Listed below are the estimated basic costs of attending Western Colorado University during 2023-2024. These costs are subject to change. Costs are presented here for information only.
Full-time Students
| Tuition for: | 16-Week Semester | Academic Year |
|---|---|---|
| Resident Tuition (with COF*) | $3,564 | $7,128 |
| Resident Tuition | $5,124 | $10,248 |
| RADY School Resident Tuition (with COF*) | $5,136 | $10,272 |
| RADY School Resident Tuition | $6,696 | $13, 392 |
| Non-Resident Tuition | $9,864 | $19,728 |
| RADY School Non-Resident Tuition | $11,148 | $22,296 |
*Reflects that the College Opportunity Fund (COF) stipend has been applied.
Part-Time Students
Tuition for part-time students is based on a per-credit charge. The estimated rates for 2023-2024 are $297 per credit for resident students/$428 per credit for RADY school resident students (after application of the College Opportunity Fund Stipend) and $822 per credit for non-residents/$929 per credit for RADY school non-residents. For tuition purposes, “part-time” is defined as fewer than 12 credits in a 16-week semester.
Tuition Surcharge
Students enrolled for more than 18 credits in a 16-week semester will pay a tuition surcharge. The tuition surcharge is a per-credit charge at the appropriate resident or non-resident rate.
Mandatory Fees (estimated)
Mandatory fees have been approved by the Board of Trustees to pay for special services, including the programs operated by the Student Government Association. The estimated cost of all mandatory fees for a full academic year for 2023-2024 is $3,955.24. Mandatory fees are prorated for part-time students.
School of Business Fee: Students taking courses in the School of Business (Accounting, Business Administration, and Economics) pay a $45 per credit fee for all non-GE courses.
Students taking lab courses in the natural and social sciences, field-based courses, and student teaching courses in education will have an additional fee assessed. Catalog course descriptions identify the courses with fees.
Optional Fees (estimated)
The following 2023-2024 optional fees will be assessed to each student’s account: Renewable Energy Fee - $30, Student Recreation Fee - $200 and Scholarly Activity Fee - $20. Any or all of these fees may be waived by contacting the Cashier’s Office at cashier@western.edu. Student’s wishing to waive optional fees must do so by the full term drop deadline. The date of the drop deadline for any given semester can be found by visiting www.western.edu/registrar.
Room and Board Costs (Subject to change)
Western provides students several housing options in a variety of residence halls. Apartments are available to upper-class returning students. Below are examples of estimated living expenses for 2023-2024. For a comprehensive list of housing and meal plan fees, please visit http://www.western.edu/current-students/residence-life/room-and-board-rates
Residence Halls & Apartments
| Residence Halls | Fall Semester | Spring Semester | Total Academic Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Escalante, Mears, Ute - Double | $2,652.00 | $2,652.00 | $5,304.00 |
| Escalante, Mears, Ute – Single | $3,120.00 | $3,120.00 | $6,240.00 |
| Apartments | Fall Semester | Spring Semester | Total Academic Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chipeta – Single, One Bedroom Apt. | $3,749.00 | $3,749.00 | $7,498.00 |
| Chipeta – Single, Two Bedroom Apt. | $3,432.00 | $3,432.00 | $6,864.00 |
| Pinnacles-Single Room | $3,677.00 | $3,677.00 | $7,354.00 |
| Pinnacles-Double Room | $3,328.00 | $3,328.00 | $6,656.00 |
All students residing in University residence halls (non-apartments) are required to purchase a meal plan. It is suggested that students living in apartments carry a meal plan, but it is not required.
Meal Plan Choices
| Plan Type | Fall Semester | Spring Semester | Total Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premier Plans: The Blue Mesa Plan or Mountaineer Plan is required of all first-year students and is available to all students. | |||
| Blue Mesa Plan 19 Meals a week plus $175 Flex Dollars (to be used exclusively in the Rare Air Café and Mad Jacks). | $2,839.50 | $2,839.50 | $5,679.00 |
| Mountaineer Plan 15 Meals a week plus $175 Flex Dollars (to be used exclusively in the Rare Air Café and Mad Jacks) | $2,591.50 | $2,591.50 | $5,183.00 |
| Crimson Plan1 10 Meals a week plus $250 Flex Dollars (to be used exclusively in the Rare Air Café and Mad Jacks) | $2,289.18 | $2,289.18 | $4,578.36 |
- 1
Available only to second-year students and above.
Optional meal plans
The optional meal plans below will only be available to upper-class students and above who live in the on-campus apartments or off campus. You may purchase additional plans if you run out during a semester. These plans carry over between fall and spring semester. Plans are non-refundable.
| Plan Type | Per Plan |
|---|---|
| Mountaineer 80 Any 80 individual meals in the Rare Air Café plus $100 flex dollars to be used in the Rare Air Cafe or at Mad Jacks. | $968.52 |
| Mountaineer 40 Any 40 individual meals in the Rare Air Café plus $50 flex dollars to be used in the Rare Air Cafe or at Mad Jacks. | $482.70 |
| Mountaineer 20 Any 20 individual meals in the Rare Air Café plus $25 flex dollars to be used in the Rare Air Cafe or at Mad Jacks. | $241.35 |
The Mears complex will offer a community kitchen that will be available exclusively to second-year students living in the Mears complex. The use of this kitchen can supplement your meal plan, as all students living in the Mears complex are required to have at least the Crimson Plan.
Residence Life Requirement
Information about the online housing selection process will be e-mailed to the student’s western.edu official e-mail account beginning in the spring. All first and second-year students are required to live in on-campus housing and purchase a meal plan unless excused by the Housing Appeal Committee for one of the following reasons:
- the student is married;
- the student is living with parent(s) or a legal guardian;
- the student has previously lived on campus for two terms at another institution;
- the student is at least 21 years of age by the first day of classes.; or
- the student is an honorably discharged veteran.
Deposit
Please refer to the housing contract.
Payment of Charges
Tuition and fees are due on the first official start date of the semester. Students will be mailed a billing statement before the beginning of each semester with an estimate of charges. Western Colorado University will not register a student who has an outstanding financial obligation to the University.
Per state statute, failure to pay a financial obligation to the University when it is due may result in an account being placed with a collection agency with such action reported to a credit bureau. In addition, an account may be charged legally allowable collection charges and attorney fees to help secure payment of the debt owed the University.
Late Charges
In each of the 16-week semesters and the summer session, a date is established after which payment is considered late. This date is available from the Cashier’s Office.
Students who do not pay their bills by the due date each semester may be subject
to all or some of the following: restricted access to school services, a $50 nonpayment/
late fee, or removal from their courses.
Refund of Charges
The following refund policies are in place at Western Colorado University:
When a student officially withdraws from Western (see Academic Policies section on Withdrawal from the University), tuition and fees are refunded according to the following schedule for a full term 16-week semester:
| Refund Amount | Time Period |
|---|---|
| 100% | Through the end of the official drop period |
| 50% | For the period between 15% and 25% of the term |
| 25% | For the period between 25% and 50% of the term |
Students taking a course(s) in a part of term that ends prior to the end of the full term semester will not receive a refund, in whole or part, once the final meeting time for that course(s) has concluded.
If a student officially withdraws from Western, the housing and meal plan charges will be refunded according to the following schedule:
Prorated by week through the end of the official drop period
| Refund Amount | Time Period |
|---|---|
| 50% | For the period between 15% and 25% of the semester |
| 25% | For the period between 25% and 50% of the semester |
| 0% | For the period after 50% of the semester |
Please refer to the Office of the Registrar website for specific dates of the official drop period.
Students who officially withdraw from Western, or who simply stop attending classes, are subject to repaying all or part of any financial aid received, depending on their length of actual attendance.
Changes in Tuition and Fees
Tuition rates are established each year by the Board of Trustees, and student fees are recommended by the Student Government Association and approved by the Trustees. The University reserves the right to change any of these costs at the beginning of any academic semester.
Colorado Residency
New students are classified as in-state or out-of-state students for tuition purposes on the basis of information provided on the application for admission and on other relevant forms. Applicants may be required to submit evidence substantiating their claim of in-state eligibility.
To be eligible for a change to in-state status, students must submit petitions with appropriate documentation. The forms, deadline information, and explanation of the Colorado tuition classification statutes are available online.
Tuition classification is governed by Colorado statutes and by judicial decisions that apply to all state-funded institutions in Colorado and is subject to change without notice.