Frequently Asked Questions

Tuition and Types of Aid

Q: What is the current cost of attendance at DU?
A: The cost of attendance is made up of both direct costs and indirect costs. Find your estimated cost of attendance on the " Tuition and Types of Aid" page.

Q: Is financial aid available for summer classes?
A: Federal loans are available for summer classes. Students need to submit a Summer Financial Aid Application, typically available in April of every year. The Office of Financial Aid will notify students once this application is available.

Q: What types of aid will be included in my financial aid award?
A: Your financial aid award may contain a combination of some of the following types of aid in order to help you meet the cost of attendance:

Q: What other loans are available to finance my education?
A: Before borrowing a private loan, graduate students should consider applying for a Federal Graduate PLUS loan. These loans have a fixed 7.9% interest rate and a 2.5% origination fee. Students can apply for this loan directly with the Department of Education at www.studentloans.gov and must pass a credit check before the loan is approved.
Private education loans are available to students with credit or with credit-worthy co-signers. You can start by reviewing a list of private loan lenders. This list is not exhaustive. If you would like to use a lender that is not listed, please feel free to do so. Private loan money is not guaranteed funding. After you?ve applied directly to the lender, you?ll be notified whether or not you are approved for the funds.

Q: Is financial aid available for international students
A: As an international student, you will not be eligible for need-based aid, but you may qualify for a merit scholarship offered through the Admissions Office or your academic department.

Applying for Aid

Q: How do I apply for financial aid?
A: Please visit Applying for Aid for step-by-step application instructions.

Q: If I am only planning to receive merit-based aid, do I need to fill out the FAFSA?
A: No, only students who are applying for need-based aid are required to submit the FAFSA. However, we encourage all prospective students to apply for aid in the event that the student or family qualifies for need-based aid or decides to use available student or parent loan options.

Q: What is the deadline for submitting the FAFSA?
A: The FAFSA can be completed as early as January 1. We recommend that prospective students fill out and submit the FAFSA shortly after January 1 to ensure that they have access to as many types of federal aid as possible, as some funds can run out. New students should file by February 15. Continuing students should file their FAFSA by March 15.

Q: How long will it take for DU to receive my FAFSA?
A: Once you have submitted your FAFSA online, DU will typically receive it within 7-10 days.

Q: Why do I have to submit a Federal Verification Worksheet and tax returns?
A: The verification process is one way that the federal government ensures that students are receiving their fair share of available aid. If selected, your need-based federal and institutional financial aid cannot be disbursed until verification is complete. Students receiving only merit aid, unsubsidized loans, or PLUS loans are not required to complete the verification paperwork.

Q: What determines if I am selected for verification?
A: The Department of Education randomly selects approximately 30% of students for verification. Additionally, DU may select you for verification in certain special circumstances, such as during an appeal process.

Q: I submitted all my verification documents. When will I receive my award letter?
A: Incoming students who have already been verified will receive their award letters in mid-March. Continuing students who have already been verified will receive their award letters in late-May. If we have not received all documents until after that time, it can take 2-3 weeks for verification to be completed by an advisor, at which time you will receive your financial aid award.

Q: What is my Expected Family Contribution (EFC)?
A: Your expected family contribution (EFC) is the amount that you and your parents are expected to contribute to the cost of your higher education. It is calculated by considering your family's financial strength ? that is, your family's income and assets. Other factors that are considered include the number of total immediate family members and how many of them are in college. The information you report on your FAFSA is used to calculate your EFC, and the Office of Financial Aid uses the EFC to determine your financial aid eligibility and award. Your EFC is not the amount of money your family will have to pay for college.

Q: How is "financial need" determined?
A: Financial need is calculated by subtracting your Expected Family Contribution from your Cost of Attendance. The total amount of your need-based awards cannot exceed your calculated financial need. Need-based financial aid awards include scholarships and grants, Work-Study, and subsidized Direct loans.

Q: Who is eligible to apply for a Graduate PLUS loan?
A: The Graduate PLUS loan program is available to credit-worthy graduate students. You must file a FAFSA with DU in order to receive the loan. To apply for a PLUS loan, you must initiate the process with the U.S. Department of Education at www.studentloans.gov, who will require a credit check to determine eligibility. You can apply for a Graduate PLUS loan ufor up to your full cost of attendance less all financial aid received.

Q: I applied for a Graduate PLUS or a private loan. Has it been certified by DU?
A: Please allow 2-3 weeks for a loan to be certified. Once your PLUS or private loan is certified by DU, it will appear as a part of the students overall financial aid package on webCentral.

Q: DU certified my loan for a lower amount than for what I applied. Why?
A: We can only certify a loan up to your full Cost of Attendance, less all other aid received, even if you were approved for a higher amount.

Q: I was denied a Graduate PLUS loan. What are my options?
A: Students who are denied a Graduate PLUS loan can either reapply with an endorser (co-signer) or appeal the decision. Contact the U.S. Department of Education for further information.

Q: My FAFSA doesn't fully capture my financial situation. Is there anything that I can do to provide DU with further details about my finances?
A: If you feel that your family's financial hardships are not reflected in the information provided on the FAFSA, you may consult with a DU financial aid advisor to begin an appeal process. Keep in mind that your request for more aid eligibility does not mean that you will receive more grants or scholarships. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information.

Understanding Your Award and Next Steps

Q: I haven't received my award letter yet. When can I expect it?
A: Award letters will be sent out in late-March for incoming students, and late-May for continuing students. If you have not received your award yet, we may need some additional documents from you. Be sure to check your financial aid requirements on webCentral, or contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information.

Q: I cannot access my account to accept my award online. What should I do?
A: You will need to accept the Terms and Conditions of their award through webCentral before you will be able to accept, reduce, or decline any of your financial aid. If you do not remember your password or cannot log into webCentral, contact the Help Desk at 303-871-4700.

Q: If I accept a loan, will it be disbursed over all three quarters automatically?
A: All aid will automatically be disbursed evenly over the fall and spring semesters of the academic year.

Q: I will be enrolled in both the law school and another graduate program. What do I need to do?
A: Students enrolled at the Sturm College of Law will automatically have their financial aid award packaged as a law student (semesters only), even if they are a dual-degree student. We can adjust your student budget to reflect both programs and the costs associated with each. Please see our page about Dual-Degree Students to learn more. All students in a dual-degree program will need to submit a Budget Adjustment Form to adjust your financial aid.

Q: When will I receive all of my financial aid and refund?
A: Check the Student tab of webCentral to make sure you have completed all of your financial aid requirements. Once all requirements have been satisfied, your financial aid funds will disburse to your DU tuition account 10 days prior to the start of each quarter. (View a complete academic calendar by visiting the Registrar's Office website.) If the amount of financial aid that has disbursed is larger than the amount due to DU, the Bursar's office will generate a refund to the student within two days after disbursement. For more information about refunds, please contact the Bursar's Office.

Q: How do I get Work-Study position?
A: Work-study positions are awarded to students along with other need-based financial aid. If work-study is not included on your award offer, you either do not have the federal need (as determined by the FAFSA) to receive work-study, or funds were not available at the time the offer was made. Students may visit the Office of Student Employment website for other employment options.

Q: I was awarded Work-Study. How do I apply for a position?
A: You can view and apply for all available Work-Study positions through the Office of Student Employment website.

Q: Will my Work-Study earnings go directly to my DU tuition account?
A: No. You will receive a paycheck every two weeks for the amount you earned. Students can sign up for Direct Deposit by clicking on the Employee tab in webCentral to have all paychecks deposited directly into their bank account.

Q: I received a private scholarship and my donor needs to know where to mail it.A: Please have scholarship letters and checks sent to our office for processing. The mailing address is:

Office of Financial Aid
University of Denver
2197 S. University Blvd.
Denver, CO 80208-9403

Q: I am an employee of DU. Is my child eligible for a tuition waiver?
A: Information about employee tuition waivers is available through the Human Resources website. For further questions, please contact the Human Resources Benefits Office at 303.871.7420.

Q: I have a third party paying for tuition. What do I need to do?
A: All arrangements for employer reimbursements or third party payments should be made through the Bursar's Office.

Eligibility & Policies

I had a portion of my loans returned part-way through the semester. Why?
A: For law students, your cost of attendance, and the amount of financial aid you are eligible to receive, will vary depending on your intended enrollment. At the end of the 100% add/drop period, your student budget may be adjusted to reflect your actual enrollment if it is different from the cost of attendance you were originally assigned. If your new budget is less than the amount of financial aid you received, the excess portion of your aid will be returned.

Q: Will I lose my financial aid if I choose not to maintain full- or half-time status?
A: Federal loans are available to graduate students provided they remain enrolled at least half-time (4 credits).

Q: How will my financial aid be affected if I withdraw from classes?
A: A portion of your loans may have to be returned. Please review our Refund and Withdrawal Policy for more information.

Q: What are the academic requirements for maintaining my financial aid status?
A: In order to keep any federal aid, you must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress(SAP). Federal regulations require the Office of Financial Aid at the University of Denver to monitor the academic progress of all students receiving financial aid toward the completion of their degree. You will be notified after SAP is determined if you do not meet the following criteria:

Maintain a 2.3
Complete all degree requirements within a 150% maximum time frame limit
Maintain an 66.67% cumulative completion rate

Tuition and Types of Aid:

Applying for Aid:

Understanding your Award and Next Steps:

Eligibility and Policies:

Tuition and Types of Aid

Applying for Aid

Understanding Your Award and Next Steps

Eligibility & Policies