Academic Records

Class Level

Class level is based on the total number of semester hours passed, as follows:

• Freshman: 0–29.9 semester hours
• Sophomore: 30–59.9 semester hours
• Junior: 60–89.9 semester hours
• Senior: 90–123.9 semester hours
• Fifth-Year Senior: 124 and above semester hours 

The normal course load for most undergraduates is 15 credit hours each semester.

Course Load

The following are the most widely used general definitions of full-time course load. For further information and guidelines, students should see specific college and school sections of this catalog. Students who receive financial aid or veterans benefits or who live in university housing should check with the appropriate office regarding course-load requirements for eligibility purposes.

Undergraduate Course Load

For financial aid purposes, full time is 12 or more credit hours for fall, spring and summer terms.

For enrollment verification and academic purposes (not related to financial aid), 12 credit hours is considered a full-time load in the fall and spring semester, and 6 credit hours is considered full time in the summer. For further information, view the Enrollment Grid at www.colorado.edu/registrar/node/635/attachment/newest.

Graduate Course Load

Graduate Students

For financial aid course-load requirements, which are different than those set by the Graduate School, graduate students should consult the Office of Financial Aid at www.colorado.edu/financialaid.

For enrollment verification and academic purposes, full time in the fall and spring semesters is: 5 credit hours of graduate course work, 8 hours of combined graduate/undergraduate course work, 12 hours of undergraduate course work or any number of thesis hours, depending upon the student’s status. Summer course load requirements vary. Consult the Graduate School’s website at www.colorado.edu/GraduateSchool for requirements.

Graduate students may apply a maximum of 15 credit hours toward a degree during the fall and spring semesters.

Law Students

Law students should consult the Office of Financial Aid for financial aid course-load requirements at www.colorado.edu/financialaid.

For academic purposes, law students must be enrolled for a minimum of 10 credit hours to be considered full-time in the fall and spring and for 5 credit hours in the summer. For more information, visit www.colorado.edu/law.

Law students may apply a maximum of 18 credit hours toward a degree during the fall and spring semesters.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory academic progress in most undergraduate colleges and schools requires a 2.00 grade point average (GPA). Students should consult their primary dean’s office regarding college or school minimum GPA requirements and special policies on probation and dismissal. Students must maintain satisfactory academic progress to receive financial aid. 

Grading System

The following grading system is standardized for all colleges and schools of the university. Each instructor is responsible for determining the requirements for a class and for assigning grades on the basis of those requirements.

Standard Grade Credit Points per Each Hour of Credit

A = superior/excellent, 4.0

A- = 3.7

B+ = 3.3

B = good/better than average, 3.0

B- = 2.7

C+ = 2.3

C = competent/average, 2.0

C- = 1.7

D+ = 1.3

D = 1.0

D- = minimum passing, 0.7

F = failing, 0.0

Grade Symbols

I = incomplete; changed to F if not completed within one year

IP = in progress; thesis at the graduate level or specified graduate-level courses

P = passing; under the pass/fail option, grades of D- and above convert to a P. Other specified courses may also be graded on a pass/fail basis.

NC = no credit

W = withdrew

*** = class grades were not submitted when final grades were processed, or the student is currently enrolled in the course. 

Explanation of an I (Incomplete) Grade

An I grade is an incomplete grade. If the requirements for the course are not completed within one year, the I grade will be converted to an F. Use of the I grade is at the discretion of the faculty and/or the academic dean’s office.

Students must ask for an incomplete grade. An incomplete is only given when students, for reasons beyond their control, have been unable to complete course requirements. A substantial amount of work must have been satisfactorily completed before approval for such a grade is given. 

If an instructor grants a request for an incomplete, the instructor sets the conditions under which the course work can be completed and the time limit for its completion or if the course should be retaken. If a course is retaken, it must be completed on the Boulder campus or in Boulder evening classes, and the student must re-register for the course and pay the appropriate tuition.

The initial grade of I is not removed from the transcript if the course is retaken. 

Grade Point Average

The overall University of Colorado grade point average (GPA) is computed as follows: the credit hours and credit points are totaled for all courses; then the total credit points are divided by the total credit hours. Courses with grade symbols of P, NC, *** (grade not yet entered), W, I and IP are excluded when totaling the hours. All standard letter grades (A–F) are included in the GPA, including grades of F earned for courses graded on a pass/fail basis. Grades of I that are not completed within one year are calculated as F grades in the GPA at the end of the one-year grace period. Below is example GPA calculation for a hypothetical semester:

• Grade Earned: A; Credit Points per Hour: 4.0; x Credit Hours: 4.0 = Credit Points in Course: 16.0
• Grade Earned: A-; Credit Points per Hour: 3.7; x Credit Hours: 4.0 = Credit Points in Course: 14.8
• Grade Earned: B+; Credit Points per Hour: 3.3; x Credit Hours: 4.0 = Credit Points in Course: 13.2
• Grade Earned: P; Credit Points per Hour: —; x Credit Hours: 3.0 = Credit Points in Course: — (excluded)
• Grade Earned: F; Credit Points per Hour: 0; x Credit Hours: 3.0 = Credit Points in Course: 0

Total of 15 credit hours with 44 credit points, so 44/15 = 2.93 GPA

For individual GPA calculations related to academic progress and graduation from a college or school, students should refer to their academic dean’s office.

Class Rank

Undergraduate students can get a document that indicates their class rank as compared to students graduating within the last year. Students in the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Engineering and Applied Science will have a ranking within their major degree program. Students in other schools, colleges and programs will have a ranking within their college. The request form is available in MyCUInfo.

Official Transcripts

Official transcripts are primarily used to support applications for transfer to other academic institutions, admission to graduate and professional schools and for employment purposes. An official transcript can display the complete academic record of courses taken at all campus locations or divisions of the University of Colorado. It can also display only certain careers chosen when ordering, such as undergraduate, graduate, nondegree or law. The official transcript has the signature of the registrar and the official seal of the university. Transcripts sent to students are labeled “issued to student.”

Official transcripts may be ordered in a variety of ways. Visit www.colorado.edu/registrar for detailed ordering information on the Transcripts tab. Transcripts can be withheld for ongoing financial obligations to the university or for disciplinary actions.

End-of-term grades appear on transcripts approximately two weeks after final examinations.

Unofficial Transcripts

Unofficial transcripts also show the complete academic record of courses taken at the University of Colorado. However, academic institutions and potential employers generally do not accept the unofficial transcript as evidence of a student’s career at CU-Boulder, as this transcript does not carry the registrar’s signature, the seal of the university or other security features. Unofficial transcripts are primarily used for advising and counseling in offices on campus and at other University of Colorado campuses. Currently enrolled students and alumni who have access to the portal may access and print unofficial transcripts free of charge via MyCUInfo.colorado.edu.

Credit by Examination

This option provides limited opportunities for students to take an examination and earn credit for a course without registering for or taking the course. Specific courses must be approved for credit by examination. Students may want to exercise this option if they do not receive transfer credit for a course they have taken at a previous college. Information on participating colleges and schools, requirements and an application for credit by examination are available at the Office of the Registrar, Regent Administrative Center 101, University of Colorado Boulder, 20 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0020, 303-492-6970. Permission of the instructor, the department chair, the dean of the college or school in which the course is offered and the student’s dean (if different) is required for approval. An examination fee is charged.

Holds

A hold may be placed on a student’s record for a number of reasons, including but not limited to financial, advising, scholastic, conduct and health. A hold prevents a student from registering, returning to school, obtaining an official transcript or receiving a diploma. Students should resolve holds as quickly as possible by contacting the appropriate campus office. General inquiries may be addressed to the Office of the Registrar. Inquiries on financial holds may be addressed to the Office of the Bursar.

Confidentiality of Student Records

Annual Notice to Students: The University of Colorado complies fully with the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974. The act was designed to protect the privacy of student education records, to establish the right of students to inspect and review their education records, the right to request an amendment or correction of inaccurate or misleading data through informal and formal hearings and the right to file complaints with the Family Policy Compliance Office concerning alleged failures by the institution to comply with the act.

University guidelines explain in detail the procedures to be used by the institution for compliance with the provisions of the act. Copies of the guidelines may be obtained from the Office of the Registrar and at www.colorado.edu/registrar/resources/family-educational-rights-and-privacy-act-ferpa.

Students wishing to review their education records must schedule an appointment with the Office of the Registrar and present proper identification. All other records inquiries must be directed to the appropriate office, e.g., financial aid, bursar, etc.

Students may not inspect the following, as outlined by the act: financial information submitted by their parents, confidential letters that they have waived their rights to review or education records containing information about more than one student, in which case the institution will permit access only to that part of the record that pertains to the inquiring student. Records that may be inspected include admissions, academic and financial aid files and cooperative education and placement records.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. They are:

1. The right to inspect and review education records within 45 days of the day the university receives their request for access. Students should submit to the registrar, dean, head of the academic department or other appropriate official, written requests that identify the educational record(s) they wish to inspect. The university official will make arrangements for access and notify them of the time and place where the records may be inspected. If the records are not maintained by the university official to whom the request was submitted, that official shall advise them of the correct official to whom the request should be addressed.
2. The right to request the amendment of students’ education records that they believe are inaccurate or misleading. They may ask the university to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the university official responsible for the record, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the university decides not to amend the record as requested by the student, the university will notify the student of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to them when notified of the right to a hearing.
3. The right to consent for disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in their education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception that permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the university in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel and health staff); a person or company with whom the university has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, collection agent, University of Colorado Foundation or employment or degree verification agency, such as the National Student Clearinghouse); a person serving on the Board of Regents; a student employee; or a student serving on an official committee; or one assisting another school official in performing his or her task. In addition, students’ records may be disclosed to their parent(s) upon request if their parent(s) claim them as a dependent for income tax purposes. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, the university discloses education records without consent to officials of another school in which a student seeks or intends to enroll.
4. The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the university to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name, address and phone number of the office that administers FERPA is: The Family Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 600 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20202-4605, 1-202-260-3887.

The following items of student information have been designated by the University of Colorado Boulder as public or “directory” information: student names; student address (including designated local, mailing and home); local telephone number (not those defined as home or cell); campus email address; dates of attendance; enrollment status; class; college or school; previous educational institutions attended; major/minor fields of study; university-recognized honors and awards, and degrees, honors or awards applied for or conferred (e.g., certificates, thesis and dissertation titles) and dates conferred; past and present participation in officially recognized sports and activities; physical factors (height and weight) of athletes; student employment status (e.g., teaching assistant, GPTI, resident advisor, work-study, tutor or other) and positions held at the university and dates of employment, as well as GPTI/teaching assistant Faculty Course Questionnaire (FCQ) ratings; class seat assignment; College Opportunity Fund application and authorization status; expected date of completion in enrolled course of study; and student photo (including Buff OneCard photo in certain circumstances). Such information may be disclosed by the institution at its discretion.

Withholding Directory Information

Students have the right to withhold directory information from inquirers. To restrict the release of directory information, go to the Office of the Registrar to complete a privacy form. Students must bring a photo ID to the Office of the Registrar, Regent Administrative Center 101, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., to complete this form.

Student Consent for Release of Confidential Information

Students may complete a Student Permission form that allows the university to release educational record information to parents, spouses or other third parties.

Release of Disciplinary Information

Provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended by the Higher Education Amendments of 1998, govern access to a student’s academic transcript or conduct file. The student and/or those university officials who demonstrate a legitimate educational need for disciplinary information may have access to the student’s conduct file.

Parent(s), who provide proof that a student is a dependent as defined in Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (i.e., a copy of the last federal income tax return listing the student as a dependent), can have access to the student’s conduct file without written consent of the student. In this case, parents may also have access to a conduct file, even if the student has requested otherwise.

In addition, parent(s) may be notified if a student under 21 is found responsible for a violation involving use or possession of alcohol and controlled substances. All other inquiries, including but not limited to inquiries from employers, government agencies, news media, family, friends or police agencies, require a written release from the student before access to university conduct files is granted. Exception: information may be released pursuant to a lawfully issued subpoena and as provided by the Campus Security Act as amended by the Higher Education Amendments of 1992.

The Campus Security Act permits higher education institutions to disclose to alleged victims of any crime of violence (e.g., murder, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, arson) the results of the conduct proceedings conducted by the institution against an alleged perpetrator with respect to such crime. The Campus Security Act also requires that both the accused and the accuser be informed of campus conduct proceedings involving a sexual assault.

In-State and Out-of-State Tuition Classification

Tuition classification is governed by Colorado statutes and by judicial decisions that apply to all Colorado state-funded institutions and is subject to change without notice.

New students are classified as in-state or out-of-state residents for tuition purposes on the basis of information provided on their application for admission and other relevant information. Applicants may be required to submit evidence substantiating their claim of in-state eligibility.

Applicants and students who believe their classification is incorrect or who have become eligible for a change to in-state status must submit a petition with documentation in order to have their status changed. The necessary petition forms, deadlines for submission and explanation of the Colorado tuition classification statute are available from the Tuition Classification Office (Regent Administrative Center 101, University of Colorado Boulder, 20 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0020, phone 303-492-0907, fax 303-492-8748, email tuitclass@colorado.edu) or at www.colorado.edu/registrar/state-tuition.

Basic Requirement for Establishing Colorado Residency

No person may establish domicile in Colorado solely for the purpose of obtaining in-state tuition benefits. An individual who seeks to establish domicile while registered as a student is presumed to establish Colorado domicile solely for tuition purposes unless there is clear and convincing evidence to the contrary.

Colorado in-state tuition classification requires domicile (legal residence) in Colorado for 12 consecutive months. Domicile is defined as a person’s true, fixed and permanent home and place of habitation. To establish domicile, a person must reside in Colorado and demonstrate that Colorado is his/her permanent home.

In addition to establishing domicile in Colorado, as person must be either 22 years of age or older, married, a graduate student or an emancipated minor to begin the 12-month period. Unemancipated minors qualify for in-state status if their parents have been domiciled in Colorado for at least one year.

Emancipation

An emancipated student must demonstrate total financial and residential independence. This requirement makes it extremely difficult for most undergraduates who do not have a parent domiciled in Colorado to qualify for classification as a resident student at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Evidence of Domicile

Evidence of Colorado domicile includes actions that would be expected of any permanent resident. Factors that constitute evidence of domicile are:

• payment of Colorado state income tax and filing a tax return in Colorado
• Colorado driver’s license or Colorado ID card
• Colorado vehicle registration
• voter registration in Colorado
• ownership and permanent occupancy of residential real property in Colorado
• permanent employment or acceptance of future employment in Colorado (note: employment offered by the university to students is not considered permanent)
• graduation from a Colorado high school
• continued residence in Colorado while not enrolled as a student

No single factor constitutes proof of domicile. All factors, positive and negative are considered. All of the listed factors are not necessary, but individuals should take action on those factors that are appropriate in their circumstance.

Unemancipated Minors

Students as old as 22 may qualify for in-state tuition if either of their parents, regardless of custody, has been domiciled in Colorado for 12 consecutive months preceding the first day of class in a given semester, even if the student resides elsewhere. In certain circumstances student may qualify through their parents up to age 23. 

Students lose eligibility for in-state tuition if they (or their parents, if the student is an unemancipated minor) maintain domicile outside Colorado for one year or more, unless the parents have lived in Colorado at least four years and meet other requirements. 

Students who give false information to evade payment of out of state tuition or who fail to provide timely notice of their loss of in-state eligibility are subject to retroactive assessment of out of state tuition, as well as disciplinary and legal actions.

In-State Status: Other Circumstances

Exceptions for the one-year domicile requirement exist for the following:

• Colorado National Guard members
• active duty military stationed in Colorado and their dependents in certain circumstances
• honorably discharged members of the U.S. Armed Forces and their dependents in certain circumstances
• returning active-duty military members
• Canadian military stationed in Colorado
• employees of companies moving to Colorado receiving government economic incentives
• children of new faculty members at Colorado state colleges and universities
• Western Regional Graduate Program enrollees in specific major fields of study
• U.S. citizens who are Colorado high school graduates and attending a Colorado high school for three years immediately preceding enrollment in Colorado. GED holders who reside in Colorado the three years immediately preceding enrollment
• students without lawful status—if the student attended a Colorado high school for at least 3 years after the student graduates from a Colorado high school or earns a GED (other circumstances also apply; see www.colorado.edu/registrar/state-tuition)

For detailed explanations of the requirements for these exceptions, including spouse and child eligibility, go to www.colorado.edu/registrar/registration-grades/apply-and-authorize-college-opportunity-fund.