Frequently Asked Questions

All applicants who apply for admission by January 15 and have a 3.6 weighted high school GPA or better are automatically considered for a scholarship. About 40% of our incoming class earns a 4.0 GPA and not all students who are eligible will receive a scholarship.

Most students selected to receive a scholarship are notified along with their admission decision.

International students are eligible and were considered for non-resident scholarships (Presidential and CU Boulder Chancellor’s Achievement). International students who qualify for Colorado residency are eligible and were considered for resident scholarships (Esteemed).

If your school provides grades on a non-4 pt scale, this is taken into consideration. If eligible, you are considered for a scholarship based on having the equivalent of a 3.6+ weighted GPA.

We do a comprehensive review of applicants based on admission materials, taking into account personal background in addition to academic performance. About 40% of our incoming class earns a 4.0 GPA and not all students who are eligible receive a scholarship. We encourage you to apply for additional scholarship opportunities through the CU Boulder Scholarship Application which is open through mid-March.

Each applicant is reviewed at the time of admission and decisions are final. You cannot be reconsidered for a scholarship or appeal for a higher amount. About 40% of our incoming class earns a 4.0 GPA and not all of these students receive an automatic consideration scholarship.

No. CU Boulder does not consider ACT/SAT test scores when awarding scholarships and will not review them if submitted.

Mail it to:

University of Colorado Boulder 
Office of Financial Aid 
Attn: Scholarship Services 
77 UCB 
Boulder, CO 80309-0077

CU Boulder offers scholarships to nonresident students based on a variety of factors including academic performance, test scores and financial need, though there is no scholarship which permits a nonresident student to be charged resident tuition. We do not participate in the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE).

CU Boulder scholarship amounts can range from $350 to $15,000 a year with the majority ranging from $1,500 to $2,500 a year.  Most scholarships are not ‘full-ride’ but a student can receive multiple scholarships and grants from different sources that all help to meet educational costs.

We do not negotiate financial aid or match offers from other schools.  If you have special circumstances that affect your ability to pay, such as a job loss or high medical expenses, contact the Office of Financial Aid to discuss how we can assist you.

Some scholarships can be held for you if you officially defer your admission by contacting the Office of Admissions. However, others are offered based on the academic year you will begin attending CU Boulder and those cannot be held. Please contact Scholarship Services about the specific scholarship in question by calling at 303-492-5091. We recommend that you complete a new CU Boulder Scholarship Application prior to the semester you plan to attend to ensure you receive maximum consideration. 

Most of the scholarships at CU Boulder are available only for the fall and spring semesters. There are limited exceptions for students receiving the Presidential and Chancellor's Achievement Scholarships, as well as the CU Boulder Esteemed Scholars, provided you will be enrolled in at least six credit hours. 

We do not consider whether or not a student has confirmed admission when offering scholarships. Confirming admission will not affect your chances of being offered a scholarship.

The CU Boulder Scholarship Application usually closes on March 15 at 11:59 p.m. MT each year.  Students selected to receive a scholarship will be notified by early April. Transfer students will be notified by mid-July. If you’re an incoming first-year student and you don’t hear by May 1, you haven’t been selected. Notification will vary for recipients of "recommended" and external scholarships. Students can check their status in the CU Boulder Scholarship Application by clicking the My Applications tab.

Your scholarship is limited to both a maximum number of semesters and a maximum award amount per semester so the scholarship amount will not be increased if you graduate early.

We look at the weighted 9th-12th grade GPA that is reflected on your transcript (up to 4.0). We will not recalculate GPAs, but take them directly off of the transcript.

EXCEPTION: Florida students: we use the State GPA for admissions and automatic scholarships.

Check out our tips to apply for suggestions on completing a great scholarship essay and more.

The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Services are not involved with offering athletic scholarships.  We recommend visiting the CU Athletics official website, www.cubuffs.com, and simply getting in touch with the coach of your intended sport.  The coaching staff in each sport determines to whom they award scholarships.

Yes, there are scholarships available for dependents of CU Boulder faculty and staff.  A student must be enrolled full-time and the parent must meet certain eligibility criteria. 

To keep a renewable scholarship, continuing students must meet the renewal conditions during spring semester. Renewable scholarships will not appear in your Buff Portal Financial Aid card until the annual review is complete, which happens by July 1.