How to apply for engineering at CU Boulder: apply to a specific engineering major or enter as “open option” and decide later, with engineering on the third tuition tier; admission routes and prerequisites for students from China, Canada and transfers

At the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder), engineering degrees are offered by the College of Engineering and Applied Science. You apply through CU Boulder admissions on the Common App and indicate your college and intended major. This guide covers fall 2027 entry for students at high schools in China (including A-Level, IB and AP students), students at Canadian high schools (including British Columbia and Vancouver) and transfer students.

1. Degrees

• The college’s first-year page lists 14 degree programs. The catalog lists bachelor of science degrees in aerospace engineering sciences, applied mathematics, biomedical engineering, biological engineering, chemical engineering, architectural engineering, civil engineering, environmental engineering, electrical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, mechanical engineering, engineering physics, integrated design engineering, and creative technology and design, plus the computer science BS and BA (computer science has its own guide on this site).
• Minors include materials science and engineering, engineering management, energy engineering and quantum engineering.
• First year: students start in the First Year Engineering projects course, designing, building and testing from day one; first-year engineering students can live in the Engineering Connections residential community at Williams Village.

2. How first-year students are admitted

• A major or “open option”: the catalog says high school applicants may enter the college as “open option” (unsure of their engineering major) or apply to a specific engineering major; declaring, changing or adding a major follows the college’s procedure.
• Holistic review: CU Boulder says academic achievement is the primary factor — core course grades, rigor and GPA — and decisions consider a prediction of your success in your intended major.
• Engineering profile (middle 50% of 2026 admitted first-years): weighted high school GPA 3.96–4.44; for those who submitted scores, SAT 1370–1500 and ACT 31–35. SAT/ACT are not required for 2027 applicants; you may self-report them.
• Math and science: CU Boulder encourages students to meet Colorado’s Higher Education Admission Recommendations (HEAR); you can be admitted without them but may need extra courses later, and international students follow their country’s requirements. The pages we read do not list specific high school math, physics or chemistry requirements for engineering, so check with admissions.
• Three attempts: the catalog allows at most three graded attempts at a required subject such as Calculus 1 or Physics 2 (a W does not count); after a third unsuccessful attempt you may not be able to retake it.

3. Deadlines and materials (international first-years)

• Early action: 15 November (decisions by 1 February); regular: 15 January (decisions by 1 April); spring entry 1 October.
• Apply on the Common App with a $70 international fee; one Common App essay (250–650 words) plus a short answer of up to 250 words; one recommendation; high school transcripts.
• AP, IB, A-Level: can earn credit; AP scores must come from the College Board and A-Level results must be verified with the exam board.

4. English

• TOEFL 4.0 on the new scale (from January 2026) or 80, IELTS 6.5, PTE 58 or Duolingo 115; AP English 4, IB English A and other options also count.
• Exemption: two years of full-time secondary school in an English-speaking country such as Canada, completed within two calendar years before entry.
• Academically admissible students without English scores can be admitted conditionally through the Pathway to CU program.

5. Students at high schools in China

• Submit high school transcripts, mark sheets and exam results; current students send records to date and a list of courses in progress.
• Gaokao: CU Boulder has not published a Gaokao policy or score requirement.

6. Students at Canadian high schools

• Grade requirements for BC and other provinces, and course requirements such as Pre-Calculus 12 or Physics 12, are not published.
• Two years of full-time secondary school in Canada, completed within two calendar years before entry, waives English testing.

7. Transfer students

• Engineering BS transfer criteria: cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher; two semesters of college calculus plus one semester of calculus-based physics, college chemistry or a programming course (such as C, C++, Python or Matlab), all at B or better; later math and science courses also need a B or better.
• Timing: the catalog says transfers must be admitted to the college before the last 45 credit hours of their degree.
• Credit: after admission, admissions issues a transfer credit evaluation and your major department decides which courses count toward the engineering degree; engineering technology courses count only if shown to be fully equivalent. Use Transferology to check courses.
• Intra-university transfer: considered on designated criteria, which the pages we read do not list.
• International transfer deadlines: fall early notification 15 March, final 1 June; spring 1 October.

8. Costs and scholarships (USD)

• 2026-27 international first-years: engineering is billed on tier 3 — tuition and fees 51,834 a year, books 1,200, on-campus housing and meals 19,242, about 72,276 in total — plus a one-time 500 new student fee and a 40 immigration compliance fee each semester.
• Tuition guarantee: tuition stays the same for four years from your first term.
• Scholarships: international first-years with complete files (including English scores) by 15 January are considered automatically; one example is the Chancellor’s Scholarship of 6,250 a year. The engineering transfer page mentions scholarships for transfers without details.

Checklist

Students at high schools in China:

• Apply by early action on 15 November, or by 15 January; choose engineering and a major, or open option
• IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL 80 (4.0 new scale); English scores are needed for scholarship review; SAT/ACT optional
• Budget for engineering’s tier 3 tuition

Students at Canadian high schools (including BC and Vancouver):

• Same deadlines; two years of secondary school in Canada waives English testing

Transfer students:

• 3.0 GPA; two semesters of calculus plus calculus-based physics, chemistry or programming, all at B or better
• International transfers apply by 1 June for fall, or 15 March for an early decision

Sources: University of Colorado Boulder, Engineering admissions; Engineering: first-year students; Engineering: transfer students; Catalog: College of Engineering and Applied Science; Catalog: college policies and requirements; First-year selection; International application; English proficiency; Transfer admission criteria; Undergraduate costs. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are for 2026-27). Check CU Boulder for the latest details.