Community College of Denver

About Community College of Denver

Community College of Denver operates as a distinct public college within the Colorado Community College System. CCD is accredited as an institution by the Higher Learning Commission, and its active 2026–2027 catalog confirms that it awards college degrees. The institution was created by the Colorado legislature in 1967, began offering classes in north Denver, and moved to the Auraria Higher Education Center in 1975. CCD’s main setting is unusual for a community college. The Auraria Campus is shared with Metropolitan State University of Denver and the University of Colorado Denver. The three institutions share facilities that include a library, student union, health center, recreation resources, and performing-arts spaces. CCD nevertheless remains a separate institution with its own admissions process, curriculum, student services, and credentials. It also teaches at specialized Denver-area locations, including the Advanced Manufacturing Center and the Center for Health Sciences at Lowry. Prospective students should understand CCD as both a transfer college and a career-preparation institution. Its catalog includes general and designated-transfer associate degrees, applied degrees, certificates, and selected bachelor’s programs. This mix can suit recent high-school graduates, working adults, career changers, transfer students, and learners seeking shorter occupational credentials. Because requirements, instructional locations, and admission procedures differ by program, students should use the 2026–2027 catalog and consult an academic adviser before selecting a pathway.

CCD uses an open-enrollment model for general college admission. Its admissions office states that applicants who are at least 17 years old and submit the free online application are automatically accepted, after which the college sends a student identification number and portal instructions. Enrollment then involves additional steps such as identity verification, advising, placement or course-readiness work where applicable, financial arrangements, and registration. Applicants younger than 17 and concurrent-enrollment students follow separate processes. Open enrollment does not mean unrestricted entry into every course or academic program. Selective health and technical programs may require prerequisite courses, separate applications, documented competencies, or cohort-specific procedures. Students should use the applicable 2026–2027 program page and not rely solely on general college acceptance. International applicants seeking F-1 status use CCD’s international process and must select an eligible associate-degree objective, submit required immigration and financial documentation, and demonstrate English proficiency through an accepted method. CCD currently publishes separate deadlines for applicants requesting a new I-20 and those transferring an I-20 from another US institution. Because those deadlines recur by semester rather than being labeled for a single admission year, applicants should confirm them with International Student Services before acting. Other noncitizen categories, including permanent residents, refugees, asylees, and eligible undocumented students, are directed to the relevant general or specialized enrollment route rather than automatically being treated as F-1 applicants.

CCD’s 2026–2027 catalog organizes its offerings around transfer, applied learning, and workforce preparation. Students can pursue Associate of Arts and Associate of Science routes designed for further study, Associate of Applied Science programs oriented toward employment, an Associate of General Studies, certificates, and selected bachelor’s degrees. The catalog lists more than 100 degree and certificate options across 45 programs of study. Transfer-oriented subjects include areas such as biology, business, chemistry, communication, criminal justice, economics, education, engineering, English, history, mathematics, political science, psychology, and sociology. CCD participates in statewide transfer arrangements and also publishes institution-specific pathways. Transferability is not automatic for every course or applied degree, so students should build their schedules with an adviser and verify requirements at their intended four-year institution. Career and technical study spans health sciences, behavioral health, business, information technology, cybersecurity, architectural technology, graphic design, welding, machining, paralegal studies, recording arts, and other fields. The bachelor’s offerings listed for 2026–2027 include applied programs in behavioral health, business administration, cannabis science and operations, dental hygiene, and healthcare informatics, as well as an LPN-to-BSN nursing pathway. Some health and technical programs use selective admission, prerequisites, location-specific instruction, or professional requirements beyond general college admission. Applicants should therefore consult the individual program page rather than assuming that open enrollment guarantees entry to a particular cohort.

Key Highlights

• Public college in the Colorado Community College System
• Institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission
• Founded through Colorado legislation in 1967
• Main location on Denver’s three-institution Auraria Campus

Student Life & Environment

Student life is centered primarily on the shared Auraria Campus. CCD students use major common facilities alongside students from Metropolitan State University of Denver and the University of Colorado Denver, including the Auraria Library, Tivoli Student Union, campus health services, and recreation resources. This arrangement provides access to a broader campus environment, although students remain members of CCD and should confirm eligibility for particular shared activities or services. CCD’s Student Programming, Activities and Resource Center coordinates leadership opportunities, events, student organizations, and community-building programs. Current organization listings include academic, cultural, civic, wellness, and interest-based groups, and students may ask the college about establishing a new organization. The Student Government Association represents student concerns in college decision-making and offers another route into campus leadership. Support extends beyond extracurricular participation. CCD advertises free mental-health counseling for enrolled students and operates the Swooper Market food pantry for students experiencing food insecurity. Academic and personal support resources are especially relevant at a commuter-oriented urban college, where students may be balancing classes with employment or family responsibilities. Prospective students should review current office hours and eligibility rules directly because services and organization rosters can change during the academic year.

Location & Surroundings

CCD’s main Auraria Campus occupies a central Denver location near downtown and the meeting point of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River. The campus is shared with two four-year universities, creating a dense higher-education setting rather than a self-contained residential community-college campus. Downtown cultural venues, government and business districts, sports facilities, and public spaces are nearby, giving students access to potential employment, internship, and cultural opportunities. Bus and light-rail connections serve the Auraria area, and CCD publishes campus maps showing transit access, parking, accessible parking, food vendors, and major buildings. Students should still compare commuting time and parking costs when planning a schedule, particularly if courses meet at more than one location. Not every program is based entirely at Auraria. The Advanced Manufacturing Center, roughly four miles from the main campus, houses welding and machine-technology instruction. The Center for Health Sciences at Lowry supports health programs in east Denver. Applicants should check each course and program location before making housing or transportation decisions. CCD does not present the experience as a conventional residential campus, so students seeking nearby accommodation should investigate availability, price, and affiliation independently.

Costs & Career Outcomes

CCD publishes tuition by credit hour rather than as one universal annual price. For 2026–2027, the official schedule lists standard online tuition of $301.85 per credit for eligible Colorado residents using the College Opportunity Fund stipend and $417.85 without that stipend; the listed nonresident online rate is $460.30 per credit. Program, technology, differential, and other fees can apply, with separate rates for areas such as nursing, dental hygiene, WUE participation, and certain course types. Rates are subject to change, so students should calculate costs from their residency, delivery format, credit load, and exact schedule. The college’s cost-of-attendance page explains that financial-aid budgets include estimated housing and food, books and supplies, transportation, and personal expenses in addition to tuition. These budgets are planning figures rather than bills or promises of sufficient aid. Eligible students can pursue federal and state aid and CCD scholarships, while F-1 students are warned that they do not qualify for federal financial aid or statewide scholarships. Applicants should use CCD’s net-price calculator and seek an individualized aid offer before comparing options. For career development, CCD provides workshops, networking opportunities, employer engagement, and work-based learning. Students can use Handshake to search for jobs, internships, and career events, while the Riipen platform connects coursework with employer projects. Transfer students can also use CCD’s published articulation pathways. These services create access to opportunities but do not establish guaranteed employment, transfer admission, earnings, or placement outcomes.