2024-2025 Academic Catalog

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Transfer Student Admission

Applicants are considered transfer students for admission purposes if they have completed any number of college courses after graduating from high school or passing a high school equivalency exam. Applicants with college courses taken prior to high school graduation are considered freshmen for admission purposes.

Transfer students who graduated from high school in 2008 or later and have fewer than 30 college credits completed at the time of application are subject to HEAR requirements.

Transfer Admission Consideration

At the time of application, admission consideration is determined by the following:

  • Applicants with 23 or fewer semester hours of completed college-level course work1 are considered for admission as freshmen based on high school GPA or high school equivalency exam scores and if applicant chooses to submit, ACT or SAT scores can be considered. 
  • Applicants with 24 or more semester hours of completed college-level course work1 are considered for admission based upon college course work alone.
1

College-level coursework must be completed at a regionally accredited institution as outlined in transfer credit policy on accreditation.

Transfer Admission Criteria by Academic Program

(For applicants with 13 or more credits of completed college-level coursework at time of application)

College of Architecture and Planning

For admission to the College of Architecture and Planning, applicants must have a 2.750 cumulative GPA. Applicants with at least a 2.300 cumulative GPA may be considered on an individual basis if the academic record shows consistent improvement and/or strong performance in science, mathematics, art, or architecture-oriented courses. Applicants not meeting requirements for direct admission to the College of Architecture and Planning may be considered for admission to the College of Architecture and Planning with a Pre-Architecture interest.

College of Arts & Media

For admission to the College of Arts & Media, a minimum 2.400 cumulative GPA is required; however, students with a 2.000 cumulative GPA are considered.

  • Music & Entertainment Industry Studies (MEIS): In addition to being admitted to CU Denver, applicants to one of the audition track programs in the Music and Entertainment Industry Studies (MEIS) Department must complete additional music application requirements. Please review the music section on our How To Apply webpage for complete information about the audition/application process for audition track program applicants. Applicants to the MEIS non-audition track programs do not have to audition or complete any additional requirements
  • Film & Television: The Film and Television Department requires that applicants complete a secondary Film & Television application in addition to being admitted to CU Denver. Please review the film section on our How To Apply webpage for complete information about the secondary application for Film & Television program applicants.

Business School

For admission to the Business School, a minimum 2.400 cumulative GPA is required; however, applicants with a 2.000 cumulative GPA are considered.

Note: Students who have completed an undergraduate degree in business will not be accepted for a second undergraduate degree-seeking status in the Business School. These students are encouraged to pursue a graduate degree in business.

School of Education & Human Development

For admission to the School of Education & Human Development, a minimum 2.000 cumulative GPA is required for non-licensure programs, including Human Development and Family Relations, BS and Education and Human Development, Early Childhood Education Non-Licensure, BA*.  For admission to the EDHD BA licensure program, a cumulative GPA of 2.400 is required.

*Students who already hold a BA/BS degree and are interested in teacher licensure are encouraged to contact the School of Education & Human Development for information on graduate teacher licensure options.

Note: The Professional Year, a two-semester (fall and spring) residency in the student’s final year of the undergraduate degree with licensure programs, requires a separate application and acceptance is not guaranteed. For instructions and minimum requirements, please see the Education and Human Development website.

College of Engineering, Design and Computing

For direct admission to the College of Engineering, Design and Computing, transfer applicants meet the following criteria:

Direct Admission to:

BS in Civil Engineering
BS in Construction Engineering and Management
BS in Computer Science
BS in Electrical Engineering
BS in Mechanical Engineering
BS in Bioengineering

Criteria:

  • Minimum 3.000 cumulative high school GPA with a grade of B- or better in Calculus I or
  • Minimum 2.75 overall GPA and a minimum 2.5 GPA (based on most recent course attempts) in Calculus I, Calculus II, and Calculus-based Physics I with corresponding lab, with a grade of C- or better in each course.

Note: For admission into the Computer Science major, Calculus-based Physics I is not required, but will be accepted. In addition, department chairs may consider the utilization of any subsequent math courses for the Calculus I/Calculus II/Physics GPA requirement.

Direct Admission to:

BA in Computer Science
BS in Construction Management

Criteria:

  • Minimum 2.5 overall GPA
  • Completion of at least one of the following courses with a grade of C or better:
    • College Algebra,
    • College Trigonometry,
    • Pre-Calculus,
    • Calculus I, or
    • Calculus II

Admission to Pre-Engineering

Students who do not meet the criteria for direct admission to a major will be considered for admission to the Pre-Engineering with a major interest.

Criteria:

  • Minimum 2.5 overall GPA
  • Completion of at least one of the following courses with a grade of C or better:
    • College Algebra,
    • College Trigonometry,
    • Pre-Calculus,
    • Calculus I, or
    • Calculus II
Admission to CLAS - Undeclared

Transfer students who do not meet the criteria for direct admission to a major or Pre-Engineering, but otherwise meet the University's admission criteria, will be admitted to CLAS as an undeclared major, or in the case of an IUT, remain in their current CU Denver school or college.

Notes: CU Denver students may apply to a major or Pre-Engineering major through an Intra-University Transfer (IUT) after they have completed 12 or more CU Denver credit hours.  Please visit the College of Engineering, Design and Computing website for additional information.

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

For admission to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, a minimum 2.400 cumulative GPA is required; however, applicants with a 2.000 cumulative GPA are considered.

School of Public Affairs

For admission to the School of Public Affairs, a minimum 2.400 cumulative GPA is required; however, applicants with a 2.000 cumulative GPA are considered.

How to Apply as a Transfer Student

  1. Complete and submit your application online at www.ucdenver.edu/admissions.  
  2. Pay your $50 nonrefundable application fee. Note: You can indicate your eligibility for a fee waiver when you apply.
  3. Request official transcripts from each regionally accredited college or university attended, including foreign institutions. Official transcripts should be sent directly to the CU Denver Office of Undergraduate Admissions mailing address or electronically:

     The Office of Undergraduate Admissions
     University of Colorado Denver
     Campus Box 167
     PO Box 173364
     Denver, CO 80217-3364

                            OR

     admissionstranscript@ucdenver.edu