Graduate Application Processing
Mini-Guide
Graduate Application Process
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Applicant submits an application
• The application and any submitted documents and letters of recommendation automatically upload into
Singularity.
• The application uploads into ISIS with the APPL/PROC status.
• You will continue to receive an e-mail notifying you that the applicant has submitted an application, if you have
requested this option.
• You can also run queries in Cognos to identify your applicants.
Admissions will process the application, giving priority to applicants who have submitted transcripts.
As transcripts are received, Admissions will do the following:
• All transcripts and other credentials received separately from the application will be scanned into Singularity.
• The following information will be updated in ISIS:
• Colorado state residency
• Education page
• GPA, completed semester hours, and points from official transcripts will be entered by overriding
the self-reported GPA (the self-reported GPA will remain until the official transcript is received).
• GPAs will be converted to a 4 point scale as needed.
• Non-US colleges will not have hours and points and some non-US colleges (i.e. some
Indian institutions) will not have a GPA due to constraints in converting their GPA to a 4
point scale.
• Checklist
• Application fees, transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation (including the recommender
name), etc.
• We will temporarily waive requirements for transcripts with less than 24 semester hours of work.
• If the applicant is later admitted and enrolls, they will eventually need to provide an
official final transcript or a registration hold will be placed on their student record.
• Application Status
The applicant can then check their status and access their checklist in the MyCUBoulder portal at
mycuboulder.colorado.edu.
Completed Applications
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Once all required materials are received, the application status will change to the APPL/COMP status.
Every application that completes will have a Completed Application Packet (CAP) in Singularity and the status will be
changed to APPL/APDP.
• You can forward CAPs to your faculty and other committee members as you see fit (i.e. by printing them out,
sending them a link to the CAP in Singularity, etc.).
Completed Application Package (CAP)
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A CAP is a single PDF in Singularity of all required/optional documents for each completed applicant record. It consists of
the following documents in this order:
• Application summary page (from the application evaluation tool)
• The summary includes information from the application and ISIS, including test scores.
• Personal Statement
• CV
• Transcripts
• TOEFL/IELTs test scores (for those departments that don’t get international transcript evaluations)
• International Transcript Evaluation (for non-US colleges, done for select departments)
• Recommendation Forms
• Letters of Recommendation
• Supplemental Documents
Decisions
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Once an admission decision is made:
• You will continue to send decision communication to the applicant.
• Send a spreadsheet of your decisions to Admissions at gradprocessing@colorado.edu or intlgrad@colorado.edu
with appropriate notes (i.e. provisional admit, change level from PhD to MAS, and TA, GA, RA & Fellowship
information for international applicants, etc.).
• Admissions will update the status in ISIS
• Admissions will send an e-mail with confirmation instructions to the applicant the day after their acceptance is
posted in ISIS (no communication will be sent to denials unless your department has made specific arrangements
with Admissions).
• Admitted applicants will be able to confirm their intent to enroll in their portal and pay their $200 confirmation
deposit by e-check.
International Processing
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Processing for International applicants will be very similar to domestic processing with the following exceptions:
• International Admissions will continue to complete transcript evaluations for specified departments.
• These applications will remain APPL/INCL until the evaluation is complete.
• The evaluation will be added to Singularity and to the CAP.
If additional documentation is required before an admission offer can be finalized (i.e. financial paperwork, TOEFL scores,
etc.), the status will be changed to the COND status (Conditional Admit) in ISIS and the missing items can be viewed on the
checklist and in the portal. The applicant will also receive an e-mail detailing what information is required.
Once the appropriate paperwork is received and official admission is entered onto ISIS, the applicant will be confirmed
automatically.
Timelines
Admissions will update all checklists as quickly as possible as the transcript and credentials are received. The timelines outlined
below reflect the maximum timeline during peak processing time (mid-November through January). Timelines during non-peak
times are expected to be shorter.
Admissions will shift priorities throughout the year, particularly during peak times, giving the highest priority to departments with
approaching deadlines. During this peak time, we will first update applicants who have submitted official transcripts. All other
applications without official transcripts will be updated in ISIS as time allows.
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Admissions will complete CAPs for completed applications on an ongoing basis as apps complete.
ISIS will be updated and CAPs for all completed applications will be available in Singularity within 2 weeks of your published
admissions deadline.
• Please allow additional time for international applications if they require a transcript evaluation.
Transcripts will be available in Singularity within 24-48 hours of receipt in Admissions.
Admission acceptance decisions will be posted in ISIS within 24 hours of notification from the department.
Provisional Admits
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Admissions will flag with a student group and notify the department of any applicants who fall within the provisional admit
parameters (undergrad GPA less than 3.0 for Engineering programs and 2.75 for other programs, or non-US Bachelor’s
degree is not equivalent to US Bachelor’s).
• If you wish to provisionally admit an applicant, e-mail the Provisional Admit form to Ginny Borst in the grad school
at Borst@colorado.edu for approval.
• Ginny will forward the approved form to Admissions, who will add it to Singularity.
• Include a note on your decision spreadsheet indicating a provisional admit.
• Admissions will check Singularity for the signed form and will not enter the decision until the form is received and
scanned.
• Do not notify the applicant of an admit decision prior to receiving graduate school approval.
CAETE Processing
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Admissions will process all applications as they arrive, including anyone who indicates that they are interested in the CAETE
program.
If you wish to admit an applicant to the CAETE program, notify Continuing Education of the admit decision at
cerecords@colorado.edu and they will post the decision.
Criminal History/Non-Academic Suspension Clearance
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Gretchen O’Connell in the Graduate School will review applications which indicate a criminal history and/or non-academic
suspension at the time the application is submitted.
The application status will remain APPL/INCL in ISIS until clearance is received. Admissions will not complete an application
or enter a decision until the clearance review is complete.
Gretchen will complete the clearance requirement on the checklist and remove the negative Service Indicator so that
processing can continue.
Reviewing Incomplete Applications
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Admissions will create CAPs only for completed applications.
• There is a new Cognos query which allows you to access all of your incomplete (APPL/INCL) and in process
(APPL/PROC) applications and what is still missing on the checklist. This will enable you to be proactive with your
applicants and encourage them to submit their missing credentials.
• You can create your own CAPs for your review process (training will be provided).
Admitting Applicants with Incomplete Applications
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If you wish to admit an applicant at the APPL/INCL or APPL/PROC status:
• E-mail your liaison in admissions to remove anything from the checklist not required (e.g. letters of
recommendation, personal essays, etc.).
• We cannot post decisions for applicants missing more than 24 hours of college work. The status will be changed to
APPL/INFO and remain at that status until the required information is received.
Term Changes and Deferrals
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Applicants can change their term or defer their admission for up to one year.
Admissions will process all term changes/deferrals, regardless of the application status in ISIS as long as it is approved by
the department.
E-mail the term change request form to Admissions at gradprocessing@colorado.edu or intlgrad@colorado.edu.
Common Questions
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How will we process portfolios or other special requirements?
 If they can’t be scanned into Singularity, such as a portfolio, the graduate processors will update the checklist and
send the item to the department. All scanned documents will be retained in Admissions.
• If something is required for all applicants, make sure your checklist assignment includes that requirement.
Notify Gretchen O’Connell in the Graduate School at Gretchen.oconnell@colorado.edu of any changes.
What if new information is received after the CAP is created?
 Because we need to give priority to completing applications, Admissions will not create a new CAP if information is
received after the application status changes to APPL/APDP in ISIS.
 The information will be updated in ISIS (so new test scores and GPA information will be available in the Cognos
report) and all materials will be scanned into Singularity.
What if I have a “hot prospect” whose application needs priority processing?
 Work with your Admissions liaison to expedite processing.
 Please keep special requests to a minimum since this takes time away from processing your other applications.
How will I track my applications and their statuses?
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You will continue to have access to the new and improved Cognos report.
You will also be able to run a report of your incomplete and in process applicants and what is still missing on their
checklists.
5. What if I notice a document in Singularity that has not been updated in ISIS?
 If the document has been in Singularity for a week or less (two weeks during peak times), please be assured that it
will be processed shortly.
 If the document has been in Singularity for longer than a week (two weeks during peak times), contact your liaison.
6. What if an application needs to be reviewed by the Tuition Classification office for Colorado state residency?
 The residency will remain at “under review” and will be reviewed by the Tuition Classification office.
 Admissions will not hold up the application for tuition classification. It will continue to be processed and may be
referred to the department at the “under review” status. The Colorado state residency will be determined by the
time a decision is entered on ISIS.
7. Who do I contact with questions from applicants regarding application fee/Nelnet issues?
 Contact the Graduate School at gradadm@colorado.edu.
8. Who do I contact if I have an applicant who is having issues with the online application and/or the admissions portal
(MyCUBoulder)?
 Continue to contact the Graduate School at gradadm@colorado.edu with application specific questions or issues.
 Applicants encountering issues with the portal can fill out the support form found on the portal login page. Portal
questions and support forms from grad applicants that go to mycuboulder@colorado.edu will be identified by the
MyCUBoulder support team and forwarded to the Graduate School.
9. Who do I contact with questions about statuses or missing checklist items?
 Contact your graduate processing liaison in Admissions (see liaison contact sheet).
10. Who do I contact if a letter of recommendation link needs to be resent?
 For now, contact the Graduate School at gradadm@colorado.edu. It is hoped that admissions will take this on
down the road. You will be updated of any changes to this process.
11. What if an applicant sends application materials to the department by mistake?
 You can send any materials received in error to Admissions for processing in the format you received them (paper
copies by campus mail and electronic documents by e-mail if it is an official document sent directly from the
institution or from a secure transcript provider like Docufide or E-script).
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E-mail: Domestic Admissions: gradprocessing@colorado.edu
 Telephone: See Admissions Contact list
 Campus Mail:
• Domestic: 553 UCB
• International: 65 UCB
 Overnight/Priority Mail:
Graduate Admissions/International Graduate Admissions
3100 Marine St., Suite A122
Boulder, CO 80303-1058
303-492-6301