Apply for Financial Aid
Award
Disbursement
Loans
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Scholarships
Special Circumstance or Change in Income
Short-Term Loan
Study Abroad
Verification
Work-Study/Student Employment
Don't see an answer to your question? Contact the Financial Aid Office.
Apply for Financial Aid
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Enter the University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus School Code 004508.
For instructions please refer to Apply for Financial Aid.
A PIN or personal identification number allows the student and parent to sign the FAFSA electronically. The PIN should be kept in a secure location and not shared with anyone. To apply for a PIN, go to www.pin.ed.gov.
- Denver Campus: The priority deadline is April 1st. A rejected or incomplete FAFSA will not meet the priority deadline.
- The Anschutz Medical Campus students are encouraged to submit their FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1st.
- Financial aid is awarded on a first-come first-served basis for both campuses.
The Student Aid Report (SAR) is a report of the information you provided on the FAFSA. You should review this information carefully for accuracy. If it is correct, simply file it for your records. If you find incorrect information or used estimated information, go back into your FAFSA, make the necessary corrections, and resubmit your FAFSA.
To be considered an independent student when completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) you must meet one of the following criteria listed in Section 2 under Student Dependency Status:
- 24 years of age or older
- be married at the time you are filing;
- have a child or other legal dependents for whom you, personally, provide more than 50% of the support for that child or legal dependent and be able to document that support;
- working on a master's or doctorate program in the upcoming school year
- currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training
- veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces
- since turning age 13, both parents were deceased, you were in foster care or a dependent or ward of the court
- emancipated minor as determined by a court in your state of legal residence
- legal guardianship as determined by a court in your state of legal residence
- unaccompanied homeless youth as determined by your high school or school district liaison
- unaccompanied homeless youth as determined by the director of an emergency shelter or transitional housing program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- unaccompanied homeless youth as determined by the director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living program
After submitting your FAFSA, periodically check your To Do List in Student Center on the UCD Access portal to see if additional documents have been requested such as your tax forms.
Award
All students who wish to receive financial aid (grants, scholarships, work-study and loans):
- Must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen (see Student Aid Eligibility)
- Must be degree-seeking in an eligible program as determined by the university (see Admissions)
- Must apply for financial aid each year as well as submit additional documentation as requested (see Apply for Financial Aid)
- Must maintain satisfactory academic progress (see SAP standards below)
- Must not be in default on a student loan
- Must certify that financial aid be used for educational purposes only
[More information available on Student Aid on the Web Tools and Resources]
Financial aid awarding begins in the late April to early May timeframe provided all required documents have been received complete and processed. Continuing students are sent their award notices in May provided all required documents have been received complete and processed.
Financial aid awarding is based on various eligibility factors reported on the FAFSA, availability of funds, and the university awarding policy. The Financial Aid Office will determine the type and amount of aid based on these factors and our awarding policy.
The Cost of Attendance (COA) or budget consists of tuition, fees, housing, meals, books, and living expenses. The university uses the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) budget parameters for student living expenses (room and board, books, supplies, transportation, personal and childcare expenses).
The EFC or Expected Family Contribution is calculated using the FAFSA information and a federal formula. It is the amount that a family could reasonably expect to pay for their student's educational costs but is not the amount that is billed to the student. The EFC is a tool for the Financial Aid Office to determine the type and amount of financial aid to award each student.
Financial need is calculated by subtracting the EFC from the COA. This calculation helps the Financial Aid Office determine the student's eligibility for grants, work-study, and subsidized loan.
The FAFSA uses the previous tax year's information and for most families this information may differ from year to year. Changes in funding given to the university may also change the amount of aid that you receive. If you missed the priority deadline, you may not have been offered grants that you were eligible to receive.
What is an overaward and why was my award adjusted?
When your financial aid exceeds your financial need or the Cost of Attendance (COA) for the enrollment period, your financial aid is reduced. If you are receiving grants, scholarships or other forms of aid not appearing on your award letter, Report Scholarships from Private (non-CU) Sources in Student Center on the UCD Access portal.
If you are transferring to the University of Colorado Denver or the Anschutz Medical Campus, add our school code 004508 to your FAFSA. Re-submit the FAFSA so we can receive it and offer you financial aid.
If you are transferring from the university, contact the Financial Aid Office to let us know and contact your new school for application instructions.
Please read Required Credit Hours under the Policies & Procedures for Receiving Your Funds.
Disbursement
Go to the Paying Your Bill section of the Bursar's Office Web to access your E-Bill and options for making other payment arrangements with the Bursar's Office. Please be sure to check the Important Dates section each semester for the posted due date.
Funds remaining after tuition and fees are paid are sent to your bank account by the Bursar's Office. (Check the Student Center on the UCD Access portal for your account balance.) The Bursar's Office begins refund processing after financial aid has disbursed.
Your account balance on the Student Center on the UCD Access portal will list financial aid that has disbursed. Compare this list with your award to make sure all of your aid has disbursed. If you have an award that has not disbursed, you may need to complete additional forms or add more credit hours. Check your To Do List in Student Center on the UCD Access portal to see if additional forms are needed or contact the Financial Aid Office.
Enrollment: Are you registered for classes? Your Federal Pell Grant and TEACH Grant are adjusted based on your enrollment. However,you must be enrolled at least half-time to receive your other financial aid.
Loans: If you are borrowing a loan for the first time from the university, you must complete the Loan Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note to receive your loan funds. You must also be enrolled at least half-time to receive your loan funds.
Scholarships: If your scholarship has not disbursed, you may not be registered for enough hours. Many scholarships require their recipients to be enrolled at least full-time. Another reason your scholarship hasn't disbursed yet is the scholarship funds have not been received yet from the donor. If the donor is an organization outside The University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus, you may want to contact them to see when the funds were sent or will be sent. Contact the Financial Aid Office for scholarships awarded by the university.
If you received a financial aid refund and your enrollment status has dropped during the add/drop period, your Federal Pell Grant will be adjusted based on your enrollment. You must be at least half-time enrolled to keep your Direct, PLUS and most alternative loans.
If you received a financial aid refund and your enrollment status has dropped after the add/drop period, your award will not be adjusted. However, the course that you drop will receive a "W" grade and could affect your Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).
If you withdraw or drop all of your classes, your award will go through a process called Return of Title IV Funds where our office will perform a federal calculation to see how much of your federal financial aid must be returned to the university.
Loans
The federal government will pay (subsidize) the interest on subsidized loans while you’re in school, for the first 6 months after you graduate or leave school, and any periods of deferment. Students demonstrating financial need through their FAFSA data could be eligible for this loan. Interest on unsubsidized loans will start accruing at the time of each disbursement.
The U.S. Department of Education requires that you complete Loan Entrance Counseling if you are borrowing loans for the first time from the university. The Loan Entrance Counseling will educate you about student loans so that you will become a well-informed borrower. The counseling covers your rights and responsibilities, interest rates, repayment options, and the consequences of default.
Upon graduating, leaving school, or dropping below half-time enrollment, the U.S. Department of Education requires that you complete Loan Exit Counseling. As part of your Loan Exit Counseling, your lender will provide you with specific information regarding your loans including contact information for your lender, where to send payments, repayment options and loan consolidation.
The Anschutz Medical Campus students who borrowed institutional loans such as the Medical Center Loan or Nursing Student Loan will be sent exit counseling information by the Student Loan Repayment Office.
Why hasn't my subsidized or unsubsidized loans disburse?
- You must be enrolled at least half-time
- You must complete the Loan Entrance Counseling and the Master Promissory Note at studentloans.gov.
If you missed any one of these steps, your loan will not disburse.
If you missed any one of these steps, your loan will not disburse.
- The student must be enrolled at least half-time
- The parent borrower must submit the PLUS application and the Master Promissory Note at studentloans.gov.
- The parent borrower must also pass the credit check.
If you missed any one of these steps, your loan will not disburse.
- You must be enrolled at least half-time
- You must complete the Loan Entrance Counseling and the Master Promissory Note at studentloans.gov.
- You must also pass the credit check.
If you missed any one of these steps, your loan will not disburse.
After the loan has been certified & processed by the lender and the Financial Aid Office, the loan funds will be sent to the university. The loan funds will pay into your university account. Funds remaining after tuition and fees are paid are sent to the student. (Check the Student Center on the UCD Access portal for account balance or to sign up for Direct Deposit.)
The Financial Aid Office will award the maximum annual limit as long as the total award does not exceed the Cost of Attendance (COA). Loans cannot be increased beyond the annual limit.
Click the Accept/Decline Awards link in Student Center on the UCD Access portal.
The PIN that you used to sign your FAFSA is the same PIN you will use to complete your MPN. If you lost or misplaced your PIN, you can Request a Duplicate PIN at the Federal Student Aid PIN site.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Federal and state financial aid regulations require that students meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Standards to be eligible for financial aid. The purpose of SAP is to ensure academic success and graduation. Students who do not meet the SAP standards are not eligible for aid.
Students on warning who fail to meet the SAP standards or students who do not meet the minimum GPA requirement are placed on suspension. Suspended students may appeal by submitting the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal Form to the Financial Aid Office.
If your appeal request is complete when submitted for consideration, you will be notified by e-mail within 2 weeks of the decision. If your appeal request is submitted incomplete, the appeal decision will be delayed and/or the request will be denied. Follow the instructions carefully to avoid delay.
Scholarships
You will be notified in writing by your scholarship donor or University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus offices if you were selected as a scholarship recipient.
Report Scholarships from Private (non-CU) Sources in Student Center on the UCD Access portal. Also, notify the donor that you will be attending the University of Colordo Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus.
Most scholarships are a one-time award. Your scholarship award letter will notify you if the scholarship is renewable. If you aren't sure whether your scholarship is renewable or not, contact the university office or donor that awarded the scholarship.
Special Circumstance or Change in Income
Special circumstances impacting your family contribution and educational expenses are evaluated on an individual student basis. Contact a Financial Aid Advisor to see if you qualify for a review of your special circumstance. More information is available under Reporting Special Circumstances.
The review process can take up to 8 weeks. Reviews are done throughout the school year; however, the absolute deadline to submit an appeal is a month prior to the last day of classes of the semester. All appeal decisions are final.
Other special circumstances and the corresponding forms are listed on the Reporting Special Circumstances page. You may also contact a Financial Aid Advisor to see if you qualify for a review of your special circumstance.
Short-Term Loan
Students may request one Short Term Loan per semester and must meet the criteria for the loan. Students may request a Short-Term Loan as early as a week before the first day of classes for the semester. The maximum amount the student may request is $500 or $400 if employment is used as the source of repayment.
Students requesting a Short-Term Loan must see a Financial Aid Advisor. If the student is eligible, there are two forms that must be completed. If using employment as the source of repayment, the student must also submit a copy of two current paystubs.
Study Abroad
Most federal, state and institutional sources of financial aid for which a student may normally qualify, with the exception of work-study and certain scholarships, can be used towards covering reasonable costs associated with authorized university study abroad programs. Read the Study Abroad Packet and complete the forms.
Verification
Because students sometimes make errors on their application, colleges have procedures for verifying the reported information on the FAFSA. This verification process is included in the federal financial aid program requirements. Students are randomly selected for verification or could be selected if information on the FAFSA seems unusual or is conflicting.
If you have been selected for verification, you must submit all required documents for this process. Check your To Do List in Student Center on the UCD Access portal for a list of required documents. If you refuse to complete verification, you will not be eligible for any need-based financial aid.
The Financial Aid Office begins the verification process as early as March and verifies throughout the school year. The process could take up to 2 weeks after all required documents have been received signed and completed. As soon as you are notified that you are selected for verification, submit the documentation right away to avoid delay in receiving financial aid.
Work-Study/Student Employment
You must be awarded work-study to work in a work-study position. You should apply for work-study by following the procedures on Apply for Financial Aid. If you have been awarded work-study, please contact the Student Employment Office for information on applying for work-study jobs. Job listings are available in the UCD Access portal.
Work-study is awarded based on financial need and our awarding policy. You must apply for financial aid to be considered for a work-study award.
Denver Campus: Eligible students with a completed FAFSA in the Financial Aid Office by April 1st will be awarded work-study. If you are eligible, but did not receive Work-Study funding and would like to be considered, submit the Work-Study Request Form to be placed on a waiting list for funds.
The Anschutz Medical Campus: Eligible students must submit the Work-Study Request and will be notified if awarded work-study. Students are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
Students can continue working in the same work-study position every year as long as their supervisor wants them to come back and they continue to be eligible for the work-study award.
Students can work up to 20 hours per week but are limited to the amount of their work-study award. After they are hired, they will need to create a schedule with their supervisor that utilizes their work-study award for the entire school year.