What is Tiered Tuition?

Tiered Tuition is a new CU Boulder undergraduate tuition structure effective for the incoming class this fall that simplifies tuition into four tiers to better reflect differences in the cost of instruction.

Who does Tiered Tuition apply to?

Tiered Tuition applies to incoming first-year and transfer undergraduate students whose first term of enrollment is Fall 2022 or later. Prospective undergraduate students and families should also refer to Tiered Tuition rates for planning purposes.

Undergraduates whose first term of enrollment was prior to Fall 2022 are "Continuing Students" and will use Tuition by College, School or Program unless they exceed their four year tuition guarantee in which case they may fall into Tiered Tuition. See Tuition & Fee Rate Sheets - Continuing Students.

Why did it change?

The new structure simplifies tuition into four tiers. These tiers align with areas of study to better reflect differences in the cost of instruction.

How was tuition charged before?

Tuition was based solely on school or college and didn’t account for differences in the cost of instruction for some majors within schools and colleges (e.g., Natural Sciences).

What about the Undergraduate Tuition Guarantee?

It will not change. CU Boulder will continue to offer the Tuition Guarantee to help keep costs predictable over the course of four years.

I’m a prospective student thinking about attending CU Boulder in the future. Which tuition should I use?

You will use Tiered Tuition to plan future costs. Going forward, all new undergraduates will use Tiered Tuition.

I’m a transfer student coming to CU Boulder as a sophomore this fall. Which tuition should I use?

You will use Tiered Tuition.

Does Tiered Tuition apply to graduate students?

No. Tiered Tuition only applies to undergraduate students whose first term of enrollment is Fall 2022 or later. See Tuition & Fee Rate Sheets for Graduate Students.

How can I find the rate for my area of study?
  1. Go to Tiered Tuition.
  2. Scroll to find your residency classification for tuition purposes: resident, nonresident or international.
  3. Review each tier’s area(s) of study and select the one that best matches your interests. If you’re not sure what category to choose, you may need to explore a little further. For example, if you pick “Social Sciences“ and click the link, then choose “Social Sciences” on the Arts & Sciences website to filter results for that group of degrees. If you have any questions, contact your Academic Advisor. (This is the person assigned to you who will help you register for classes.)