Tuition and Financial Aid
Education Is an Investment in Yourself
Earning your degree online from the University of Colorado Denver is a great way to invest in yourself, your career, and your future. CU Denver delivers the same high-quality degree programs offered on our campuses, in an online format designed for working professionals, busy parents, and anyone who needs the flexibility to learn in a way that fits their lifestyle.
As an online student, you’ll have access to the same award-winning faculty, curriculum, and networking opportunities that make CU Denver a nationally-recognized university and a trusted name in education by employers worldwide.
CU Denver Tuition
The cost of tuition will vary based on the degree program you select.
Please view the program page for your program of interest to get an accurate cost per credit hour. Just like on campus, there are a variety of factors that may influence the cost per credit hour and the total cost of tuition including degree level (undergraduate or graduate), where you live (in-state or out-of-state), home campus, and the college or school offering your degree program of choice. Additional online, department, and application fees may also apply.
If you’ve visited the program page and still have questions, the best way to get all the details about your program, including an accurate accounting of total tuition is to contact our Enrollment Team. Speaking or texting with our Enrollment Team is a free, fast, and no pressure opportunity to get all your questions answered. You can even schedule an appointment at a time that works best for you.
Transfer and Part-Time Students
One of the best parts of pursuing your degree online is that you can continue working while you’re enrolled. Better yet, you may be able to rollover existing college credits towards your desired degree and graduate sooner. That gives you credit for work you’ve already done and means you can graduate sooner.
The best way to determine how many of your credits are available for transfer is to contact our enrollment team for guidance through the process.
Financial Aid
One of the most common ways students pay for higher education is with Federal Student Aid or Financial Aid. Financial aid is available for eligible students to use toward paying educational costs while enrolled in an online program at the University of Colorado Denver. To determine eligibility and apply for financial aid you must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Once you submit your application you will be considered for three types of financial aid: grants, work-study, and student loans. Separate application forms are not required to be considered for these types of aid. You must apply early and annually to be considered.
Need-based financial aid eligibility is determined by the FAFSA and the availability of funding. You must qualify each year to receive need-based awards. Need-based awards include grants, work-study, the Federal Subsidized Direct Loan, and the Federal Perkins loan. For the most part, a grant or gift aid does not need to be repaid. You can earn the work-study award through on-campus or off-campus employment. A Subsidized Direct Loan means that the federal government subsidizes (pays) the interest while you are in school. The same goes for the Federal Perkins Loan, and in addition, the Perkins Loan does not deduct an origination (processing) fee that the Subsidized Direct Loan does.
Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE)
WICHE is a regional organization that develops and coordinates higher education initiatives across the Western United States. Through its tuition-savings programs, including the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) and Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP), eligible undergraduate and graduate students can access reduced tuition rates at participating institutions.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)
Students from WICHE member states can save more than $11,000 per year on tuition at CU Denver through the WUE program compared to standard nonresident tuition rates. This savings estimate is based on enrollment in 15 credit hours per semester.
The best part? No separate application is required. Admitted students who indicate legal residency in a WICHE member state on their application for admission, based on their permanent address, are automatically classified as WUE students. See frequently asked questions below for more information about WUE at CU Denver, then apply for admission.
If you have more questions, please contact our admissions team at Admissions@ucdenver.edu.
WUE tuition is 150% of the Colorado resident rate without the application of the Colorado Opportunity Fund.
All undergraduate majors at CU Denver are eligible for the WUE tuition rate. You may choose from a wide range of programs in architecture & planning, arts & media, business, education, engineering, liberal arts and sciences, and public affairs. WUE is available only for on-campus programs; online students living in their home states are not eligible.
All undergraduate majors at CU Denver are eligible for the WUE tuition rate. You may choose from a wide range of programs in architecture & planning, arts & media, business, education, engineering, liberal arts and sciences, and public affairs. WUE is available only for on-campus programs; online students living in their home states are not eligible.
No. Regardless of your educational objectives, WUE is only available to students who have not yet earned a bachelor’s degree in the United States or from a comparable foreign institution.
No. Per the Western Undergraduate Exchange policy, WUE is granted to students who want to remain residents of their home state. Students enrolled at CU Denver with the WUE benefit will not qualify for Colorado residency. If a student wants to become a Colorado resident beyond educational purposes, they must relinquish their WUE tuition status and pay non-resident tuition for 12 months. At the beginning of these 12 months, the student must also create their ties to Colorado. At the end of these 12 months, the student must submit their petition for in-state residency. Residency is not guaranteed. For more information about Colorado Residency, please visit the Registrar’s website.
Students need to complete the WUE opt-out form. To ensure correct billing, opt-out forms must be completed one month before classes begin.
To continue receiving the WUE tuition benefit, you must enroll as a full-time student each fall and spring semester, completing at least 12 semester credit hours. Enrollment in summer is optional, but to receive WUE you must enroll full-time. You must remain in good academic standing, achieving at least a 2.0 GPA each semester. The WUE tuition benefit duration is four years or completion of your bachelor’s degree.
Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP)
Out-of-state graduate students from participating Western states and territories may qualify for reduced tuition through the Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP), administered by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). Eligible students attending the Colorado School of Public Health can pay in-state tuition rates instead of standard nonresident rates, making graduate education more affordable.
How does it work? After being admitted to an eligible program, students complete a residency verification form and submit a copy of a valid driver's license or state ID. The Registrar's Office reviews the information and determines eligibility for the reduced tuition rate.
Learn more about the program, including eligibility requirements and tuition savings, on the Colorado School of Public Health WRGP page. You can also explore the WRGP frequently asked questions before applying for admission.
For additional questions, contact the Office of Academic & Student Affairs.
College Opportunity Fund
The College Opportunity Fund (COF), created by the Colorado Legislature, provides a stipend to eligible undergraduate students paying in-state tuition. The stipend pays a portion of your total in-state tuition for eligible undergraduate students who attend a public Colorado institution or a participating private institution. Eligible undergraduate students must be admitted and enrolled at a participating institution to use the stipend for eligible undergraduate classes.
The stipend is paid to the institution on a per-credit-hour basis, and the credit-hour amount is set annually by the General Assembly. Please check the official state College Opportunity Fund website for the current amount. You can also visit the Office of the Registrar to learn more about COF.
- Undergraduate student pursuing an undergraduate degree or undergraduate program
- Classified as a Colorado resident*
- Admitted and enrolled at a Colorado public institution (CU Denver) or a participating private institution
- For more information about COF, visit the College Opportunity Fund Website.
- You only need to apply for COF once.
- Go to the COF Application website
- When applying for COF, enter the following information. Information entered must match your CU Denver record. If the information you enter isn’t an exact match, your COF account will NOT link to your CU Denver account*.
- Name
- Date of Birth
- Social Security Number**
- Once your application has been processed (48-72 hours after submission), you’ll be able to authorize your COF in your UCDAccess Portal.
Students must meet all of the below-listed criteria to qualify:
* If you are not currently classified as a Colorado resident, please refer to our website regarding the petition process.
* Please refer to the COF Troubleshooting section below for more information
** If you included your Social Security Number on your Admissions Application, you must include it on your COF application
Scholarships
You may be surprised at how many scholarships are available. Scholarship opportunities typically require an application and may have specific eligibility requirements related to a student's academic merit, financial need, community service, and work history.
Scholarships are available for students based on:
- Gender
- First generation (neither parent has a four-year degree)
- Race and ethnic identity
- Community involvement
- Major or minor degree program
- Age
- Special talents and hobbies
- Memberships in organizations
After you have been admitted to the University of Colorado Denver, you will be able to coordinate any scholarships you’ve been awarded via our internal scholarship portal. Once you’re there, you can also view the many funding opportunities offered exclusively to University of Colorado students.
CU Denver’s online degree programs offer students the flexibility to pursue education from anywhere, at any time, while still receiving a top-tier education. Whether it’s advancing current skills, changing careers, or pursuing a passion, CU Denver's online degree programs can help students achieve their goals. Contact our Enrollment Team today to learn more about our programs.