University of Colorado Denver

About University of Colorado Denver

University of Colorado Denver is the authorized name of a consolidated institution encompassing CU Denver and the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Its working name is University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus. The Higher Learning Commission reaffirmed the consolidated university’s accreditation in 2021, with its next comprehensive evaluation scheduled for 2030–31. CU Denver was officially founded as an independent campus in 1973; its Denver educational roots extend to an earlier University of Colorado extension operation. The two-campus structure is central to understanding the university. CU Denver’s campus occupies part of downtown Denver and the Auraria higher-education complex. It supports a broad urban university curriculum and serves students seeking bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, online, and continuing-education options. CU Anschutz is located separately in Aurora and concentrates on health-professions education, biomedical sciences, research, and clinical preparation. Its academic units include the School of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Dental Medicine, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Colorado School of Public Health, and Graduate School. Applicants should not treat the campuses as interchangeable. Program location, academic calendars, admission requirements, tuition, student services, and professional accreditation can differ by school and campus. The shared institutional identity can enable interdisciplinary connections, including health-related and cross-campus study, but students should evaluate the experience attached to their particular program rather than relying on university-wide descriptions.

CU Denver maintains distinct application routes for first-year, transfer, returning, online, graduate, international, and non-degree applicants. For undergraduate entry covered by the 2026–2027 catalog, complete materials were due July 31, 2026 for fall, January 4, 2027 for spring, and May 21, 2027 for summer. Because the current date is after the fall 2026 deadline, prospective undergraduates should verify whether a later term remains available rather than assuming late fall applications will be accepted. The university notes that deadlines may change with enrollment demand and that admission does not guarantee space in desired courses. Undergraduate review considers previous academic performance, evidence of academic ability and accomplishment, and indications of maturity, motivation, and potential for success. Requirements differ for first-year, transfer, international, and returning students, so applicants should follow the checklist for their category. International applicants must also meet documentation and immigration-related requirements through the international admissions process. Graduate admission at CU Denver is program-specific, and applicants should consult the relevant school or department for prerequisites, materials, deadlines, and entry terms. CU Anschutz admissions are even more decentralized: applicants apply through the appropriate professional school, college, graduate program, or centralized professional application service where required. Admission to one campus or program should not be assumed to provide entry to another.

The 2026–2027 catalog confirms degree study at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels, alongside professional degrees, certificates, microcredentials, and accelerated pathways. Downtown undergraduate offerings span fields such as accounting, architecture, anthropology, communication, data science, economics, English, engineering, mathematics, arts, education, and public affairs. Graduate options include accounting, anthropology, applied mathematics, architecture and planning, education, engineering, public administration, and other professional or research-oriented fields. The catalog, rather than a general marketing list, should be used to confirm whether a program is active for a student’s entry term. CU Anschutz provides the health-focused side of the institution. Its six schools and graduate units offer programs in medicine, dental medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public health, and biomedical or clinical sciences. The 2026–2027 catalog lists master’s and PhD programs such as biostatistics, cancer biology, clinical science, computational bioscience, and other specialized health-science fields, as well as professional qualifications. Admissions and curricular rules are commonly set by the relevant Anschutz school or program. CU Denver’s undergraduate curriculum combines a university core, a major, and electives. The core develops writing and mathematics proficiency, breadth of knowledge, critical thinking, and intercultural awareness. Students can also pursue minors, certificates, selected online programs, and 4+1 or other accelerated pathways where available. Undergraduate research support connects students with faculty-mentored research and creative work through advising, workshops, grants, fellowships, research jobs, and an annual symposium. Availability and eligibility vary, so students should verify current opportunities with the responsible office.

Key Highlights

• One HLC-accredited institution operating across the CU Denver and CU Anschutz campuses
• Authorized institutional name is University of Colorado Denver
• Officially founded as an independent CU campus in 1973
• Public member of the University of Colorado system

Student Life & Environment

Student life differs substantially between the two campuses. At CU Denver, students share the Auraria Campus with Metropolitan State University of Denver and the Community College of Denver. Shared facilities include the Tivoli Student Union, Auraria Library, recreation spaces, event venues, a bookstore, health services, and arts facilities. CU Denver’s Student Life office organizes campus activities, student organizations, leadership education, community engagement, and events through the MyLynx platform. This setting can provide a larger shared-campus environment, although CU Denver remains a separate institution with its own academic and student-support offices. CU Denver offers university housing rather than functioning solely as a commuter campus. Lynx Crossing provides furnished units with utilities, Wi-Fi, and laundry included in published 2026–2027 rates. Housing configurations and prices vary, and the university states that rates remain subject to change. Students should compare residence-hall arrangements with off-campus housing, commuting time, meal options, and transportation costs. Support resources include academic advising, career services, counseling, disability resources, case management, health services, international-student assistance, and first-year peer mentoring. CU Anschutz students use a separate set of campus-specific services, including its health-sciences library and student health provisions. Prospective students should check which recreational, housing, health, and organization options apply to their actual campus and program.

Location & Surroundings

CU Denver’s academic buildings occupy the Auraria Campus and nearby downtown Denver locations. Auraria is shared by three separate institutions and sits close to Denver’s central business district, cultural venues, sports facilities, and employers. Multiple light-rail stations and bus stops serve the area, while bicycle and paid parking options are also available. The setting is particularly practical for students combining study with downtown employment, internships, public-service work, or cultural activities. Auraria’s shared layout requires some orientation: services and buildings may be operated by CU Denver, another institution, or the separate Auraria Higher Education Center. Students should confirm where classes, advising, laboratories, and student services are located. The campus also occupies land formerly forming the largely Hispanic Auraria neighborhood, whose residents were displaced during redevelopment in the 1970s—an important part of the site’s history. CU Anschutz is not downtown. It is located in Aurora, east of central Denver, within a specialized academic medical environment. Students in Anschutz programs should base housing and transportation decisions on the Aurora location rather than CU Denver’s downtown address.

Costs & Career Outcomes

CU Denver tuition depends on Colorado residency, credit load, and the school or college offering each course. Mandatory and program-specific fees may also apply. The university explains that its Board of Regents establishes tuition and fees and may change rates, so applicants should use the current tuition tables and a program-specific cost estimate rather than a single university-wide figure. Eligible Colorado resident undergraduates may reduce tuition through the College Opportunity Fund, but they must meet eligibility and authorization requirements. For international downtown undergraduates, official 2026–2027 planning estimates range from $60,852 to $63,062 for nine months at 12 credits per semester, depending on the school or program. These estimates include tuition, fees, living expenses, books, insurance, and other planned costs; they do not apply to domestic students or CU Anschutz programs. International graduate estimates span a much wider range because program structures differ. Anschutz tuition and cost of attendance are published by individual school and program, and some degree-seeking students face health-insurance requirements unless an approved waiver applies. CU Denver housing also varies by room type. For 2026–2027, published Lynx Crossing semester rates include utilities, Wi-Fi, and laundry but remain subject to change. Financial aid, scholarships, work opportunities, and payment plans should be reviewed individually. Career preparation is supported through downtown employer connections, internships, apprenticeships, undergraduate research, and career services, but outcomes depend on field, experience, licensure, and local labor conditions; no institution-wide salary claim should guide a decision.