Estimate Your Finances
It is vitally important to pay special attention to your financial needs, because costs of attending a university in the United States are generally high. In most cases, CU-Boulder cannot provide financial support to international students. And, immigration regulations severely restrict employment of international students while in the United States. Therefore, in order to attend the university you must have sufficient funds from some other source. Costs listed below are estimates; your actual costs may vary from those stated on your Form I-20 or DS 2019.
| Breakdown of Estimated Costs 2008-09 | |
| We estimate total costs for a single international student to be $40,200 per academic year. | |
Cost per academic year (nine months) |
|
| Tuition and fees | $27,000 |
| Living expenses, including health insurance, housing and food | $11,500 |
| Books and supplies | $1,700 |
| TOTAL | $40,200 |
| Possible additional expenses | |
| Living expenses if you stay in the U.S. for the summer | $3,800 |
| Living expenses for spouse | $6,000 for 12 months |
| Living expenses for dependent children | $5,500 each for 12 months |
Undergraduate international students who are new to the
University of Colorado at Boulder generally are not eligible for any financial
aid from the university. Merit, music, and athletic scholarships are occasionally
awarded to undergraduate applicants demonstrating superior talents in those
areas.
Graduate international students may write directly to the department in
which they intend to study for information regarding a teaching or research
assistantship. The Graduate
School at the University of Colorado at Boulder also offers various
awards, fellowships, and grants.
As a condition of being issued immigration documents for F-1 or J-1 status,
you must submit evidence of full financial support sufficient for all
first-year expenses at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
If you are financially supported by your government, home institution, or
sponsoring agency, you must provide an official letter from that agency
as evidence of financial support. The letter must guarantee support at least
equal to the estimated costs quoted in the Financial
Statement for International Applicants (PDF).
The letter must:
- be in English
- specify the academic term(s), billing address, and level and field of study for which it is valid
- specify the U.S. dollar amount you will receive and how the funds will be paid
We will bill you directly if we don't have the address of your sponsoring
agency.
You should be aware that the exchange rate for foreign currencies will fluctuate
throughout your time in the United States. Be prepared for costs to increase
from five to ten percent each year.
Failure to plan and budget properly could result in termination of your
studies at the university.
Undergraduate Student Funding Possibilities
The web site, Financial Aid for International Students, may also be helpful.
