Understanding Your Aid Offer & Next Steps

Undergraduate Financial Aid

After you apply for financial aid, you'll receive an email when your financial aid offer is available for you to view online. Use the following resources to help understand your offer and determine the next steps you need to take in order to secure your financial aid.
 

When to Expect Your Financial Aid Offer:

When you receive your aid offer depends on your admission application round.

2026-2027 Financial Aid Offer Timelines
Admission Round Financial Aid Offers Begin
Early Decision I Early December
Early Action Late December
Early Decision II Mid-February
Regular Decision Late February
Transfer Students Early June
Current Students Early June

Financial aid offers are based on information provided on the FAFSA, CSS Profile, and the noncustodial parent CSS Profile, if required.

  • How to View Your Aid Offer

    Prospective First-Time, First-Year Students:

    You will be notified with instructions about how to view your aid offer once it's available.

    Current and Transfer Students:

    1. Log into My4D.
      If this is your first time logging in, your password will be your six-digit birth date (MMDDYY).
    2. Click on the "Aid Offer Details" link within the Financial Aid Information widget on your dashboard.
picture of student studying

Understanding Your Aid Offer

Check out the offer guide for additional information.

Your DU financial aid offer will include information about:

  • estimated costs,
  •  types of aid offered to you, 
  • and estimated net price for the academic year. 

We do not assume students will take classes in the summer and therefore does not include costs or aid for summer quarter.  A separate application for summer aid is available in April of each year.

> View a sample aid offer
 

  • Estimated Costs

    The estimated cost of attendance reflects the typical costs of an undergraduate student attending DU and is broken down by direct and indirect costs. 

    Direct costs: charges that are billed by DU, such as tuition, fees, housing, and meals (if you plan to live on campus). 

    Indirect costs: estimates for additional items including books, supplies, and personal expenses such as laundry, toiletries, and clothes. You are not billed for indirect costs.

    Because DU uses estimates for indirect costs as well as housing and meals, your actual costs may be lower or higher. 

    Beginning with the 2026–27 academic year, each student's cost of attendance will be evaluated after the first week of each quarter and adjusted, if necessary, to ensure that cost amounts and indirect cost allowances reflect student's actual enrollment status. 

    > More about cost of attendance

  • Grant, Scholarship and Waiver Eligibility

    This section lists all grant, scholarship and waiver eligibility for which you do not have to repay. Aid listed in this section was granted at the time of admission to DU. The grants and scholarships shown can be:

    • Merit-based- granted at the time of admission and determined by your academic profile, or
    • Need-based- determined  your FAFSA and CSS Profile applications. 

     

    > More about grants and scholarships

  • Student Loan Eligibility

    Most students are offered at least one type of federal student loan in their financial aid package. These loans are optional and must be actively accepted if you choose to borrow. You may choose to accept the full loan amount offered or only a portion of it. 

    Please note that the amount you accept will be divided evenly across the fall, winter, and spring terms. Any student loans that remain in “offered” status will be canceled on your behalf before the end of each term.

    Remember, any loans you borrow at DU must be repaid once you graduate, withdraw, or are no longer enrolled at least half time.

    > More about student loans

  • Estimated Net Price

    This section provides an estimate of your net price—the total cost of attendance minus your financial aid—for the academic year. Because this calculation includes indirect costs that are not billed by DU, it does not represent the amount you will see on your bill.

    • Estimated Direct Cost Without Loans: This is an estimate of your net price after your grants and scholarships have been applied.
    • Estimated Direct Cost With Loans: This is an estimate of your net price after your grants and scholarships have been applied if you also choose to borrow the full amount of your offered students loans.
campus scene w/ mountains

Additional Resources

Next Steps to Receive Your Aid

Once you review your financial aid offer, there are additional steps you need to take to receive your aid.

 

Contact

 

Financial Aid