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 $3,000. 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) has an online application 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 Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA) each year beginning October 1. You will be prompted to create an account with CDHE the first time you access the application.
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.
Estimated 2022-23 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 2022-23 Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA) as soon as possible after October 1 for the upcoming school year. 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).