New Student Financial Aid Process

Financial Resources for New Students

You are considering becoming a student in CCU’s College of Adult and Graduate Studies and are excited about the education you’ll receive, the experiences you’ll have, and the opportunities available to you.

CCU’s Service Central office is ready to assist you in securing all available financial resources to make your educational goals a reality. CCU administers a comprehensive program of federal, state and institutional financial aid.

Financial assistance is money that comes in these forms:

  • Grants which do not have to be repaid
  • Loans which do have to be repaid
  • CCU Scholarships which do not have to be repaid
  • Outside Scholarships which do not have to be repaid

Students with financial aid may receive any combination of these forms of assistance. You must be enrolled in an eligible degree or academic program to be considered for federal financial aid.

If you are a current member or veteran of the United States military please see our military website for additional information.

To apply for federal and state financial aid, follow the steps outlined in the pages below. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call Service Central to speak with a service specialist at 303-963-3040 or email FinancialAidSupport@ccu.edu.

  • The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) determines your eligibility for federal and state grants and loans. If you are starting Spring 2024, complete the 2023-24 FAFSA. If you are starting Summer 2024, Fall 2024 or Spring 2025, complete the 2024-25 FAFSA.

    Before you Start
    • Access the FAFSA. This is a free application.
    • Have your Social Security Number and driver’s license (if available) ready.
    • Have current bank statements and business/investment records ready, as well as wage and income information.
    • Create a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID number, which will be used as an electronic signature to verify your identity when you submit the FAFSA.
    Filling out the FAFSA
    • Follow the instructions provided for each FAFSA question.
    • If you did not file a tax return for the relevant tax year, you will need W-2s and other appropriate income documentation to complete the FAFSA.
    • Always round to the nearest dollar and do not use commas or decimal points.
    • When asked to list the school code, CCU’s school code is 009401.
    • List an email address you check frequently as you will receive communication at this address from FAFSA.
    After Submitting the FAFSA
    • Keep a copy of the submission confirmation page for your personal records, as well as a copy of the FAFSA Submission Summary that will be emailed to you.
    • CCU will email you to acknowledge receipt of the FAFSA and provide details on additional actions that are required to process the FAFSA information.
    • Submit additional information that is required. If the Department of Education has selected your FAFSA for verification, complete the verification process.
  • If the Department of Education has selected your FAFSA for a process called verification you will be notified on your FAFSA Submission Summary. You will need to submit additional documentation to the Student Financial Services. Only if you have been selected for verification do you need to submit verification documents. Please do not complete the verification process if you have not been selected for verification.

    CCU’s financial aid verification process is completed entirely online through the Verify My FAFSA system. Minimum additional documentation includes IRS tax transcripts for you and your spouse, and a verification worksheet completed and signed by you and your spouse. Additional information can be found on the Financial Aid Documents web page. Please select the relevant academic year for the FAFSA you’ve completed and click on “Verification”.

    If you have been selected for verification, an e-mail will be sent to you, requesting that you log into your Self-Service Student account, and select Financial Aid. In Self-Service Financial Aid you will be directed to the Verify My FAFSA online platform. In Verify My FAFSA you will see tasks that must be completed. Click on each section to see what information and/or documents are required for that particular task.

    When you have completed each task you will submit your completed verification documents for review to the Student Financial Services processing team. You will receive correspondence about any details of your documents that may need to be corrected.

    No federal or state financial aid will be awarded to a student until verification has been completed. Students receiving federal direct subsidized or unsubsidized loans or state aid must provide these documents prior to the last date of attendance during the award year. Verification must be completed before a loan may be originated.

    1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible. The FAFSA determines your eligibility for federal and state grants and loans.
    2. If you’ve been selected for the verification process, complete verification through the Verify My FAFSA  system.
    3. Complete the Adult Undergraduate Admission process or Graduate Program Admission process as quickly as possible. Your file cannot be reviewed for awarding unless you are admitted to an eligible degree or academic program.
    4. Once you are awarded financial aid, log into Self-Service Financial Aid and view the aid that is available to you. You will receive an email advising you of your award. You need to accept or decline your awards in Self-Service Financial Aid. Only accept the amount of student loans you need for educational purposes.
    5. Go to the U.S. Department of Education Direct Loans site and sign your Master Promissory Note.
    6. Go to the U.S. Department of Education Direct Loans site and complete and Entrance Counseling interview.
    7. Submit a Colorado Residency form online if you are an undergraduate student and have been awarded a Colorado State grant.
    8. Submit a COF stipend application if you’ve been awarded a College Opportunity Fund grant.
    9. Check your CCU student email inbox regularly for correspondence regarding the financial aid process.
    10. Check your current CCU account information in Self-Service Student Finance, and tuition and fees information for your academic program.
    11. Investigate other sources of aid, particularly outside scholarships. Many of these scholarships are available to adult and graduate students.
    12. Keep copies of all information you fill out and submit to CCU, including your FAFSA. Additional information regarding financial aid at CCU can be found in the Financial Aid Handbook and at CAGS Financial Aid.
    13. Remember that you must be enrolled in an eligible degree or academic program and maintain good academic standing. To fully earn your aid you must participate in all registered classes, and for most federal aid you must be registered at least half-time. Financial aid funds must only be used for education-related expenses.
    14. Contact FinancialAidSupport@ccu.edu or call 303-963-3040 for financial aid answers, advice and additional information.

Contact Info

  • Service Central

    Phone: 303-963-3040
    or 844-25-START
    Fax: 303-963-3231
    Email: financialaidsupport@ccu.edu