Financial Aid

CCD.edu/FinAid  |  303.556.5503  |  Confluence Building, Room 120

Cost of Attendance

Cost of Attendance (COA) includes actual educational expenses (tuition, fees, books and supplies) and estimated living expenses (room and board, transportation, medical and personal expenses based on Colorado Department of Higher Education guidelines). Your financial aid cannot exceed the COA and there is no guarantee that your financial aid will cover all costs.

Sample Budget (actual amounts are subject to change)

Resident Per Year Per Month
Living with parents $16,709 $1,857
Living away from parents $24,044 $3,005
Non-Resident Per Year Per Month
Living with parents $27,797 $3,089
Living away from parents $35,132 $3,904

You may request budget increases for certain expenses such as child care, a one-time computer purchase or for medical expenses by contacting Financial Aid and Scholarships. Such requests, if granted, do not guarantee the availability of additional funds.

What is the CASFA?

CCD uses the Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA) to determine eligibility for some forms of financial aid for undocumented students. Students eligible for an ASSET tuition classification may be eligible for state funded financial aid, including the Colorado State Grant and Work-Study (if DACA). Some State funding is limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. For this reason, CCD encourages you to apply early each year.

Eligibility for Aid

In order to determine eligibility, submit the FAFSA following the application process provided below. To be eligible, you must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Be a citizen or eligible non-citizen of the United States.
  • Be accepted for admission at CCD in a degree or eligible certificate program.
  • Have a high school diploma, GED or foreign school equivalent. (Students who first enrolled in a program of study prior to July 1, 2012 may qualify under previously existing rules for meeting ability to benefit criteria. Please check with the Financial Aid office for any questions about this eligibility status.)
  • Be registered with Selective Service (male students only).
  • Be in good standing at the college and meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements (see below).
  • Not be in default on a student loan or owe a repayment of a federal grant.

Other factors that impact eligibility:

  • Students enrolled in programs that require fewer than 16 credits of coursework are not eligible for financial aid.
  • Students who have attempted more than 30 developmental education credits are not eligible for financial aid for additional developmental coursework.
  • Students who have attempted a course more than twice may not be eligible to receive financial aid for the same course a third time and are encouraged to contact the Financial Aid office to determine eligibility.

Eligibility for Non-Citizens

To qualify for financial aid as a non-citizen, you must be able to provide documentation of one of the following to the Financial Aid office:

  • An Alien Registration Receipt Card (I-151 or I-551) or a Conditional Permanent Resident Card (I-151C)
  • An Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the Department of Homeland Security showing any one of the following designations:
    • Refugee, asylum granted
    • Cuban-Haitian entrant
    • Indefinite parole
    • Citizen of the Freely Associated States – Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau (considered for grant aid and federal aid only).
    • Students attending CCD under DACA or ASSET do not qualify for federal financial aid but are encouraged to apply for scholarships at CCD. See CCD.edu/DREAMers for more information.
    • Students attending under ASSET may qualify for state aid. They must complete the Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA) at https://cdhesnapprod.regenteducation.net/  

FAFSA Application Process

  1. Create an FSA ID at studentaid.gov.  The FSA ID must be used each year to electronically sign the FAFSA. A dependent student must also have a parent apply for the FSA ID.
  2. Complete the FAFSA online at studentaid.gov. The FAFSA becomes available on October 1 each year for the following fall, spring and summer semesters. You are advised to link your FAFSA to the IRS when possible.
    1. Students who do not elect the "Link to the IRS" option may be required to submit a copy of federal tax return transcripts to the Financial Aid office.
    2. In order to send the FAFSA to CCD, use CCD’s school code: 009542.
  3. After completing the FAFSA, the Federal Processor will send the student a Student Aid Report (SAR), outlining each response provided on the FAFSA. If necessary, you can use the FSA ID to make corrections to the FAFSA online.
  4. When CCD receives your FAFSA, the Financial Aid office will send you an email letting informing you of additional required documentation before being awarded financial aid at CCD. This information will also be available online through CCDConnect.
    1. All required documentation must be submitted by April 15 in order for you to be considered for priority awarding of first-come, first-served funding, including some grants, scholarships and work-study funds.
  5. When your file is completed with Financial Aid and Scholarships, you will receive an award notice. This information will also be available online through CCDConnect.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

CCD.edu/SAP

Federal regulations require all financial aid recipients to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in order to receive financial aid. In order to maintain SAP standards at CCD, you must earn a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA, complete at least 67 percent of your overall attempted coursework, and complete at least one attempted credit each attending semester. SAP standards also require you to complete your degree/program within 150 percent of the published length of the program. All credit hours taken at CCD, including all credits attempted when not receiving financial aid and all transfer hours, are included in determining your SAP status. If determined ineligible for aid, you may appeal to have aid reinstated at the Financial Aid office.

Repayment of Aid

Complete Return to Title IV Policy  |  CCD.edu/Title-IV

You are only eligible to receive aid for courses in which you establish attendance. If you do not establish attendance in a course and/or fail to drop a course before the published census date, you may be charged tuition and fees. You may also be required to repay any aid released. Corequisite courses may also be dropped if non-attendance is reported for either course.

You may be required to repay a portion of any financial aid received to CCD and/or the U.S. Department of Education if you do not complete at least one credit hour for each part of term. If CCD reports an amount owed to the U.S. Department of Education, you will not be eligible to receive aid at any institution until the funds are repaid in full.