film industry pacesetters, astronauts, athletes, journalists, lawyers, authors, Pulitzer Prize awards winners, and politicians as alumni. This goes to show how well-rounded and diverse students are.

Seeing how diverse and strongly rooted the values of CU Boulder are, it is very important to ensure the CU Boulder writing supplemental is perfect and will get the attention of admission officials in a way that will guarantee you admission into the college. Conducting your research on the institution, programs offered, extracurricular activities, and faculty will show how interested you really are. For professor information, you can visit the CU website and get all the information you need from their accreditations, projects they have been involved in, articles written, and research done as well.

Wishing you all the best as you write your CU Boulder application essay. Remember to check our site for all your need CU Boulder supplemental essay examples.

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Guide to Applying to University of Colorado Boulder

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Maddie Harvey and Kate Stricklan in a CollegeVine Livestream. You can watch the full Livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

Undergraduate admissions process, how cu boulder evaluates your application, final steps.

Are you interested in attending the University of Colorado Boulder ? As part of the illustrious University of Colorado system, CU Boulder is the state’s flagship university, home to a host of academic programs and a vibrant community.

If you’re applying to CU Boulder as a first-year undergraduate student, your first step is to complete the Common Application , available online via commonapp.org. Transfer students should use the transfer application at colorado.edu. Both applications open on August 1st.

After completing the application, you will submit it, along with your required documents and your application fee. This includes the application itself, one essay, two short answer questions, and a $65 application fee ($70 for international students).

Your high school should also send any official high school transcripts, along with college transcripts, if applicable. SAT and ACT scores are optional — it’s completely up to you whether you choose to submit them. You will also need to submit one academic letter of recommendation and a resume or activities list.

The first deadline is November 15, which is the Summer and Fall early action deadline. Then, January 15 is the Summer and Fall regular decision deadline for first-year students.

You can view the transfer deadlines, which differ slightly from first-year deadlines, on the school’s official website.

CU Boulder performs a holistic review of your application. The factors it assesses include the difficulty of your classes, your course load, your cumulative GPA — a positive, upward grade trend is helpful — any test scores that you choose to submit, and the strength of your current schedule. 

In terms of extracurriculars, they will look for any volunteer and work experiences that you’ve had, any leadership positions you’ve held, and unique talents in your background. 

They will also pay attention to any extenuating circumstances that you choose to share on your application. 

To see the status of your application, check your email for instructions on how to access the application status page. It’s important for you to put down an email that you have access to because of all of the important updates you’ll receive. Even your admission decision is going to be sent to the email that you have registered with your Common Application.

Remember there are many rewards to attending CU Boulder. The opportunities aren’t just limited to your years on campus — they extend far beyond graduation. 

Being a part of the community means joining a group of bold people doing bold things. Eighty-nine percent of CU Boulder graduates were employed or in grad school within six months of graduation, and 80% of graduates are accepted into their first-choice grad school. It’s an exciting place to be and grow!

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, cu boulder supplemental essays stress.

Hey everyone, so I'm looking at CU Boulder's application and started freaking out a bit about the supplemental essays. How do you guys approach writing them? Does anyone have tips on how to make sure they stand out?

Hello there! It's totally normal to feel a bit overwhelmed by supplemental essays; after all, they're a platform to show colleges like CU Boulder something distinctive about who you are. But fear not! My first suggestion is to start with brainstorming. Reflect on moments in your life that shaped your character or fueled your academic passions. Think about your unique experiences, challenges you've overcome, or even particular quirks that make you—you. These insights often make the most compelling essay topics.

For CU Boulder specifically, consider aligning your topic with the university's values and culture. This could mean discussing a time when you showed innovation or a commitment to diversity and inclusion. Write in your authentic voice, and avoid overused clichés. Be specific—tell a story only you can tell. For example, instead of saying you love science, write about the evening you spent observing a lunar eclipse and how it solidified your love for astrophysics. Proofread meticulously and consider getting feedback from a teacher or mentor. Essays that are well-written and personal will definitely catch an admissions officer's eye! Good luck!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

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• Buffs One Read 2024-2025: Solito
• About the Author
• Join the community
• Share your story

2024-2025 Buffs One Read Contest: Enter for a chance to win 

Submit your creative expression for a chance to win and to be recognized at a celebratory campus event.

We invite undergraduate students from across campus to participate in the Buffs One Read storytelling contest.

In Solito, a young poet tells the inspiring story of his migration from El Salvador to the United States at the age of nine. A memoir as gripping as it is moving, Solito provides an immediate and intimate account not only of a treacherous and near-impossible journey, but also of the miraculous kindness and love delivered at the most unexpected moments.

Submissions can be a short essay, visual art, or multi-modal (a combination of text, video/audio, or visual art) expressions. Submissions will be judged by an invited panel of peers and University staff and faculty.

We invite students to reflect on their relationship with courage and to submit creative expressions inspired by Solito.

My 9-year-old self, I felt was always following me like a shadow. I had never stopped to look at him or honor him for who he really is, A super hero.  Javier Zamora, New York Times

Imagine your story.

Prompts that might guide your expressions:, we invite students to reflect on their relationship with courage and to submit creative expressions inspired by solito. what does courage mean to you what courageous act or person has impacted you what is the essence of courage to you.

Submissions must be received by 2/5/25. No submissions will be accepted after 2/5/25 at 12:00 P.M.

Submissions

Submissions may include visual expressions, written expressions, or multi-modal expressions. Submissions should be made available digitally via a link.

Written expressions: 1,000 word essays or written expressions.

Multimodal expression: Digital expressions that include some combination of visuals, audio/video, and text. Submissions should be 4 minutes or less.

Visual: Original piece of visual artwork. Original work must be prepped for physical submission and display, if selected.

Eligibility

All creators must be registered CU Boulder undergraduate students.

All entries must be original work.

Students may submit only one entry.

Learn more …

Haven’t read The Book of Joy yet? Explore our dedicated guide and canvas course to engage with the text and the contributors more fully. All CU community members may read the text through the University Libraries ebooks and print copies.

Submit your contest entry

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• University of Colorado Boulder Libraries
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• Last Updated: Jul 24, 2024 12:51 PM
• URL: https://libguides.colorado.edu/oneread24
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Interview: Justin Schwartz, CU Boulder’s first new chancellor in 15 years, relishes the challenge of higher education

For the first time in 15 years, there’s a new person at the helm of Colorado’s flagship university. 

Justin Schwartz officially took the reins as the University of Colorado Boulder’s chancellor at the beginning of July. Schwartz comes to Boulder with a wealth of experience across public institutions of higher education , previously holding leadership positions at North Carolina State University and Pennsylvania State University. He said that background makes him the perfect person to push CU forward. 

“I think having lived in a lot of places and experiencing a wide variety of cultures, both various American domestic cultures, but also global cultures really informs the global mission that Boulder is presenting in terms of sustainability and all different aspects of life,” he told CPR News. 

His predecessor, outgoing chancellor Philip DiStefano, told Colorado Matters shortly before he left office that Schwartz will inherit the position during a time in which higher education is “under fire nationally , and the value of higher education is being questioned.” And with CU being one of the state’s largest employers and attractors of young talent, many are hoping Schwartz’s vision for the future will guide CU to success. 

Schwartz sat down with Colorado Matters shortly after he wrapped up his first week on the job to discuss his qualifications, the challenges he faces, and how he intends to move the university forward.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Paolo Zialcita: First off, you're new to Colorado, completely new to Colorado. I've seen you on the [CU Boulder] Instagram going around Boulder. You've spent most of your career on the East Coast. What drew you to come out west?

Justin Schwartz: So people say this is the most beautiful campus in the country, and I was on a Zoom with a bunch of other university presidents and chancellors today and managed to drop that line in because nobody argues. But really it was what's happening at CU Boulder, right? That was the real pull. You get to a point in your life and you think, "What do I want to do next in my career? What's the big thing I want to accomplish?"

And I just found that the things I want to do just matched exactly what CU Boulder was presenting as its own mission and vision as a campus. And I don't think it's [a] coincidence that the things that Boulder wants to accomplish as a university and as a campus are located in Boulder and in the Rockies and in the mountain West because there's a cultural alliance there between the campus identity and that spirit of Colorado.

PZ: How do you think your experience on the East Coast will inform your work as chancellor here?

JS: I grew up [on the] north side of Chicago and spent some time obviously on K-12 there, undergrad at Illinois, faculty Illinois, some time in Massachusetts, six months in Japan, three months in Livermore, California, and also a number of summer hiking trips based in a small town in Montana going through the Rockies. So I'd like to think that my entire life experiences inform what I do rather than simply the different places I've lived in a more narrow sense.

And I think having lived in so many places provides that view of the mission of a campus like CU Boulder, really trying to genuinely have impact and tackle global challenges. So there's that old phrase of think globally and act locally, but I think we're at a point where for a campus like this, it's yes, think globally, act locally and globally. That shouldn't be one or the other in terms of the impact that we seek. So I think having lived in a lot of places and experiencing a wide variety of cultures, both various American domestic cultures, but also global cultures really informs the global mission that Boulder is presenting in terms of sustainability and all different aspects of life.

PZ: Well, you went down your resume there. 

JS: Sorry. 

PZ: But you didn’t say exactly where you worked in, you’re a nuclear engineer by trade. 

JS: Correct.

PZ: Your career has taken you to Florida State University, North Carolina State University, Penn State University. What motivated you to pursue a career in higher education leadership?

JS: So I do come from an academic background. I like to say I was kind of born into higher ed. Mother, father, stepfather, all academics in vastly different fields. So my father was in material science and engineering. My mother was in special ed and was one of the creators of bringing social emotional learning into special education. My stepfather was [in] psychology and so pretty kind of a diverse background, but when I was a kid, I didn't say, "What do your parents do?" I'd say, "What do your parents teach?" It was just sort of intrinsic.

So there was that piece, and then I went into higher ed because I love the idea of transforming the trajectories of people and impacting the success of the species through the research side. Went into higher ed naturally that way as a family business. Then as I moved up and started accomplishing different goals, every time you could have accomplished a goal, you then start thinking, "Okay, what's next?"

And so 16 fantastic years at FSU, I really enjoyed the things we did there. Started thinking, "Okay, what's next?" And then wasn't sure I wanted to go into leadership or not, but wanted to give it a try. So some days you can say I'm still really just faculty and in this leadership role. Other days, you're a department head working with the vice chancellors for research's office, the dean's office, other department heads thinking more strategically on leadership side.

Got to the point where the things I sort of accomplished when I wanted to do in my unit, it was ready the next step for somebody else. The things I was interested in doing next were always bigger than one department. And I found that when I enlisted the help of my dean, things moved more quickly. So I started thinking, "Okay, maybe I should take that next step." The opportunity at Penn State came, [and] I've always said if you want to accomplish big things, you want to be at a big place.

If you look at all the places you've mentioned and go back further, I've been in state universities since I graduated high school, continuously, other than six months in Japan. Obviously not a state university, but I'd already accepted the position on faculty at Illinois when I went, I basically started with [a] six month leave [at Illinois]. So that part of the mission was always dear to me. Not being dismissive of private schools, but there's something different about the large state university in terms of the ability to truly transform a large population of diverse students from nearby to around the globe.

And then the other thing that comes with a large state university is really the full spectrum and breadth of intellectual diversity in terms of the different disciplines that are represented in the faculty. And so there's no limits to how you can bring groups together intellectually to accomplish bigger things. And so that was always the draw and I think every step of the way I realized, well, one more scale of bringing in a broader disciplinary expertise is really going to help us solve the problem even more. And so it sort of naturally landed me on that path.

PZ: You've only been in the position for a little over a week now, but how's it been? Does anything about the campus, I know there aren't students on campus really right now. Does it stand out to you as different from your previous universities?

JS: So I would say the view from anywhere on campus is outstanding compared to the view of anywhere else I've been in my other universities. Not that the other ones didn't have their own natural beauty, they were very different, but it's pretty hard to compete with this. And I don't want to say the other places were not collegial because I'm not going to answer your question in the comparative sense, but I will say that the welcome I've had here has been just overwhelmingly wonderful.

You can tell there's an enthusiasm at the institution right now that I think in general is in a better place than other higher ed institutions right now, simply because while we all share some common challenges in higher ed in the United States, Boulder's in a much better position than many of our peers. And so anticipation that we're doing great and we're going to make great even greater, it's exciting and I'm really thrilled to be here.

PZ: You alluded to this earlier, but higher education appears to be at a crossroads nationwide. Your predecessor, [Phil DiStefano], told me in May that the value of higher education is "under fire and the value of a higher degree is being questioned." What's your take on this? What challenges are you anticipating as you take this position?

JS: So he was a hundred percent right, and I'll build on an experience I had about five years ago. I had the honor and privilege of spending a night out in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on the USS Theodore Roosevelt. And it occurred to me in that experience that for so many Americans, there are two pathways to really transform you and your own and your family's potential financial trajectory, and it's higher education and the military. Those are the two fundamental, transformative institutions in this country.

And it's disappointing obviously, that the impact that higher ed has on people isn't fully appreciated. I think we in higher ed have to own some of that responsibility. We're not known for being an industry that transforms quickly. And in that spirit, I think there's still a lot of, our industry has not kept up with your industry. The mechanisms for communication and information sharing have been overhauled and overhauled again in the last 30 years.

And I think we have sort of rested on our laurels and said, "Well, of course everyone understands how impactful we are." And this is a world where you've got to communicate your message and we do need to think forward about how we continue to be at the forefront of meeting societal needs. What are the needs of today's youth? But also today's returning learner, what we call non-traditional learners, is the euphemism for college students that aren't between 18 and 21. How do we really make sure that we are carrying forward with our mission in the way that the mission needs to be viewed in the current context, and then share that message through people like you and through these types of venues? But really through all of the communications channels that reach audiences.

PZ: There are many who hope you'll usher in an era of change within CU. That includes faculty and staff who have long advocated for higher wages and better working conditions, both prospective and current students who say tuition is too high. And of course, I'm sure most everyone here will agree that the cost of living in Boulder is making a living here untenable. What do you have to say to those in the CU community who are struggling with those financial burdens?

JS: Those are all clearly genuine problems that I've certainly learned at the surface level in eight days, but are clearly serious issues. I mean, they even came up during some of the interview stages. Let me take them one at a time. So the tuition challenges, ubiquitous across the country. We do need as an institution to make sure that we are focusing on being good stewards of the resources we have, making sure that we focus our resources on our core mission, vision, values, our identity.

And at the same time, we also need to publicly recognize the fact that while we greatly appreciate the increase in higher ed funding for this coming year, Colorado's state is pretty close to the bottom in the country for state funding per in-state student. And that's a challenge that we work on of course, but putting myself in the shoes of state government, they obviously have a lot of different financial pressures that they have to deal with as well. But that's one of our core realities that we do have to deal with.

The faculty staff salary issue is also one that's pretty ubiquitous across the country. Our case may be, and this is an eight-day-old assessment, so a month from now, you may quote me on this and I'm like, "Yeah, I was wrong." It's a possibility. Our situation is, I think the faculty staff salary issue is clearly exacerbated by the cost of living in Boulder. Those aren't independent challenges. And so I have learned and am still learning more about ways that the campus has worked to address that. We've extended things like improving the tuition benefit for families. I think that just was announced recently. We're clearly aware of it and looking for ways to address it.

We have one of the big challenges of course, that drives cost of living is cost of housing. There's no doubt there's a housing shortage and an affordable housing shortage here in town. And I'm still learning about the multiple projects that the university itself is pursuing to develop more affordable housing in town. That takes time. It won't be overnight, but hopefully it'll be soon and CU South is a big first step for that. And so I do get the sense that everyone here is pretty excited that that's now moving forward after a lengthy process. But it is challenging and we're going to have to really work together in a strong town-gown partnership to see how we can continue to offer the amazing quality of life that Boulder offers, but also make it affordable and accessible to more people.

PZ: Many people at CU also say the university has a lot of work to do to attract and retain diverse students. I know several initiatives and programs have been launched to remedy that. The Center for African and African-American Studies, the hiring of Benny Shendo, Jr as the university's first vice chancellor for Native American Affairs. What have you done in the past to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion, and what do you plan to champion here at CU?

JS: We'd probably take more time than we have to go through everything that I've worked on, this has been a core tenant of my entire career in academia.

PZ: Give me a one minute pitch. 

JS: All right, one minute pitch. Everywhere I've been, I have dramatically transformed the DEI space, not just in terms of demographic numbers, which is important, but fundamental underlying culture. One example, my successor as Dean of Engineering at Penn State was someone who I recruited to be the inaugural associate dean for equity inclusion in the College of Engineering. I lost track of how many other engineering colleges called her or me and said, "Can we have that job description? We're going to do it too." And now she's the dean and for one of the largest colleges of engineering in the United States to have an African-American woman dean is, she's not the only one, but you can count them on your fingers, I'm pretty sure.

And what you won't hear me talk too much about is the need to diversify our incoming students. You're going to hear me talking about needing to diversify our graduates. Because bringing in a more diverse student population, but not seeing them through to graduation, doesn't solve the problem.

So it's really like you mentioned it as recruit and retention. It is recruitment, retention and graduation, right? Making sure that they're having the same full experience of curricular and co-curricular and life success and excitement every step of the way. And that our graduating class is just as diverse as our incoming class. That's really the key is focusing on that.

And there's lots of data that shows obtaining a bachelor's degree in higher ed at a large R1 university is transformative to the person and their family's socioeconomic status. But there's also a lot of data that shows coming to college, getting some courses done, accruing debt and not getting a degree is transformative in the other direction. And so we need to make sure that we're not just focusing on recruiting students, but on graduating students.

PZ: A little more than one minute, but I appreciate it. When I spoke to your predecessor in May, he told me about the time he devoted towards university athletics. Here's what he told me.

Philip DiStefano: We can't ignore intercollegiate athletics. Right now, intercollegiate athletics is going through major, major changes and whether we're going to see intercollegiate athletics as it is today in the future, I'm not sure because of everything that's going on. I spend about 30 percent of my time on intercollegiate athletics, which when I first became chancellor and previously to my chancellorship, I doubt if the Chancellor spent more than 10 or 15 percent.

PZ: 30 percent of his time. Do you anticipate following in Chancellor DiStefano's footsteps on that?

JS: So I'm certainly not going to predict time distributions because I will say when you're at an institution for 25 years before you become provost and another 10 before you become chancellor, you come in with a different knowledge base about the institution that I have to obviously do some learning on.

I will say I have already spent significant time on intercollegiate athletics. Anybody, any university leadership with a D-I program is going to be doing that. I would, in a very nitpicky way, disagree with one thing that he said when he said that intercollegiate athletics might not be the same in the future. I think the only thing that would truly surprise me is if it was the same in the future. I mean, it is clearly going to be continuing to evolve. I don't think we're near the end of these evolutions, by any stroke. Where we end up, you could spend a day reading the various predictions. We have to obviously take it one step at a time. We have to remain fundamentally committed to our mission and our vision when we do that.

PZ: The University of Colorado system is one of the state's largest employers. CU Boulder has 8,000 faculty and staff and 7,600 student employees. The sustainability of CU from an economic standpoint is significant. What do you want people who don't attend CU or don't have an association with CU to know about your vision for the university moving forward?

JS: I want the people across Colorado to recognize that CU Boulder takes its role as a flagship university for the state very seriously. And by that, the concept of a flagship means that the flag is elevated so the rest of the fleet can see where you're going. That we're going to show that leadership that whether you are an employee or a CU student or not, we are focused on having impact on the day-to-day lives of the people of Colorado, people across the country and the people around the globe.

And that's true in terms of job creation from the outputs of our research. That's true in terms of really advancing sustainability and sustainable concepts for the entire population, for the entire species in a way that we want to ensure that the entire state thrives and that we are fundamentally one of the most important resources to the people of Colorado that they'll ever have, other than the natural resources of the state itself.

PZ: What do you look forward to the most as the new Chancellor of CU Boulder?

JS: First and foremost, I look forward to the students coming back, all the faculty being on campus. I relish the complaints about traffic and lack of parking because it means everybody's here. And so much of this role is fundamentally grounded in building strong relationships. And I want to spend some time really building relationships, not only with my immediate leadership team, which is of course is underway, but faculty and staff across the university and with the students. I want to get to know our students in meaningful ways.

So my fundamental job is to do whatever I can do to make sure that as an organization, we have the impact that we want to have. And that happens by making sure that our faculty, staff, and students can all meet their goals. I want our students not just to survive. I want our students to thrive. I want our faculty to thrive. And I can't fully do that until I get the chance to really get to know them and meet them. So really, that's the thing I'm most excited about. That and running with Ralphie.

PZ: Chancellor, thank you so much. 

JS: Thank you, appreciate the time. 

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Local News | CU Boulder takes new steps toward climate goals

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The actions are aimed to advance the university’s goals of a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050.

“We are really amping up our focus on sustainability, looking at not just the individual pieces … but we’re really looking to amplify the impact that we have by scaling up the efforts and building up a bit more coherence,” CU Boulder Chancellor Justin Schwartz said.

CU Boulder will launch a national search for a vice chancellor for sustainability, a new position created to lead the university’s efforts to combine strides in academic and operational sustainability.

A timeline for the search has not yet been determined. Schwartz said the position description needs to be written and input from people on campus collected. A search firm will also be hired. The funding for the new position will come out of the budget in the Chancellor’s Office for strategic initiatives.

“This position is not just going to lead initiatives but amplify our visibility and our impact,” Schwartz said. “It will also help ensure we are seeing cross pollination between different enterprises.”

In other efforts, CU Boulder is entering a virtual net metering agreement, a new program made possible by the passage of Colorado Senate Bill 21-261 in 2021.

The 5 megawatt virtual net metering agreement with Pivot Energy will allow CU Boulder to benefit from solar energy produced at an offsite solar project in Weld County.  Using offsite solar power can increase CU Boulder’s clean electricity use without needing to install solar on campus.

The Weld County solar array project is expected to be completed in early 2026. Vice Chancellor for Infrastructure and Sustainability Chris Ewing said the agreement is cost neutral to CU Boulder.

Next summer, CU Boulder will begin construction on a $7.8 million 1.1 megawatt solar array on east campus. The average electricity demand for the entire CU Boulder campus is between 12 and 15 megawatts.

“We use a lot of power on campus because of the nature of our operations, and investing in 5 megawatts of new solar energy production to the local grid helps to offset the uses that we have and move our climate action plan forward,” Chief Operating Officer Patrick O’Rourke said.

The university also announced it will commit all of the Inflation Reduction Act tax credit savings it will have from the forthcoming equipment updates at the West District Energy Plant to be invested into accelerating campus decarbonization efforts rather than offsetting the costs of the updates.

The credits will be between $5 million and $7 million. Ewing said the money could go toward the next phase of a decarbonization study or efficiency projects.

“We really need to start working aggressively toward meeting those goals, specifically 2030,” Ewing said.

CU Boulder will begin construction on $43.1 million worth of updates to the West District Energy Plant by the end of the year, including replacing a pair of combustion turbines, installing nitrogen oxide reduction equipment and retiring one of the plant’s boilers.

The improvements will reduce the plant’s nitrogen oxide emissions and reduce carbon emissions to ensure the plant meets new Colorado air permit requirements. Some climate activists highlighted concerns in May about CU Boulder making a costly investment in the plant that will not result in decarbonization.

O’Rourke said the need for continued campus operations needed to be balanced with cost and emissions.

“In weighing out all of the alternatives we really thought that this was the best move for the campus in order to make sure that we be able to meet our number one commitment which is that we’ll be able to protect the campus, especially as there are more and more demands placed on the electrical grid,” O’Rourke said.

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Featured Gig: CU Boulder Senior Learning Experience Designer

Continuing a new series on academic innovation opportunities with the Office of Academic Learning and Innovation.

By  Joshua Kim

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Randall Fullington has been my go-to colleague to learn about online degrees at scale. At CU Boulder , Randall is the assistant vice provost and executive director of academic and learning innovation .

When I saw on LinkedIn that Randall is recruiting a senior learning experience designer for the Office of Academic Learning and Innovation, I thought the gig would be a good fit for my new series on academic innovation gigs .

Q: What is the CU Boulder’s mandate behind this role? How does it help align with and advance the university’s strategic priorities?

A: CU Boulder has made it a strategic priority to be a top university for innovation. At the same time, our Academic Futures initiative identified a universitywide goal of expanding access to education through online offerings. This role will help us achieve both of those priorities.

The senior learning experience designer will collaborate with faculty, degree program staff and a team of learning designers to create scaled online courses hosted on the Coursera platform.

To date, our noncredit courses have reached nearly three million noncredit learners across the globe, while our for-credit programs have pioneered a true performance-based admissions model for graduate degrees.

This role will also be tasked with exploring innovation opportunities internally and externally. Our senior learning experience designers participate in CU Boulder’s online community of practice and are given multiple opportunities to present their work at local and national conferences.

Q: Where does the role sit within the university structure? How will the person in this role engage with other units and leaders across campus?

A: This role sits within the Office of Academic and Learning Innovation , a unit housed within the Division of Academic Affairs. From this position, ALI has unique opportunities to collaborate with faculty and instructors from every college, school and many institutes on campus.

A key part of this role is to work directly with faculty to design noncredit and for-credit courses, which ALI approaches as an opportunity to think about transformative pedagogy in all modalities.

Beyond these one-on-one interactions, the role will also have opportunities to work with program staff and administrators to launch new degree programs and refresh existing programs. ALI maintains close partnerships with our scaled online degree programs including data science , computer science , electrical engineering and engineering management , and we encourage cross-program collaboration, research opportunities and community building.

Q: What would success look like in one year? Three years? Beyond?

A: The specific person for this position will need to have experience in programming to help ALI support faculty with their technically focused assessments—think autograders and other scaled assessment techniques.

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Success in year one will entail helping ALI move beyond its existing autograding techniques by drawing on emerging technologies to push the boundaries of online assessments for rigor and scale. Our learning design team recently launched an AI for Course Design course on Coursera. This person will be an active contributor in similar projects.

On the relationship side, success in year one will require the person to have established a strong mentoring relationship with ALI’s learning experience designers and student assistants, be a go-to person for faculty collaboration, and become a leading voice in CU Boulder’s online pedagogy communities.

In year three and beyond, the person will have a broader reputation outside of ALI by presenting their work at national conferences, leading conversations about online course development at CU (and not just within ALI) and actively contributing to innovations in online education.

Q: What kinds of future roles would someone who took this position be prepared for?

A: ALI actively works to empower staff to grow in their professional interests. As a unit responsible for implementing lifelong learning, we want our staff to embody that principle by pursuing professional development and learning opportunities. We would like to help this person prepare for their unique personal and professional goals.

More broadly, after a successful tenure, this person would be prepared to manage a learning design group within a university, to work on ed tech initiatives for private industry or to design online program features for institutions.

Expanding Community College Access for High School Students

Partnerships between high schools and community colleges are increasing opportunities for high school students to ear

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