Welcome to CU

Summer and Fall, Year 1

Congratulations! We're excited to have you join our community. Before you begin your journey at CU, here are a few things you'll need to do:

  1. STEP 1

    Your IdentiKey is your username for most CU logins, including the Buff Portal. An IdentiKey is composed of the first two letters of a student's first name, the first two letters of their last name, and four random digits (e.g. Chip Buffalo's IdentiKey is chbu1234). You may activate your IdentiKey here:

  2. STEP 2

    Your CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï email inbox is the main means of communication from the University. ÌýOnce students matriculate, personal email addresses will no longer be used for official school messaging. Campus email may be accessed here:

    All students have two CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï email addresses that go to the same email inbox. One composed of a student's first name and last name, while the other is their IdentiKey. Going back to the Chip Buffalo example, Chip has both the email addresses Chip.Buffalo@colorado.edu and chbu1234@colorado.edu. Ìý(These can be used interchangeably.)Ìý

  3. STEP 3

    Find Housing and Roommates

    There are two main options for graduate student housing:

    For on-campus housing, Graduate & Family Housing, is a convenient and affordable option, but availability can be limited. Applications to are processed on a lottery system in a series of waves. If you are considering on-campus housing it is a good idea to fill out an application as soon as possible. ÌýIt is better to have it as an option (and possibly decline it), than realize too late you would have liked to live on-campus.

    For off-campus housing, is a great resource for finding an apartment and/or roommates. The site is only for CU students, faculty, and staff. Ìý is also a good resource to begin your housing search.

    • As a CU student, you can have your lease reviewed by a licensed attorney for free. To do so, with the office of Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations (OCHNR).

    As you consider your housing options, be sure to consider your transportation options. While vehicles can be convenient, permit parking at CU is limited. Fortunately, many apartments in °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï are on or close to bus routes, making the commuting to and from campus easy and convenient. You can learn more about transportation options here: /pts/

    While there is no deadline for moving to °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï, you should aim to relocate at least two weeks prior to the the start of the fall term (mid-August) to allow yourself adequate time to learn your new surroundings and adjust to life at altitude. ÌýThis will also allow for you to participate in orientation and TA training, which usually take place in the weeks leading up to the start of the semester. Ìý

  4. STEP 4

    Receive Your Buff OneCard

    Your Buff OneCard is your CU student ID, which not only gives you access to campus buildings, but also to the RTD bus and rail routes for free, including routes to and from the Denver International Airport. You'll want to request and receive your Buff OneCard before coming to campus.

    Before you request your card, make sure your mailing address is accurate in the Buff Portal. (Updates can take 24 hours to process across university systems.) Once you have verified that your address is correct, request your card HERE and it will be automatically mailed to the mailing address on file.

  5. STEP 5

    Summer Research Opportunities

    If you are interested in working in a faculty member’s lab over the summer, you may contact that faculty member directly, as there is no formal application process. Please note that even if laboratory space is available, funding for incoming first-year students may be limited or unavailable.

  6. STEP 6

    Fall Classes

    Fall class registration will open in the late summer. ÌýAs the fall semester approaches, a list of course offerings will be emailed to students. ÌýGraduate course sections are large enough to accommodate all interested students in the department, so there is no urgency to enroll.