Cost of Attendance
Cost of Attendance (COA) is an estimate of how much it will cost a student to live and attend school for a nine-month academic year. The estimate includes both direct (how much is billed by the university) and indirect costs (how much it costs to live in/near Denver).
| Direct Costs | Indirect Costs |
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The University of Colorado Denver uses COA figures to calculate your financial aid eligibility. Actual costs may differ from the information found under Undergraduate Tuition & Fees or Graduate Tuition & Fees. Overall, your total COA will depend on your program, coursework, residency and enrollment status, and personal spending choices. If you do not receive financial aid, you can still use the same tuition and fees information to estimate your costs.
The total amount of financial aid offered to a student, including all scholarships and grants, cannot exceed the cost of attendance at the University of Colorado Denver for that aid year. Financial aid offers (e.g., loans, work study, scholarships, or grants) may be reduced for students whose total aid exceeds the cost of attendance. Additional information on scholarships can be found here.
In addition to the estimated COA Calculator, CU Denver offers a Net Price Calculator, designed to offer individual undergraduate student/family estimates of the net price to attend CU Denver.
2025-2026 Estimated Costs/Budget
Undergraduate Tables:
Undergraduate - Colorado Resident
On Campus Full-Time | On Campus Half-Time | Off Campus Full-Time | Off Campus Half-Time | With Parent Full-Time | With Parent Half-Time | |
| Tuition | $9,672 | $4,836 | $9,672 | $4,836 | $9,672 | $4,836 |
| Colorado Opportunity Fund (COF) | ($2,784) | ($1,392) | ($2,784) | ($1,392) | ($2,784) | ($1,392) |
| General Fees | $1,082.10 | $541.55 | $1,082.10 | $541.55 | $1,082.10 | $541.55 |
| Food and Housing | $17,204.80 | $17,204.80 | $17,658 | $17,658 | $12,213 | $12,213 |
| Loan Fees | $96 | $48 | $96 | $48 | $96 | $48 |
| Books, Course Materials, Supplies, and Equipment | $1,460 | $730 | $1,460 | $730 | $1,460 | $730 |
| Transportation | $1,512 | $1,512 | $1,512 | $1,512 | $1,512 | $1,512 |
| Personal Expenses | $1,728 | $1,728 | $1,728 | $1,728 | $1,629 | $1,629 |
| Total | $29,971.90 | $25,208.35 | $30,425.10 | $25,661.55 | $24,881.10 | $20,117.55 |
Undergraduate - Non-Resident
On Campus Full-Time | On Campus Half-Time | Off Campus Full-Time | Off Campus Half-Time | With Parent Full-Time | With Parent Half-Time | |
| Tuition | $29,016 | $14,508 | $29,016 | $14,508 | $29,016 | $14,508 |
| General Fees | $1083.10 | $541.55 | $1083.10 | $541.55 | $1083.10 | $541.55 |
| Food and Housing | $17,204.80 | $17,204.80 | $17,658 | $17,658 | $12,213 | $12,213 |
| Loan Fees | $96 | $48 | $96 | $48 | $96 | $48 |
| Books, Course Materials, Supplies, and Equipment | $1,460 | $730 | $1,460 | $730 | $1,460 | $730 |
| Transportation | $1512 | $1512 | $1512 | $1512 | $1512 | $1512 |
| Personal Expenses | $1,728 | $1,728 | $1,728 | $1,728 | $1,728 | $1,728 |
| Total | $52,099.90 | $36,272.35 | $52,553.10 | $36,725.55 | $47,009.10 | $31,181.55 |
Undergraduate - Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE)
On Campus Full-Time | On Campus Half-Time | Off Campus Full-Time | Off Campus Half-Time | With Parent Full-Time | With Parent Half-Time | |
| Tuition | $18,696 | $9,348 | $18,696 | $9,348 | $18,696 | $9,348 |
| General Fees | $1,083.10 | $541.55 | $1,083.10 | $541.55 | $1,083.10 | $541.55 |
| Food and Housing | $17,204.80 | $17,204.80 | $17,658 | $17,658 | $12,213 | $12,213 |
| Loan Fees | $96 | $48 | $96 | $48 | $96 | $48 |
| Books, Course Materials, Supplies, and Equipment | $1,460 | $730 | $1,460 | $730 | $1,460 | $730 |
| Transportation | $1,512 | $1,512 | $1,512 | $1,512 | $1,512 | $1,512 |
| Personal Expenses | $1,728 | $1,728 | $1,728 | $1,728 | $1,629 | $1,629 |
| Total | $41,779.90 | $31,112.35 | $42,233.10 | $31,565.55 | $36,689.10 | $26,021.55 |
Graduate Tables:
Graduate School Tuition by School or College
| School or College | Resident (& WRGP) | Non-Resident | Out-of-State, Online Only | WUE |
| College of Architecture & Planning | $557 | $1,489 | $668.40 | $836 |
| College of Arts & Media | $557 | $1,489 | $668.40 | $836 |
| Business School | $772 | $1,640 | $926.40 | $1,096 |
| School of Education & Human Development | $480 | $1,489 | $576 | $720 |
| College of Engineering, Design & Computing | $734 | $1,615 | $880.80 | $1,051 |
| College of Liberal Arts & Sciences | $480 | $1,489 | $576 | $720 |
| School of Public Affairs | $634 | $1,489 | $760.80 | $951 |
Graduate - Colorado Resident and Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP)
On Campus/Off Campus Full-Time | On Campus/Off Campus Half-Time | |
| Tuition and Fees | See Chart | See Chart |
| Food and Housing | $17,204.80 | $17,204.80 |
| Loan Fees | $216 | $108 |
| Books, Course Materials, Supplies, and Equipment | $1,460 | $730 |
| Transportation | $1,512 | $1,512 |
| Personal Expenses | $1,728 | $1,728 |
| Total | $22,120.80 | $21,282.80 |
What is Cost of Attendance?
Cost of Attendance (COA) consists of the following components:
Cost of Attendance Appeal
If you have expenses that are not taken into account in the standard budget, you may submit a Cost of Attendance Appeal form (see Forms). Your budget will be reviewed and your financial aid eligibility will be re-evaluated.
Unusual expenses could include a variety of items:
- High medical/dental costs not covered by insurance.
- Costs of equipment or supplies required for a specific class.
- Disability related expenses not covered by other programs.
- Dependent childcare expenses incurred during periods of university attendance.
- Purchase of a computer or computer-related equipment or upgrades.
- Actual tuition and/or course fees that are higher than the average.
Students with expenses not included in the standard estimated COA may appeal to increase their COA.