Office of the RegistrarNon-Degree

Attend Naropa as a Non-Degree Student

Naropa offers several options that allow non-degree students to participate in the Naropa experience without applying through our Admissions office to be a degree-seeking student. Non-degree students have the opportunity to take Naropa classes for either noncredit or credit, online or on campus.

Noncredit

Please see Extended Campus for extensive noncredit course offerings. Please keep in mind that courses taken for noncredit are not graded, will not be recorded in a transcript, receive no academic credit, and cannot be transferred into a degree program. They cannot be converted to credit at any later date. Non-degree students may not audit Naropa classes.

Online Classes (Distance Learning)

Non-degree students can take many online classes for credit or noncredit. See Distance Learning at Naropa for information including list of classes, FAQ, credit and noncredit options, tuition and fees, demonstration classes, and directions on registering for online classes. Please keep in mind that courses taken for noncredit are not graded, will not be recorded in a transcript, receive no academic credit, and cannot be transferred into a degree program. They cannot be converted to credit at any later date.

On-Campus

Non-degree students seeking credit can register for some Naropa courses on a space-available basis. Each semester non-degree students may take a maximum of 11 undergraduate credits or 8 graduate credits.

Registration

Please reach out to registration@naropa.edu for more information on how to register for classes as a non-degree seeking student.

Tuition and Fee Information

Non-degree students do not pay a registration fee.

  • Tuition for academic credit at Naropa is $1,190 per credit for graduate-level courses, and $1,210 per credit for undergraduate-level courses. For example, if you are interested in earning credit for a 3-credit graduate-level course with a cost of $1,190 per credit, the total cost would be $3,570.
  • To register for non-credit, the cost is $250 per class.
  • Some courses have specific fees associated with them. This information can be found in the schedule. Refer to the course listing in the course catalog.

Payment in full is due at the time of registration although it will not be processed until admission in the class is confirmed. Payments are accepted in the form of cash, check, and MasterCard/Visa. For questions about tuition and for credit card payments by phone, contact the Coordinator of Student Accounts at 303-546-3554 or email . Federal financial aid is not available for non-degree students, though some scholarships may be available through Naropa University.

YOU ARE READY.

This is where experiential learning meets academic rigor. Where you challenge your intellect and uncover your potential. Where you discover the work you’re moved to do—then use it to transform our world.

“*” indicates required fields

Search Naropa University

Search

About Naropa

Located in Boulder, Colorado, Naropa University is a Buddhist-inspired, nonsectarian liberal arts university that is recognized as the birthplace of the mindfulness movement. Naropa offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs that emphasize professional and personal growth, intellectual development, and cultivating compassion. 

Academics

Contemplative education brings together the best of Western scholarship and Eastern world wisdom traditions. Therefore, your pursuit of wisdom at Naropa means learning both about academic subjects and about your own place in the world. This innovative approach places Naropa on the cutting edge of the newest and most effective methods of teaching and learning.  

Admissions & Aid

If you’re seeking an education that resonates with both personal fulfillment and global impact, Naropa could be your top choice. At Naropa, you will experience a comprehensive curriculum that integrates the best of Eastern and Western educational approaches. Explore how Naropa can fuel your journey of intellectual and spiritual development.

Life at Naropa

Through its incredibly vibrant and welcoming community,  “Naropa offers a home for those who aren’t willing to conform to convention—the mystic, the healer, the prophet, the rebel, the artist, the revolutionary, the oddball—those who are incredible contributors to the evolution of society and of our planet.”—Core Associate Professor Zvi Ish-Shalom

The Naropa Difference

How is Naropa different from other universities? At Naropa, a liberal arts education balances rigorous academics with powerful interpersonal skills and self-awareness to educate the whole person. Naropa’s contemplative approach is inspired by Buddhist philosophy and the conviction that we can build a diverse, contemplative, enlightened society when we have transformed education to affirm the basic goodness of every person. 

Support Naropa

At a time when the value of higher education is being questioned, Naropa University stands firmly rooted in its mission to create a more just and regenerative world by nurturing insight, awareness, courage, and compassion in its students. By making a gift to Naropa, you play a pivotal role in helping to create the authentic, effective & mindful leaders that the world desperately needs.

Naropa Logo

Naropa University campuses are closed on 12/17/2025. 

Due to adverse weather conditions of high winds and planned power outages, all Naropa campuses will be closed today. 

 

Naropa Logo

Spring and Summer Start Dates for the MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling Concentrations

In support of students and in response to federal legislation impacting financial aid for graduate students, Naropa University will be accepting applications for MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling for spring starts through January 10.

Graduate School of Counseling concentrations listed below will be offering online and low-residency courses to start their programs in January 2026 as well as our Summer 2026 terms.

Beginning a graduate program in Spring 2026 or Summer 2026 means that you will have access to apply for Graduate Plus loans as these loans will be eliminated at the federal level starting in Fall 2026.

Contact Admissions (admissions@naropa.edu) today to learn how you can begin the next step in your graduate education journey.