Founded in 1876, CU Boulder, or the University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university in Boulder, Colorado, USA. It is considered one of America's leading public institutions and is among R1: Doctoral Universities with high research activity, and is a member of the Association of American Universities.
As per the unofficial sources, the University of Colorado Boulder ranked #105 among National Universities rankings, #46 in Top Public Schools, #189 in Best Value Schools, and #30 and #9 for providing the best undergraduate Engineering and Aerospace/Aeronautical programs, respectively.
The CU Boulder campus spans 600 acres and has nine colleges and schools offering over 5,160 academic courses across more than 270 fields. The popular specializations include Business, Management & Marketing; Social Sciences; Journalism; Engineering; Biology & Biomedical Sciences; Psychology; Computer Sciences; and Mathematics. Also check the University of Colorado Boulder courses.
University of Colorado Boulder Acceptance Rate 2025
The University of Colorado Boulder received almost 69,000 applications as per the data for Fall 2024. The number of students admitted crossed 52,500. This implies that the CU Boulder acceptance rate for the academic session 2024-25 is around 76.2%, suggesting that the admission criteria of the University of Colorado Boulder are rather non-selective.
The number of students who accepted the admission offer was over 7,400, implying that the University of Colorado Boulder yield rate stands at 14.1%. Below is a comparison of the data for Fall 2024 and Fall 2023:
|
Particulars
|
Class of 2027
|
Class of 2028
|
|---|
|
Student Applications Received
|
57,340
|
68,931
|
|
Students Admitted
|
46,693
|
52,534
|
|
Acceptance Rate
|
81.43%
|
76.21%
|
|
Students Enrolled
|
7,546
|
7,432
|
|
Yield Rate
|
16.2%
|
14.1%
|
University of Colorado Boulder Acceptance Rate for International Students
The total number of international students enrolled at the University of Colorado Boulder is around 2480, as per the latest data. The number of international applications received by the University of Colorado Boulder for the class of 2028 was over 2,600, meanwhile, the number of international students admitted crossed 2,150.
The total number of international student enrollments was around 150, suggesting that the University of Colorado Boulder acceptance rate for international students is over 81.5%. Meaning that admission into the university is non-competitive for international students.
|
Particulars
|
Headcount
|
|---|
|
International Student Applications
|
2,654
|
|
International Students Admitted
|
2,164
|
|
International Students Enrolled
|
155
|
|
Acceptance Rate
|
81.54%
|
For the class of 2028, the number of UG international student enrollments stood around 850 out of a total of 33,000. A breakdown of the student enrollments based on their ethnicity and racial background is given below:
|
Ethnic/Racial Group
|
Headcount
|
|---|
|
Native Hawaiin or other Pacific Islander, non-Hispanic
|
37
|
|
American Indian or Alaska Native, non-Hispanic
|
66
|
|
Race and/or ethnicity unknown
|
314
|
|
Black or African American, non-Hispanic
|
663
|
|
Nonresidents
|
851
|
|
Asian, non-Hispanic
|
2,123
|
|
Two or more races, non-Hispanic
|
2,332
|
|
Hispanic Latino
|
4,565
|
|
White, non-Hispanic
|
22,433
|
|
Total
|
33,384
|
University of Colorado Boulder Acceptance Rate Trends
The number of applications received by the University of Colorado Boulder over the years has increased by over 14,000. Moreover, the number of students admitted by the university has also increased by almost 10,000. This year, the University of Colorado Boulder acceptance rate has observed a slight decline compared to the previous acceptance rates, ranging between 79% and 81%.
Students can refer to the table below for a more in-depth analysis of the student enrollment statistics for the last few years:
|
Year
|
Application Received
|
Students Admitted
|
Acceptance Rate
|
|---|
|
2024-2025
|
68,931
|
52,534
|
76.21%
|
|
2023-2024
|
57,340
|
46,693
|
81.43%
|
|
2022-2023
|
54,861
|
43,416
|
79.14%
|
|
2021-2022
|
54,756
|
43,576
|
79.58%
|
University of Colorado Boulder Acceptance Rate: Early Decision vs Regular Decision
The University of Colorado Boulder provides prospective students to apply for admissions through Regular Decision, as well as Early Action. As per unofficial sources, the Early Action acceptance rate of the University of Colorado Boulder stands at a high of 89.3%.
The deadlines for applying to the University of Colorado for international applicants are as follows:
|
Decision Plan
|
Deadline
|
|---|
|
Spring Application
|
Oct 1
|
|
Fall and Summer Early Action
|
Nov 15
|
|
Fall and Summer Regular Decision
|
Jan 5
|
University of Colorado Boulder Requirements for International Students
International students must fulfill the basic CU requirements for undergraduate and postgraduate programs.
The University of Colorado states the following requirements for international applicants:
- Transcripts or academic records of high school
- College Entrance Test scores (optional to submit SAT or ACT scores)
- English Proficiency proof (TOEFL- 75, IELTS- 6.5, Duolingo- 120)
- Proof of financial support
- Detailed report of work experience, volunteering activities
- Meet the HEAR (Higher Education Admission Recommendations)
- Permanent and mailing address of the student and parents/guardians
- Application fee of USD 70 (INR 5,950)
PG requirements include:
- Must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited educational institution or must have completed equivalent coursework.
- Have at least 2.75 undergraduate grade points (3.00 for applicants of the College of Engineering and Applied Science)
- English Proficiency proof
Students can visit the official university website for any more program-specific requirements.
University of Colorado Boulder Average GPA, SAT & ACT Scores
The University of Colorado does not mandate the submission of ACT and SAT scores. However, if one wants to submit entrance test scores, students must indicate the same on their Common Application and self-report their scores in the application. The recorded mean score of the students who applied for admission at the University of Colorado Boulder as of Fall 2024 is as follows:
|
Standardized Test Score
|
Average Composite
|
|---|
|
SAT
|
1278
|
|
ACT
|
30
|
|
GPA
|
3.79
|
Tips to get selected at University of Colorado Boulder
The University of Colorado acceptance rate stands at 76.2%, indicating that the admission screening process is relatively accessible. Nevertheless, students can always follow the tips below to enhance their chances of admission further:
- Improve academic credentials: Although academic profile isn’t the sole criterion for evaluating applications, it's nonetheless one of the most important ones. Universities often partially base the potential of a student on his or her trend of grades; thus, it is important to score well in high school.
- English proficiency: International students are required to submit English Proficiency Test scores, like IELTS, DET, or TOEFL. The minimum score requirement for graduate applicants varies as per the program one is applying to. For undergraduates, the general requirements are: TOEFL- 75, IELTS- 6.5, Duolingo- 120*
*(For Engineering, these requirements are 83, 6.5, and 125, respectively.)
- Acquire strong LOR: It is advised to inform your mentor at least 3 weeks prior to the need as a basic courtesy. This would allow them to have enough time to consider your strengths and other factors that are to be included in the letter of recommendation. Acquire at least 3-4 of such letters.
- Participation outside academics: Be active in co-curricular activities to not only make up for any lack in the academic sphere but also improve the quality of your overall profile.
University of Colorado Boulder Acceptance Rate Vs University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Acceptance Rate
The University of Colorado Boulder's acceptance rate is 76.2%. Meanwhile, the University of Minnesota Twin Cities acceptance rate stands around 79.7%, making it a relatively easy university to enter. This suggests that the latter is relatively easy to get into.
Students are advised to research the admission requirements for both universities before applying and follow the general tips on improving their profiles.
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