Diplomas

A diploma is issued for each degree earned at the University of Colorado Boulder. Diplomas are mailed to graduating students approximately eight weeks after the close of the semester or session in which degree requirements were completed. Note: International students must resolve all financial obligations with CU before a diploma is issued.

CU Boulder also offers a certified electronic diploma (CeDiploma) for students who complete a university-approved certificate from Fall 2015 and onwards.

Display diplomas or replacement diplomas may be ordered online after graduation. For more information, visit the Office of the Registrar's Diplomas webpage.

Enrollment & Degree Certification

The Office of the Registrar can provide written confirmation of registration, enrollment or degree status upon request by current or former students. Students in special online programs should reach out to reg-specialprograms@colorado.edu with this request. 

CU Boulder has authorized the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) to act as its agent for purposes of third party enrollment and degree verification. The NSC verifies degrees and enrollment for students who have not placed a privacy restriction on their academic record. The student's name when enrolled, social security number or student ID, and date of birth will be required for identification purposes for enrollment or degree verification. All third parties should contact the National Student Clearinghouse by phone or visit its web site for current enrollment and degree verification information, instructions and fees.

University policy determines the academic enrollment status and federal regulation determines the financial aid enrollment status. CU Boulder is required to report enrollment based on the financial aid enrollment status to the NSC. Please refer to the Office of the Registrar's enrollment status grid on the Check Your Enrollment Status webpage to determine your academic/financial aid enrollment status.

Transfer of Credit

Credits earned in special online programs may be transferred to other CU Boulder graduate degree programs at the discretion of the program and of the Graduate School in accordance with program-specific requirements and Graduate School rules.

Transcripts

Official Transcripts

Current and former students may order transcripts online; no IdentiKey is required. Official transcripts are available in electronic PDF or paper format. Transcripts may be ordered as either a complete academic record of courses taken at all University of Colorado campuses or as a select career (undergraduate, graduate, law or noncredit) for coursework taken after 1988.

In certain circumstances, transcripts can be withheld for ongoing financial obligations to the university or for disciplinary actions.

Official transcripts bear the signature of the registrar and the official seal of the university (not applicable to noncredit transcripts).

Unofficial Transcripts

Currently enrolled students and alumni who have access to the student portal may view and print unofficial transcripts free of charge through Buff Portal. Unofficial transcripts display the complete academic record of courses taken at the University of Colorado. However, academic institutions and potential employers generally do not accept the unofficial transcript as evidence of a student's career at CU Boulder, as this transcript does not carry the registrar's signature, the seal of the university or other security features. Unofficial transcripts are primarily used for advising and counseling in offices at University of Colorado campuses. 

Educational Record Changes

Students whose degrees have been conferred are not eligible for retroactive changes to their educational record.

Degrees

Specialized Online Graduate Degrees

The Graduate School of the University of Colorado Boulder offers online instruction leading to the following advanced degrees in specialized programs:

  • Master of Science in Computer Science*
  • Master of Science in Electrical Engineering* 
  • Master of Science in Data Science*
  • Master of Engineering in Engineering Management*
  • Master of Arts in Teacher Leadership 

*Offered on the Coursera platform

For a full list of graduate degrees, please see the Academic Records section of the Graduate Catalog.

Certificates

Where applicable, students may enroll in graduate certificates offered within special online programs as either non-degree or degree-seeking students. Each certificate program has unique requirements. Degree-seeking students who have been verified with completed certificate requirements will have the certificate(s) posted to their academic records at the time of graduation. 

Graduate Course Load

Students in special online programs are not required to take a minimum number of credit hours over any given period of time and are not required to apply for a leave of absence when not enrolled in courses. However, students who have not enrolled for two years will be discontinued until they enroll in a new for-credit course. At that point, they will automatically be reinstated.

Graduate students enrolled in special online programs may register for a maximum of 15 credit hours per semester toward a degree.

For more information about graduate student course load and enrollment status at CU Boulder, refer to the Academic Records section of the Graduate catalog.