How to Apply to Chemistry at the University of Colorado Boulder: The College of Arts and Sciences Department of Chemistry, Awarding Only a BS in Chemistry from Fall 2026, with an ACS-Certified Track and Honors Thesis, and Requirements for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

At the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder), chemistry is taught by the Department of Chemistry, part of the Division of Natural Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences. The site says that from fall 2026 the chemistry major is awarded only as a Bachelor of Science (BS), with no change in degree requirements; students graduating in summer 2026 or earlier still receive a BA. Biology, biochemistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy and related fields are not covered here; see the website. Below is what CU Boulder’s website says, for domestic students, international students (with a separate section for applicants from China) and transfer students. The university catalog (catalog.colorado.edu) is hosted by a third-party vendor and was not read, so check it for the full required course list of the chemistry degree, prerequisite details and the AP/IB credit charts.

1. The degrees and programs

• Chemistry major: the college and department say that from fall 2026 the major is offered only as a BS, with no change in degree requirements; continuing students who plan to graduate in fall 2026 or later are automatically changed to the BS, while those graduating from fall 2025 through summer 2026 receive a BA. The department says the major requires 30 credits of upper-division chemistry covering general, organic, physical and analytical chemistry, the College of Arts and Sciences general requirements and the required courses listed in the catalog; no more than 45 credits of CHEM courses can be applied to the 120-credit minimum for graduation.
• Chemistry minor: open to any enrolled CU Boulder student, 26 to 28 credits covering general, organic and physical chemistry.
• Related majors: Biochemistry is offered by a separate department and also becomes BS-only from fall 2026 with unchanged requirements; the chemistry department says many chemistry majors also double major with biochemistry, integrative physiology, molecular, cellular and developmental biology, or engineering.
• American Chemical Society (ACS) certification: students can pursue an ACS-certified degree by completing the requirements of the ACS Certified Degree Track (updated August 2024). The track’s specific course requirements are on the department page and were not checked item by item here.
• Honors: see section 3. Other: the department says chemistry majors can earn teacher certification through the School of Education, and there are study abroad programs in Europe, Asia and Oceania.
• Outcomes: the department says graduates become chemists, analytical scientists and researchers and postsecondary teachers, often in the chemical, oil, electronics, mining and manufacturing industries, biotechnology, health and safety, atmospheric science and environmental quality, and academia; the page shows a pie chart of pathways (jobs, graduate education, professional programs), but no percentages were read.

2. How admission works: apply to Arts and Sciences, naming an intended major

• Which college: chemistry is in the College of Arts and Sciences. The BS FAQ says choosing a BA or BS does not affect admission; if you are strongly considering an Arts and Sciences major, it recommends selecting that major when you apply, and says changing majors within Arts and Sciences is easy. If you are unsure, you can select Arts and Sciences Open Option, or the Program in Exploratory Studies to explore across colleges.
• Review and major: the admission page says applicants are considered relative to a prediction of academic success in their intended major; whether chemistry has its own admission line is not published on the pages read.
• After enrolling: the department says class capacities depend on classroom size and the number of recitations it can offer, it cannot over-enroll any class, and instructors and advisors cannot enroll students in waitlisted classes; chemistry recitations are limited to 21 students, and waitlist positions follow the recitation.
• Internal transfer: changing majors within Arts and Sciences is described as easy (BS FAQ); conditions specific to moving into chemistry are not on the pages read.

3. Preparation

• High school courses: students are encouraged to meet the Higher Education Admission Recommendations (HEAR), whose detail is in the catalog (not read); the chemistry pages read list no additional hard requirement for high school chemistry, math or physics; not published.
• Where to start in chemistry: the Chemistry Preparation & Placement Program (CHEM P³): the department says new students can use review materials in Canvas (math review, tutorial videos, atoms and ions, molecules and compounds, chemical reactions) and a Chemistry Self-Assessment, ideally finished before orientation and the advising appointment. A score of 75% or greater typically indicates readiness for CHEM 1113/1114 or CHEM 1400/1401; below 75% suggests CHEM 1021 may be a stronger starting foundation. The chemistry major has three starting pathways: the CHEM 1021 pathway, the CHEM 1113/1114 pathway (General Chemistry) and the CHEM 1400/1401 pathway (a Foundations sequence designed for both Chemistry and Biochemistry majors).
• AP, IB and A-Level credit: the admission page says CU Boulder accepts credit from AP/IB exams, A-Level exams, college courses taken while in high school and limited CLEP credit; in general credit is granted for approved IB exams at the higher level with a score of 4 or better, and admitted students with an IB Diploma are granted 24 semester hours, applied toward degree requirements only if approved by the college or school (some may not apply to a given degree). The AP and IB charts are in the catalog, which was not read, so the specific chemistry, calculus and physics equivalents are not published on the pages read; check the website.
• Labs and graduation requirements: the department says students are in labs “from month one”. The pages read list no thesis requirement for graduation; the honors thesis is described below. See the catalog and flowcharts for the lab schedule.
• Undergraduate research: the department page describes the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP), in which students work with a faculty sponsor on original research, and independent study (CHEM 4901), which can be a separate project or part of a research team and may lead to publication.
• Honors: as part of the Arts and Sciences Honors Program, the chemistry honors program lets students pursue multi-semester research with a faculty mentor and write a 25 to 40 page honors thesis with an oral defense to a faculty panel. Most of the thesis work happens in the junior and senior years. The page says 24 chemistry honors theses were completed between 2017 and 2025, 70% of honors graduates pursued graduate or professional school, and 10% of chemistry majors in the spring 2026 graduating class earned Latin honors. The department also says qualified chemistry and chemistry/biochemistry double majors can graduate with Latin honors (cum laude, magna cum laude or summa cum laude). See the department page for requirements.
• Competitions: how chemistry competitions are viewed in admissions is not on the pages read; not published.

4. Plans and materials (fall 2027 entry)

• Deadlines: early action for fall and summer November 15, decision by February 1; regular decision January 15, decision by April 1; spring entry October 1. International applicants have the same three deadlines. One page says the 2027 application is open; others print no year, so confirm.
• How to apply and fee: through the Common App; the fee is USD 65 for domestic and USD 70 for international applicants, with fee waivers available.
• Essays: a personal essay (250 to 650 words, one of the seven Common App prompts) and one required short answer (up to 250 words: “What do you hope to study, and why, at CU Boulder?”, or if undecided, your studies, activities, jobs and goals so far), which must differ from the Common App essay.
• Recommendation: one letter, which the site says many students ask a teacher or school counselor to write; the pages do not say it must come from a science teacher.
• Transcripts: unofficial high school transcripts are accepted at first; official ones are required on enrollment.
• Testing: SAT/ACT is not required; you may self-report scores if you want them considered, indicating this on the Common App.
• How applications are reviewed: the site describes holistic review in which the primary factors are classroom performance in core academic courses, rigor of course selection relative to opportunities at your school, and GPA, recalculated on a weighted 4-point scale with weight for honors, AP, IB and dual enrollment courses. It adds that applicants are considered relative to a prediction of academic success in the intended major. Portfolios and audio/video submissions are not used, except for the College of Music.
• High school course recommendations: students are strongly encouraged (not required) to meet the Higher Education Admission Recommendations (HEAR); students may be admitted without them but may need extra courses to meet major graduation requirements. The HEAR subject list is in the university catalog, which was not read; not published on the pages read. The site also mentions a recommended minimum of 17 courses and says courses beyond that, and those designated advanced, honors, AP, IB or dual enrollment, are considered.
• Admitted student data: the site prints the middle 50% of 2026 admitted first-years: College of Arts and Sciences weighted high school GPA 3.62 to 4.20; for those who submitted scores, SAT 1270 to 1430 and ACT 29 to 34. It notes SAT/ACT is not required for the 2027 application.

5. Domestic students

• Cost (estimate): the site gives estimated 2026-27 annual costs (fall and spring) including tuition and fees (base rate), housing, food, books and supplies: USD 35,456 for Colorado residents, USD 66,500 for nonresidents and USD 68,664 for international students; costs vary with residency, credit hours, college or program and on- or off-campus living. It also describes a Tuition Guarantee (four years of fixed tuition). The itemized figures were not read; see the estimated cost and bursar pages.
• Residents and nonresidents: the site separates Colorado resident and nonresident costs; the conditions for residency are not on the pages read. Members of American Indian tribes with historical ties to Colorado may qualify for in-state tuition even if not residents.
• Aid and scholarships: the FAFSA opens October 1 for 2027-28; after you apply for admission you can use the CU Boulder Scholarship Application, which opens December 1. The site says the College of Arts and Sciences awards more than 200 scholarships a year to incoming and continuing students, mostly by the Dean’s Office and departments on merit, need or both, with a limited number for incoming first-years.
• Department scholarships: the chemistry department’s scholarships page says the College of Arts and Sciences awards more than 200 scholarships a year to incoming and continuing students, mostly by the Dean’s Office and departments based on merit, need or both, with limited places for incoming first-years; specific awards, amounts and whether they are open to international students are not on the pages read.
• Resident preference or guarantee: not on the pages read; not published.

6. International students

• Applying and deadlines: first-year international applicants have the same deadlines as domestic applicants (section 4); the fee is USD 70. For applicants residing in Iran or holding Iranian citizenship, the site says federal regulations may affect eligibility and to contact International Admissions first.
• English test scores (completed within two calendar years of your CU Boulder start date; email reports to intladm@colorado.edu): TOEFL iBT taken before January 2026, 80; taken after January 2026, 4.0 (the page labels this row “iBT26 (post January 2026)”); IELTS 6.5; Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency 180; PTE Academic 58; Duolingo 115; IB SL English A 6 or HL English A 5; GCSE/GCE English B; AP English 4; SAT EBRW 580; ACT English 23; WASSCE/WAEC English B3.
• Other ways to meet it: at least two years of full-time study at a secondary school in a listed qualifying country, or at least 24 transferable credits at a university in a qualifying country, completed within two calendar years of the start date; a medium-of-instruction letter alone is not enough. The qualifying-country list on the page (such as Australia, Canada, Ireland, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States) does not include China.
• If you apply without English scores: you may apply; if admitted, you must submit English proficiency evidence or enroll in the Pathway to CU Program before confirming (conditional admission). To be reviewed for first-year scholarships, submit proof of English proficiency with your application and no later than the regular decision deadline (January 15). The I-20 cannot be issued until the English requirement is confirmed.
• Transcripts: submit senior secondary school transcripts, mark sheets and exam results; unofficial records are accepted for the initial review; records not in English need literal, certified English translations; a final official transcript is required on enrollment, emailed by your counselor or registrar from an official school address to transcripts@colorado.edu. For any college attended, submit all transcripts regardless of length of attendance.
• Aid: the site says CU Boulder cannot provide federal financial aid to international students; international students are eligible for a few merit-based CU Boulder scholarships, and there are outside funding sources; the College Board International Student Financial Aid Application is not accepted.
• Proof of funds: if you are academically eligible and need an I-20 or DS-2019, you must submit evidence of full financial support for all first-year expenses before admission is finalized. The amount is not on the pages read; not published there.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the pages read do not say how Gaokao results are used; this is not published, so ask International Admissions.
• Country-specific requirements: the first-year page mentions “Requirements by Country”, but that link could not be opened when read; not published on the pages read, so check the international pages on the website for any China-specific requirements.
• Transcripts: see the previous section: non-English records need literal, certified English translations.
• English: China is not on the page’s list of qualifying countries, so English proficiency is shown through a test score or other listed route; SAT/ACT is not required.
• Any other China-specific guidance is not published on the pages read; ask International Admissions.

8. Transfer students

• Who is a transfer applicant: students who have attended another college or university since earning a high school diploma or GED and intend to complete a bachelor’s degree at CU Boulder. Students who have not attempted college-level courses are first-year applicants.
• Deadlines: spring entry October 1; summer entry March 15; fall early notification March 15; fall final deadline June 1. International transfer applicants have the same dates. Applications by March 15 are mostly decided on a rolling basis in March and April, with a final decision or request for information by the end of May. The site says the 2027 transfer application is open.
• College of Arts and Sciences criterion: a GPA of 2.5 or higher. The site says there is no minimum transfer credit requirement: with fewer than 24 post-high-school credits, both college and high school records are evaluated; with 24 or more, the college record is the focus and no high school transcript is required.
• Materials: the CU Boulder Transfer Application; fee of USD 65 domestic or USD 70 international; a required Academic Interest answer (up to 250 words) and an optional academic history explanation (150 to 250 words); a high school transcript (temporarily waived with 24 or more college credits); and transcripts from every college attended regardless of length.
• Credit: the site refers students to a Transferology account to see how courses transfer, and admitted students receive a transfer credit evaluation. The chemistry department says transfer students who plan to take a chemistry major must complete at least 12 credits of upper-division work at Boulder covering at least two subdisciplines.

Checklist

Domestic students:

• Apply to the College of Arts and Sciences through the Common App, naming chemistry as the intended major: early action November 15, regular decision January 15 (confirm the year); USD 65 fee
• One essay, one short answer and one recommendation; SAT/ACT not required
• Try to meet the HEAR recommendations (details in the catalog); take the chemistry self-assessment to choose CHEM 1021, 1113/1114 or 1400/1401
• The major needs 30 upper-division chemistry credits; an ACS-certified track and honors thesis are optional

International students (including those from China):

• English: TOEFL iBT 80 (before 2026) or 4.0 (after January 2026), IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 115 and so on; USD 70 fee; submit English proof by January 15 to be considered for first-year scholarships
• The site says no federal aid is available, only a few merit scholarships; proof of funds is needed before the I-20
• Ask International Admissions how Gaokao results are used

Transfer students:

• Fall early notification deadline March 15, final deadline June 1 (confirm the year); Arts and Sciences GPA 2.5 or higher
• Chemistry majors must complete at least 12 upper-division credits at Boulder covering two subdisciplines

Sources: University of Colorado Boulder, Department of Chemistry; Chemistry undergraduate program; Chemistry academics; Chemistry Preparation & Placement Program; ACS certification; Chemistry honors program; Chemistry waitlist information; Chemistry scholarships; College of Arts and Sciences: Natural Sciences; New BS degrees in Arts and Sciences; BS degree FAQs; First-year: plan; First-year: how to apply; International: apply; English proficiency; International transcript requirements; Transfer applicants; Transfer timeline; Transfer admission criteria; Transfer: apply; Estimated cost; Scholarships and financial aid; International financial aid. Several deadline pages print no year (some state that the 2027 application is open; check each); costs are 2026-27 estimates, and 2027 entry figures are not on the pages read. Check CU Boulder’s website for the latest.