Registration

Students should refer to the Academic Calendar in this catalog or on the registrar's website (www.colorado.edu/registrar) for specific dates and deadlines that apply to the registration process. Students should also consult individual college and school sections of this catalog and their dean’s office for additional information on special requirements and procedures. The following registration policies are intended to serve as general guidelines.

Registration generally involves three steps: registering for courses, obtaining a bill before classes begin, and dropping and adding classes during drop/add periods, if needed.

Students who require accommodations because of a disability should notify the Office of the Registrar, University of Colorado Boulder, 20 UCB, Boulder, CO, 80309-0020, or call 303-492-6970.

Confirmation Deposit

All degree students pay a one-time-only $200 confirmation deposit that allows them to enroll without paying a registration deposit each term.

Confirmation deposits are refunded to students upon graduation or official withdrawal from CU-Boulder within established dates and guidelines. All refunds are reduced by any outstanding financial obligations. Interest earned from confirmation deposits is used for student financial aid.

The $200 deposit is required of all degree students. New students are required to pay the deposit when they first confirm their intent to enroll at CU-Boulder and are not permitted to register until the confirmation deposit is paid.

All questions regarding the confirmation deposit policy should be directed to the Office of Admissions, Regent Administrative Center 125, 303-492-6301.

Registering for Courses

All CU-Boulder students register for courses via MyCUInfo.colorado.edu. Students can also check their assigned registration date and time in MyCUInfo and check for any holds that may prevent registration (see Holds).

New freshmen and transfer students in most schools and colleges receive their registration information at orientation. Continuing students are notified via e-mail each semester of times and requirements for registration.

Registration instructions, including a step-by-step video, are available at www.colorado.edu/registrar/registration-grades/how-register-courses.

Bill Distribution

Bills are online before each semester begins, depending on when students have registered. For more information, visit www.colorado.edu/bursar and in the Summer Session Catalog. Students access their online student account on MyCUinfo.colorado.edu.

Drop/Add

Students can adjust their schedules by dropping and adding classes via the student portal, MyCUinfo.colorado.edu. For fall and spring semesters, drop/add activity takes place by time assignment during the Friday prior to the first day of the semester. After that, the system is available to all students through the drop and add deadlines.

For more information, visit the registrar’s website at www.colorado.edu/registrar.

Drop/Add Deadlines

Specific drop and add deadlines for each fall and spring semester are listed on the registrar’s website. Summer deadlines appear in the Summer Session Catalog.

• Students can add courses via MyCUInfo through a certain date each term without needing approval. See www.colorado.edu/registrar/calendars-schedules/academic-calendar to find out this date for the current term. After this, students must contact the instructor or the instructor’s department to add a class. In addition, near the end of the fall or spring semester, students must get the dean’s permission to add a class in addition to the instructor’s. This date is also posted on the registrar’s academic calendar.
• Students can drop courses without approval via MyCUInfo through Friday of the tenth week of the fall and spring term (summer dates vary). However, tuition and fees are assessed for courses dropped after the third Wednesday of the fall or spring semester, and a grade of W will appear on the transcript. See the registrar’s academic calendar at www.colorado.edu/registrar/calendars-schedules/academic-calendar for specific dates and details.                                                                       
• After the tenth-week drop deadline, the instructor’s and dean’s signatures are required to drop a course. Some colleges may require additional approval or processes, such as petitioning the dean (students should check with their school or college). Course drops are generally not approved after this date except in extraordinary circumstances.
• Students dropping all of their courses should refer to the Withdrawal Procedures (see below) section for more information.

Credit/No Credit

Students who wish to take course work for no credit should indicate this at the time they register for courses or during the final drop/add period; changes in credit registration are not permitted after the drop/add deadline in the summer or after the third Friday of the semester in the fall and spring. Tuition is the same whether or not credit is received in a course.

Pass/Fail (P/F)

Students should refer to the college and school sections of this catalog to determine the number of pass/fail credit hours that may be taken in a given semester or credited toward a bachelor’s degree. Exceptions to the pass/fail regulations are permitted for certain courses that are offered only on a pass/fail basis. Procedures for requesting pass/fail enrollment can be found on the registrar’s website or in the Summer Session Catalog.

Students who wish to register for a course on a pass/fail basis should do so when first registering for their courses. The pass/fail option is only available for courses that allow a pass/fail option. If a student decides to change from graded to pass/fail, this can be done using the Edit button in the student portal in the "Add Deadline" feature. Changes to or from a pass/fail basis are not permitted after the third Friday of the semester in the fall and spring or after the drop/add deadline in the summer.

All students who register on a pass/fail basis appear on the class roster, and a letter grade is assigned by the instructor. When grades are received in the Office of the Registrar, those courses that have a pass/fail designation are automatically converted from letter grades to P or F. Grades of D- and above are considered passing grades. A P grade does not affect a student's GPA. An F grade does affect a student's GPA.

Variable Credit

All independent study courses, and occasionally regular courses, are offered on a variable-credit basis. Students must designate the number of credit hours they wish to receive for the course at the time of registration. Consult the registrar’s website or the Summer Session Catalog for variable-credit hour ranges for particular courses. 

Time-Off Program 
(for Graduate Students Only)

The Time-Off Program is a planned-leave program for CU-Boulder graduate students who wish to take a leave of absence from the university. Students must be in good ethical and academic standing with the university. Students on Time-Off will be allowed three inactive semesters, including summer, to pursue academic or nonacademic interests, and they do not need to reapply to the university to return.

The Time-Off Program guarantees participating students a place in their current college or school and in their current major when they return to the university. 

Additional information and a Time-Off application can be obtained from the Office of the Registrar, Regent Administrative Center 105, or at the registrar’s website at www.colorado.edu/registrar/withdrawals/time-off. A nonrefundable $50 program fee is required at the time of application to Time-Off. 

NOTE: Graduate students registered for the semester they plan to begin Time-Off must formally withdraw. See the withdrawal section below. Call 303-492-6970 for more information or visit the registrar’s website or e-mail timeoff@colorado.edu.

StayConnected 
(Optional for Undergraduate Students Only

This program gives certain benefits to eligible degree-seeking undergraduate students who are taking leave from the university for up to three consecutive semesters (including the summer semester) that they are not registered for courses.

Some of the benefits offered through the program are only available for an additional fee. A StayConnected application and a nonrefundable $50 administrative fee is required. For an application and more information, visit the Office of the Registrar, Regent Administrative Center 105, call 303-492-6970, visit the registrar’s websites at www.colorado.edu/registrar/withdrawing-university, or www.colorado.edu/registrar/withdrawls/stay-connected-program.

Withdrawal Procedures

Students may officially withdraw from the university by  the following methods:

• fill out a withdrawal form and submit it to the Office of the Registrar, Regent Administrative Center 105;
• mail a withdrawal form the Office of the Registrar, University of Colorado Boulder, 20 UCB, Boulder CoO 80309-0020;
• fax a withdrawal form to 303-492-8748;
• e-mail a withdrawal form to withdraw@colorado.edu; or
• using ONLY the student's official colorado.edu e-mail account, students may e-mail a request to withdraw (no need for the form) if no signatures are required.

Students should include their full name and identifying information (student ID number), semester or semesters for which they are withdrawing, permanent address, and telephone number. If providing this information in a letter, they should also include the date and student signature.

In all terms, students are not permitted to withdraw after the last day of classes.

Failure to withdraw will result in a failing grade being recorded for every course taken in a term and makes a student liable for the full amount of tuition and fees for that term. For refund stipulations, see the withdrawal policy in this catalog regarding tuition and fees.

Rules for withdrawing may vary with each college and school. Students anticipating a withdrawal should consult with their dean’s office and read the withdrawal information on the registrar’s website at www.colorado.edu/registrar/withdrawing-university in the Summer Session Catalog for specific withdrawal procedures. More information is available in the Office of the Registrar, Regent Administrative Center 105, 303-492-6970, on the Web at www.colorado.edu/registrar, or by e-mailing withdraw@colorado.edu.

Withdrawing students (including students applying for the Time-Off Program) with Federal Perkins/NDSL loans must complete a loan exit interview before leaving the university. Failure to do so will result in a “hold” on the student’s record. This hold will prevent the student from receiving a diploma or an academic transcript from the university and from registering for future terms. In order to complete a loan exit interview, contact the university Student Loans department in the Bursar’s Office at 303-492-5571, or 1-800-925-9844.

Students who withdraw and then wish to return to the university will have three semesters from their last graded semester, to return to the university without having to reapply for admission. Details are available at www.colorado.edu/registrar/withdrawing-university under the Taking a Leave of Absence section.

New and readmitted students: New, readmitted, and transfer students are not eligible for a refund of the confirmation deposit. 

Deadlines to withdraw with no financial penalty vary by semester but occur some time before the first day of instruction. Visit www.colorado.edu/registrar/withdrawing-university for the refund and assessment schedule.

If students withdraw after the “deadline to withdraw and not be assessed a financial penalty” but before 11:59 p.m. on the third Wednesday of instruction, they are assessed a $200 withdrawal processing fee. The confirmation deposit is automatically credited towards the withdrawal fee.

After the third Wednesday of instruction, or the first drop deadline, there are three additional assessment periods.

• From the third Wednesday of instruction through the fifth Wednesday, students will only be charged 40 percent of total tuition (not including the portion of tuition paid by COF for in-state undergraduate students) and mandatory fees (CUSG student fees, athletic fee, and capital construction fee)
• After the fifth Wednesday of instruction through the seventh Wednesday, students will be charged 60 percent of total tuition (not including the portion of tuition paid by COF for in-state undergraduate students) and mandatory fees (CUSG student fees, athletic fee, and capital construction fee)
• After the seventh Wednesday of instruction tuition will not be adjusted. In the case of extenuating circumstances (university error, recent medical condition, immediate family emergency, recent unanticipated financial problems, or verification of non-attendance), students may dispute tuition and mandatory fee charges through the Bursar's Office. College Opportunity Fund hours are expended and not refunded with withdrawals after the published deadline.

Retroactive Withdrawal

In certain situations, colleges, schools and programs accept petitions for retroactive withdrawals from one or more semesters. Students must clearly demonstrate that they experienced extenuating circumstances beyond their control that prevented them from withdrawing by the established deadline. Such petitions deal with only the most serious cases of injury, illness and emotional distress and require specific and detailed documentation from appropriate licensed professionals in order to be considered. The retroactive withdrawal process may take several months; students should continue with their education without anticipating approval since such petitions are rarely granted. If the petition is approved, grades of W will be recorded for all courses taken in the semester, irrespective of the original grade. Students who believe they have encountered life events that may make them eligible for a retroactive withdrawal should meet with their academic advisor before taking any action.

Withdrawing students who have received financial aid should review the Office of Financial Aid’s withdrawal policy. Please also review www.colorado.edu/registrar/how-withdraw/financial-concerns-tuition-assessment on the Registrar’s web page.

Other Registrations

Concurrent Registration

Boulder-campus students who cannot obtain courses required for their degree program on the Boulder campus may be allowed to register for up to two courses or 6 credit hours, whichever is greater, on another University of Colorado campus. Participating students must be enrolled for at least one course on the Boulder campus. Application forms and registration are handled by the home campus. Graduate students should check with the Graduate School for exceptions to the home-campus registration requirement and limitations on credit hours at the host campus. Courses taken at the other CU campus must either be required for graduation or unavailable on the Boulder campus, or the courses must conflict with another required course in which the student is enrolled.

Boulder students exercising this option will pay tuition for their total credit hours at Boulder-campus rates. Concurrent registration forms and instructions are available at www.colorado.edu/registrar/registration-grades/registration-programs or at the Office of the Registrar, Regent Administrative Center 101.

Concurrent students will not be registered in courses at the host campus until the first day of classes at the host campus and must adhere to the add/drop deadlines of that campus.

Registration on Another CU Campus

Boulder campus students who wish to take course work on another campus of the University of Colorado and not through the concurrent registration program may be able to register on that campus independent of Boulder-campus registration. However, students must apply for admission to and follow the registration procedures established by the other campus. Students should check with their dean’s office for approval.

Late Registration

Students in certain categories may be allowed to register late for a fall or spring semester if not registered in any classes as of the third Friday of the semester. These students are assessed a $100 late registration fee, if eligible for late registration.

Graduate students registering as candidates for degree or for thesis hours must register by the third Friday of classes in a fall or spring semester or be subject to the $100 late registration fee, if late registration is held for their category. For more information, call 303-492-6970, or visit www.colorado.edu/registrar.

Registration for Faculty and Staff

Full-time permanent employees with an appointment of 50 percent or greater may enroll in up to 9 credit hours per year tuition-free, beginning with summer (certain mandatory fees still apply). Faculty and staff can share their hours with an eligible dependent. Enrollment is on a space available basis and must be done no sooner than the day classes begin for fall or spring and the first day of the course session for summer. Only main campus courses are eligible; Continuing Education courses do not qualify for this benefit. Dependents can only use the benefit for courses on the campus where the employee works. (Some restrictions apply.) Faculty, staff, and dependents must be admitted to CU as nondegree or degree-seeking students and meet all deadlines in order to receive the benefit. For details, visit Payroll and Benefits Services at www.cu.edu/employee-services/benefits/employee-tuition-benefit and the Bursar's Office at bursar.colorado.edu/resources+tuition-benefit.

Commencement

Students must apply for graduation online through their MyCUInfo portal before they intend to graduate. Step-by-step instructions for applying are available at www.colorado.edu/registrar, as well as important deadlines. Graduation ceremonies are held in May and December and are open to the public. No tickets are required. The May commencement is held at Folsom Stadium, and the December ceremony is held in the Coors Events/Conference Center. Students receiving a degree in August should check with their dean’s office if they wish to attend the May or December ceremony. Details concerning the ceremony are e-mailed to graduating students approximately one month before each ceremony. Students can also access the current semester’s ceremony information at commencement.colorado.edu.

Only doctoral graduates receive their diplomas at commencement. Diplomas are mailed to all other students approximately two months after the ceremony. Standard diploma size is 10 x 8 inches.

Graduating students with Federal Perkins/NDSL loans must complete a loan exit interview and clear all outstanding financial balances before leaving the university. Failure to do so will result in a hold on the student’s record. This hold prevents receipt of a diploma or an academic transcript of work at the university and registration for future terms. Students can complete a loan exit interview by contacting the university of student loan department in the Bursar’s Office at 303-492-5571, TTY 303-492-3528.