Transfer Admission Criteria
CU-Boulder's aim is to offer highly qualified and intellectually curious transfer students the opportunity to continue pursuing their educational goals. We practice a holistic admission review process, taking into account a variety of primary academic and secondary factors as they relate to your projected success in our competitive academic environment. You will be considered on an individual basis relative to a prediction of your academic success in the college to which you apply.
Additional Factors in the Admission Decision
Beyond academic achievement, CU-Boulder places importance on secondary factors to assess the overall qualities of each applicant. These secondary factors include, but are not limited to the following: your two required essays, school and community activities, leadership positions and awards, participation in athletics, work experience, summer activities, special circumstances, and letters of recommendation (optional). We do not accept or use portfolio or audio/video submissions in our admission process.
Transfer Admission Criteria by Colleges and Schools
College of Architecture and Planning
College GPA of 2.75 or higher. Preference is given to students who have taken college-level courses in the areas of architecture, planning, or environmental studies. Completion of courses in related fields of social science, natural science, fine arts, or humanities is also considered in admission review.
College of Arts and Sciences
College GPA of 2.5 or better in appropriate general education courses.
Leeds School of Business
College GPA of 3.0 or higher. Preference is given to students who have completed finite math (or college algebra), calculus, microeconomics, and macroeconomics.
School of Education
Students who have completed a bachelor's degree may apply directly to the School of Education. All other undergraduate students must be admitted to another CU-Boulder college or school in an approved major before applying to the teacher education program.
College of Engineering and Applied Science
GPA of 2.9 or higher for four-year institutions; 3.10 or higher for community college and junior colleges. Transfer applicants must have taken courses relevant to an engineering curriculum, including at least two semesters of college-level calculus, along with two semesters of calculus-based physics and/or college-level chemistry. Chemical engineering and chemical and biological engineering applicants should have completed two semesters of college chemistry. Grades in math, science, and engineering courses should be B or higher. (Exception: Students (resident or non-resident) who apply for admission for a semester which occurs within 18 months of their high school graduation date may also be competitive without having taken the above coursework, as long as your high school academic record meets the current Guaranteed Admission for Colorado Resident Freshmen criteria. In addition, if any college-level work has been completed, your overall GPA should be 3.10 or higher.)
School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Minimum of 30 semester hours of appropriate college-level course work completed or in progress; overall GPA of at least 3.0 and average of 3.0 in journalism course prerequisites (Contemporary Mass Media, and either Principles of Advertising or Principles of Journalism at CU Boulder, or equivalents at another institution). Students who do not have the required hours or prerequisites should apply to the prejournalism and mass communication major in the College of Arts and Sciences.
College of Music
College GPA of 2.75 or higher. An audition or audition recording is required of all applicants.
