DU Tuition Waiver

On this page, you will find an overview of the tuition waiver process, as well as details on eligibility and benefits available to employees, their spouses/partners, and their dependents. We will also go over the tuition waiver application and approval process, including eligible coursework and financial aid information. For details on how the tuition waiver affects employee taxes, see the Taxation and the Tuition Waiver page.

Note: Participation in the tuition waiver program is not automatic. Employees and their dependents must request their tuition waiver activation by contacting benefits@du.edu.

Click links below for page sections:

The Tuition Waiver Process

To request the activation of your DU Tuition Waiver, please email benefits@du.edu. It is the right and responsibility of all tuition waiver users to know and understand the trustee board–approved tuition waiver policy.

The tuition waiver is designed to enable benefited employees and retirees, their spouses and partners, and/or their dependent children under the age of 25 to enroll in for-credit courses at the University of Denver with reduced or no tuition charges. Documentation is required to verify the relationship of the student to the employee or retiree, and can include an Affidavit of Common Law Marriage, Affidavit of Domestic Partnership, recent tax return, birth certificate, or documentation of legal guardianship.

Currently the tuition waiver is automatically applied to all courses for the Summer 2024 academic period. For the Fall 2024 academic period and all future academic periods, the tuition waiver must be applied to each course via My4D.

The tuition waiver must be re-applied for any courses that have changed.

  • Changes include adding or dropping a course or section. 

Deadlines to Drop a Course

  • If you decide to drop a course, please see the DU Registrar webpage for specific deadlines for each colleges and schools.

If courses are dropped before the 100% drop deadline you will receive all credits back. Credits will be reallocated towards the annual maximum. Tuition waiver courses dropped after the 100% drop deadline will not receive all credits back.

Eligibility

Tuition waiver eligibility is determined on the first day of each academic period. Expand items in the list below for information specific to employee/retiree and spouse/partner eligibility, as well as dependent eligibility and changes in eligibility.

Using the Tuition Waiver

Upon hire, employees' tuition waiver eligibility is automatically post-dated for the first term following six months of benefited service at the University. Waivers will become available to the employee and their spouse/partner and dependents for each term following, according to eligibility. See the sections below for information on how to use the tuition waiver that is specific to employees/retirees and their spouses/partners, as well as their dependents.

Note: Participation in the tuition waiver program is not automatic. Employees and their dependents must take action to have tuition waived for any course(s).

Eligible Coursework & Financial Aid

Eligible Coursework

  • Courses must be taken for credit in order to be eligible for the tuition waiver, including continuous enrollment. The tuition waiver will cover any for-credit class, including the 2U degree programs and Executive Education short courses.  
  • The tuition waiver will cover tuition charges for dropped courses. If a class is dropped after the 100% Drop deadline, all credits used to cover that class will be counted toward the annual maximum and cannot be used in future terms.
  • Study abroad programs, both Cherrington and non-Cherrington, are covered as per the student's eligibility during the term in which the student registers.
  • The tuition waiver will cover only tuition charges associated with Executive and Professional MBA programs as defined by each course's cost-per-credit rate. Travel fees and other expenses will be the responsibility of the student.


Financial Aid and the Tuition Waiver

  • The tuition waiver benefit is separate from financial aid. Scholarships offered through of the Office of Financial Aid cannot be used in conjunction with the Tuition Waiver benefit.
  • GRA and GTA benefits can be used in conjunction with the tuition waiver as they are merit-based.
  • No combination of tuition waiver and activities or merit based financial aid, including room grants, can exceed the total amount of tuition and covered fees.

 

Questions about the Tuition Waiver?

Contact our benefits specialist at Benefits@du.edu or 303-871-2360. 


Questions about using other types of Financial Aid?

Contact the Office of Financial Aid at 303-871-4020 or finaid@du.edu.

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