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There are a number of programs to consider. Please note that if you join PLC, or the Leeds Scholars Program, you will have to choose between those programs and Norlin Scholars.

Norlin Scholars live all over campus. Regardless, we advise you to turn your Housing request in early (before May if possible) for the best chance of getting your preference. 

These questions may help you decide:

• Do I have a 3.0 minimum gpa? 
• Would I like to be part of a small community with peers from all majors within the larger CU campus community?
• Am I curious about how I and others learn and think about the world?
• Am I looking for activities that support self-reflection, connection with peers, faculty and alumni, and a mix of social, academic and professional development events?
• Would I benefit from a scaffolded experience that offers structured support each year?
• Would I appreciate individual mentoring?

If you answer yes or even feel intrigued by these questions, we encourage you to apply.

Increasingly students are participating in two or more programs or learning communities which generally is a disadvantage because each program has expectations, obligations and responsibilities, some of which overlap. For this reason students applying as high school seniors cannot participate in both Norlin Scholars and Engineering Honors Program (EHP), Presidents Leadership Class (PLC) or the Leeds Scholars Program. Boettcher or Daniels Scholarship recipients also may not accept the Norlin Scholarship. Students can certainly apply to a plethora of programs, but we encourage you to commit only to the one that’s the best fit for you and that will enable you to reach your ultimate goals most directly. We discourage over-commitment as it leads to untold challenges and stress for students. We value healthy, balanced college experiences. 

In some aspects, yes. Norlin requirements are mostly well-integrated into the undergraduate degree with some mandatory events. Our two courses fulfill College of Arts and Sciences general education requirements and Engineering Humanities credits. We aim to have a program component for each of 4 scholarship years for high school seniors and each of 2 scholarship years for rising juniors with ample programmatic support throughout. In the second and senior years, students have to actively choose to participate in Norlin, though we encourage active involvement throughout the entire scholarship period. Applicants should consider seriously the expectations of the Norlin community on balance with other things you’ll want to do and other programs you wish to be in.

Norlin provides a yearly $6,000 scholarship, renewable contingent on making progress on program requirements. But the Norlin program is much more than a monetary award. It's an investment in our students. Through our courses, activities and mentoring, we’ll guide you in becoming a mindful, healthy, well-balanced human being. You’ll be taught by a faculty member who is as curious as you are about what makes you tick; you’ll have opportunities for self-reflection and values clarification; and you’ll meet and interact daily with other curious students and staff. You’ll add your story to theirs within a community that’s nurturing, supportive, challenging and fun.

Being a Norlin Scholar at CU-Boulder helps students mindfully develop their capacities to the fullest and prepares them to make a conscious contribution to the world. Students who fully participate gain self-awareness, balance and confidence; they flex their learning boundaries and get more comfortable with ambiguity and complexity. They enjoy intellectual camaraderie, establishing close and lasting friendships with other students. They’re encouraged to gain a broad perspective through working with organizations off campus, studying or volunteering abroad, or merging academic interests with activism and community issues. In addition to the structured components of the program—courses, mentoring, and activities—students informally share music, art and other talents, having many opportunities to share their own knowledge, experiences and stories with the group. These skills and activities put students in a strong position for whatever comes next: the job market, graduate and professional schools or fellowships.

No. But in order to keep the scholarship you must: make normal progress toward your degree (i.e. at a pace to graduate in four calendar years); maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better; be registered full time (a minimum of 12 semester-based, on-campus credits); be an active participant in the program and fulfill all requirements; and adhere to CU’s professional, academic, and personal codes of conduct.

Yes. The °µÍø½ûÇø and Norlin Scholars support the academic goals and success of all current and prospective students. Recognizing that ASSET and DACA students may need further guidance, the university offers this website as a resource for the entire campus community.

High school senior applicants must have a minimum 3.0 high school gpa to qualify. Rising juniors must have a minimum 3.0 college gpa to qualify. 

No. The baseline requirement to apply to Norlin as a rising junior is having three semesters of college. That is, regardless of credit hours, rising junior applicants generally are in their second year. Therefore, no matter how many credits you have, if you’re in your first year of college, you must wait until the subsequent year to apply.

Generally rising juniors have completed only three semesters of college when they apply. That is, regardless of credit hours, they’re in their second year and would receive a two-year scholarship should they begin the next Fall as a rising junior Norlin Scholar. 

Yes. After you have applied to CU you will be able to apply for CU Scholarships. Please note that it may take two days after you submit your CU application before you will have access to apply for scholarships. 

The Norlin Scholarship application is open from November 1st through February 15th. Applications must be submitted before 11:59 pm Mountain Time (Colorado time) on February 15th. We suggest you make your personal deadline to submit the Norlin application at least 48 hours before our official deadline of 11:59 pm Mountain Time (Colorado time) on February 15th. Technical difficulties do arise and the system does not accept late applications for any reason. Additionally, although the application deadline for transfer students is June 15th, the Norlin Scholarship application deadline is February 15th for all applicants including transfer rising junior applicants. Priority deadine: Because of the high volume of 4-year scholarship applications we receive, those applications received by February 1 will be given priority status.

No.

Applicants selected to receive a scholarship or as an alternate will be notified by early April. If you’re an incoming first-year student and you don’t hear by May 1, you haven’t been selected. Students can check their status in the CU Boulder Scholarship Application by clicking the My Applications tab.