Every student who applies for financial aid is assigned a cost of attendance (COA). This COA—sometimes referred to as a "student budget"—serves two purposes:
to give you an estimate of the cost to attend DU for one year, and
to set a limit on the amount of financial aid you can receive during the academic year (which federal regulations require us to do).
This means your actual expenses may be different from what's listed on your financial aid offer, and the total amount of your aid—including scholarships, grants, loans and work-study—can't exceed your total cost of attendance.
Direct Costs vs. Indirect Costs
Components in the cost of a college education are divided into two categories: the direct costs that are billed by the University, and the indirect costs of living in/near Denver. When we calculate eligibility for financial aid, we account for both types of costs.
These figures are based on estimated expenses for a student enrolled in the fall, winter and spring quarters of the 2021-2022 academic year.
For all traditional undergraduate programs, tuition is $1,490 per credit. However, students enrolled between 12-18 credits in a quarter are charged a flat rate of $17,880.
*DU will add an additional transportation allowance of $528 for students who are not Colorado residents.
**A 1.057% origination fee is taken out at disbursement of Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans. The $76 listed above is the average fee for undergraduate students who borrow these loans. Actual fees will depend on the amount borrowed.
*A 1.057% origination fee is taken out at disbursement of Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans. The $76 listed above is the average fee for undergraduate students who borrow these loans. Actual fees will depend on the amount borrowed.
Estimate Your Out-of-Pocket Cost
Use our worksheet to get an idea of what you may have to pay each quarter of the 2021-22 academic year after your financial aid has been applied to your student account. (Note: You'll need to have your 2021-22 financial aid offer to complete this worksheet.)
> Estimated First-Year Cost Worksheet For prospective, first-year students who do not yet know their housing assignment or meal plan choice.
2020-2021 Academic Year
Cost of Attendance Examples
These figures are based on estimated expenses for a student enrolled in the fall, winter and spring quarters of the 2020-2021 academic year.
Tuition rates:
For all traditional undergraduate programs, tuition is $1,461 per credit. However, students enrolled between 12-18 credits in a quarter are charged a flat rate of $17,532.
*DU will add an additional transportation allowance of $653 for students who are not Colorado residents.
**A 1.059% origination fee is taken out at disbursement of Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans. The $80 listed above is the average fee for undergraduate students who borrow these loans. Actual fees will depend on the amount borrowed.
*DU will add an additional transportation allowance of $653 for students who are not Colorado residents.
**A 1.059% origination fee is taken out at disbursement of Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans. The $80 listed above is the average fee for undergraduate students who borrow these loans. Actual fees will depend on the amount borrowed.
*A 1.059% origination fee is taken out at disbursement of Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans. The $80 listed above is the average fee for undergraduate students who borrow these loans. Actual fees will depend on the amount borrowed.
*Health Insurance is a direct cost if you don't waive the insurance offered through DU.
**A 1.059% origination fee is taken out at disbursement of Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans. The $80 listed above is the average fee for undergraduate students who borrow these loans. Actual fees will depend on the amount borrowed.
86% of undergraduate students received financial aid last year
If you apply for aid, your financial aid award letter will itemize the costs that make up your individual student budget (which vary annually).
Federal regulations require us to set a limit on the amount of aid you can receive. This means your total aid—including scholarships, grants, loans, work-study and other resources (such as AmeriCorps and employer-paid tuition benefits)—cannot exceed your cost of attendance.
The budgets above do not include costs for the summer quarter. Eligibility for financial aid for the summer is limited; if you need financial aid for the summer, you must complete a separate application in the spring.
To be fair and to stay in compliance with federal regulations, we cannot change student budgets based on discretionary expenses. We may, however, be able to make adjustments to your cost of attendance for reasons outlined on the Budget Adjustment Form. These decisions are made on a case-by-case basis and do not guarantee additional financial aid.
Direct costs are determined by the University of Denver. For indirect costs, we use our own research and the recommended guidelines published by the Colorado Department of Higher Education. Most figures change slightly every year.
Estimate Your Cost
Want a personalized estimate of your out-of-pocket costs as a first-year student at DU? Determine what you might pay with our Quick Cost Estimator.
The staff in our Office of Financial Aid is dedicated to ensuring you have the resources you need to effectively finance your education. Get to know our dedicated financial aid staff or make an appointment to meet with an advisor.
Financing your education can be intimidating and confusing. That's why we've developed "Financial Aid 101"—an email series designed to help prospective students fully understand the financial aid process at DU.