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CAGS Financial Information

  • Payment

  • Financial Aid

  • Maintaining Eligibility for Financial Aid (Satisfactory Academic Progress)

Payment

All charges for tuition and fees are due in full by the first day of the semester or upon registration if registering after the first day of the semester. Students unable to pay the full amount may utilize financial aid and/or participate in a monthly payment plan offered through the University if eligible. More detailed information about these payment methods is available on the CAGS Payment Options page.

Students whose accounts are not paid in full or who are not enrolled in one of our payment options may be restricted from attending class, and will not be allowed to register for the following semester. Delinquent accounts will be assessed late fees, amounting to one and one-half percent interest on the balance at the end of each month.

All outstanding amounts resulting from nonpayment of tuition and fees are the responsibility of the student. Any student who is negligent in making adequate and timely arrangements to pay his or her account, or in completing arrangements for his or her financial aid, may be subject to immediate dismissal. Withdrawal from the University, officially or unofficially, will not cancel any financial obligation already incurred.

Colorado Christian University (CCU) retains all legal remedies to collect unpaid tuition, fees, and other amounts due to the University for housing, traffic fines, etc. CCU uses a variety of methods to keep students informed of amounts due the University, including financial web sites, statements, and various forms of correspondence. It is the student's responsibility to remain aware of obligations to the University and to make payment in a timely basis.

If CCU is unable to collect amounts due the University within a reasonable time, the debt may be referred to an outside collection agency and/or attorney for collection. You agree to reimburse us the fees of any collection agency, which will be based on a percentage at a maximum of 33% of the debt, and all costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees we incur in such collection efforts. Your application and registration to CCU includes your consent and approval of use of the personal information you provide to CCU for the purpose of collecting any debt incurred while at CCU. This includes the consent to contact you on your cellular phone, either manually or by automated dialing or by text messaging, by CCU or by an agency hired by CCU to collect on the debt.

Failure to pay all amounts due CCU, including collection fees, may also result in various actions, including but not limited to withholding services and restricting the student's ability to register for class, participate in graduation, receive a transcript or diploma, or be considered for readmission to the University. The University also reserves the right to report both positive and negative payment histories to credit-reporting agencies. This agreement entered into with CCU is to be enforced in accordance with Colorado state statutes.

Students receiving Chapter 33 Post-9/11 GI Bill® and Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment benefits are covered by the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018. GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. Government web page.

CCU will not impose any penalty, or require any borrowed funds, because of a student's inability to meet a financial obligation to CCU because of a delayed VA disbursement. This protection begins when the student submits a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) or a Statement of Benefit, and ends when the VA makes payment or 90 days after the date CCU certifies tuition and fees. CCU may require additional payments or financial arrangements for amounts that are the difference between the student account charges and the VA benefit disbursement.

CCU correspondence to students is primarily through email. Students are responsible to keep their email contact information up-to-date and to check their email regularly for information regarding their CCU account. Students' current account balance information is always accessible through their Self-Service online account, and student account payments can be made online through Self-Service Student Finance.

Fees

To cover the extra costs incurred, special fees are required for students participating in certain courses. All courses include a resource fee that is assessed per credit hour. The resource fee covers all technology resources as well as textbooks and course materials automatically delivered by the CCU bookstore. Information about current tuition and fees is available on the financial aid and tuition web page. Fees are not refundable for course changes made after the drop deadline.

Refunds

Students may drop a course anytime before the first day of the course and receive a full refund of tuition. Courses may be dropped online prior to the start of the course using Self-Service Student Planning.

For a full tuition refund after the first day of the course, the course must be dropped within the drop period of that course. State regulatory restrictions may apply.

The drop deadline for any undergraduate or graduate course is seven days after the block start.  For semester-long courses, the drop deadline is 21 days after the start of the block. After the drop deadline, but before the final week of a course, a student may officially request a course withdrawal (W). No refunds are given on course withdrawals, and students must contact Service Central to determine the impact a course withdrawal has on their financial aid awards and VA benefits. No credit or quality points are assigned with a W. The course withdrawal form must be signed and received by Service Central prior to the Monday of the final week of a course in order to be processed.

Students may also petition for a course extension before the course's end date if the student has met the extenuating circumstances criteria. If a course extension is approved, an "I" (Incomplete) is notated on the student's CCU record until the coursework is completed and a grade is received. The coursework must be completed in the allotted time frame, or the student will automatically fail the course.

If a student withdraws before completing 60% of any given semester, any portion of ineligible Title IV funds disbursed to a student (Pell Grant, Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant, Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Stafford Loan, and Federal PLUS Loan, but not Federal Work-Study) must be returned, according to the provisions of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998. The calculation of the return of these funds may result in the student owing a balance to the University and/or the Federal Government.

Financial Aid

Qualifying for Federal Financial Aid

To receive any federal aid, whether a grant or a loan, a student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on an annual basis. Students are encouraged to apply as early as possible to maximize the possibility of receiving certain grants and loans that have limited funding. Students may submit the FAFSA as early as October 1 for the following award year. Students are encouraged to submit the FAFSA online at studentaid.gov, and use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool when completing the FAFSA. An undergraduate student must provide proof of high school or GED completion before financial aid can be disbursed.

Some students will be selected by the government for a process known as verification. If this happens, the student will need to supply the University with a completed verification worksheet and other documents requested. Students are encouraged to file their federal tax forms early to avoid delays in receiving financial aid if they are chosen for verification.

Most, but not all, federal aid is based on need. A student's financial need is determined by federal methodology using information supplied on the FAFSA. Students who do not qualify for need-based aid may qualify for federal non-need-based loans. The FAFSA form takes into account family size, family income, assets, and the number of family members attending college. Exceptional circumstances should be addressed to the Service Central office. All students are encouraged to apply for federal financial aid.

Students may request an electronic refund of the credit balance in their CCU account created by the disbursement of financial aid. To request an electronic refund, students must do so by logging into their Self-Service Student Finance account and creating an electronic funds transfer into their individual bank account. 

Federal Financial Aid

Colorado Christian University administers the following federal aid programs: the Federal Pell Grant program, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) program, the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH Grant), the Federal Work-Study program, the Federal Perkins Loan program, the Federal Direct Stafford Loan program (both subsidized and unsubsidized), and the Federal Direct Plus Loan program. General information about these programs is available through the Service Central office or by visiting CCU's financial aid website.

College Opportunity Fund

Students at Colorado Christian University may be eligible to receive Colorado's College Opportunity Fund (COF) stipends to offset their cost of attendance. COF stipends are paid to eligible undergraduate students by the State of Colorado when they attend a participating institution of higher education. The stipend is a per credit hour dollar amount that is determined by the Colorado State Legislature and is subject to annual state funding availability.

Eligible students who attend a private Colorado college or university must meet the following criteria:
• Be a documented Colorado resident;
• Be a graduate of a Colorado high school OR
• Successfully complete a non-public home-based educational program in Colorado;
• Demonstrate financial need as determined by federal Pell Grant eligibility;
• Authorize CCU to receive the COF stipend

Colorado Student Grants

CCU undergraduate students who are residents of Colorado with high financial need may qualify for Colorado Student Grants. Students must file a FAFSA to qualify for Colorado state financial aid funding. 

Veteran's Benefits

CCU is approved for federal veteran's education benefits to qualified students. Applicants for these benefits should access the CCU web page for GI Bill® benefits, and contact information and application forms. Eligible students should keep in mind that benefits may not be received for a number of weeks after enrollment. CCU will not impose any penalty, or require any borrowed funds, because of a student's inability to meet a financial obligation to CCU because of a delayed VA disbursement. CCU may require additional payments or financial arrangements for amounts that are the difference between the student account charges and the VA benefit disbursement.

Maintaining Eligibility for Financial Aid (Satisfactory Academic Progress)

To remain eligible for financial aid, a student must maintain satisfactory academic progress toward a degree. For financial aid purposes, the University has established the following standards for satisfactory academic progress. Questions about satisfactory academic progress should be referred to the Service Central office.

  • A student must be enrolled as a regular student seeking a degree, diploma, or license.

  • An undergraduate student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. A graduate student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students failing to maintain the minimum cumulative GPA requirements will be put on financial aid warning and must bring their average up to the required standard in the next semester. Students who do not meet the minimum cumulative GPA requirements will lose their financial aid eligibility until the standard is met or the student successfully appeals for an extension, which results in a probationary status.

  • Students must successfully complete at least two-thirds of the courses they attempt. Courses with grades of W, F, FX, FW or I will remain in the financial aid credit calculations and are not considered to have been successfully completed but are taken into account in calculating the completion rate. Students failing to successfully complete two-thirds of the courses they attempt will be put on financial aid warning. At the end of the warning semester, they must have successfully completed two-thirds of all courses attempted or they will become ineligible to receive financial aid. The ineligibility will continue until they meet the standard or successfully appeal for an extension, which will result in a probationary status.

  • Students will no longer be eligible to receive federal, state, and/or institutional financial aid once they have attempted 150% of the number of credits needed to complete their degree, as stated in the CCU Academic catalog.  All terms in which a student is enrolled count toward the maximum time frame, even if the student withdraws from the school. Terms of enrollment in which no aid is received will count toward the maximum time frame.  Transfer credits will also be included in this calculation.

  • Students who are on financial aid probation have one semester to comply with the academic progress policy. This includes meeting both the financial aid completion rate and the cumulative GPA standard of their respective program. Those who do not will be ineligible to receive financial aid.

  • Undergraduate students in the College of Adult and Graduate Studies who earn two or more F and/or FW grades in their first semester of enrollment at CCU will be ineligible to receive financial aid for subsequent semesters. Students will have the opportunity to submit an appeal. Appeals will be reviewed by the Financial Aid Committee. The decision of the committee is final.

  • A student is allowed to repeat a passed course one time and still be eligible to receive financial aid for the repeated course. If a student repeats the course a second time, financial aid cannot be used to pay for the course. The student's financial aid will be adjusted to reflect a lower number of credits that are eligible. Students will need to pay for the repeated course from their own resources.

  • Students may repeat a failed course until it is passed and be eligible for financial aid. Once a student has completed any course with a passing grade, the student is eligible for only one additional retake of the course, regardless if the repeat of the passed course results in a failing grade. 

Because real progress in an academic program is of greatest concern, students are evaluated for eligibility every semester, whether or not financial aid has been received. Students who become ineligible for federal financial aid may appeal the decision with the Financial Aid Committee. The ruling of that committee is final.

Undergraduate students are required to take a minimum of 6 credit hours per semester in order to qualify for federal financial aid, except for provisions in the Federal Pell Grant Program that will allow less than half-time students to receive a Pell Grant. However, once students have received their first undergraduate baccalaureate degree, they no longer qualify to receive a Federal Pell Grant.

Graduate students are required to take a minimum of 3 credit hours per semester in order to qualify for financial aid. Graduate students are not eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant.

How to Apply for Federal and State Aid

  • Apply for admission. Entering students cannot be candidates for financial aid until they have been admitted.

  • Complete and submit the FAFSA or Renewal FAFSA forms via the Internet at studentaid.gov. Students are encouraged to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool when completing the FAFSA.

  • The student may receive requests for additional information or documentation. To help expedite the application, students should promptly submit the requested information.

Applications for financial aid should be submitted prior to the beginning of the semester. Apply early as processing may take four to six weeks.