CU Boulder Scholarship Application

The CU Boulder Scholarship Application allows undergraduate and graduate first-year, continuing, and transfer students apply for multiple scholarship opportunities with one general application.

Scholarships for the 2025-26 academic year

Most new & continuing students receiving a scholarship through the CU Boulder Scholarship Application for Fall 2025 & Spring 2026 semesters will be notified by mid-April. Transfer students will hear from us by mid-July if selected.

In the meantime, here are a few other opportunities you may want to explore:

  • Campus Programs: CU Boulder offers a variety of programs, and some offer scholarships as a component of either participation in or affiliation with their program.
  • Private Scholarships: Private scholarships are provided by organizations unaffiliated with CU Boulder, such as community foundations, civic organizations, local high schools, national groups, family foundations, businesses and others. For these scholarships, you will apply directly to the sponsoring organization.

When to apply

The application opens Nov. 1, 2024 for the 2025-26 school year with most applications due between Feb. 15 and March 15. Prospective students will have access after applying for admission.

What you can get

Scholarship Selection & Notification

A scholarship committee does a comprehensive review of applications and selects recipients. Scholarships are highly competitive and selection for one is not guaranteed. Selection criteria may include, but is not limited to, your academic record, leadership experience, extracurricular involvement, community service, employment, essays, and in some cases, financial need.

  When you'll be notified about your award

  • Incoming first-year & continuing students: Mid-April
  • Transfer students: Mid-July    
  • Graduate students: Please contact the Graduate School.

If you are a new student and have not received notification by mid-April, you were likely not selected for a scholarship. Notification timing varies for recipients of "recommended" scholarships.

  Check your status 

Log in to the CU Boulder Scholarship Application. From the My Applications tab, you'll see either Submitted or Offered, Accepted/Awarded status for each scholarship you have applied for. 

How it Works

 

Step 1: General application

You will be prompted to complete the general application first. This application is used for multiple scholarships and requires information about extracurricular activities, community service, work and essays.

 

Step 2: Recommended opportunities

After you submit the general application, departmental scholarships and additional recommended scholarship opportunities may display. These opportunities require writing a special essay, submitting reference letters, or documenting eligibility.

 

Step 3: Other opportunities

Within the application, you can browse through additional external scholarships. Eligibility and application requirements for each scholarship vary and are listed in the scholarship details within the application.

Incoming first-year student Continuing undergrad Transfer Graduate
Incoming first-year student

Incoming, prospective first-year students:

  1. Apply for admission

The scholarship application is optional and completely separate from the admission process. 

  1. Access the scholarship application

Open your Admissions Application Status page. Select Apply for Scholarships (will be shown 3-5 days after applying for admission). See step-by-step instructions for prospective undergrad students.

  1. Complete and Submit the General Application

You can edit your general application until the deadline, even after it's been submitted. Changes made after the deadline will not be reviewed unless you are applying for another scholarship with a later deadline.

  1. Review recommended opportunities

At the top of the application, hover over Opportunities and click Recommended. Some opportunities require additional info like a special essay, reference letters or supporting documents.

  1. Browse other opportunities

At the top of the application, hover over Opportunities and click Ours or External to browse all CU Boulder scholarship opportunities (labeled Ours), and additional private scholarships. 

   Complete the FAFSA

This step isn't required, but is recommended!

Continuing undergraduates:

  1. Access the scholarship application

​​Log in to Buff Portal. From the Scholarships card, click CU Boulder Scholarship Application. See step-by-step instructions for continuing students.

  1. Complete & submit the general application

You can edit your general application until the deadline, even after it's been submitted. Changes made after the deadline will not be reviewed unless you are applying for another scholarship with a later deadline.

  1. Review recommended opportunities

At the top of the application, hover over Opportunities and click Recommended. Some opportunities require additional info like a special essay, references letters or supporting documents.

  1. Browse other opportunities

At the top of the application, hover over Opportunities and click Ours or External to browse all CU Boulder scholarship opportunities (labeled Ours), and additional private scholarships. 

   Complete the FAFSA

This step isn't required, but is recommended!

Transfer students:

Spring or Summer transfer students can apply for scholarships for the upcoming year, but scholarships aren't available for spring and summer terms.

  1. Apply for admission

​The scholarship application is optional and completely separate from the admission process. 

  1. Access the scholarship application

Open your Admissions Application Status page. Select Apply for Scholarships (will be shown 3-5 days after applying for admission). See step-by-step instructions for prospective undergrad students.

  1. Complete & submit the general application

​Transfer students have until June 15 to complete the general scholarship application.

You can edit your general application until the deadline, even after it's been submitted. Changes made after the deadline will not be reviewed unless you are applying for another scholarship with a later deadline.

  1. Review recommended opportunities

At the top of the application, hover over Opportunities and click Recommended. Some opportunities require additional info like a special essay, references letters or supporting documents.

  1. Browse other opportunities

At the top of the application, hover over Opportunities and click Ours or External to browse all CU Boulder scholarship opportunities (labeled Ours), and additional private scholarships. 

   Complete the FAFSA

This step isn't required, but is recommended!

Graduate students:

Only a small number of scholarships are awarded through the general scholarship application. The majority of scholarship/fellowship support at the graduate level is offered through your department or program. Additional funding sources may be found on the Graduate School Funding page.

Incoming graduate students should contact the Graduate School for information on scholarship opportunities.

Continuing graduate students can access the scholarship application in Buff Portal.

For information on deadlines and notification dates, please contact the Graduate School.

2025-26 Academic Year Application Dates and Deadlines

Deadlines, eligibility criteria, scholarship amounts and application requirements vary for each scholarship and are listed within the application. Colleges, departments and campus programs may have different open and close dates. Please refer to your school, college, department or campus program for questions. Applications must be completed by 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time on deadline.

November 1

CU Boulder Scholarship Application Opens

February 15

Some individual scholarship opportunities close.

March 1

Financial aid application recommended deadline

March 15

Most individual scholarship opportunities & CU Boulder Scholarship Application close

June 15

CU Boulder Scholarship Application closes for transfer students

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