CU Denver to Guarantee Admission for Certain Denver Public Schools Students

The college application process just got a bit easier for Denver Public Schools students.

Eligible DPS students who hold a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher will be automatically admitted to the University of Colorado Denver, the university announced on Tuesday, September 2.

"As Denver’s premier public urban research institution, today’s announcement reinforces our deep commitment to the city and, most importantly, to the students of Denver Public Schools," says CU Denver Chancellor Kenneth T. Christensen. "We are proud to expand pathways to CU Denver and help drive economic mobility for DPS students, their families, and their communities."

CU Denver will send letters to all eligible DPS students informing them of their guaranteed admission. Qualifying students will still need to submit an application to the university, but the application fee will be waived, according to Jennifer Woodruff, spokesperson for CU Denver.

This agreement applies to current seniors and juniors within DPS, and will continue through the end of 2027, pending a review and potential renewal.

CU Denver launched a similar automatic admission partnership with DSST Public Schools (formerly the Denver School of Science and Technology) in 2017. Beginning this fall, the university also began offering guaranteed admission for members of Girl Scouts of Colorado who earn a 3.0 GPA and a Girl Scouts Gold Award.

"Denver Public Schools is deeply committed to expanding higher education opportunities for our students," says DPS Superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero. "Higher education is one of many paths for our students after high school, and this partnership with CU Denver is a milestone that provides accessible, quality education, empowering them to thrive personally and professionally in Colorado."
The new agreement between DPS and CU Denver adds to a growing list of Colorado universities partnering with specific school districts to bolster enrollment and encourage educational achievement for local high schoolers.

In March, the Colorado School of Mines announced that Jefferson County Public Schools STEM students with 3.8 GPAs will be guaranteed admission in 2026. Other partnerships have emerged between the University of Northern Colorado and Greeley-Evans School District 6; Colorado State University Pueblo and Harrison School District 2; and Adams State University and San Luis Valley school districts.

This comes as a ballot measure proposal could soon expand automatic admissions programs statewide.

If passed by voters in November 2026, the measure would require all state-supported institutions of higher education to automatically admit local students with a GPA in the top ten percent of their high school's graduating class. Two local high schoolers are leading the proposal, which is currently petitioning to qualify for the ballot.