Tuition and Fees

Tuition for the Outdoor Recreation Economy program is determined by your residency and assessed in addition to any other tuition paid on campus. All students in the program, regardless of whether they are enrolled in a certificate program or the full master’s program, pay the same tuition rate and fees.

2024 - 25 Academic Year Rates

Cost In-State Tuition  Out-of-State/International Tuition 
Per Credit  $772 $844
Certificate Program (10 Credits Total)  $7,720 $8,440
Master's Program (30 Credits Total) $23,160 $25,320

Visit the Bursar’s Office website for a full list of program tuition and fee costs.

Tuition and fees are just one part of the overall cost to attend CU Boulder. The full cost of attendance for an academic year could include expenses such as housing and food, books and supplies, and items that are not billed by the university, such as personal expenses, transportation and medical insurance. View the full cost of attendance.

Billing Schedule and Payment Deadlines

Bills become available in Buff Portal (CUBill&Pay for authorized payers) around mid-month after you register for classes. Payment is due on the 5th of the following month. Postmarks and post-dated checks are not honored. Dates may be subject to change without notice.

See the Bursar's Office website for important dates.

Payment Options

Deadlines for tuition and fees payment are listed in the dates and deadlines section of your program’s academic calendar. You can pay for your course online by echeck, money order, or credit card. You will be assessed a nonrefundable 2.85% service fee for credit card payments. Access online payments via Buff Portal via the Tuition & Fees card. Click on Balance Summary, then View/Pay Bill, which will direct you to CU Bill&Pay, the university’s secure online billing and payment system.

Email Continuing Education at cebursar@colorado.edu or call us at 303-492-2212 if you have any questions. 

Payment Plans

You may be eligible to pay your tuition and fees in installments over the course of the current semester. Optional payment plans are available for students or their authorized payers. Re-enrollment is required each semester you choose to participate.

A payment plan is a good option for students who can allow debits from one bank account or credit card to occur on a consistent basis. Payments must be made via automatic deduction (ACH) from a regular United States checking or savings account or credit/debit card. This option is not a good fit if payments will be made from multiple sources because automatic deductions/debits must come from only one bank account or credit card.

CU Boulder accepts American Express, MasterCard, Visa and DISCOVER. Automatic deductions are processed on the 5th of the month. When the 5th falls on a weekend, payments are processed the following business day. Dates and plan terms may be subject to change without notice.

Refunds and Tuition Adjustments

Students who drop or withdraw from a course or courses may be eligible for a tuition adjustment depending on their residency status, when they drop or withdraw from the course, and the number of credits in which they are enrolled. If you are eligible for a tuition adjustment, you will only get a refund if you have paid tuition. If you have not paid tuition, the amount you owe will be adjusted (eliminated).

Students who are eligible for a tuition adjustment/refund will receive a percentage of the tuition of the class or classes from which they are dropping or withdrawing. For example: A 60% tuition adjustment means a 60% tuition refund and 40% tuition payment.

The percentage of the tuition adjustment/refund is based on when you drop or withdraw from the class or classes. Please refer to your program’s dates and deadlines page for specific deadlines.

When receiving a partial tuition adjustment (as opposed to a full refund), student fees are non-refundable unless you can prove through the petition process that you were never able to access any of the services provided by the student fees.

Financial Aid

Non-degree (including certificate) students are not eligible for federal financial aid.