How Need is Calculated
How Need is Calculated
After you have filed your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you will receive your Financial Aid Summary which will tell you your Student Aid Index (SAI). Your SAI and Your UCCS Cost of Attendance will determine the amount of financial aid you are eligible for.
How is my SAI calculated?
Your SAI is calculated using a formula established by the federal government. The information you provide on the FAFSA is used to calculate how much you (and your parent(s), if you are a dependent student) are expected to contribute to your educational cost.
Your SAI is used to determine if you are eligible for need-based aid.
Cost of Attendance (COA)
Each year the Financial Aid Office creates budgets reflecting the average cost for resident and non-resident students as well as WUE and Presidential residency statuses, to attend UCCS for one academic year. Your COA includes estimates of tuition, fees, books, course materials, supplies and equipment, food and housing, transportation, and other miscellaneous charges.
Your cost of attendance is an estimate!
Your actual billed tuition and fees will not match the averages used for the cost of attendance calculation. If you would like to calculate your tuition and fees for a term, visit the Student Financial Services Bill Estimator.
The estimated financial aid budget that is included in your award notification reflects full-time enrollment. If you will be enrolled less than full time for your program of study, please contact our office.
Note: The total Cost of Attendance reflects the maximum amount of financial aid you may receive for the period covered by financial aid award offer.
Cost of Attendance Calculation - Fillable Chart
To calculate your own COA, fill in the chart below using information from the Cost of Attendance Calculation charts further down on this page.
Category | Amount Fall Semester | Amount Spring Semester | Total for Academic Year |
Tuition and Fees | $ | $ | $ |
Books, course materials, supplies and equipment | $ | $ | $ |
Food and Housing | $ | $ | $ |
Average Loan Fees | $ | $ | $ |
Personal Expenses | $ | $ | $ |
Transportation | $ | $ | $ |
Total | $ | $ | $ |
Cost of Attendance Values Chart
The following values are used to calculate your cost of attendance. To find your cost of attendance, sum the appropriate values in each category below.
These values represent the cost of a single term of enrollment, so multiply by two to estimate costs for the entire academic year.
July 2025 - July 2026
Tuition and Fees (per semester) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Residency and Level | Full-Time | Three-Quarter Time | Half-Time | Less-Than-Half-Time |
Resident Undergraduate | $6,100 | $4,248 | $2,832 | $1,416 |
Non-resident Undergraduate | $13,390 | $9,216 | $6,144 | $3,072 |
WUE Undergraduate | $10,900 | $7,533 | $5,022 | $2,511 |
Presidential Undergraduate | $7,250 | $5,265 | $3,510 | $1,755 |
Resident Graduate | $5,802 | $3,868 | $3,868 | $1,110 |
Non-Resident Graduate | $9,000 | $4,500 | $4,500 | $2,110 |
Books and Supplies (per semester) | ||||
All Students | $900 | $900 | $900 | $900 |
Food and Housing (per semester) | ||||
Off Campus or On Campus or With Parent | $8,390 | $8,390 | $8,390 | $8,390 |
Active Duty Off Campus or Active Duty With Parent | $2,360 | $2,360 | $2,360 | $2,360 |
Average Loan Fees (per semester)* | ||||
Graduate | $60 | $60 | $60 | - |
Undergraduate | $30 | $30 | $30 | - |
Personal Expenses (per semester) | ||||
All Students | $970 | $970 | $970 | - |
Transportation (per semester) | ||||
All Students | $774 | $774 | $774 | $774 |
*not included for non-Federal student loans borrowed by students
July 2024 - July 2025
Tuition and Fees (per semester) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Residency and Level | Full-Time | Three-Quarter Time | Half-Time | Less-Than-Half-Time |
Resident Undergraduate | $5,664 | $4,248 | $2,832 | $1,416 |
Non-resident Undergraduate | $12,288 | $9,216 | $6,144 | $3,072 |
WUE Undergraduate | $10,044 | $7,533 | $5,022 | $2,511 |
Presidential Undergraduate | $7,014 | $5,265 | $3,510 | $1,755 |
Resident Graduate | $5,802 | $3,868 | $3,868 | $1,110 |
Non-Resident Graduate | $9,000 | $4,500 | $4,500 | $2,110 |
Books and Supplies (per semester) | ||||
All Students | $900 | $900 | $900 | $900 |
Food and Housing (per semester) | ||||
Off Campus or On Campus or With Parent | $8,390 | $8,390 | $8,390 | $8,390 |
Active Duty Off Campus or Active Duty With Parent | $2,360 | $2,360 | $2,360 | $2,360 |
Average Loan Fees (per semester)* | ||||
Graduate | $60 | $60 | $60 | - |
Undergraduate | $30 | $30 | $30 | - |
Personal Expenses (per semester) | ||||
All Students | $970 | $970 | $970 | - |
Transportation (per semester) | ||||
All Students | $774 | $774 | $774 | $774 |
*not included for non-Federal student loans borrowed by students
How is my need calculated?
Need is calculated by subtracting your SAI from your determined UCCS Cost of Attendance.
Example: | ||
Budget | 28,860 | (average cost of attendance for In-State Freshman living in the dorms) |
SAI | – 1,200 | (determined by FAFSA information) |
Need | 27,660 | (the maximum amount of need-based aid you may receive) |