Transfer - Admissions Criteria

Learn about which prerequisites you need to have completed or have in progress at the time you apply to transfer to CU Boulder.

CU Boulder does not have a minimum transfer credit hour requirement. Because of this, transfer applicants will be reviewed for admission under one of two conditions:

• If you have fewer than 24 post-high-school credit hours completed at the time of application, your college academic record and your high school record or scores from a high school equivalency exam will be evaluated for admission. Your high school transcript is required in the admissions application process.
• If you have 24 or more post-high-school credit hours completed at the time of application, the admission committee will focus on your college academic record. Your high school transcript is NOT required in the admissions application process.

If you have not enrolled in college level courses in the fall/spring after high school graduation (or passing your equivalency exam), you are considered a first-year applicant.

Transfer Prerequisites & Admission Criteria

For information about courses, grades and performance, refer to the prerequisite information for the college, school or program in which you are interested.

• GPA of 2.5 or higher demonstrating continued success in academic coursework

• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
• Completion of prerequisites— with a grade of B or better
• Two semesters of college-level calculus and
• One semester of calculus-based physics or one semester of college-level chemistry.
• Additional courses in the sequence of math and science must also have a grade of B or better
• Prerequisite courses at Colorado community colleges:
  • Calculus–MAT 2410 and MAT 2420
  • Calculus-based Physics/Lab– PHY 2111
  • Gen College Chemistry/Lab–CHE 1111

  Computer Science BA.

  The criteria below apply to students seeking admission to the BA in computer science. For those pursuing admission to the BS in computer science, please review the criteria above which apply to all BS degrees in the College of Engineering and Applied Science. For more information on the difference between the BA and BS in computer science, please visit: https://www.colorado.edu/cs/academics/undergraduate-programs.

  The minimum admission criteria to transfer to the BA in Computer Science Degree Program are as follows:

  • Cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher
  • Calculus 1 (grade of C or better)
  • Calculus 2 (grade of C or better)
  • Introduction to Computer Programming
    • Must be a computer programming language course (Java, Python, C, C++)
      • C++ is preferred

      Note: AP/IB credit does not count towards math/computer science requirements for transfer admission.

      • Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
      • Students with more than 36 credit hours must have completed an introductory course in the major they intend to pursue, with a GPA of 3.0 or higher
      • Prerequisite courses at Colorado community colleges:
        • Communication majors: Public Speaking–COM 1150 or Group Communication–COM 2220
        • Information Science majors: Intro to Computer Science– CSC 1060 or Intro to Programming–CSC 1019
        • Journalism majors: Media News and Reporting–JOU 1006 or New Media–JOU 2025
        • Media Production majors: Intro to Film Art–HUM 1003
        • Media Studies majors: Intro to Mass Media–JOU 1005
        • Strategic Communication majors: Intro to Public Relations–JOU 2031 or an equivalent Principles of Public Relations course
        • Cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher
        • Live audition or recording required for all music applicants
        • College of Music application deadlines
        • A cumulative college GPA of 3.0 or higher
        • Required Coursework
          • Completion of the following courses with a grade of B-minus or higher:
            • Microeconomics (equivalent to CU's ECON 2010)
            • Macroeconomics (equivalent to CUs ECON 2020)
            • Statistics or Calculus
              • Business statistics is strongly preferred, but general statistics is accepted
              • If possible to take a course equivalent to CU's BCOR 1025, that is ideal
              • Cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher

              ​Required coursework:

              • Completion of the following courses with grade of B or higher.
                • Microeconomics (equivalent to CU's ECON 2010)
                • Macroeconomics (equivalent to CUs ECON 2020)
                • Statistics (business statistics is strongly preferred, but general statistics is accepted)
                  • If possible to take a course equivalent to CU's BCOR 1025, that is ideal
                  • We will accept exam scores to satisfy the required courses listed above if scores qualify for direct equivalency credit through CU Boulder:
                    • Microeconomics - ECON 2010
                      • AP Microeconomics score: 4/5
                      • CLEP Microeconomics score: 54+
                      • AP Macroeconomics score: 4/5
                      • CLEP Macroeconomics score: 54+
                      • AP Statistics score: 4/5
                      • Please note: Students will be granted CU credit for MATH 2510, and it will fulfill the statistics admissions requirement; however, students will still need to take CU's BCOR 1025 as part of their degree requirements. AP Stats does not fulfill that course requirement specifically.
                      • Cumulative GPA of 3.25 or higher
                      • Preference is given to students who have had drafting, architecture and/or fine arts courses in college. A good math and science background is also essential.
                      • GPA of 2.5 or higher demonstrating continued success in academic coursework