Steps for Successful Enrollment at the CU Denver

Your personal information is safe.

The information you share with us about yourself and about your family is protected by the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This federal law protects applicants and current students from having their personal information shared.​

Limits to financial aid and scholarship eligibility may be the biggest impact of your legal status.

State legislation allows us to grant in-state tuition classification to qualified undocumented students in Colorado through the ASSET program. To be considered, Colorado students must submit the statewide COF application and institutional ASSET eligibility form.

CU Denver also has a scholarship called the Student Relief Fund which you can apply to each year.  To learn more about scholarship opportunities, please contact Undocumented Student Services at CU Denver.​

​An undocumented student is any Non-U.S. Citizen or Non-Permanent Resident living in the United States without a valid non-immigrant visa.

This is different from being an international student living outside of the U.S. applying for a student visa or living inside the U.S. in possession of a visa.​

Yes, in our decision process, we base selection on an applicant’s academic and personal readiness for success at CU Denver. Citizenship is not a factor.

Students can activate their student portal once they are accepted and they have matriculated into the university. Matriculation occurs in March (for Summer and Fall admitted students) and in October (for Spring admitted students).

Prior to matriculation, admitted students, as well as prospective students, are able to access their prospective student portals. The following is the Prospective Student Portal Link - portal.prod.cu.edu/UCDFedAuthLogin.html

Once admitted and matriculated, please activate the UCDAccess Student Portal and check email regularly to keep up with updates.

To activate your account, visit myaccount.ucdenver.edu

Advancing Students for a Stronger Economy Tomorrow (ASSET)

• In order to qualify for in-state tuition via ASSET, a student must meet two of the following requirements:
  
• Did the student attend a Colorado high school at least three years prior to graduation?
  
• Did the student attend a Colorado high school for at least three years immediately prior to completing a Colorado GED?
  
• Was the student admitted into a Colorado institution of higher education within 12 months of graduating high school or receiving a GED?
• If the student was not admitted to a Colorado institution of higher education within twelve months of graduating high school or receiving a GED, does the student have proof of physical presence for at least eighteen months prior to the first day of the semester?
  
• If the student answers yes to two of the requirements above, they may be eligible for in-state tuition via ASSET. In order to be considered for the ASSET classification, the student must complete the following:
  
• Apply for the College Opportunity Fund (COF)
• Sign and submit the COF affidavit
  
• High School Graduates: Immediately upon graduation, the student MUST provide an official final high school transcript demonstrating three years of attendance and graduation from a Colorado high school.
  
• GED Recipients: Students must provide an official final high school transcript demonstrating three years of attendance at a Colorado high school and an official copy of GED.  
  
• A student can check residency status through their assigned portal.
  
• Prior to Admissions: Prospective and admitted students will be able to check their residency status in their prospective student portals prior to an admission decision and matriculation.
  
• Admitted Students:  The letter of acceptance also has the student’s residency status. An admitted and matriculated student can also check residency status in the UCDAccess Student Portal.

Students who do not meet the above Colorado ASSET criteria can be considered for in-state tuition if they have DACA – the criteria for in-state tuition consideration is listed below. If a student meets the above Colorado ASSET criteria, he/she can skip the DACA steps listed below. 

 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

In order to qualify for in-state tuition via DACA, a student must meet the following requirements:

• Did the student or student’s parent(s), if the student is under the age of 23, live in Colorado at least one full year prior to the first day of the semester?
• Did the student or student’s parent(s), if the student is under the age of 23, have at least two “intent items” listed below that are dated at least one full year prior to the first day of the semester?
  
• Colorado Driver’s License or Colorado State ID OR Proof of Employment OR Colorado State Income Tax OR Motor Vehicle Registration  
  
• If the student answers yes to the requirements above, they may be eligible for in-state tuition via DACA. In order to be considered for the DACA classification, the student must submit this required form to the Residency Officer:
  
• Department of Homeland Security and INS Notice of Action I-797 Case Type: I821/I821D.
  
• Some DACA students may also meet ASSET requirements. If a student qualifies for in-state tuition via DACA, it is highly recommended to complete the following:
  
• Apply for the College Opportunity Fund (COF)
  
• Sign and submit the COF affidavit. 

If eligible for COF, a student can authorize by term or select “Lifetime Authorization” which will authorize COF for all terms attended.

ASSET students are allowed to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid at www.FAFSA.gov

• Student will be rejected for federal aid but the form allows the student to waive his/her $200 deposit.
  
• Social Security Format on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  
• Your assigned social security number or
  
• Your assigned DACA number (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) or,
  
• If none of the above are available to you, please use the following number format 001-01-0001, if that number does not work you will need to increase the last digit by one, for Example 001-01-0002, 001-01-0003, 001-01-0004, etc. until an available number is reached.
  
• While students are not permitted to use all zeroes as their SSN, undocumented parents should continue to use all zeroes.

Scholarships

CU DREAM Scholarship

• All undocumented students at CU Denver may apply for this scholarship
  
• Students may apply here: https://forms.ucdenver.edu/secure/cuden_dream
• Automatic Consideration Scholarships
• Award by the Office of Admissions
• Merit-based

CU Denver Online Scholarship Application

• Opens on December 1st each year
• Apply through the UCD Access Portal

It is important to be aware of the costs associated with financing of higher education.

• More information about Financial Resources can be found at the following link: www.ucdenver.edu/student-services/resources/CostsAndFinancing
• Students may enroll into payment plans through their UCDAccess portal
• $35 enrollment fee per semester
• $30 returned payment fee if a payment is returned

Students must meet with an academic advisor to review their major requirements and to go over which classes are needed to fulfill degree requirements.

• Your assigned advisor can be found in the UCDAccess Student Portal
• More information about advising can be found at the following link: http://www.ucdenver.edu/student-services/resources/advising 

Colorado State Law requires that any student who is enrolled in one or more credit hours in Higher Education must comply with their school's immunization policy.

• You must submit your records to the Health Center by:
  
• October 1 for new Fall students or March 1 for new Spring students www.healthcenter1.com/immunizationrequirements
• For further assistance, contact Health Center at Auraria at 303-556-2525.