Complete the FAFSA to begin the financial aid process
Tuition & Residency
Tuition is the amount a student pays for instruction per semester hour at a college or university. Tuition costs are often listed along with additional fees that all students must pay. These fees cover anything from the student wellness center and AHEC facility operation costs to student support services.Tuition and fees are approved by the University of Colorado Board of Regents, the governing body of the University of Colorado, and may change from those shown here without prior notice. View the latest tuition rates and fees.
Who qualifies for discounted tuition?
Out-of-state students from Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) states can attend CU Denver at a discounted tuition rate through the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) program—saving you more than $11,000 every year compared to the nonresident tuition rate, based on enrollment in 15 credit hours per semester.Admitted students who indicate they're legal residents of a WICHE state on the application for admission, based on their permanent address, are automatically classified as a WUE students. Learn more.
Who qualifies for the resident tuition rate?
- Residents of the following U.S. States and Territories [through theWestern Regional Graduate Program(WRGP)]:Colorado, Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federal State of Micronesia, Republic of Palau.
- Members of American Indian Tribes with Historical Ties to Colorado:View the list of eligible tribesand required documentation.
- Returned Peace Corps Volunteers: Learn about the required documentation and certification.
- Residents of the following qualifying countries enrolled in the Master of Public Administration and Master of Public Policy programs:People’s Republic of China and Commonwealth of Independent States (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russian, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan).
- Military-connected students living inColorado may be able to receive in-state residencyfor tuition purposes as designated by Federal or State Law. Please review the information on theVeteran and Military Student Services website.
Who qualifies for the non-resident, online tuition rate?
If you reside outside of Colorado, are a degree-seeking student, and are taking courses exclusively online, you are eligible for the non-resident, online tuition rate of 120% of the resident tuition rate, which can be applied to participating main campus courses only and excludes non-degree seeking programs (e.g., graduate certificate programs) and extended study courses.Learn more about residency status.
Financial Aid
CU Denver’s provides a wealth of information on how to finance your education. Once you familiarize yourself with important financial aid and scholarships deadlines, be sure to:
Apply for financial aid(U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens;learn about financial aid and scholarships resources for undocumented students.)
Accept your financial aid award
Apply for scholarships
If interested,find student employment
Scholarships
CU Denver Scholarships
Students who are admitted to CU Denver will be given access to Scholarship Universe, a database of scholarship opportunities for CU Denver students. Students can search the database and apply for scholarships for which they meet the eligibility criteria. Additionally, students may be automatically considered for some scholarships. Learn more about the scholarship process and additional support to help students with their scholarship applications.
School of Public Affairs Scholarships
The School of Public Affairs strives to remove financial barriers to attaining a higher education by awarding scholarships and assistantships valued at more than $500,000 each year. View our scholarship opportunities, listed below, including information on eligibility requirements, deadlines, and amounts awarded. Admitted students who wish to apply for School of Public Affairs scholarships may do so throughScholarship Universe.
Awarded to School of Public Affairs graduate students based on a combination of financial need and academic merit, defined as a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The scholarship recipient must be working full time while balancing responsibilities. Women are particularly encouraged to apply for this scholarship; however, an applicant's gender will not be considered a factor in the recipient selection process.
If available:
Deadline to apply for Fall Award: June 1*
Deadline to apply for Spring Award: November 15*
*Deadlines are subject to change
Awarded to School of Public Affairs graduate students with an outstanding academic records and demonstrated enthusiasm for public service. Financial need may be taken into consideration. Recipients must be enrolled full time in the School of Public Affairs and maintain good academic standing for the entire period during which the award is received. The award will be dispersed in two even amounts in the fall and spring terms.
If available:
Deadline to apply for Fall Award: June 1*
Deadline to apply for Spring Award: November 15*
*Deadlines are subject to change
Awarded to School of Public Affairs undergraduate or graduate students on the basis of academic merit, financial need, and demonstrated commitment to community activism or advocacy for issues relating to women. Women are particularly encouraged to apply for this scholarship; however, an applicant’s gender will not be considered a factor in the recipient selection process.
Financial need may be taken into consideration. Recipients must be enrolled full time in the School of Public Affairs and maintain good academic standing for the entire period during which the award is received. The award will be dispersed in two even amounts in the fall and spring terms.
If available:
Deadline to apply for Fall Award: June 1*
Deadline to apply for Spring Award: November 15*
*Deadlines are subject to change
Up to two awards for students enrolled in the Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration program who successfully completed a CU Succeed course or other CU dual or concurrent enrollment course while in high school. Preference is given to students who completed Introduction to Public Service and Leadership in the CU Succeed program, and to students who completed CU coursework as part of the Colorado Student Leadership Institute as a high school student, but students who completed other CU dual or concurrent enrollment courses while in high school will also be considered. Financial need may be taken into consideration.
Recipients must be enrolled full time in the School of Public Affairs and maintain good academic standing for the entire period during which the award is received. The award will be dispersed in two even amounts in the fall and spring terms. The award will be applied to tuition for courses in the School of Public Affairs for the lesser of the cost of tuition or $2,500.
Deadline: March 31
Private Scholarships
In addition to scholarships offered through CU Denver and the School of Public Affairs, students may wish to search and apply for private scholarships. Recommended resources include:
Fellowships, Assistantships & Work-Study Positions
In collaboration with its community partners, the School of Public Affairs offers eligible, degree-seeking graduate students the opportunity to participate in the following fellowship programs.
The Department of Local Affairs Best and Brightest Management Internship and Fellowship Program places master’s-level students interested in local government careers with small and/or rural governments in Colorado for a period of two years. The program is administered by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) and partners with theMaster of Public Administration (MPA)program at the University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs,the New Directions program operated by CU Denver’s Political Science department, and the MPA program at Adams State University.
