ASSET | DACA Students

Advancing Students for a Stronger Tomorrow | Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

The University of Colorado Denver prides itself on its diverse community, and strives to foster an environment of inclusion. Students interested in applying for admissions to the University of Colorado Denver may review requirements through the Office of Admissions. Upon being admitted to CU Denver, registration advance payments are waived for eligible undocumented students. Students interested in learning about residency requirements may visit the Future Student Residency page.

AS​SET

Advancing Students for a Stronger Tomorrow (ASSET) allows eligible undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at Colorado’s public colleges and universities, receive the College Opportunity Fund Stipend, and receive state financial aid if eligible based on need. Students who attended a Colorado high school for at least one year before graduation or were physically present in Colorado for at least one year immediately preceding the date they completed a high school equivalency examination in Colorado; AND have been physically present in Colorado for at least 12 consecutive months before enrolling in an institution of higher education will qualify for ASSET status.

DACA

Students who hold a status of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and can demonstrate Colorado domicile may qualify for in-state tuition.  Please visit CU Denver’s residency page to learn how to establish a Colorado domicile.

Please note: 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 Resources

Based on classification, various types of aid are available!

    Once admitted to CU Denver​, ASSET students should apply for College Opportunity Fund (COF). COF is a state benefit that reduces the amount of undergraduate in-state tuition students pay. 

    Applicants who do not have a social security number (SSN), or who elect not to provide their SSN, will apply for a unique COF ID. To associate funds to the correct student account, students need to provide their COF ID to the Registrar’s Office. Students are required to authorize the funds to be applied to their tuition through their CU Access portal.

    To authorize the COF:

    • Log into your CU Access Portal
    • In your “Student Center”, select “Student Account”
    • Click “COF Authorization/Review”
    • Follow the instructions to authorize or edit the College Opportunity Fund

    ASSET

    Although students with ASSET status don’t qualify for federal financial aid, student with need may qualify for Colorado state aid. Undergraduate students may qualify to receive Colorado Student Grant and graduate students may qualify to receive Colorado Graduate Grant. To determine your eligibility for Colorado state aid, complete the applicable form below. The priority CASFA date for grant aid is March 1st. We also encourage you to apply for scholarships.

    Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA)
    Aplicación de Ayuda Financiera Estatal de Colorado

    DACA

    Although students with DACA status who do not also have ASSET status cannot qualify to receive Colorado state or federal aid, we encourage you to apply for scholarships to assist with your educational costs.

    The CU Denver Scholarship Universe Application is available October 1 of each year, with rolling deadlines beginning March 1. Many of our scholarships do not require U.S. citizenship. In addition to scholarships that do not require U.S. citizenship, students with a status of ASSET will be considered for scholarships available only to Colorado residents.

    Step 1

    Many scholarships are need-based. If you do not qualify for federal student aid because of citizenship status, please complete the Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA)

    All students who are not eligible for federal student aid due to citizenship status (ASSET, DACA, or otherwise undocumented) may complete the CASFA to have their level of need determined for scholarships.

    Step 2

    Log into our Scholarship Universe Application using your university login credentials. Once you have completed the General Application, scholarships for which you are eligible to apply will display.