Grading Mode
Grading听mode (a.k.a., grading basis or grading option) identifies how a class will be graded.听
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Student option: If a department designates a course as student option, then it's your choice whether to take it for a letter grade or as pass/fail.
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Letter: This is the default听grading basis in student-option classes. You'll earn a听letter grade that will appear on your transcript (A鈥揊). For many classes, this is your only grading option.
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Pass/fail: If you change your grading mode in a student-option class to pass/fail, you'll earn either a P/P+听(pass) or an F (fail) grade听that will appear on your transcript. A听grade of P+ will appear on your transcript if you earn a听grade of C- or higher in a student-option pass/fail class. A grade of P will appear if you earn a D+, D or D-. P and P+ grades don't affect your GPA, but F grades do.
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Pass/fail-only courses: Through Summer 2022, some classes are assigned a grading basis of pass/fail only. A grade of P will appear on your transcript if you earn a grade of a D- or higher in a pass/fail-only class.听P grades don't affect your GPA, but F grades do. Credit is only earned with P grades.
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Satisfactory/unsatisfactory: A grade of S (satisfactory) or U (unsatisfactory)听will appear on your transcript. Neither grade will affect your GPA, but only S grades earn credit. Beginning Fall 2022, this grading basis replaces pass/fail-only in undergraduate and graduate courses. (Colorado Law still uses pass/fail-only as one of its grading bases.)
If you're considering taking a class pass/fail, check with your advisor or department to determine whether the class could be applied toward your degree and ensure you don't exceed the maximum number of pass/fail credit hours allowed in a given semester. Rules vary by college, school and program, including graduate and Law programs.听
To learn more, see the CU Boulder catalog's听.
Note: In Spring 2020, CU Boulder temporarily lifted restrictions听on the applicability of pass/fail grades to degree requirements. That change applied exclusively to classes completed in听Spring 2020.
You'll听be prompted to select your grade mode during registration. To get there:
- Log in to .
- Find听a class you want to take, then click "Add to Cart" (class search instructions).
- Select your听grade mode听and any other class options, then click "OK."
- Finish enrolling听(class听add instructions).
To check the grade mode of your enrolled classes:
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Follow this link to Buff Portal's听听(you may be prompted to log in).
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Select "Check class grade mode."
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Select the correct semester. The grade mode will appear in the "Grading" column for each class.
Before the posted deadline for the semester (see calendar sidebar):
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Follow this link to Buff Portal's听听(you may be prompted to log in).
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Select the class you want to edit, then select "Drop/Swap/Edit Class."
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Select "Edit This Class," then "Continue."
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In the registration system, select the class from the "Classes you are allowed to edit" drop-down, then click "Continue."
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Change your grade mode, then click "Next."
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Review your change(s), then click "Finish Editing."
If it worked, you'll see a confirmation听message. If not, read the error message carefully.
No Credit (Audit)
If you take a class for no credit,听you'll still pay tuition for the class, but you won't earn a grade or credit hours. The class also won't fulfill degree requirements or count toward your enrollment totals for enrollment status or financial aid.
If you're a graduate student, you cannot use these credits towards your TA/RA appointment.
As of Aug. 20, 2020, students can no longer change a class to no credit using standard or beta registration.
Instead, follow these steps:
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Search for the class you want to take for no credit and add it to your CU Boulder Class Search shopping cart (class search instructions).
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Select "Letter Grade" as your grade mode,听then click "Save Changes."
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Finish registering for the class听(class add听instructions).
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Follow this link to the听听(you may be prompted to log in).
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If you're a veteran receiving educational benefits, tick the applicable checkbox.
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Under "Class Information," select the radio button to indicate you want to change a class to no credit.
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Under "Classes," find the class(es) you want to change to no credit, then tick the corresponding "Change to no credit" checkbox.
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Review your selections, then click "Submit."
Once we've processed your no-credit request, your will show a grade of NC听(no credit) for the class(es).
To cancel your no-credit request and change your class(es) back to letter grade or pass/fail:
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Follow this link to the听听(you may be prompted to log in).
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Under "Class Information," select the radio button to indicate you want to cancel a no-credit request.
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Under "Classes," find the class(es) you want to change to letter grade or pass/fail, then tick the corresponding "Cancel this no-credit request" checkbox.
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Review your selections, then click "Submit."
Variable Credit Hours
While most courses at CU Boulder are offered for a fixed number of credits, select courses (e.g.,听independent study, thesis, dissertation) are听offered for a range of credits to select from when you add the class to your shopping cart.
To learn more, see the CU Boulder catalog's听.
If you're registering for a variable credit class, you'll听be prompted to select your credit hours when you add the class to your cart. Here's how to get there:
- Log in to .
- Find听a class you want to take, then click "Add to Cart" (class search instructions)
- Select your听grade mode听and click "OK."
- Finish enrolling听(class add听instructions).
To check the credit hours of an enrolled class:
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Follow this link to Buff Portal's听听(you may be prompted to log in).
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Select the class you want to check.
- In the class details,听credit hours will appear under the "Credits" heading.
Before the posted deadline for the semester (see calendar sidebar):
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Follow this link to Buff Portal's听听(you may be prompted to log in).
-
Select the class you want to edit, then select "Drop/Swap/Edit Class."
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Select "Edit This Class," then "Continue."
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In the registration system, select the class from the "Classes you are allowed to edit" drop-down, then click "Continue."
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Change your credit selection, then click "Next."
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Review your change(s), then click "Finish Editing."
If it worked, you'll see a confirmation听message. If not, read the error message carefully.
Contact Us
听registrar@colorado.edu
听303-492-6970