The University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver) provides an innovative, enriching education in an accessible urban environment.
Established for nearly 50 years, the university welcomes over 15,000 students from 130 countries. It promotes a culture of inclusion and diversity to provide an inspirational learning experience.
University of Colorado – Denver
Table of Contents
Overview :
The university is ranked in the top 300 of universities in the World University Rankings 2020.
Located on the Auraria Campus in the vibrant downtown of the city of Denver, Colorado, “CU in the City” boasts over 1,138 faculty members, making it the most diverse research university in the state.
CU Denver offers over 150 programs in areas including STEM, Art, Design & Innovation, Business, Industry & Commerce, Human Studies & Social Justice, Health & Medicine, and Language, Literature & the Humanities. CU in the City has more than 40 specialized accreditations across its eight schools and colleges. This includes AACSB accreditation for its business school and ABET accreditation for its College of Engineering, Design, and Computing.
Ranked in the top 100 of Best Graduate Schools (U.S. News 2022), over 100,000 students have graduated from CU Denver. The university boasts a globally successful alumni network and regularly collaborates with local businesses to provide unique opportunities for students.
Denver provides an exciting student experience, with over 200 parks to explore, the “best trail system” in the nation and a thriving city. Students are also well connected to other states, with a large international airport nearby for further travelling.
University ranking
Academic Ranking of World Universities
QS World University Rankings
2022
2021
2020
2023
2022
2021
201
201
201
428
414
398
– 14
– 16
Graduate outcome
Nine of CU Denver’s graduate programs were ranked in the top 100 of graduate schools by the latest U.S News and World Report. This includes CU Denver’s School of Education & Human Development (85th), Bioengineering (89th) and School of Public Affairs (28th). This same ranking also placed five of the university’s programs within the top 50.
Upon graduation, international students can also take advantage of Optional Practical Training (OPT) and STEM OPT to further develop their skills.
Within one year of graduation, 84 per cent of CU Denver graduates are in employment. 67 per cent of which have stayed in Colorado.
Its alumni community are made up of over 110,000 graduates. Ten years after graduation, eight per cent of CU Denver students earn more than their peers who study four-year degrees at other Colorado-based institutions.
What’s new
Rankings
University of Colorado Denver was recently ranked 198th in the U.S. Rankings, and in the top 300 of universities in the 2020 World University Rankings.
The university was also recognised by the U.S. News and World Report rankings as 113th in their public universities list. This same ranking placed several of CU Denver’s programs in the top 100 for Best Graduate Schools 2022. Programs in this ranking include its School of Education & Human Development (85th), Bioengineering (89th), School of Public Affairs (28th) and its Business School was ranked 100th in America, making it the second-best public business school in Colorado.
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New City Heights Residence Hall!
The City Heights Residence Hall offers first-year students an affordable, home away from home. The gathering areas, dining options, and student access to academic support, as well as a variety of co-curricular services, support all students and help them build new connections with each other, faculty, and staff.
Investments and Plans
University of Colorado Denver will be investing over USD 4 million into work surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion. This initiative will allow it to become an equity-serving university by 2030. Dedicated to continually serving the needs of learners and employers over a lifetime, the university’s “Make Education Work for All” plan would see the institution become completely accessible for everyone.
Along its path to becoming an equity-serving institution, CU Denver reached the threshold to be considered both a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI). CU Denver is the first research university in the state to attain such statuses. To qualify as an HSI, a university must have undergraduate full-time enrolment that is comprised of at least 25% Hispanic students and 10% for AANAPISI.
Finances :
How much will it cost?
Average tuition fees per year
US$34,110
US$19,995
US$14,940
US$9,804
Undergraduate
Postgraduate
Living costs
To live on campus
Scholarship & funding
The University of Colorado Denver offers several scholarships and funding options to international students, as well as on-campus employment opportunities. Scholarships available include:
International Undergraduate Scholarships
The University of Colorado Denver offers a wide variety of financial aid and scholarship opportunities for international undergraduate students. The university is committed to supporting students’ long-term academic and personal success at CU Denver, including their financial well-being.
International Admissions offer automatic merit-based scholarships and additional funding through donor awards and need-based grants. Additionally, students can apply for program-specific and external scholarships. Scholarships can be combined with employment opportunities and other financial resources to contribute to your cost of attendance.
Types of scholarships available:
Automatic Merit Scholarships (up to USD 10,000 per year)
Additional Merit Scholarship & Needs-Based Grants (up to USD 20,000 per year – application required)
University Honors and Leadership Scholarship (USD 2,500 per year – application required)
Program-Specific Scholarships (up to USD 2,500 per year)
External Scholarships (Application required)
Business School Scholarship
Awards up to USD 1,500 per semester to eligible students studying at the CU Denver business school.
Students can also apply for external scholarships, including government-awarded funding and loan programs from their home country.
For more information on internal or external funding options, students can visit the university’s website or contact the financial aid and scholarships office.
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Campus and facilities :
Facilities
The University of Colorado Denver has a range of high-quality facilities on its campus.
Its Auraria Campus boasts modern classrooms for academic learning, as well as its comprehensive Auraria Library. The library provides access to thousands of books and virtual resources, as well as study and group meeting rooms. Other facilities in the library include a coffee shop, digital media studio and an Innovation Garage with 3D printing and other creative technology software.
There is also a dedicated Strauss Health Sciences library for students on the Anschutz medical campus.
The university has a variety of wellness and recreational facilities. Spread across three levels, The Wellness Center houses modern facilities for exercising, socializing, studying and relaxing. This includes:
Climbing wall
Fitness area (including cardio equipment and strength training machines)
Four large study rooms (including TVs and lounge furniture)
Private workout areas
Six-lane 25-yard swimming pool and warm spa
Student kitchen
The Den – Lounge, study space and gaming area
Three full-size gym courts
Two large fitness studios for group classes
Weightlifting platforms and training spaces
Wellness Suite (includes reflection rooms, food pantry and a nap room)
The university also has an art gallery housed in Denver’s oldest church and synagogue.
The students’ union also houses a wide variety of facilities including a bookshop, dining areas, student lounges and brewery.
Student Support
From the first day on campus, students are offered a variety of support services.
Career Advice
LynxConnect is a brand-new center which helps students develop and work towards their future goals. Its experts provide internships and campus employment opportunities, as well as exploring career options with students.
Disability Resources & Services
The Office of Disability Resources and Services are dedicated to ensuring all students have an inclusive experience at CU Denver. They remove any barriers that may stop students from fully participating in both academic and social activities.
English as a Second Language Academy
The university’s ESL academy helps international students to improve their English Language skills. Available both on and off-campus, the faculty to student ratio is 15:1, creating an environment of personalised support. The ESL academy runs five intensive terms a year, each lasting eight weeks.
International Student & Scholar Services
CU Denver’s International Student & Scholar Services (ISSS) help international students become active participants of the university’s community.
The team provide essential pre-departure advice to help students feel prepared for university life, including creating checklists. It also offers a comprehensive orientation program before classes begin, as well as advice with immigration and visa issues.
Learning Resources Center
A learning hub for students, the center provides a range of educational services. This includes:
Academic support programs
Individual peer tutoring
Intense preparation programmes (where students can get support on key elements of their course)
Interactive study sessions and workshops
Wellbeing
The friendly team at the CU Denver Student and Community Counseling Center provide confidential counseling services. Led by trained specialists, support includes crisis sessions with a licensed clinician and regularly therapy sessions.
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Student safety
Safety on campus is incredibly important to University of Colorado Denver. It implements several safety initiatives to ensure students and staff are safe.
The university has its own full-service police department who attend emergencies on campus and respond to crime reports. Run by 28 full-time law enforcement officers, the team are all Colorado P.O.S.T. certified and hold police commissions with the State of Colorado The University Police Department. This team is supported by seven security officers.
Students can also request a free safety escort from the university’s police department if they wish to be accompanied through the campus at night.
The university police will also provide free jump-start services to student’s vehicles, and this is available 24 hours a day at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus.
