Application Process

aerial shot of campus

Pursuing a graduate education is an important investment in your career, intellectual development, and personal growth. At the University of Denver, we make the graduate financial aid application process less intimidating by providing a step-by-step overview and highlighting resources to help you plan for the cost of attendance .

Steps to Apply

How to Apply for Financial Aid

Create a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID: Students sign up for a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID, which is used every year on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and Master Promissory Notes (MPNs) for federal student loans. Create an FSA ID
Complete the FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is used to determine eligibility for federal financial aid (including work-study) and is required if you wish to borrow federal student loans. DU's school code for the FAFSA is 001371. We highly recommend using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, which will quickly import your tax information directly into the FAFSA.

If you're starting in the spring or summer of 2024, submit the 2023-2024 FAFSA.
If you're starting in the fall of 2024 or later, submit the 2024-2025 FAFSA.

Anderson Academic Commons

Priority Deadlines

When to Submit Your FAFSA

Incoming students applying for fall admission : March 1
Incoming students applying for winter, spring, or summer admission : No priority deadline—students should apply as soon as possible.
Returning students : April 15

Why Apply by the Priority Deadline?

New students who submit the FAFSA by the priority deadline will receive a financial aid offer soon after an admission decision. If you miss the deadline, that's OK! You won't miss out on funding, but your financial aid offer may be delayed. Just be sure to submit your FAFSA as soon as possible.

When to Expect Your Financial Aid Offer

In order to receive a financial aid offer, you must be admitted to the University of Denver and have applied for aid.

Start Term	When to Expect Aid Offer
Summer 2024	Sent weekly to students who were recently admitted or submitted the FAFSA
Fall 2024 - Prospective students	Late April/Early May or soon after you're admitted (whichever comes later)
Fall 2024 - Current DU students	Early July

students walking on campus

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Completing the financial aid application process is not required to be considered for admission to the University of Denver.

No. Completing the financial aid application process is not required to be considered for a merit scholarship, assistantship or fellowship.

You can check your application status at any time by visiting My4D . It can take seven to 10 business days after receiving any application materials for DU to make an update. If you need help checking your financial aid status, review our step-by-step instructions .