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Understanding Tuition Rates
Your tuition rate is the amount you pay for your classes at MSU Denver. There are two kinds of tuition: in‑state and out‑of‑state. Sometimes people also say “in‑state resident” and “non‑resident” tuition.
In-State Tuition / Resident Tuition ($)
This is a cheaper tuition rate for students who have proven they live in Colorado. To qualify, you must show that you have lived in Colorado for one full year and that you are not living in Colorado only to go to college.
Out-of-State / Non-Resident Tuition ($$$)
Non‑resident tuition can cost almost three times as much as in‑state tuition. This tuition rate is for students who come from outside of Colorado. Non-resident students may not be eligible for all scholarships or financial aid options.
For immigrant students, it is common to be classified as “out of state”, and staff with Immigrant Services can help you understand and apply for the lower, “in-state” tuition rate.
Checking your tuition classification
It is important to verify that you have been assigned the correct tuition classification as soon as you receive your admission notification.
Once you are admitted to MSU Denver, the Admissions Office will send you an email informing you whether you have been classified as an in‑state resident or a non‑resident for tuition purposes.
Alternatively, you may contact the Office of Admissions or the staff in the Immigrant Services Program. Our team can quickly verify your tuition classification using your student ID number and talk to you about adjusting to the correct classification.
In-state Tuition for Immigrants
Any student, regardless of immigration status, may qualify for in‑state tuition on a case‑by‑case basis. This includes DACA and undocumented students, as well as students who are in the process of adjusting their immigration status, provided they graduated from a Colorado high school and have lived in Colorado for at least one year prior to admission.
Students with DACA status, and students who are actively adjusting their immigration status, may also qualify for in‑state tuition even if they did not graduate from a Colorado high school, depending on their individual circumstances.
If you are unsure whether you qualify for in‑state tuition, please contact our office to schedule a consultation.
Changing your Tuition Classification
The process to correct your tuition classification is handled through the Office of Admissions. However, the staff in the Immigrant Services Program is happy to assist you by guiding you to the correct forms and helping you gather the documentation needed to request a change to your tuition classification.
Common Questions about In-state Tuition
Yes! In-state tuition and state financial aid (such as the Colorado College Responsibility Grant) are available to DACA/undocumented students.
Students with DACA status are eligible for in-state tuition after establishing domicile in Colorado for 12 months or more prior to the start of classes, but are not eligible for state financial aid unless they also meet the ASSET criteria (see below). DACA-status students who meet ASSET criteria are eligible for both in-state tuition and state financial aid.
Undocumented students without DACA need to fully meet the ASSET criteria (see below) to receive in-state tuition and to be eligible for state financial aid, and cannot use the “12 months in Colorado” rule to be eligible for in-state tuition.
Eligibility for in-state tuition via ASSET
In Colorado, to be eligible for in-state tuition under the ASSET state law, you must meet the following criteria:
- Have attended a public or private high school in Colorado for at least one year immediately before graduation or GED completion, AND
- Show presence in Colorado at least 12 months before starting classes at a college/university
To qualify for in-state tuition via the “12 months of domicile in Colorado” rule, students must be able to show that the authorized person (student if 23 or over, Parent if student under 23) had established 12 months of both presence as well as multiple legal ties to the state before classes start, and that they received DACA at least 12 months prior to the start of classes.
For more information or to get help, please talk to the Office of Admissions or the Immigrant Services Program. (See above for contact info.)
This sometimes happens, and can be fixed if you are eligible for in-state tuition. To request & receive in-state tuition, you need to:
- Provide your most recent high school transcript to the Office of Admission
- You may need to show a copy of your Employment Authorization Document to the Admission front desk or email to [email protected].
- Complete the (attached) In-state Correction Form (for items 1. through 9. on the bottom of the form, use your parents’ information if you are under 23; Include as much information as you can – some items, like “registered to vote”, will not apply to you or your parents)
- Complete the College Opportunity Fund application online (https://cof.college-assist.org/Apply; more info on this stipend below); for help with the application, please contact the Office of Admission, Jourdan Student Success Building 1st floor, or Immigrant Services Program, Jourdan Student Success Building rm. 238, 303-605-5390
- Complete the Affidavit that is part of the COF application – you can do this online (https://cof.college-assist.org/Apply) or on paper (attached)
- If you are DACA/undocumented and are completing the COF application online, check the option “I do not have or wish to provide my SSN” – this will automatically bring up the COF Affidavit; you can also get a paper COF Application & Affidavit from the Office of Admissions or the Immigrant Services Program (303-605-5390)
- To complete the COF Affidavit, it is recommended that you know your 10-digit SASID (often but not always, the same as your high school ID number) which you might be able find on your high school transcript. If not, please ask your high school counselor, secretary, or records office.
Individuals who are in the process of applying for Permanent Residency are classified with the university as Adjustment Applicants. Eligibility for in-state tuition for them depends on when they applied for adjustment. The student will need to have applied for adjustment at least a year prior to the first day of classes to be eligible. Once the tuition classification officer (at the Office of Admissions) reviews USCIS documentation regarding the individual’s status adjustment, they will be able to provide a better estimate on whether they qualify for in-state tuition for the semester that they would like to begin studying at MSU Denver.
Individuals who are in the process of applying for Asylum may be eligible for in-state tuition if they begin taking classes 1 year or more after they started the process; this depends on their I-94 (Arrival Record) status. For example, individuals who entered the country with an I-94 status of “Humanitarian Parole”, then they may be eligible for in-state tuition. The student will need to show their I-94 to the classification officer, who will make the ultimate determination.
Colorado Senate Bill 18-087 provides individuals admitted to the United States as refugees or who have certain Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs) and have settled in Colorado with access to in-state tuition immediately upon settlement in Colorado. The bill defines “settle” as having made their home in Colorado and presently intend to reside permanently in the state. To be eligible for in-state tuition from day one of arrival in Colorado, it is important that no more than six months were spent in another part of the U.S. after entering the country.
No. For F-1, F-2, H-3, H-4 (if the visa holder is the spouse or child of an H-3), J-1 and J-2 (if the J-1 visa holder is a student or trainee), M-1, and M-2, domicile cannot be established at any point in the U.S. while on these statuses.
Mailing Address:
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Immigrant Services Program
Campus Box 62
P.O. Box 173362
Denver, CO 80217-3362