Admissions
Residency
According to Colorado Tuition Classification Law, CRS 23-7-101 et. seq., state-supported colleges and universities in Colorado must classify each student as either in-state or out-of-state for tuition purposes. This designation determines the amount of tuition you will pay. In-state students pay lower tuition than out-of-state students. Undergraduate students who are approved in-state status will also be eligible for extra funding applied towards their tuition bill. Please visit the College Opportunity Fund page to read more and apply for this stipend.
The law also determines the conditions you must meet in order to be classified as an in-state student. Although people who have lived in Colorado only a short time are considered state residents by voting and other legal purposes, they are not necessarily classified as in-state for tuition purposes unless they meet the specific additional requirements outlined in the law. Administering the tuition law, as with any law, depends upon the judgment and interpretation of individual actions and circumstance.
The Colorado Department of Higher Education provides helpful resources to assist with your residency questions:
Colorado Higher Education Residency Guide
Form Deadlines
Deadlines for the forms vary per semester so please ensure that you complete the correct form. Residency forms should be submitted to the Office of Admissions. Read the forms carefully and provide supportive documentation. The burden of proof relies on the individual seeking in-state tuition. Incomplete forms will delay processing. Students are responsible for verifying the balance due and all cost incurred upon registration.
Semester | In-State Correction Form | Petition for In-State Tuition |
---|---|---|
Spring 2020 |
February 6, 2020 |
February 20, 2020 |
Summer 2020 |
June 16, 2020 |
July 8, 2020 |
Fall 2020 |
September 2, 2020 |
September 16, 2020 |
Under Age 23
Students under the age of 23 the day before classes begin must use their parent/legal guardian’s information (except where noted).
Qualifications:
- Student’s parent/legal guardian must have domicile in Colorado for 12-months preceding the first day of classes
- Evidence of physical presence in Colorado that includes but is not limited to Lease Contract, Mortgage Contract, Property Deed, Utility Bill and/or Bank Statements.
- Evidence of intent to remain in Colorado that includes but is not limited to Identification or Driver’s License, Motor Vehicle Record, Voter Registration, Employment Letter and/or Income Tax Returns
New and Re-admit Students
- Complete the In-State Correction Form using parent/legal guardian’s information.
Continuing Students
- Complete the Petition for In-State Tuition using parent/legal gaurdian’s information.
- Submit additional supportive documentation as specified on the form.
Exceptions for students under the age of 23 are listed below. If you fit in any of the options below, please select the drop down menu to read more.
Over Age 23
Students over the age of 23 the day before classes begin must use their information (except where noted).
Qualifications:
- Student must have domicile in Colorado for 12-months preceding the first day of classes
- Evidence of physical presence in Colorado that includes but is not limited to Lease Contract, Mortgage Contract, Property Deed, Utility Bill and/or Bank Statements.
- Evidence of intent to remain in Colorado that includes but is not limited to Identification or Driver’s License, Motor Vehicle Record, Voter Registration, Employment Letter and/or Income Tax Returns
Steps:
New and Re-admit Students
- Complete the In-State Correction Form using student’s information.
Continuing Students
- Complete the Petition for In-State Tuition using student’s information.
- Provide additional supportive documentation as specified on the form.
Exceptions for students over the age of 23 are listed below. If you fit in any of the options below, please select the drop down menu to read more.
Military / Veteran Students and Dependents
Elite Athlete In-State Tuition
If you are participating in a Colorado-based elite-level training program approved by the United States Olympic Committee and a National Governing Body of an Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American or Parapan American sport, you may be eligible to receive in-state tuition, regardless of your permanent residency.
To receive this classification :
- Complete the Team USA In-State Tuition Athlete Verification Form
- Submit form to ACE.edu@usoc.org to obtain your NGB and USOC approval
- Submit the signed form to the Office of Admissions before the start of the semester.
For more information, please contact Megan Psyllos at 719-866-2775 or ACE.edu@usoc.org.
WICHE WUE
WICHE WUE is the Western Undergraduate Exchange, a program of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE). Through WUE, students in western states (AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM, ND, OR, SD, UT, WA, WY, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands - CNMI) may enroll in many two-year and four-year college programs at a reduced tuition level: 150 percent of the institution’s regular resident tuition. WUE tuition is considerably less than non-resident tuition.
Qualifications:
Student (23 and over) or parent/legal guardian (under 23) must have domicile in an approved western state for 12-months preceding the first day of classes and claim that state as their home of permanent residence
Steps:
- Complete the WUE Application using student information for qualifying person.
- Submit completed form to Office of Admissions before the start of classes in the students first semester.
Please note: If you are requesting to be a part of the WUE program, you are indicating you are not a Colorado resident and will not establish Colorado residency during your time of attendance at MSU Denver. If you plan to establish your residency in Colorado and would like to petition for in-state benefits at MSU Denver during your time of attendance, it is recommended you do not claim another state as your state of residence.
Although the law remains the same for each student, not one student’s case is alike.
Please contact the Office of Admissions with specific questions and check your school-issued email regularly for correspondences related to specific inquiries, the status of your forms and/or the residency decision.
Access your email now via the StudentHub.
Tuition Classification Officer
residency@msudenver.edu