FAQs

What is the cost to attend the University of Northern Colorado?

A. It depends on many variables. At www.unco.edu/costs, you can see a breakdown by credit hour, resident/nonresident, undergraduate and graduate, other fees and room and board.

What is the tuition-setting process for the University of Northern Colorado? 

A. The University of Northern Colorado (UNC) tuition rate is determined by the Board of Trustees (BOT) after reviewing recommendations from the President and administration.

The Board's policy on the Tuition and Fee Process states that:

1-1-203(1) President Duties and Responsibilities. The President shall have the following specific duties and responsibilities, as well as others as may be assigned by the BOT from time to time:

(k) recommend to the BOT the establishment of tuition and fees;

Tuition and mandatory enrollment fees are discussed annually by the Board, at the Finance and Audit Committee meeting in February and officially approved with the fiscal year budget in June. When setting tuition and fees, the Board considers a number of factors, including the desire to provide access to degree programs, create a diverse student body, maintain strong degree programs at every level, and develop and maintain the human and physical infrastructure necessary to support UNC’s educational outcome goals.

Undergraduate

• What is tuition for a full-time student?

  A. An in-state student enrolled in 15 credit hours per semester will pay $4,523.25 per semester during the 2024-25 academic year (after a College Opportunity Fund (COF) stipend has been applied – more about COF below).  A nonresident student enrolled in 15 credit hours will pay $12,062.25 a semester.

• What fees apply to all students?

  A. All students pay a student activity fee ($66.46 per credit hour up to 10 credit hours per semester), Leadership for Environmental Action Fund (LEAF) fee ($1.00 per credit hour up to 10 credit hours per semester), technology and capital fee ($54.31 per credit hour up to 10 credit hours per semester).

• What do those fees cover?
  • Student Services Fee:
    • Student services and support are funded by this portion of the Student Fees.
      The services funded include, but are not limited to:
      • Athletic Events
      • Asian Pacific-American Student Services
      • Performing Arts Events
      • Student Clubs & Organizations
      • César Chávez Cultural Center
      • Gender and Sexuality Resource Center
      • Student Government Association
      • Marcus Garvey Cultural Center
      • Club Sports

      • Native American Student Services
      • Outdoor Pursuits
      • UNC Counseling Center
      • Catalyst Social Justice Retreat
      • Student Newspaper - The Mirror
      • International Film Series
      • Fraternity & Sorority Life
      • Office of Global Engagement

      • University Program Council
      • Campus Bike Program
      • Bear Bus/Boomerang
      • Campus Recreation Center
      • Office of Health Promotion
      • Graduate Student Association
      • Office of Student Engagement
  • LEAF Fee: The Student Leadership for Environmental Action Fund (Student LEAF) is intended to move the campus community toward a sustainability-minded culture. This fund finances environmental improvements in campus infrastructure and educational initiatives. Student LEAF is managed by a committee led by students, staff and faculty representation. A student fee of $1 per credit hour up to 10 credit hours each semester (up to $20 per a traditional academic year) sustains the fund. The savings generated from the projects are being reinvested in ways that are directly visible to the student body. To be eligible, projects must seek to improve campus resource efficiency, strengthen the community, and provide practical career experiences for students. For example, a project might be proposed to fund and/or include academic involvement in developing a highly efficient irrigation system.
  • Technology Fee: Used for equipping new smart classrooms, staffing and maintaining computer labs, and providing students access to academic software.
  • Capital: The Student Capital Fee supports bonded facility debt service and facility operations as well as capital repair and replacement. Per credit hour charges are assessed for credits enrolled in from 1 through 10.
• What other academic fees are there?

  A. There are assessment, course, participation and supervision fees depending on the course. Courses that charge these fees cost more to deliver either because of required consumables (e.g., lab materials), field trips, individualized instruction (e.g., clinical supervision for Nursing students, student teaching for teacher candidates). There are also program fees which augment funding of the delivery of high cost programs (Music, Theatre, and Art in CPVA and the Nursing Program in NHS). Expenses covered include, but are not limited to, supplies, repair and replacement of instruments, equipment.

• What about differential tuition?

  A. Differential tuition covers non-liberal arts core courses in Sciences/SES/Art, Business, Nursing, Music, Theatre and Dance. It ranges by credit hour to deliver these courses in programs that are in high demand and require a greater investment to deliver. See the differential tuition page for details.

• Does financial aid cover differential tuition?

  A. Yes, financial aid is based upon an estimated total cost of attending (COA) UNC including an amount for average differential tuition minus the expected family contribution (EFC) as determined by your financial aid application (FAFSA). If you discover your differential tuition costs are higher than the average amount used in your COA, you should contact the Office of Financial Aid to see if an adjustment is possible.

• What is the Non-Refundable New Student Success Fee?
  A. One-time non-refundable $260 “Student Success Fee” which is charged to all new students, whether first-time or transfer. This covers programs and services that are critical to a student’s successful transition to an academic career at UNC. One of the most obvious components to a successful transition is our orientation program. The program includes learning about UNC resources, hearing expectations as member of the institution, meeting with faculty and staff, selecting courses, and registering for classes. Other components include:advising related to a student’s academic goals, aptitudes and career goals ( which is different than faculty advising about specific courses to take) on-going assessment and development of programs that are specifically designed to help students effectively navigate the transition from the mode of learning at a high school or community college and the mode of learning necessary to be successful at a University. Examples include the development of the University 101 first year seminar and appropriate placement in foundational courses like math and English.
• What are other costs to attend?
  A. It varies depending on whether students reside on campus, take a meal plan or purchase a parking permit. You can see a breakdown of the costs by going to the Other fees page.
• Where can I find out more about how fees are used?
  A. An explanation of how fees are used is on the How fees are used page.
• What is the COF stipend?
  A. COF stands for College Opportunity Fund and applies per-credit funding from the state to help off-set tuition for eligible in-state students. Colorado undergraduate residents are eligible. If the student has applied and authorized, $116 per credit hour will appear on the statement.
• Where can I get more information about financial aid opportunities?
  A. Financial aid opportunities can be found on the web at www.unco.edu/ofa or you can can speak directly to a UNC financial aid representative by calling 970-351-4UNC.
• Does UNC have a payment plan?
  A. UNC's monthly pay plan allows you to pay your bill in easy monthly installments
  rather than in one lump sum. This plan includes your tuition, room and board, and
  all university fees. More information on this plan can be found at the following website www.unco.edu/acctservices/ftp/bursar/bearpayENG.pdf.

Graduate

• What are tuition and fees to attend graduate school?

  A. They vary by program. You can see a breakdown at www.unco.edu/costs.

• Why is graduate tuition adjusted differently each year?

  A. Graduate courses are more expensive to deliver than undergraduate courses. Typically, class sizes are smaller and faculty are required to provide more out-of-class support for student research. Master’s and doctoral tuition is also differentiated to match cost of delivery.