ASSET Financial Aid Application for 2021-22
There is a new application for the 2021-22 school year that allows ASSET students to apply for state and institutional aid at Colorado universities. See 'How to Apply' for details.

The University of Colorado Boulder provides some grant and work-study assistance for Colorado resident students who are eligible under the Colorado Advancing Students for a Stronger Economy Tomorrow (ASSET) Bill or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Nonresident students are ineligible for need-based assistance or the Colorado ASSET Bill benefit, but are encouraged to apply for scholarships.

ASSET vs. DACA

  • ASSET: Effective Fall 2013, undocumented students who meet the qualifications for in-state tuition (attended a Colorado high school for at least three years & graduated from a Colorado high school, for example) under the Colorado ASSET bill can apply for state and university-funded financial aid. These students will be identified through the admissions application process.
  • DACA: Eligible students may request consideration for deferred action for a period of two years and would then be eligible for work authorization (making them eligible to be considered for a work-study financial aid award).

Students who qualify for ASSET do not automatically qualify for DACA, and vice versa. A student may qualify for one but not the other, qualify for both, or qualify for neither.

Financial Aid Eligibility

Grants and Scholarships

Depending on your eligibility (including enrollment and financial need) and available funding, ASSET students may receive either the CU Promise grant (beginning Fall 2020) or a combination of CU Boulder-funded and Colorado state-funded grants ranging from $2,400 - $10,300 per year. You are also eligible to apply for the First Generation Scholarship.

Work-Study

DACA students may be eligible for state-funded work-study up to $2,500. ASSET students with DACA may be eligible for both grant funding (through ASSET) and work-study (through DACA).

Summer School

ASSET students are eligible to be considered for the CU Achieve Summer Grant Program.

All ASSET and/or DACA students do not qualify for federal funding (including grants or loans).

How to Apply

The Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) created a new application for the 2021-22 school year that allows ASSET students to apply for state and institutional aid at Colorado universities. ASSET students interested in receiving financial aid at CU Boulder should complete the 2021-22 Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA) beginning October 1. You will be prompted to create an account with CDHE before starting the application.

Complete the CASFA

View CASFA FAQ's

ASSET students should complete the state application instead of the FAFSA. If you completed the FAFSA, you do NOT need to complete both applications. For assistance, contact the Office of Financial Aid at 303-492-5091 or send us an email.

Any CU Boulder Scholarships you have or will receive based on your admissions application (i.e. automatic consideration scholarships) will not be impacted by your ASSET/DACA status.

The CU Boulder Scholarship Application is available until March 15 with some scholarships with deadlines as early as February 15. Most scholarships do not require U.S. citizenship. ASSET students are considered for scholarships that require Colorado residency, including the First Generation Scholarship. For a list of scholarships available through this application, view the CU Boulder Scholarship Search Tool.

Here are a few of good resources:

Students receiving private scholarships from outside the university should follow these instructions to have the checks sent to our office for processing.

Once admitted to CU Boulder, ASSET students should follow the instructions listed on the Registrar's website on how to apply for COF, which is a state benefit that reduces the amount of undergraduate in-state tuition you pay.

The CU Boulder Student Relief Fund provides temporary support to students who face legal barriers that prevent access to federal or state financial aid and who are experiencing a financial hardship that prohibits them for obtaining their education at the University of Colorado Boulder. Students with ASSET/DACA status are encouraged to apply and will receive preference.

Estimated 2021-22 Timeline

  • Beginning in August: Apply for Admission. The deadline for freshmen applicants to apply for fall is January 15.
  • October 1: Apply for financial aid by completing the 2021-22 Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA) as soon as possible after October 1 for the upcoming school year. The CASFA is new for 2021-22! Applications received by February 15 will be considered for the maximum financial aid.
  • November 1: Apply for scholarships through the CU Boulder Scholarship Application. Deadline to apply is February 15 though some scholarships may have later deadlines. 
  • Late January - March: We will email an Estimated Financial Aid Award letter which will provide you with a financial aid estimate for your planning purposes.
  • Mid-February: We will send emails to notify new students of their official financial aid offer. Grants, scholarships, and work-study are automatically accepted for you.
  • May: Submit your official high school transcripts to the Admissions Office. Be sure to request your transcripts before you graduate high school and leave for the summer.
  • Prior to first day of class: Apply for College Opportunity Fund (COF).