Help & Resources

Domestic Students

CU Denver follows the Colorado Higher Education Admission Requirements (HEAR), which specify the following high school coursework:

• Class of 2010 or Later:
  • 4 years of English
  • 4 years of mathematics (3 must be Algebra I or higher)
  • 3 years of social studies (including 1 year of U.S. or World History)
  • 3 years of natural science (2 must be lab-based)
  • 1 year of a single foreign language
  • 2 years of academic electives

International Students

International applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency through standardized tests such as TOEFL, IELTS, PTE Academic, or Duolingo English Test. Minimum required scores vary by test:

• TOEFL iBT: Overall score of 79
• IELTS Academic: Overall score of 6.5
• PTE Academic: Overall score of 58
• Duolingo English Test: Overall score of 105 

Additionally, international students must submit complete transcripts from all secondary/high schools attended.

Send an official copy of your high school transcripts that list all academic work from high school (previous schools and current if applicable), which may or may not include your ACT/SAT score.

CU Denver is test-optional and does not require test scores for admission consideration. It is up to the applicant if they want their test score to be considered in the admission process. Applicants who choose not to submit a test score for admission will be considered the same as students who submit test scores. There is no penalty for not submitting a test score. The following can be considered in making an admission decision without test scores:

• High school grade point average (GPA)
• Number and mix of academic courses
• Rigor of courses such as honors and higher-level math courses
• College-level courses (concurrent enrollment) completed during high school
• AP/IB courses and exam scores
• Work experiences, such as pre-apprenticeships, job shadowing, and more
• Volunteer experiences
• Leadership experiences
• Campus fit (interest in offered majors, interest in the institution, and more)

If we receive the required documents in a timely manner, it generally takes three weeks to process the application package. During high volume times of the year, though, it can take up to five weeks.

Not sure if your application is complete? Check your application status.

You should receive your confirmation within 24 hours of registering for a campus visit. Sometimes these emails end up in junk folders. If you cannot find your confirmation, please call us at 303-315-2601 or email us at [email protected]​ to have it resent.

"Initiated" or "missing credentials" does not necessarily mean we haven't received that particular piece. If your items show up as "initiated" or "missing" and you submitted them more than 30 days ago, email the Admissions Office or call at 303-315-2601 to see if we can locate them for you. If you have a different last name on any transcript or item, please notify us so we can consolidate your items under your current last name.

Our cost of attendance varies based on several things including the number of credit hours you're taking, your residency classification and your student level.

To establish Colorado residency for tuition purposes, you (or your parents, if you are an unemancipated minor under the age of 23) must have maintained a domicile in Colorado for at least one year prior to the term you are claiming in-state classification. For most applicants, permanent residence and the intent to make Colorado one's permanent home must be in evidence before the one-year waiting period can begin.​​​​​​

We will consider general education courses where you earned at least a C- from any regionally accredited institution. The Office of the Registrar will conduct a transfer credit evaluation a week at the time of admission. Once a transfer credit evaluation is conducted, your Academic Advisor will decide how these credits apply toward your degree.

To see what courses we have available, check out the online class search tool.​​​

Review our page for admitted students and contact your academic department to set an appointment to meet with an academic advisor.​​​​​​

If you have been admitted, you can defer your start term for up to 3 semesters (e.g., fall, spring, and summer). You can request a start term change on your application status page.

If you have been accepted or have stopped attending CU Denver for more than three terms, summer included, you will need to re-apply.​

If you would like to submit your test scores, we will review them as part of our admission process. Test scores may increase your chances of admission ONLY if your application requires an additional review. Please be aware that submitting your test scores will not be used against you during your application file review. A good rule of thumb is to submit scores that meet or exceed test score mid-range.

Choosing not to submit your test scores will not hurt your chances of acceptance in any way. If you do choose to submit test scores, they will only be taken into account if they help your decision.

Yes, definitely. Applicants will not be evaluated based on whether or not they submit test scores. An application without test scores that demonstrates strong performance in curriculum and other experiences will still be considered quality.