How to Get Started

Before you may schedule your first individual pre-health advising appointment in Continuing Education, you must meet the eligibility requirements andÌýcomplete up through Step 5Ìýbelow.

If you would like to complete your two-hour-long pre-health advising onboarding appointment prior to the opening of the course enrollment period for a given academic term, you must complete up through Step 5Ìýat least five weeks prior to the start of that academic term.Ìý

To learn more about our cohort-based andÌýindividually designed enrollment options, we encourage you to attendÌýone of our monthly Information Sessions for Prospective Â鶹ÒùÔº. For instructions on signing up to attend a live session or to access a video of the presentation, visit ourÌýInformation Sessions for Prospective Â鶹ÒùÔºÌýwebpage.

Please review theÌýeligibility requirementsÌýfor admission to the Individually Designed Post-Baccalaureate program. Incoming students who do not yet meet the eligibility requirements can get started on coursework as a regular non-degree student through Continuing Education and then can apply to join the Individually Designed Post-Baccalaureate program once they have met the eligibility requirements.

Once you have decided to enroll as an Individually Designed Post-Baccalaureate Studies student through Continuing Education, complete the enrollment application once it has opened for your intended start term:

  • Fall start: Nondegree student application goes live in mid-March
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  • Spring start:ÌýNondegree student application goes live in early October
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  • Summer start:ÌýNondegree student application goes live in mid-February

Enrollment applications typically are processed within 2-3 business days, but some applications mayÌýtake longer to process. Please wait until you have received an email confirmation with your CU student ID number before completing Step 5.

Note: If you do not enroll in courses in the academic term indicated on your nondegree application, you will need to submit another nondegree applicationÌýfor your actual start term.

Our academic advisors in Continuing Education experts on CU Boulder's policies and procedures. They are here to guide you through the logistics of being an Individually Designed Post-Baccalaureate student at CU Boulder, including topics such as the following:

  • How and when to enroll in your courses
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  • How to make use of the early enrollment option for select courses
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  • How to completeÌýprerequisite checksÌý(if you plan to takeÌýcourses at CU Boulder that have prerequisites you've completed at another school)
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  • How to apply for financial aid
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  • How to navigate waitlists
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  • How to apply for Continuing Education's Nondegree Student Scholarship
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  • Whether to, and how to,
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  • How to withdraw from courses

To sign up for an individual academic advising session:

1. Log in to ourÌý
2. Click on the Continuing Education tile
3. Select "Academic Advising" as your appointment type

For scheduling assistance, please call ourÌýoffice at 303-492-5148.

Prior to your first pre-health advising appointment in Continuing Education, all new advisees are required to watch all five of the videos posted below, which provide a comprehensive outline of the types of strategies and experiences that will make you a strong applicant for professional school. (Total time commitment: about 2.5 hours.) This policy applies to all new advisees.

First, download and print the following handouts for use while watching the videos:

Access the videos here:

  • Ìý(runtime: 49 min)
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  • Ìý(runtime: 15 min)
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  • Ìý(runtime: 43 min)
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  • Ìý(runtime: 14 min)
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  • Ìý(runtime: 29 min)

Once you have been enrolled as a non-degree student and believe you have met theÌýeligibility requirementsÌýfor the Individually Designed Post-Baccalaureate program, complete the following steps to apply to the program:

  1. Complete the first three tabs of the , following the instructions below.
    This will take some time. Please treat this document as a first step in preparing your application materials for professional school. Aim to present a professional impression, paying attention to grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

    Instructions:

    • Save a personal copy of the Google Sheet (File -> Make a Copy), adding your name to the title of the sheet.
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    • ​Click the "Share" button and change the settings to allow "anyone with the link" to be an Editor.
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    • Complete the followingÌýtabs:
      • 1.ÌýStart Here
      • 2. GPA Calculations (include every college undergrad-level course you've taken at every U.S./Canadian college that has an academic record for you, including college-level courses taken in high school, courses you've repeated, study abroad courses that show up on a U.S. transcript, etc.)
      • 3. Activity History and Self Assessment
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  2. Collect your transcripts
    • We require a transcriptÌýfrom every U.S./Canadian collegeÌýor university where you have an academic record. This requirement includes college-level coursework earned during high school, as well as study abroad credit that posted to a US transcript.
      • Unofficial copiesÌýof your past transcript(s) are fine, but please send usÌýPDF versions of your transcripts, not screenshots or photos.
      • Also provide a copy of your high school transcript if you using your high school chemistry grades to meet our chemistry prerequisite.Ìý
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  3. Send an email to CEprehealth@colorado.edu to provide your application documents.
    • Subject line: IDA Application Materials for [enter your CU student ID number]
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    • Include a link to your Google Sheet, with Tabs 1-3 completed
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    • Attach a copy of each of your transcripts

Timing Guidelines:

  • Fall start: Classes begin in lateÌýAugust. The deadline to schedule aÌýpre-health advising onboarding appointment prior to the start of the fall semester is inÌýmid-to-late July each year.
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  • Spring start: Classes begin in mid-January. The deadline to schedule aÌýpre-health advising onboarding appointment prior to the start of the spring semester is inÌýmid-December each year.
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  • Summer start: Classes begin at the start of June. The deadline to schedule aÌýpre-health advising onboarding appointment prior to the start of the summer termÌýis inÌýmid-to-late April each year.

Refer to CU Boulder's Academic Calendar for specific term start dates.

Upon acceptance to the IDA post-baccalaureate program, you will receive an email with a proposed date for your two-hour pre-health advising onboarding appointment.

If you would like to complete your two-hour onboarding pre-health advising appointment prior to the course enrollment period for a given academic term, you must complete this stepÌýat least five weeks prior to the start of that academic term.ÌýWe regret that we are unlikely to haveÌýopenings prior to the start of the term if you contact us at the last minute.

We offer onboarding appointments prior to the start of each academic term during the following time periods:

  • Fall start: You may schedule your initial pre-health advising session on or after July 1.
    Our onboarding appointment slots prior to the start of the Fall course enrollment periodÌýtypically areÌýfull by late August.
    Fall course enrollment opens one week before the semester begins.
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  • Spring start: You may schedule your initial pre-health advising session on or after October 20.
    Our onboarding appointment slots prior to the start of the Spring course enrollment periodÌýtypically are full by mid-December.
    Spring course enrollment opens one week before the semester begins.
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  • Summer start: You may schedule your initial pre-health advising session on or after February 15.
    Our onboarding appointment slots prior to the start of Summer A TermÌýtypically are full by early May.
    Summer course enrollment opens in early March.

Non-degreeÌýPost-Baccalaureate StudiesÌýstudents who meet certain eligibility standards may be able to receive federal financial aid.ÌýThe specifics of your financial aid eligibility will be determined once you have submitted all required paperwork, but here are a few general parameters that apply to non-degree students:

  • Federal financial aid awards for non-degree post-baccalaureate students typically cover the cost of tuition of required pre-healthÌýprerequisite courses,Ìýbut NOT the cost of other courses or your living expenses.
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  • Once you start receiving federal financial aid, your eligibility runsÌýfor one calendar year, whether you are receiving aid each academic term or not.
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  • You are only eligible for federal financial aid in academic terms in which you are taking 6+ credit hours of required pre-health prerequisites. (Elective and "recommended" courses do not count.)
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  • To start the process of applying for federal financial aid, follow the steps for undergraduate students listed on this webpage.
    • Documents posted on that page that YOU need to submit:
      • FAFSA
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      • Contract for Non-degree Aid
    • Documents your pre-health advisor will submit after you complete your first pre-health advising session:
      • Non-degree Course Certification Form

For more information on financial aid eligibility and required paperwork, please schedule a time to talk directly with our financial aid liaison by sending an email toÌýcefinaid@colorado.edu.Ìý

The program's advisors and mentors maintain a list of all program-sponsored special events on the .