I. Purpose

The Â鶹ĘÓƵ (“CU Boulder”) recognizes that student recruitment and retention are key components of its strategic plan. CU Boulder utilizes financial aid programs, including scholarships, to support recruitment, retention, and student success. Additionally, CU Boulder’s commitment to providing an equitable and inclusive environment where all students can achieve their academic and professional aspirations free from discrimination includes CU Boulder’s administration of scholarships. 

The purpose of this policy is to articulate specific, primary goals of CU Boulder’s administration of scholarships and to charge an office with the responsibility of overseeing the implementation of those goals for the benefit of the university.

II. Policy

The primary goals of CU Boulder’s scholarship administration include to:

  • maximize utilization of funds to support CU Boulder’s enrollment goals;
  • attract and retain students who will contribute to the mission of CU Boulder and the university as a whole;
  • reduce the financial burden on otherwise qualified students who are unable to attend CU Boulder due to costs;
  • retain flexibility for CU Boulder to meet the needs of its student population as they may evolve over time;
  • incorporate prudent business and operational practices;
  • support fair, equitable, and inclusive scholarship awarding; and
  • maximize CU Boulder compliance with related federal, state, university, and donor requirements.

To facilitate achieving CU Boulder’s scholarship administration goals, CU Boulder will maintain an office charged with the centralized responsibility of overseeing compliance and servicing the CU Boulder colleges, schools, departments, programs, or other units that award any student scholarships (Awarding Units). This Office of Scholarship Services shall create and maintain a scholarship administrators user manual that applies campus wide standards to implement the purposes of this policy. All Awarding Units shall adhere to this policy and scholarship administrators user manual.

III. Resources 

Scholarship Adminstrators Resource Page

Scholarship Administrators User Manual

Effective Date

October 1, 2023

Approved By

Philip P. DiStefano, Chancellor

Policy Owner

Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management