2026–2027 Costs & Aid for Returning Undergraduate Students

Naropa Scholarship Application Deadline

For scholarships that require an application the deadline for the 2026/2027 academic year is May 31.

Undergraduate Scholarships

Find a complete list of scholarships available and their requirements on our Undergraduate Scholarships page.

Scholarship Requirements

Naropa Application & Nomination Scholarships

To be considered for Naropa’s Application and Nomination scholarships, students must meet the following criteria by the scholarship deadline:

• Be admitted into a degree program
• Be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours each semester
• Have a cumulative 3.0 GPA (continuing students only)
• Have a complete financial aid application on file (FAFSA or International Financial Aid Application), unless otherwise stated in the scholarship description
• The 2026-2027 FAFSA is considered complete when the application contains complete 2024 tax information and any outstanding items have been resolved.

Additional Information

• Scholarships range from $500 to $10,000 per academic year; with limited larger scholarships.
• Naropa application and nomination scholarships are highly competitive.
• Receiving more than one institutional scholarship could affect your eligibility for, or the amounts of other forms of aid, including scholarship awards

Naropa Grant – up to $24,000

Awarded to full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate students who demonstrate high financial need.

Federal Pell Grant – up to $7,395

Federal grant based on financial need.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) – up to $1,000

Need-based federal grant awarded to a limited number of applicants who demonstrate high financial need.

Colorado State Grant – up to $12,000

Undergraduates must meet Colorado residency guidelines and demonstrate financial need in order to qualify for Colorado-funded financial aid.

*These are estimated annual amounts and are subject to change by federal or state agencies

Work-Study

Students with a work-study award can apply for a work-study employment position through the university (on-campus, remote, or hybrid) or through one of our approved off-campus work-study sites as part of the community work-study program.  Students can work 5 to 20 hours per week. Students are paid twice per month. Earnings are paid to the student and are subject to taxation. Students must demonstrate financial need to be eligible for work-study. Receiving a work-study award is not a guarantee of employment.

View and apply for work-study positions

Community Work-Study

Naropa employs a small percentage of students at the following nonprofit organizations in the Boulder area through the community work-study program:

• Boulder Day Nursery

Community work-study is a great opportunity to be of service to the community and work with children and adults in tutoring, counseling, and teaching. You must be eligible for work-study and be a United States citizen to hold a work-study job at a community work-study site.

View and apply for community work-study jobs

How to Apply for a Community Work-Study Job

• Contact the site/organization directly to inquire about available jobs and the application process
• If the site selects you for a position, students must also complete Naropa’s employment application and new hire process:
  • Background check release and authorization
  • New hire paperwork
• Once you’ve completed the above listed forms, take them to Human Resources along with your work authorization documents noted on the third page of the I-9 Form
• Common forms of identification include passport, driver’s license, and social security card or birth certificate. These documents need to be presented to Human Resources within 3 business days of your first day of work
  • Human Resources is located at 1630 N 63rd St, Boulder, CO 80301
  • Phone: 303-245-4700
  • humanresources@naropa.edu
• If the site/organization selects you for a position and you have successfully completed Naropa’s new hire process, Student Financial Services will contact your site supervisor to confirm you can start working in your position

Naropa Student Employment (NSEP)

Naropa Student Employment is a form of employment with the University. NSEP is a university-funded form of financial aid that allows international students to work on-campus and earn a semi-monthly paycheck. Student employment earnings are not applied to a student’s tuition bill. NSEP is awarded to international students who demonstrate high financial need. Receiving an NSEP award is not a guarantee of employment. Open Naropa Student Employment positions are posted on Naropa’s employment webpage.

Federal Direct Loans

The following federal Direct student loans are available to undergraduates:

Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans:

• Interest Rates change each academic year*
• Origination Fee adjusts for each calendar year.
• Grace Period: 6 months
  This means that once a student has stopped attending at at least 6 credit hours, they have 6 months before they are required to begin repaying their loans.
• Subsidized loan—interest is subsidized by the federal government while student is enrolled in at least 6 credits per semester

*Interest rates and origination fees for future academic years change yearly based on the auction of the Treasury bill in the spring. Learn more. 

Lending Limits—Dependent Students

1st Year: $5,500 ($3,500 may be subsidized)
Sophomore: $6,500 ($4,500 may be subsidized)
Junior/Senior: $7,500 ($5,500 may be subsidized)

Lending Limits—Independent Students

1st Year: $9,500 ($3,500 may be subsidized)
Sophomore: $10,500 ($4,500 may be subsidized)
Junior/Senior: $12,500 ($5,500 may be subsidized)

• For students who are not enrolled full time for the academic year, the annual loan amount will be prorated based on enrolled credits.

Parent Plus Loan

Federal loan available to credit qualifying parents to assist in paying a dependent student’s educational expenses.

• Interest Rates change each academic year*
• Origination Fee adjusts for each calendar year.
• Parents can borrow up to $20,000 per year ($65,000 lifetime aggregate cap per student) or up to cost of attendance if the student meets legacy provisions

*Interest rates and origination fees for future academic years change yearly based on the auction of the Treasury bill in the spring. Learn more. 

Review Federal Student Loan Borrowing History

Students can review information regarding their federal grants and federal student loans, including borrowing history, through the Federal Student Aid Website.

• You will need your Federal Student Aid ID (FSA-ID) to enter the site
• You must Create an FSA ID, if you haven’t already done so, in order to access Department of Education websites, such as FAFSA

Loan Repayment

For students who have borrowed a new loan after July 1st, 2026 there are 2 repayment plans:

• • Tiered Standard Repayment: fixed monthly payment amounts with repayment terms ranging from 10-25 years based on the total amount borrowed
  • Repayment Assistance Plan: income-driven repayments based on annual adjusted gross income, with a 30 year repayment term before potential forgiveness

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Individuals employed full-time with a public service organization may be eligible for loan forgiveness (must use repayment assistance plan).

Private Student Loans

Naropa University awards educational loans primarily from the Direct federal student loan program. Some lenders advertise private loans that “mimic” the federal student loan program, but which differ in important ways. Private student loans:

• Cannot be included in a federal consolidation loan
• Are not eligible for income-driven repayment plans
• Are not eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness
• Result in an additional monthly student loan payment for the borrower

Aid from all sources cannot exceed a student’s estimated cost of attendance. Please send an email to finaid@naropa.edu with the words “Private Loan” in the subject line if you would like to start the process of requesting the inclusion of a private loan in your financial aid package.

Naropa University does not endorse or promote any private loan program or lender. Borrowers are encouraged to review federal student loan options before considering private loans since federal loans will generally have more favorable terms and conditions.

Due to Colorado House Bill 1345 removing state aid access to private universities , Colorado State Aid is not currently available at Naropa.

Naropa University is the recipient of state-funded student financial assistance (Colorado Student Grant and Colorado Work Study) funded by the Colorado General Assembly. In order to evaluate your eligibility for aid from the state of Colorado, Naropa University must verify that students (or  parent, if  under 23 years old) have established lawful presence in the state of Colorado.

To be eligible, at student must:

• Be a Colorado resident student;
• Be an undergraduate student;
• Be enrolled at least half-time, and in an eligible program;
• Be in good standing and demonstrate academic progress according to the published policy
  regarding Standards of Satisfactory Progress for financial aid purposes;
• Demonstrate financial need according to the FAFSA (or Have a complete financial aid file, including a payable FAFSA;
• Satisfy any verification requirements; and
• Not be in overpayment for any grants or in default for any student loans

For priority consideration, please submit your application by July 1st for fall/spring and by November 1st for spring consideration. Colorado State Grant Funds are limited and does run out each year. 

Students may retain their Colorado-funded state aid in subsequent years provided they maintain enrollment, maintain satisfactory progress, and continue to demonstrate significant financial need. They must also maintain state residency.

Types of Aid

Colorado State Grant

Awarded to Colorado residents who demonstrate financial need.

Enrollment Level Per semester

• Full Time: $6,000
• Three Quarter Time: $4,500
• Half-Time: $3,000

Colorado Work-Study

Students awarded Colorado work-study may apply for on-campus work-study jobs. The amount earned will be dependent on the position and hours worked.

Can I use Veterans’ Benefits at Naropa?

Naropa University is approved by the Colorado Office of Veterans Education and Training (COVET) for Veterans Education Benefits. Students can use their VA education benefits for approved degree programs.

Individuals with questions about their eligibility for VA benefits in general, please review the VA website or contact your local Veterans’ Administration branch.
Naropa Student Veterans Benefits

Yellow Ribbon Program

Yellow Ribbon is an agreement between the Department of Veteran Affairs and the school, which helps cover required out of pocket tuition and fee costs that exceed the annual Chapter 33 cap.

Yes, Naropa participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program. Naropa University’s agreement allows for a matching grant up to $10,000 for 100 eligible students in a given year (50 graduate/50 undergraduate).

Students who are eligible for Chapter 33 benefits (Post 9/11) at the 100% rate

As of August 1, 2022, you may become eligible for the Yellow Ribbon Program if you’re currently an active-duty service member who qualifies at the 100% level (you already served on active duty for at least 36 months) or if you’re a spouse using the transferred benefits of an active-duty service member who meets these qualifications.

Have Questions?

Schedule an appointment with a VA school Certifying Official

or email us at vabenefits@naropa.edu