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Located in the Rocky Mountain region, the University of Colorado Boulder is a “comprehensive public research university” boasting “five Nobel laureates and more than 50 members of prestigious academic academies.” It “provides a modern, research-based education that focuses on creating aware citizens to go on to change the world (while having fun).” Students call it a “strong school academically with all the perks of a big state university” including “excellent diversity in subjects and courses, school spirit, packed sports games, and a fun, beautiful college town.” Students get to enjoy a “beautiful campus with outdoor-oriented people” in addition to “a great research university,” notes an international affairs major. Boulder offers a wide variety of degree programs, but students praise the “top-notch leadership program,” “great business program,” and “strong physics reputation” in particular. CU Boulder also offers a “strong environmental program” with opportunities for “both onand off-campus” study. Students say the professors are “amazing,” “approachable,” “interested in students personally,” and “will treat you as an adult.” Professors are “consistently excellent across the wide variety of subjects I have taken courses in, from geography to astronomy and economics to literature,” notes one student. “In my four years as an undergrad,” says an environmental studies major, “I have traveled places and learned things that I never imagined I would or could experience.” In addition, “the price for an education of this caliber is phenomenal,” a creative writing major notes. “I was going to a private college for two years and can safely say that this education is significantly better, while the cost is relatively minimal.” CU Boulder is a perfect fit for students who want to be in a “college town surrounded by other young intellectuals.”

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University of Colorado Boulder Acceptance Rates & Admissions Statistics

What does the admissions department at university of colorado boulder look for in an applicant.

Utilize the admission data from the most recent freshman classes at University of Colorado Boulder to evaluate how you measure up.

On this page you’ll find:

What Admissions Stats Mean for You

Selectivity of University of Colorado Boulder

Acceptance & Enrollment Stats at University of Colorado Boulder

Male to Female Ratio of Applicants

Average SAT & ACT Scores

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What Admissions Statistics Mean for You?

Reviewing the admissions stats at University of Colorado Boulder can help you determine your likelihood of acceptance. Take a look at the SAT and ACT scores of previous applicants to help you understand your chances of being accepted. If you find your scores are lower than the average freshman, try retaking the exam to better your score or reviewing colleges looking for scores matching your own.

Looking for University of Colorado Boulder application deadlines and requirements?

Selectivity (Fall 2021): Are You the Right Type of Student For This College?

Acceptance and enrollment stats (fall 2021), who’s applying: applicants by gender, average test scores.

About 32% of students accepted to CU - Boulder submitted their SAT scores. When looking at the 25th through the 75th percentile, SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing scores ranged between 590 and 690. Math scores were between 580 and 700.

CU - Boulder received ACT scores from 16% of accepted students. When looking at the 25th through the 75th percentile, ACT Composite scores ranged between 25 and 31.

Additional Question to Ask

• A college’s selectivity gives us an idea of how rigorous the studies are, and how competitive the students are. However, not all students thrive in a competitive atmosphere, even if their grades are good. Does this college have the best learning environment for you?

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• National Center for Education Statistics
• College Scorecard
• Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
• Image Credit: By University of Colorado at Boulder under License

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The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university with an acceptance rate of 78%. The flagship campus of Colorado's university system, CU Boulder's 600-acre campus is located in the heart of Boulder. The university is a member of the prestigious American Association of Universities because of its strong research programs, and CU Boulder was awarded a chapter of  Phi Beta Kappa  for its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences. The University of Colorado Boulder ranks among the top public universities and is one of the top colleges in Colorado and top schools in the Mountain States .

CU Boulder offers 85 undergraduate majors in its five colleges and four schools. Outside of the classroom, students can participate in a number of clubs and organizations, including academic honor societies, recreational clubs, and performing arts groups. On the athletic front, the CU Boulder Buffaloes compete in the NCAA Division I  Pac 12 Conference .

Considering applying to the University of Colorado Boulder? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, University of Colorado had an acceptance rate of 78%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 78 students were admitted, making CU Boulder's admissions process somewhat competitive.

SAT Scores and Requirements

The University of Colorado requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 72% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of CU Boulder's admitted students fall within the top 35% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to University of Colorado scored between 580 and 670, while 25% scored below 580 and 25% scored above 670. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 560 and 690, while 25% scored below 560 and 25% scored above 690. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1360 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at University of Colorado.

Requirements

CU Boulder does not require the optional SAT essay section or SAT Subject tests. Note that University of Colorado participates in the scorechoice program, which means that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates.

ACT Scores and Requirements

The University of Colorado requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 47% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of University of Colorado's admitted students fall within the top 22% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to CU Boulder received a composite ACT score between 25 and 31, while 25% scored above 31 and 25% scored below 25.

The University of Colorado does not require the optional ACT writing section. Unlike many universities, CU Boulder superscores ACT results; your highest subscores from multiple ACT sittings will be considered.

In 2019, the middle 50% of University of Colorado Boulder's incoming freshmen class had high school GPAs between 3.52 and 4.0, 25% had a GPA above 4.0, and 25% had a GPA below 3.52. These results suggest that most successful applicants to CU Boulder have primarily A and B grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to University of Colorado Boulder. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

The University of Colorado Boulder, which accepts over three-quarters of applicants, has a somewhat selective admissions process. If your SAT/ACT scores and GPA fall within the school's average ranges, you have a strong chance of being accepted. However, CU Boulder has a  holistic admissions  process involving other factors beyond your grades and test scores. CU Boulder is looking for an upward trend in grades combined with a  rigorous course schedule . They are also looking for strong application essays and participation in meaningful  extracurricular activities , Applicants need to submit a letter of recommendation , so be sure to choose someone who knows you well.

In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent accepted students. The great majority of admitted applicants had a high school average of "B" or higher, a combined SAT score of 1050 or higher (ERW+M), and an ACT composite score of 21 or higher. The higher those numbers, the better. You'll notice very few rejected students (red dots) or waitlisted students (yellow dots) in the upper-right corner of the graph.

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and University of Colorado Boulder Undergraduate Admissions Office .

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Gre prep online guides and tips, graduate school acceptance rates: can you get in.

Even the most qualified and confident applicants worry about getting into grad school. But don’t panic! Graduate school acceptance rates, which give the percentage of applicants that were admitted to a particular school or program in an academic year, can help you determine how likely you are to get into a given program.  But where can you find grad school admissions statistics?

In this article, we’ll first investigate the trends and factors associated with graduate school acceptance rates. Then, we’ll take a look at some of the current acceptance rates and give you expert tips on how to find acceptance rates for your programs. Finally, we’ll show you how to determine your odds of getting into grad school.

Graduate School Acceptance Rates: Factors and Trends

Grad school acceptance rates are the same as any other acceptance rate: the lower the acceptance rate, the more selective the school or program is. Similarly, the higher the acceptance rate, the less selective the school or program is. As with undergrad acceptance rates, grad school acceptance rates vary widely, from extraordinarily selective (less than 5 percent) to incredibly lenient (nearly 100 percent).

Unlike undergrad rates, though, grad school acceptance rates are usually calculated for specific programs or departments and  not for entire universities. This is because with grad school, you are essentially applying to an individual program rather than an overall institution (as you did for undergrad).

Now that we’ve covered all of the basics, let’s look at a few key trends. Our research indicates there are three major factors that help determine grad school acceptance rates:

• School or program prestige
• Degree type
• Amount of funding

Let’s look at how each of these factors influences grad school acceptance rates.

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#1: School or Program Prestige

How prestigious a particular grad school or program is can affect its overall competitiveness and selectivity. In general, the more prestigious a program is, the more competitive it’ll be and thus the lower acceptance rate it’ll have.

An easy way to determine school or program prestige is to consult official rankings, such as those listed on  U.S. News . (Grad schools are typically ranked by field or program and   not by overall institution.)

For example, a 2017  U.S. News  list of the best political science grad programs  ranked Duke’s political science program at #7 and Northwestern’s at #23. Because both of the programs have fairly high rankings, it’s safe to assume they’re probably quite selective.

And this is true: in 2016,  Duke  reported a mere 10 percent acceptance rate to its political science doctoral program, while  Northwestern  reported a 12 percent acceptance rate.

#2: Degree Type

Another major factor is degree type. Generally,  doctoral programs tend to be more selective than master’s programs (though this isn’t always the case as I’ll explain in a moment). This trend is likely due to the fact that doctoral programs often look for higher-quality applicants with proven academic track records and more relevant experience in their fields.

For example, in 2016  University of Michigan’s math doctoral program  had a 17.2 percent acceptance rate, whereas its master’s program  had a much higher 31.8 percent rate. In this case, the doctoral program is clearly tougher to get into than the master’s program.

Still,   master’s programs can have lower acceptance rates than doctoral programs. If we were to take the University of Michigan’s grad programs in computer science and engineering, we’d find that the doctoral program has  a 15 percent acceptance rate  and the master’s  an even lower 8 percent acceptance rate .

Additionally, M.F.A. programs are particularly cutthroat. In 2015, the creative writing M.F.A. program at UT Austin’s James A. Michener Center for Writers only admitted 12 out of 678 applicants — that’s a mere 1.8 percent acceptance rate !

#3: Amount of Funding

Funding, too, plays a big role in how selective a grad program is.

Well-funded  programs typically receive more applications than those offering little to no aid, thereby raising their selectivity. Competition is especially fierce for fully funded programs — possibly because fewer people are willing to go into debt for grad school.

Compared to fully funded doctoral programs, fully funded master’s programs are somewhat rare and thus pretty competitive. UT Austin’s Creative Writing M.F.A. program, for instance, is not only a prestigious program but also one of the most well-funded Creative Writing M.F.A. programs in the country: it  offers full tuition remission and a $27,500 stipend per academic year . It’s no wonder, then, that its acceptance rate is below 2 percent!

What Are the Current Graduate School Acceptance Rates?

For this section, we’ve scoured the internet to bring you a robust assortment of acceptance rates for popular U.S. grad schools.

Before we dive in, note that not all institutions calculate grad school acceptance rates using the same methodologies. Some offer only a single acceptance rate for all of their grad schools put together, while others offer individual rates by school, field, or program.

Now, let’s see how selective these schools really are!

*Statistics for NYU are based on the number of enrolled students and not the number of admitted students. Therefore, expect actual acceptance rates to be slightly higher.

How to Find Graduate School Acceptance Rates: 4 Methods

Unfortunately, grad school admissions statistics tend to be more difficult to find than undergrad acceptance rates.  But there are ways to search for them — you just have to do a lot of digging and possibly a little reaching out.

Below are our top four methods for finding grad school acceptance rates for the programs you’re applying to.

#1: Consult School Websites

By far the most reliable resources for grad school admissions statistics are  school websites.

Start your search by consulting program and departmental pages, particularly admissions and FAQ pages. Look out for any statistics-related keywords or phrases, such as “admission(s) rates,” “acceptance rates,” “enrollment,” “facts and figures,” etc. Use ctrl+F to move swiftly through large chunks of text.

Not all schools publish grad admissions information online, and those that do don’t always report it in the same way as others. For example, Princeton offers a handy PDF  containing acceptance rates for all academic fields of study. On the other hand,  Notre Dame  gives separate admissions charts for each of its grad programs (which you can access by selecting a program and then clicking “Admissions Statistics”).

Additionally, many schools release admissions statistics without explicitly publishing acceptance rates.  In this case, it’s your job to take the statistics provided and use them to calculate an acceptance rate. To find the acceptance rate of a school or program, you’ll need the following information:

• The total number of applicants in a year
• The total number of applicants granted admission  that year

The acceptance rate equals the total number of applicants offered admission divided by the total number of applicants and then multiplied by 100, or:

$$\acceptance \rate = {\number \of \applicants \offered \admission}/{\total \number \of \applicants}100$$

Be sure to  avoid conflating the number of students who were  offered admission   with the number of students who accepted their offers of admission. These two concepts sound alike but are actually different. What you’re looking for is the first statistic — that is, the number of admitted students (regardless of whether they decided to enroll).

If you’re having trouble finding admissions statistics by browsing school websites, search on Google for “[Your School] graduate acceptance rate” and see if any relevant school pages appear. While searching for acceptance rates to use in the table above, I consistently swapped “acceptance rate” with similar phrases, such as “admission(s) rate,” “facts and figures,” “student statistics,” “admittance rates,” and “admission(s) statistics.”

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Don’t be afraid to get creative! You can also use phrases like “Ph.D. admissions statistics” or “master’s admissions statistics” to narrow your search even further. Try to think outside the box as you do your research. What are other ways people talk about acceptance rates?

#2: Check  U.S. News

If your school or program doesn’t offer any admissions statistics on its website, go to  U.S. News . This website offers official rankings of grad programs as well as lists of the most (and least) selective programs in various fields.

For example, I found a 2016 list of the most competitive online M.B.A. programs  and a 2015 list of the most competitive online graduate engineering programs .

If U.S. News doesn’t offer any relevant lists for you to use, try skimming the current grad school rankings to gauge how competitive your program is compared with others in the same field.

#3: Search Other Websites

One less reliable method for looking up grad school admissions statistics is to  look for (unofficial) websites discussing acceptance rates for your school or program.

The Grad Cafe’s  admissions results  section is a solid place to start. Here, applicants post whether they’ve been accepted, rejected, or waitlisted for grad programs.

Search for your program to get a rough feel for how many acceptances and rejections go out each year. You might notice that certain types of applicants are more active than others. Creative Writing M.F.A. applicants, for example, are prolific posters in winter and spring (during admissions season).

Occasionally, Google itself will provide you with grad school acceptance rates, but this only appears to work consistently for well-known law schools, medical schools, and business schools.

Additionally, while using Google, don’t assume that any acceptance rates that pop up are directly connected to your search terms. For example, when I searched “stanford graduate acceptance rate,” Google gave me this result:

This 4.8 percent acceptance rate is  not  the acceptance rate for Stanford’s grad programs (what I searched for) but rather the acceptance rate for undergrads. So always cross-check any statistics Google gives you.

You can also consult grad school data websites such as  Peterson’s and StartClass . Take their grad school acceptance rates with a grain of salt, though — their data isn’t always verifiable online. If possible, try to compare any data you find on these types of websites with the school websites themselves or U.S. News .

#4: Contact Schools

If the internet isn’t giving you the help you need, call or email your schools. Be polite but upfront: ask whether the school calculates acceptance rates for grad programs and where you can find this information online (if available).

If a school refuses to divulge admissions statistics or simply doesn’t report acceptance rates, see if they can give you estimates for how many applications they receive each year, or for how many acceptances they usually extend to applicants in your program.

Graduate School Acceptance: What Are Your Odds?

By this point, you might be wondering how likely it is you’ll actually get into the grad program you wish to attend. After all, acceptance rates are pretty broad — they tell you what everyone’s odds are but not your odds specifically.

Below are three easy steps for determining your odds of getting into grad school, including advice on when it’s better to go for it or choose another program.

Step 1: Check Program Requirements

First, go to your program’s website and pinpoint the admissions requirements page. Now, ask yourself:  do you meet all of the program’s basic requirements? If not, you’ll likely wind up with a rejection (and might not even be able to apply).

However, if you’re still interested in applying, contact the program and ask if they’ll make an exception for you. Your chance of getting accepted is still low, but you’ll at least have your application considered.

If your program strongly recommends qualities you lack, don’t interpret this as an automatic rejection. Sometimes, applicants can make up for deficiencies in other ways. For example, if your undergrad GPA is 3.1 and your program recommends applicants have a minimum 3.2, don’t write off the program — you might still have a shot at getting in as long as the rest of your application is solid.

On the other hand, even if you meet all of a program’s requirements, you’re not necessarily a shoo-in. Remember, all other applicants have met these requirements, too, so you’ll need to find a unique way to make your application stand out.

Step 2: Find Average GRE Scores and GPAs

Your next step is to look up your program’s average GRE scores and GPA  to see how your own scores and GPA compare with those of previously admitted applicants.

You can usually find GRE score information on admissions requirements or FAQ pages. You can also search on Google for “[Your School] [Your Program] average GRE scores.” For step-by-step instructions on how to find average GRE scores, check out  my article on average GRE scores by school .

For GPAs, you can use the same basic methodology. Check admissions requirements and FAQ pages and use ctrl+F to search for “GPA.” If GPA information is available, you’ll most likely come across minimum GPAs or average GPAs (or both). For more tips on how to find GPA information for your grad schools, read our guide .

Now, compare your own GRE scores and GPA with the averages you’ve found. Below are all possible scenarios and what they mean for you and your odds of getting into the program:

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• Your GRE scores and GPA are both  higher than your program’s averages:  Congratulations! You have an excellent chance of getting accepted, especially if the rest of your application is equally impressive. Keep up the great work!
• Your GRE scores and GPA are both  about the same as your program’s averages:  You’re doing pretty well! You are just the type of applicant your program is looking for. The only drawback is that you probably won’t stand out as much from other applicants who have similar GRE scores and GPAs. So take time to make your application sparkle (I’m looking at you, statement of purpose).
• Your GRE scores and GPA are both lower than your program’s averages (or just one of the two is lower):  It ain’t over ’til it’s over! You can still make up for your deficiencies in other ways. While you can’t change your GPA, you can retake the GRE . If your GPA is low, a great strategy for combating this is to discuss it in your statement of purpose, taking care to highlight any external factors that contributed to the low GPA as well as any attributes of yours that prove you’re indeed ready for grad school.

Step 3: Decide Whether to Apply

Now, we get to the final question: do you apply to the program or not?  This is a vague question that’s difficult to answer as is. The real questions you should be asking yourself are as follows:

• Do I meet all of the program’s basic requirements?
• Do I meet most or all of the program’s expectations of applicants (in terms of GRE scores, GPA, etc.)?
• Is the program’s acceptance rate extremely low?
• Do I really like this program?

Although acceptance rates and GRE/GPA comparisons are helpful, don’t base your decision to apply solely on how difficult the program is to get into. We can’t know for sure what kind of applicant a grad program is looking for or who they’re willing to make an exception for.

Take a moment to think deeply about how interested you are in this particular program. Be realistic about your chances of getting in — but don’t cross the line into pessimism. If you don’t meet most or all of a program’s expectations and you’re not super invested in it, consider applying elsewhere.

But if you meet some, most, or all of a program’s expectations and you’re extremely interested in enrolling, give the application a go. Remember, it’s totally normal (and even encouraged) to have a few reach schools. Plus, you’ll never get in if you don’t apply!

Key Takeaways: Graduate School Acceptance Rates

Grad school acceptance rates quantify for us the selectivity of grad schools and programs. More specifically, acceptance rates tell us  what percentage of applicants were offered admission to a particular grad school or program. 

With grad school, acceptance rates are often reported for individual schools or programs,  not  entire universities. Acceptance rates can vary widely depending on program prestige, the type of degree you’re seeking, and how much (or how little) funding a program offers.

Unlike undergrad acceptance rates, grad school acceptance rates are somewhat difficult to locate online. You can look for them using any of the following four methods:

• Peruse school websites
• Check grad school facts and lists on  U.S. News
• Browse other websites and forums such as The Grad Cafe
• Call or email your schools

When trying to determine your  odds of getting into a program, look at your program’s requirements as well as the average GPA and GRE scores of previously admitted applicants to your program. If your GRE scores and GPA are comparable to those of your program, you have a decent shot at getting accepted. If one or both are lower than your program’s averages, however, you can always try to  raise your GRE score  with a retake or address your GPA in your statement of purpose.

At the end of the day, what ultimately matters isn’t that you get accepted to a highly competitive grad program but that you make the right decision for you and you alone!

What’s Next?

Need help with your grad school application?  Learn about the most common grad school requirements  and get tips on how to write a grad school CV or resume !

Is your GPA good enough for grad school ?  Read our in-depth guide to learn how you can make up for a less-than-stellar GPA and ultimately raise your chances of getting into the school of your dreams.

Do you have to take the GRE for grad school ? When are grad school deadlines ?  Check out our guides for answers to these questions and more.

Ready to improve your GRE score by 7 points?

Author: Hannah Muniz

Hannah graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern California with a bachelor’s degree in English and East Asian languages and cultures. After graduation, she taught English in Japan for two years via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel. View all posts by Hannah Muniz

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Graduate School admission is handled by individual academic departments; see the specific college, school and program sections for details. For more information, visit Graduate School Admissions . 

Application Procedures

Students seeking admission to a CU Boulder master's or doctoral program apply directly to the appropriate department. An applicant for admission must present complete application materials, including:

• the graduate application, available online at Graduate School Admissions ,
• unofficial transcripts for all academic work completed to date,
• a non-refundable application fee (currently $60 for domestic applicants and $80 for international applicants),
• three or four letters of recommendation (please check with your program to obtain the required number of recommendations needed), and
• test scores and other materials as required by specific departments.

A completed application must be submitted by the published deadline for the term for which admission is sought. Most departments have an application deadline that is several months before the start of the desired admission term. 

Admission Requirements

Regular degree students, provisional degree students, bachelor’s–accelerated master’s degree programs, dual degree programs, nondegree students to regular degree status, former and suspended students, students transferring from other cu campuses, students changing major departments.

Qualified students may be recommended for admission to regular degree status by approved programs of the Graduate School provided they meet the following criteria:

• They hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university or have done work equivalent to that required for such a degree.
• They show promise of ability to pursue advanced study and research, as judged by their scholastic record.
• They have had adequate preparation to enter graduate study in the chosen field.
• They have at least a 2.75 (on a 4.00 scale) undergraduate GPA (for engineering, 3.00). (Note: Applicants who cannot meet criterion 4 may still secure regular admission if they have completed 9 credit hours of relevant graduate coursework with at least a 3.25 average.)
• They meet additional requirements for admission established by the major department.

Students who do not meet the requirements for admission as regular degree students may be recommended for provisional degree status by their major department. With the concurrence of the dean of the Graduate School, these students are admitted for a probationary term of either one or two semesters of full-time study (or the equivalent for part-time students). At the end of the specified probationary period, provisional degree students must be either admitted to regular degree status or dismissed from the graduate program. Provisional students are subject to the same standards of performance required of regular degree students, plus any other requirements imposed by the program faculty as conditions of admission.

Credit hours earned by persons in provisional degree status may count toward a degree at CU Boulder.

To meet the standard terms of provisional admission, the student must generally complete 12 credit hours in two semesters (or equivalent for part-time students) with a 3.00 cumulative GPA. Program faculty may recommend additional or alternative conditions as appropriate.

A number of CU Boulder departments offer bachelor’s–accelerated master’s (BAM) degree programs, which enable CU undergraduate students to pursue undergraduate and graduate programs simultaneously and to receive both degrees in a shorter time period than it would take to pursue them separately.

Highly qualified undergraduate students may be recommended for admission to a BAM degree program at the end of their sophomore year or the beginning of their junior year. Such students are not formally admitted to the Graduate School. Standards for admission as well as eligibility to remain in the program are specified by each department.

The Graduate School, in conjunction with the faculty of each department and the deans of schools and colleges where appropriate, approves dual degree programs that combine previously approved graduate degree programs in two areas or departments.

Qualified graduate students may be recommended for admission to an approved dual degree program upon meeting the qualifications of each graduate program and any special qualifications as outlined by each program's approved guidelines. Minimum standards and qualifications for admission and continuation are specified by each department. Students wishing to complete degrees in more than one department that have no approved dual degree program or interdisciplinary major combination must complete all the requirements for both degrees with no shared or overlapping coursework.

Students with nondegree status applying to a graduate degree program should talk to the academic department about specific resident requirements before applying to the program. The maximum amount of work that may be transferred to CU Boulder depends upon the graduate degree sought; individual departments may have more restrictive limits. Learn more about transfer of credit on the Graduate School’s admissions page .

Students who were previously admitted to a graduate degree program but who did not complete that degree and who have not been continuously registered at CU Boulder must complete the following steps before being readmitted:

• Clarify their status with the department to determine their eligibility to return and pursue the same degree.
• Submit a Graduate Readmit application to the department (departmental approval is required) before enrollment levels are met or deadlines passed for the term in which they expect to return to CU Boulder.

A regular degree student who is dismissed for failure to maintain a 3.00 GPA is eligible to apply for readmission after one year. Approval or rejection of this application rests jointly with the student's major department and the dean of the Graduate School. The final decision will be made by the dean based on the recommendations of the department.

Students transferring from another CU campus to CU Boulder must apply to and be accepted by the Boulder campus.

Students who want to change major departments must apply to and be accepted by the new department. When adding a second major in an approved interdisciplinary major combination, students should contact their home department for instructions on this process.

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University of Colorado Boulder Admissions

University of Colorado Boulder admissions has an acceptance rate of 79% and an early acceptance rate of 93.7%. Half the applicants admitted to University of Colorado Boulder who submitted test scores have an SAT score between 1160 and 1390 or an ACT score of 26 and 31. However, one quarter of admitted applicants achieved scores above these ranges and one quarter scored below these ranges. The application deadline at University of Colorado Boulder is Jan. 15.

Admissions officials at University of Colorado Boulder consider a student's GPA a very important academic factor. An applicant's high school class rank, when available, is considered and letters of recommendation are considered important for admissions officials at University of Colorado Boulder. To see additional academic factors along with other school data, learn more about College Compass .

University of Colorado Boulder Admissions Stats

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University of Colorado Boulder Admissions Requirements

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University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder)

University of Colorado Boulder can be found in Boulder, CO, a public college which focuses on only a select few programs offered. CU Boulder has around 39,000 students enrolled yearly.

Many of the students that got into CU Boulder got an SAT score between 1140 - 1360, or got accepted with an ACT composite score within the range of 25 - 31. Based on sampled GPA data collected and applied, it is estimated that the CU Boulder average GPA range for accepted students is around 3.42 - 3.71. CU Boulder has an acceptance rate of about 78% with 22% of applicants deciding to attend. Using acceptance rate data from previous years, we can project that the CU Boulder acceptance rate in 2021 is going to be around 74%. You can get more information from the admissions office website at colorado.edu .

Overall CU Boulder Acceptance Rate - Fall 2020

The overall acceptance rate for University of Colorado Boulder was reported as 78.4% in Fall 2020 with over 40,700 college applications submitted to University of Colorado Boulder. Both in state and out of state applicants are included in these figures. We do not have data on transfer acceptance rates currently.

Accepted Applicants Profile

• CU Boulder ACT Scores: 25 - 31
• CU Boulder Average GPA: 3.42 - 3.71

How Hard Is It to Get into University of Colorado Boulder?

Applicant selectivity: high.

The selectivity of applicants for undergraduate admissions to CU Boulder is considered high, with many applicants scoring in the top percentiles on the SAT or ACT exam, as well as having an excellent high school GPA.

Historical Trend and Acceptance Rate 2024 Projection

Acceptance rate by year.

• 2016-2017: 76.6%
• 2017-2018: 79.8%
• 2018-2019: 81.5%
• 2019-2020: 78.4%
• Projected CU Boulder Acceptance Rate 2024-2025: 73.8%

How Does CU Boulder Compare?

The acceptance rate for University of Colorado Boulder is thirty-eight percent higher than the national average of all colleges which is around 56.7%.

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PhD in Applied Mathematics

Our PhD in Applied Mathematics program provides comprehensive training in applied mathematics and/or statistics and opportunities for cutting-edge research in close collaboration with internationally recognized scholars in the fields of

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Some highlights of our exciting research projects include evolutionary dynamics, climate modeling, wildfire simulations, machine learning, genetic inheritance and association, optimization in data analysis, and more. Current research funding includes grants from NSF, NIH, DoD, and NASA.

The degree is designed to give students a contemporary, comprehensive education in subjects such as high-performance computing, numerical analysis, optimization, statistical methods, and operations research. In all of its activities, the department embodies the outlook that mathematics, statistics, computing, and data science are powerful tools that can be used to solve problems of immediate and practical importance. Our program emphasizes the training of skills valued by many employers. These skills include problem solving, critical thinking, analysis, facility with data, the ability to process quantitative information, and most important of all, the ability to learn and master new skills and concepts quickly. These strengths make our students highly marketable for careers in industry as well as in academia.  Scholarships and assistantships​  for graduate students are available and awarded competitively.​​

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Hey everyone, I'm looking into applying to the University of Colorado Boulder. Before I commit to writing my essay, I wanted to know the acceptance rate. Does anyone know it for the most recent admission cycle? Thanks in advance!

The acceptance rate for the University of Colorado Boulder in the most recent admission cycle was around 79%. Keep in mind that acceptance rates can vary from year to year, but this should give you a rough idea of the level of selectivity at CU Boulder. Good luck with your application!

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Bachelor of Science in Applied Computer Science Post-Baccalaureate

Our online Bachelor of Science in Applied Computer Science Post-Baccalaureate degree is designed for working professionals with a prior bachelor’s degree who are looking to make a career pivot, move ahead in their current career path, or deepen their knowledge of computer science in 45 credits. The program’s flexible format allows you to pursue your degree, full-time or part-time, from anywhere in the world.

The program aims to produce students who are able to:

• learn the strong foundational material that distinguishes professionals and lets them keep up with emerging technologies,
• develop software engineering skills using modern tools and a variety of programming languages,
• learn the algorithms and mathematics that underlie Computer Science, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, 
• analyze and visualize data while understanding the cognitive processes of decision making, and 
• analyze and create databases and automate analysis using data mining and data science algorithms.

With a computer science degree from CU Boulder’s prestigious College of Engineering and Applied Science, you’ll be positioned to take advantage of one of the world’s fastest-growing career fields.

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