We sent this email at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 17, 2025, to first-semester students who were approved for in-state tuition under the domicile exception for honorably discharged veterans.

Dear [first],

You have been approved for in-state tuition as an honorably discharged veteran. We want to thank you for your service and provide some information about the potential benefits of becoming a Colorado resident for tuition purposes.

Financial Benefits of Becoming a Resident

As an honorably discharged veteran, you’ll be assessed the in-state tuition rate as long as you remain at CU Boulder. However, if you are 22 years old or older, married, or a graduate student, you can act now to become a full Colorado resident. Colorado residents are considered for state and CU Boulder grants, which may significantly increase your financial aid offer.

Your Next Steps to Petition for a Residency Change

Step 1: Submit Your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

If you do intend to become a Colorado resident and you haven't done so already, submit your and any requested documentation. Learn more about applying for aid.

Step 2: Take Action to Establish Colorado Domicile

The clock started ticking to establish Colorado domicile when you physically moved to the state. To prove your intent to make Colorado your one, true, fixed and permanent home, you're required to:

• Get a Colorado driver's license within 120 days of moving to the state.
• Register your vehicle (if you have one) in Colorado within 180 days of moving to the state to avoid penalties.
• Establish additional Colorado ties. Visit our adult residency page to learn more.

Step 3: Submit a Residency Petition

Use the residency calendars to determine the first semester for which you'd qualify for in-state residency. Once petitions open for that term, submit your residency petition with all required documentation to the Office of the Registrar by the posted deadline.

Office of the Registrar | University of Colorado Boulder
303-492-6970 (option 3) | tuitclass@colorado.edu

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This reminder was also shared in the CU Boulder Today student edition.

As required by federal law, CU Boulder is committed to protecting your personal information. If you want to give a parent or other third party (e.g., guardian, spouse, sponsor or health provider) access to those records, complete the necessary authorizations as outlined below.

Your tuition and fee bill

You may authorize a third party to view your tuition bill and pay online, sign up for payment plans, receive email notifications about the bill, and discuss the bill (but not financial aid) with Bursar’s Office staff by email, phone and in person. To learn more, see Access to CUBill&Pay – Authorize Payers and What Does Authorized Payer Access Mean?

Your education records

To allow a third party to access your academic and/or financial record, complete one or both of the following authorizations.

• FERPA consent to release: Allow an authorized third party to contact the university on your behalf and discuss your academic and/or financial records by phone, LiveChat, email or in person. We'll confirm their identity by asking them to provide the authorization phrase you established for them. To learn more, see FERPA Consent to Release.
• CU guest access: Allow a designated third party to log in to the CU record system for read-only access to select items in your education record. To learn more, see CU Guest Access.

Your health record

A confidential health record is created for you after your first visit with Medical Services and/or Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS). Allow a family member or other health care provider to access your record by completing one or both of the following authorizations in your under the "Forms" tab. 

• Authorization to Release Health Information: Release your medical information to yourself or another person/clinic. Record requests will be processed within 30 days.
• Authorization to Verbally Disclose Health Information: Allow a family member or other health care provider to speak with Medical Services and/or CAPS.

To learn more, see Notice of Privacy Practices.

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We sent this email on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, to undergraduate students who were admitted to a bachelor's–accelerated master's program and had an expected undergraduate graduation term of Spring 2025.

Dear [first],

Our records indicate that you expected to complete the undergraduate requirements for your Bachelor's–Accelerated Master's (BAM) program in Spring 2025.

[Students who hadn't applied to a master's program or to graduate received the following text.]

If you still plan to complete your bachelor's degree this semester, you must complete three steps by Feb. 1, 2025. For recipients of financial aid, this will also help ensure a smooth transition to graduate funding and timely updates to aid next semester.

1. .
2. .
3. to identify which courses you're double counting and which you're using toward the master's degree.

If you need to change your expected graduation term, please complete a so we can update your records.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

[Students who'd applied to a master's program, but not to graduate, received the following text.]

Although you've applied to continue with your master's degree, you haven't yet applied to graduate with your bachelor's degree at the end of the semester. If you haven't already, you'll also need to submit a to identify which courses you're double counting and which you're using toward the master's degree.

If this is still your expected graduation term, you must by Feb. 1, 2025.  For recipients of financial aid, this will also help ensure a smooth transition to graduate funding and timely updates to aid next semester. If not, fill out the  so we can update your records.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

[Students who'd applied to graduate, but not to a master's program, received the following text.]

Although you've applied to graduate with your bachelor's degree, you haven't yet applied to continue with your master's degree.

If you still plan to complete your bachelor's degree at the end of this semester, fill out the as soon as possible. If you haven't already, you'll also need to submit a  by Feb. 1, 2025, to identify which courses you're double counting and which you're using toward the master's degree. For recipients of financial aid, this will also help ensure a smooth transition to graduate funding and timely updates to aid next semester.

If your expected graduation term has changed, please cancel your graduation application by Feb. 1, 2025, and reapply for a future term.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

[Students who'd completed all three graduation requirements received the following text.]

Congratulations on completing all three steps to continue with your master's degree.

If your expected graduation term has changed, please do the following:

1. Cancel your graduation application by Feb. 1, 2025, and reapply for a future term.
2. Complete a so we can update your records.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

303-492-8220 | bamprogram@colorado.edu

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We sent this email at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, to CU Boulder faculty, staff and temporary employees.

Dear faculty and staff,

Student data privacy is everyone's responsibility. The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the University of Colorado Boulder have set forth guidelines related to the disclosure of and access to student education records maintained by the university.

FERPA protections go into effect for incoming Spring 2025 students on Monday, Jan. 13, and remain in effect for continuing and returning students.

Education Records

Any record that directly relates to a student and is maintained by CU (regardless of medium) is classified as an education record. Education records include:

• Directory information, which may generally be disclosed to a third party without the written consent of the student, as long as the student hasn't established full privacy. This includes items such as student name, major(s) and minor(s), and participation in officially recognized activities or sports (see Directory Information for a complete list).
• Nondirectory information, which is personally identifiable information that may not be disclosed to anyone, including parents, without documented student consent. School officials, including faculty and staff, may only access nondirectory information if they have a legitimate educational interest. This includes sensitive data, such as SSNs, grades and financial information, and class recordings (see below).

Remote & Online Classes

Recordings of lectures or class meetings are considered education records if students' names or likenesses are displayed or disclosed. You may share these recordings with the class, but not with others without documented consent from each student identified in the recording.

When offering classes through Zoom, by requiring authentication and setting a meeting password. Before sharing your screen in class, close all documents or systems displaying personally identifiable information. Accidental sharing of such information is a violation of FERPA.

Students on full privacy (see below) are not treated differently than other students within the physical or virtual classroom. Their name, image and email address may appear on screen and in your learning management system, and you may call on them by name.

Letters of Recommendation

Any disclosure of nondirectory student information (e.g., class performance, grades, abilities, background) to a third party in letters of recommendation or reference calls requires prior documented consent from the student. For full details and a student release form, see Release of Student Recommendations.

Accommodations Related to Disabilities

Students’ disabilities are protected under FERPA. When contacting students in your class to discuss accommodations related to disabilities, you must email students individually or bcc each student email address to avoid a FERPA violation. If you have any questions, please contact Disability Services.

Artificial Intelligence

AI development, its uses and tools are rapidly evolving. AI users at CU Boulder should stay current with campus policies and guidance regarding student data privacy, compliance, security and other AI considerations and implications. See Artificial Intelligence at CU Boulder. 

Student Privacy Options & University Business Practices

• Communicating with Students
• Communicating with Third Parties
• Maintaining Student Records
• Sending Student Data Electronically

• Security Passphrase: Required for verifying the identity of a student who cannot present a photo ID or who is contacting the university by phone. See Confirming a Student's Identity.
• FERPA Consent to Release: The online process to authorize release of nondirectory education records to a third party. See FERPA Consent to Release.
• CU Guest Access: Allows students to grant read-only online access to select third parties. If a student has established CU guest access for a third party, but not FERPA consent to release, you cannot release any FERPA-protected information. See CU Guest Access.
• Full Privacy: An option for students to restrict the release of their directory information. These students are identified in Campus Solutions and Buff Portal Advising with a red "PRIVATE" label. If asked for information about a student on full privacy, school officials must tell the requester, "Due to data privacy policies, we are unable to respond to your request."

Advisors may check student privacy settings through Buff Portal Advising or Campus Solutions. Faculty may do so through their class or grade rosters in .

FERPA Training & Resources

Each year, the Office of the Registrar offers a FERPA review and training session that allows faculty and staff to ask questions about specific situations. Visit our training and support page to view upcoming sessions or request departmental training.

Please don't hesitate to contact the Office of the Registrar when questions arise. Additional FERPA information is available in Skillsoft and on the Office of the Registrar and websites.

Office of the Registrar | University of Colorado Boulder
303-492-6970 | registrar@colorado.edu

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We sent this email at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, to students who were on a waitlist for one or more Spring 2025 Main Campus full-semester classes.

Dear [first],

You're currently on a waitlist for one or more full-semester Main Campus classes. While you're on the waitlist:

• Because you aren't enrolled in the class, you won't be charged tuition for it and it won't count toward your enrollment status (e.g., full time, half time).
• You will, however, appear on the class roster and have access to the online class materials until waitlists are canceled on Feb. 3.

On the First Day of Class

Attend the first class meeting and tell the instructor you're on the waitlist. They may be able to advise you on your chances of being enrolled from the waitlist and whether you should continue to attend class.

What Happens Next

If a seat becomes available in your waitlisted class:

• Between now and Jan. 22, the next eligible waitlisted student will be enrolled automatically. If you're enrolled automatically, you'll receive an email confirmation within 24 hours.
• Between Jan. 23 and Feb. 2, contact the department offering the class to see if their policies allow them to enroll you manually. If not, you may want to remain on the waitlist so you're eligible for course reservation, which can guarantee you a seat the next time the course is offered.

On Monday, Feb. 3, waitlists are canceled. If you still aren't enrolled, you'll lose access to the class's online materials and be removed from the class roster.

If you're eligible for course reservation, we'll email you a confirmation of your eligibility at the start of the next course reservation period.

Office of the Registrar | University of Colorado Boulder
303-492-6970 | registrar@colorado.edu

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We sent this email at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, to students who were on full privacy and who had registered or were eligible to register for Spring 2025 classes.

Dear [first],

You elected full privacy by submitting a FERPA nondisclosure form. To protect your information, CU is required by federal law to follow strict procedures when talking about your education record.

Remember You're on Full Privacy

If you want to discuss your education record in person, you must first present a valid photo ID to confirm your identity. If you call, you must say, "I'm on full privacy, and my security passphrase is..."

Tell Your Authorized Third Parties

If you want to authorize a third party (e.g., a parent or guardian) to contact CU on your behalf, use FERPA consent to release to establish an authorization phrase for them. When they contact CU, they must say, "I'm an authorized third party, and my authorization phrase is..."

Consider Potential Impacts

CU Boulder won't publish information about your honors or awards, and your name won't appear in commencement materials.

If a potential employer or university attempts to verify your degree, CU staff must respond, "Due to data privacy policies, we are unable to respond to your request."

Change Your Privacy Status If Needed

To remove full privacy from your record, follow the instructions on our full privacy webpage.

Office of the Registrar | University of Colorado Boulder
303-492-6970 | registrar@colorado.edu

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We sent this email at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, to Main Campus students who were on a waitlist for one or more Spring 2025 Main Campus special session classes.

Dear [first],

You're currently on a waitlist for one or more special session classes. While you're on the waitlist:

• Because you aren't enrolled in the class, you won't be charged tuition for it and it won't count toward your enrollment status (e.g., full time, half time).
• You will, however, appear on the class roster and have access to the online class materials until waitlists are canceled.

On the First Day of Class

Attend the first class meeting and tell the instructor you're on the waitlist. They may be able to advise you on your chances of being enrolled from the waitlist and whether you should continue to attend the class meetings.

What Happens Next

If a seat becomes available in your waitlisted class:

• Between now and when automatic waitlist enrollment ends, the next eligible waitlisted student will be enrolled automatically. If you're enrolled automatically, you'll receive an email confirmation within 24 hours.
• After automatic waitlist enrollment ends, contact the department offering the class to see if their policies allow them to enroll you manually. If not, you may want to remain on the waitlist so you're eligible for course reservation, which can guarantee you a seat the next time the course is offered.

After waitlists are canceled, if you still aren't enrolled, you'll lose access to the class's online materials and be removed from the class roster. If you remained on the waitlist, we'll email you a reminder during the next period. Additional eligibility requirements may apply and some classes are only offered during certain semesters.

View Special Session Calendars 

Office of the Registrar | University of Colorado Boulder
303-492-6970 | registrar@colorado.edu

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We sent this email at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, to students who didn't have a security passphrase on record, were enrolled in Spring 2025 classes, and weren't already reminded on Aug. 21, 2024.

Dear [first],

Please take a moment to set an easy-to-remember security passphrase.

Stating your passphrase is the quickest way to verify your identity and get the answers you need when contacting a campus office by phone or in person without a photo ID.

Remember: Do not share your security passphrase with anyone.

To allow a parent, guardian, sponsor or other third party to discuss or view parts of your education record, set up FERPA consent to release and/or CU guest access for them.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Office of the Registrar | University of Colorado Boulder
303-492-6970 | registrar@colorado.edu

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We sent this email at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, to domestic (not international) degree-seeking undergraduate students who were starting their CU Boulder career in Spring 2025.

Dear [first],

Welcome to CU Boulder! To help your first semester go smoothly, please make sure you've completed the following tasks.

___ Clear Your Holds & Complete Your To-Dos

Check your in Buff Portal for specific action items.

___ Submit Your Final Official Transcript(s)

Final official transcripts should be sent to the Office of Admissions directly from the issuing institution by mail or to transcripts@colorado.edu as soon as they are available. Without your official transcripts, CU won’t be able to let you register or apply financial aid to future semesters.

___ Apply for and Authorize the College Opportunity Fund (In-State Undergrads Only)

The College Opportunity Fund (COF) is Colorado's way of financially supporting its in-state undergraduates. There's no limit to the number of eligible undergrads who receive it, and you never have to pay it back. If you haven't already, complete two steps to opt in: 1) submit the and 2) authorize the use of COF funds. Visit the in Buff Portal to check your status.

___ Register with Selective Service (Males Ages 18–25 Only)

If you were assigned male at birth and are between the ages of 18 and 25, federal law requires that you complete a one-time Selective Service registration. See Register with Selective Service for more information.

___ Grant Parents Access to Education Records

Once classes begin, the university can no longer communicate with parents about your education record, including financial aid information because it’s protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Granting access is optional, but encouraged if your parent is helping you with financial aid. See FERPA Consent to Release for more information.

___ Complete any Required Loan Documents

If you accepted a federal student loan, be sure to complete the required and (MPN).

Have Questions?

Contact us remotely using the links below or visit us in person once you're on campus—our offices are located on the first floor of the Regent Administrative Center.

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We sent this email at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, to Main Campus, degree-seeking undergraduate and graduate students (not law) who had registered or were eligible to register for Spring 2025 classes.

As you prepare for the Spring 2025 semester, please keep in mind the following key dates. Deadlines occur at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time unless otherwise noted.

These dates apply to Main Campus classes that follow the full-semester start and end dates (Jan. 13–May 7, 2025). For other calendars, see our academic calendar webpage.*

(Please note CU Boulder’s new academic calendar takes effect Fall 2025. For more information, see the revised academic calendar.)

Monday, Jan. 6

• Financial aid begins applying to the bill for students starting classes on Jan.13.

Thursday, Jan. 9

• First tuition and fee bills will be available online in .

Monday, Jan. 13

• First day of classes.
• Last day to submit a private scholarship check to avoid late fees.

Monday, Jan. 20

• Martin Luther King Jr. holiday (no classes; university closed).

Wednesday, Jan. 22

• Last day to add a class, swap a class or join a waitlist for a closed class.
• Last day to be automatically enrolled from a waitlist.

Wednesday, Jan. 29

• Last day to drop a class without a W grade.
• Last day to withdraw from the semester without tuition charges and W grades.
• Last day to change variable credit hours or no-credit status.

Monday, Feb. 3

• Waitlists are canceled. Students still on the waitlist lose access to that class's online materials, but may be eligible to reserve a seat in the course the next time it's offered.

Tuesday, Feb. 4

• Last day to enroll in a payment plan.

Wednesday, Feb. 5

• Last day to pay your tuition & fee bill in full unless you’ve signed up for a payment plan. See payment options.

Thursday, Feb. 13

• Last day to enroll in or waive student health insurance coverage.

Friday, March 21

• Last day to drop a class.
• Last day to change pass/fail grade mode for a student-option class.

Monday, March 24–Friday, March 28

• Spring break (no classes; university closed March 28).

Thursday, May 1

• Last day of classes.
• Last day to withdraw from the semester.

Saturday, May 3–Wednesday, May 7

• Final exams.

* If you’re enrolled in any class that doesn’t meet for the full 16 weeks, it’s a special session class. Special session classes follow different deadlines than full-semester classes (view the special session calendar). To check the session and view key dates for one of your classes, go to the card in Buff Portal. Select a class to view session information and the “Drop/Swap/Edit This Class” button for related deadlines.

Office of the Registrar | University of Colorado Boulder
303-492-6970 | registrar@colorado.edu

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