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πŸ’° University of Colorado-Boulder Merit Scholarships

Total Scholarships
11
Automatic
7
In-State Awards
$500-$3,000/yr
Out-of-State Awards
$500-$15,000/yr
Typical Requirements for Automatic Merit
3.5 GPA

University of Colorado-Boulder awards merit scholarships automatically on GPA and test scores, with no separate application. Awards run $500-$15,000/yr for out-of-state students. Eligibility starts at 3.5 GPA. Against tuition of $42,996, students receiving the largest award pay about $27,996 a year before other aid.

What you'd actually pay at University of Colorado-Boulder

Tuition & fees
$42,996
βˆ’
Largest annual award
$15,000
=
Students receiving it pay about
$27,996/yr

Tuition and fees only β€” housing (about $18,468), books and travel are extra. Awards must still be won and may carry renewal conditions. Need-based aid is separate and may reduce this further.

Official Scholarship Information
View complete details on University of Colorado-Boulder's website
Visit School Website β†’

Automatic merit scholarships at University of Colorado-Boulder β€” no separate application

7 awards granted on your admission application, based on GPA and test scores.

A&H Achievement Scholarship (Nonresidents)
Award
$4,000/yr out-of-state
Residents can receive the A&H Gold Scholarship: **$3,000 per year** (renewable for four years, totaling $12,000) Nonresidents can receive the A&H Achievement Scholarship*: **$4,000 per year** (renewable for four years, totaling $16,000)
Eligibility: The Arts & Humanities (A&H) Merit Scholarship is offered to incoming resident and nonresident first-year students who applied and were admitted with a declared A&H major. * You must be an incoming resident or nonresident first-year student. * Submit a completed application for admission no later than January 15 * Have applied for and been admitted with a declared major in one of the eligible Arts & Humanities majors by no later than the January 15 admission application deadline.
How to apply: ["admission application by January 15", "declared Arts & Humanities major", "be an incoming first-year student"]
Source β†—
A&H Gold Scholarship (Residents)
Award
$3,000/yr in-state
Residents can receive the A&H Gold Scholarship: **$3,000 per year** (renewable for four years, totaling $12,000) Nonresidents can receive the A&H Achievement Scholarship*: **$4,000 per year** (renewable for four years, totaling $16,000)
Eligibility: The Arts & Humanities (A&H) Merit Scholarship is offered to incoming resident and nonresident first-year students who applied and were admitted with a declared A&H major. * You must be an incoming resident or nonresident first-year student. * Submit a completed application for admission no later than January 15 * Have applied for and been admitted with a declared major in one of the eligible Arts & Humanities majors by no later than the January 15 admission application deadline.
How to apply: ["admission application by January 15", "declared Arts & Humanities major", "be an incoming first-year student"]
Source β†—
CMDI Dean's Scholars (College of Communication, Media, Design & Information)
Dean’s Scholar is a designation given to selected first-year students starting in the College of Communication, Media, Design and Information in the fall semester. All students who apply to CMDI are considered for the designation and students selected as Dean’s Scholars are notified at the time of admission to participate in the program.
Eligibility: Students are selected to participate in this program who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement in high school. All students who apply to CMDI are considered for the designation.
How to apply: ["apply to CMDI (application to college)", "selected based on outstanding academic achievement"]
Source β†—
CU Boulder Transfer Excellence Scholarship
In-State Requirements
GPA 3.8+
This scholarship is granted to undergraduate resident and nonresidents transferring to CU Boulder with a cumulative college GPA of 3.75 or better and who have completed a minimum of 12 credit hours of college course work after high school graduation (or equivalent).
Eligibility: Transfer students from Colorado or out-of-state with completed admissions applications are automatically considered for the CU Boulder Transfer Excellence scholarship.
How to apply: ["completed admissions application", "cumulative college GPA of 3.75 or better", "minimum of 12 credit hours of college coursework after high school graduation"]
Source β†—
DAPS Scholarship (Denver Area Partner Schools)
Requirements
GPA 3.5+
The DAPS scholarship award is an automatic consideration award for incoming first-year students from 16 Colorado high schools in the Denver metro and near the I-25 corridor.
Eligibility: To be eligible for the award, you must attend one of the particular DAPS schools, have a 3.5 high school GPA and be involved in your high school extracurriculars or the workforce.
How to apply: ["attend one of the specified DAPS high schools", "3.5 high school GPA", "involvement in extracurriculars or workforce"]
Source β†—
Presidential Scholarship (4-year breakdown)
Award
$12,500-$15,000/yr out-of-state
Newly admitted students will be considered for a scholarship of $15,000 per year for their first and second years, then $12,500 per year for the remaining two years (totaling $55,000).
Eligibility: You must be an incoming nonresident first-year student and remain a nonresident for tuition purposes. Receiving an in-state tuition exception will make you ineligible for this scholarship. * Submit a completed application for admission no later than Jan. 15
How to apply: ["incoming nonresident first-year student", "admission application by Jan. 15", "remain nonresident for tuition purposes"]
Source β†—
Regent Scholarship (per high school)
Award
$1,000/yr in-state
The Regent scholarship is available to first-year students who graduate from Colorado high schools. One $1,000 Regent scholarship is offered each year per Colorado high school based on high academic achievement as measured by GPA, rank in class, and level of coursework.
Eligibility: The Regent scholarship is available to first-year students who graduate from Colorado high schools.
How to apply: ["graduate from Colorado high school", "high academic achievement as measured by GPA, rank in class, and level of coursework"]
Source β†—

Other scholarships at University of Colorado-Boulder (4)

These require a separate application, or the school does not publish their eligibility criteria.

CMDI Transfer Student Achievement Scholarship
The CMDI Transfer Student Achievement Scholarship is intended to support undergraduate transfer students who show academic success and professional promise in the areas of media, communication and information.
Eligibility: Incoming transfer students who have completed at least 45 credits at another academic institution, and are joining CU Boulder in the fall semester are eligible. Criteria: Academic achievement at prior institutionβ€”3.25 or higher GPA; Alignment of professional goals with CMCI academic programs; Preference given to students who completed their prior coursework at a community college.
How to apply: ["apply via CU scholarship portal", "completed at least 45 credits at another institution", "3.25 or higher GPA at prior institution"]
Source β†—
Continuing student scholarships (Colorado Law)
$500/yr
A number of scholarships, fellowships, and awards are awarded annually on a competitive basis including both academic and financial considerations. Continuing students may apply for any of the 100+ scholarships Colorado Law offers to students who have completed their first year of law school. These scholarships range from $500 to full tuition, but the average is $2,000.
Eligibility: Admitted first-year students do not need to apply for specific scholarships. Scholarship recipients will be selected by the Admissions and Financial Aid Committee after an offer of admission has been made. Merit awards are based predominately on admission credentials for first-year students.
How to apply: ["selection by Admissions and Financial Aid Committee (1L)", "application for 2L/3L scholarships (continuing students)"]
Source β†—
CU Boulder Scholarship Application (General Application)
The CU Boulder Scholarship Application allows undergraduate and graduate first-year, continuing, and transfer students apply for multiple scholarship opportunities with one general application. When to apply: The application opens Dec. 1, 2025 for the 2026-27 school year. Most applications are due between Feb. 15 and March 15.
Eligibility: The scholarship application is optional and completely separate from the admission process. A scholarship committee does a comprehensive review of applications and selects recipients. Selection criteria may include, but is not limited to, your academic record, leadership experience, extracurricular involvement, community service, employment, essays, and in some cases, financial need.
How to apply: ["complete general scholarship application", "essays", "reference letters (in some recommended opportunities)", "supporting documents for recommended opportunities", "FAFSA recommended (not required)"]
Source β†—
EDDS typical award
$2,000/yr
EDDS scholarships are typically $2,000 per academic year ($1,000/semester) for four years. Scholarships are initially awarded to students who fill out the CU Boulder Scholarship Application and are based on financial need and academic merit.
Eligibility: Scholarships are initially awarded to students who fill out the CU Boulder Scholarship Application and are based on financial need and academic merit.
How to apply: ["complete CU Boulder Scholarship Application", "based on financial need and academic merit", "notification during March or April"]
Source β†—

Deadlines that affect merit consideration at University of Colorado-Boulder

Regular Decision
Rolling

Common questions about University of Colorado-Boulder scholarships

How much merit aid does University of Colorado-Boulder give?

Published awards range $500-$15,000/yr. University of Colorado-Boulder lists 11 merit scholarships in total.

What GPA or test scores do you need for a scholarship at University of Colorado-Boulder?

The lowest published threshold across automatic awards is 3.5 GPA. Individual scholarships set their own cutoffs.

Does University of Colorado-Boulder give merit scholarships to out-of-state students?

Yes. Awards for out-of-state students run $500-$15,000/yr.

Is there a full-ride scholarship at University of Colorado-Boulder?

Not a full ride. The largest published award covers about 35% of tuition.

Do you have to apply separately for merit scholarships at University of Colorado-Boulder?

2 of the published awards are granted automatically on your admission application, with no separate scholarship application.

When is the scholarship deadline at University of Colorado-Boulder?

Merit consideration usually follows the admission deadline, which is Rolling. Confirm scholarship-specific dates with the financial aid office.

πŸ’‘ Tip: Award amounts and cutoffs change year to year. Confirm current figures with University of Colorado-Boulder's financial aid office before making decisions β€” or check their scholarship page.

More on University of Colorado-Boulder

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