2026 MSW Enrollment Guide

Tuition, Billing & Financial Aid

The next step in your GSSW educational journey is to accept the offer of admission and submit your tuition deposit, if you haven’t already.

• Tuition Deposit Instructions

  For the incoming summer and fall 2026 classes, submit your $300 deposit by April 15, 2026 to hold your spot in the Denver Campus MSW Program.

  The deposit is non-refundable, but the full amount will be credited to your first tuition payment. 

  1. Accept Offer of Admission: To accept our offer of admission, visit your application status page. There, scroll to the “Forms” section and click the “Reply to Admission Offer” link to select “I ACCEPT your admission offer.”
  2. Submit Your Tuition Deposit: Once you have accepted your offer, you will have the opportunity to pay your tuition deposit by clicking the “Enrollment Deposit—Submit Payment” link that appears on your application status page. This link will take you to a webpage where you can pay your deposit with a credit card.
• Tuition & Billing

  The cost of attendence for our Denver Campus MSW Program is listed on our Master of Social Work Financial Aid page. Tuition for each quarter is due the first day of that quarter.

  Visit the Graduate financial aid website for resources that are helpful for your financial planning:

  • Graduate Program Tuition Calculator
  • Estimated Billing Worksheets
  • Information about Direct vs. Indirect Costs
  • Enrollment Adjustment form
  • Budget Adjustment form
     
• Scholarships & Loans

  Merit Scholarships

  For Summer 2026 admits, merit scholarships range from $11,000 - $23,000; the amount received is determined by the merit and strength of your application. For Fall 2026 admits, you will be notified on or before January 15, 2026 with your scholarship offer. Those who applied by the early deadline will be considered for priority merit scholarships. Starting March 2026, GSSW will offer merit scholarship appeals to newly admitted and incoming GSSW students. To be considered for a merit appeal, no earlier than March 1, please email gsswadmission@du.edu.

  Federal Employees Scholarships

  We are excited to offer a one-time scholarship of $1,000 to admitted students currently in or transitioning out of U.S. federal service. In order to be eligible, federal service will need to be verified when you submit your application. In addition to those who receive the $1,000 scholarship, you are guaranteed the Faculty Merit Scholarship, which provides $32,000 for the Denver Campus MSW Program over the course of two years and $16,000 for the Denver Campus Advanced Standing MSW Program over the course of one year.

  Loans

  Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan

  To apply for state or federal financial assistance, you must complete a  Free Application for Federal Student Aid  (FAFSA) form as soon as possible. This application is required to determine eligibility for grants, loans and student employment. The FAFSA application opened October 1, 2025.
  The University of Denver school code is 001371. You can expect to receive your financial aid package by end of March 2026. After March, you can expect to receive your package within 4-6 weeks once you’ve completed the FAFSA application. You are eligible to receive up to *$20,500 each year you are in the program. You must be registered for at least 4 or more credits each quarter for the funds to disburse at the beginning of each quarter. Your loan will evenly disburse based upon the number of quarters outlined in your curriculum plan for the academic year.
   

  • Summer start Denver Campus Advanced-Standing MSW students will need to submit a 25-26 and 26-27 FAFSA to receive aid for Summer, Fall, Winter and Spring quarters.
     
  • Fall start Denver-Campus Advanced-Standing MSW students will need to submit a 26-27 FAFSA to receive aid for Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer quarters.
     
  • Fall start Denver Campus MSW students will need to submit a 26-27 FAFSA for Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters and will need to reapply each academic year.
     

  The interest rate for summer 2026 is 7.94%. The interest rate for Fall 2026 will be announced July 2026. This interest rate is fixed for the life of the loan and you do not need to start paying off the loan until 6 months after you graduate.
   

  Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan

  For students starting the program Summer 2026, the Grad PLUS loan is an additional loan offered to students to pay for their education up to the total cost of attendance (COA), which includes direct and indirect costs. Direct costs are tuition, fees and health insurance (if enrolled in the DU plan). Indirect costs are books, housing, meals and transportation costs. The COA takes into account all of the expenses a student might have for that year including basic living costs.  To apply, visit  StudentAid.gov
  
  For students starting Fall 2026, due to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, you will not be eligible for the Grad PLUS loan.

  
  Private education loans
   

  Many financial institutions offer private student loans, sometimes called alternative loans. These programs may offer interest rates and terms that are competitive with those of federal loans. However, federal student loans are legally required to provide a range of repayment options, including income-based repayment plans and loan forgiveness benefits. Private loans are not required to offer any such flexibility. Since Federal Direct loans are available to all students regardless of financial need, they often represent a preferable funding option. Learn more about  federal versus private loans .
   

  •  All private loan lenders require a   Self-Certification Form  ; some may have other requirements, such as half-time enrollment.
     
  • To help you find the best loan option, University of Denver researches and evaluates many different lenders. We search for companies that provide the most competitive loan products for students, and those lenders are chosen to appear on our   preferred lender list  . The lenders on this list are chosen because of a   variety of factors  , including available borrower benefits, zero origination or repayment fees, and competitive interest rates.

  Grants

  Colorado "Critical Career" Graduate Grant

  Funding for this grant—provided by the Colorado General Assembly—is extremely limited. If you're eligible to receive this grant, you'll be notified by the Central Financial Aid Office via email in October—no separate application is required. Award amounts vary from $1,000 to $7,000. To be eligible, you must:

  • Be a Colorado resident and submit the  CO Residency Form  to the Registrar's Office
     
  • Be enrolled in a critical career field, such as the MSW program, as determined by the Colorado Department of Higher Education 
     
  • Have an Expected Family Contribution (as determined by the FAFSA) of less than $7,000
     
  • Be enrolled in 4 or more credits each quarter
     

  Additional Financial Aid Resources

  • Loan Forgiveness Programs
  • Graduation & Loan Repayment

Research Assistantships, Work-Study and Campus Jobs

• Research Assistantships

  Research Assistantships may be available to MSW students. Opportunities are dependent on one of two circumstances:  

  1. Supported positions are available through a faculty member’s grant funded research project.  
  2. Faculty members may be able to employ students through a student’s work study award. In this case, a Research Assistantship title may not always be used, but students can be hired as interviewers, coordinators, etc.    

   

  If you are interested in pursuing a research assistantship or work-study employment under a GSSW faculty member, view our active research project page to identify a project that fits your interest. Then, reach out directly to a faculty member and ask if they will have any research assistant or hourly positions available on their projects.  

  Most faculty hire in the summer or early fall for the academic year. Faculty may post open research assistantship opportunities on the student career website or the DU jobs website.

  For general questions about research assistantships, please reach out to Associate Professor Ramona Beltran.

• Work-Study

  Work-study is a need-based financial aid award that allows you to work on campus or with an approved off-campus employer to earn money to help pay for educational expenses. Graduate students can be awarded up to $5,000 per year. You must fill out a FAFSA to be eligible. If you are not awarded work-study, please email workstudy@du.edu to be put on a waitlist or if you have questions.  

  Learn More & View Open Positions 

• Campus Jobs

  Campus jobs are also a great option because employers understand you’re a student first. You can grow your skillset, deepen and apply your thinking, reflect on your interests and goals, and gain new perspectives on work, education, and life. These jobs are different than work-study because they are not dependent on need-based financial aid.  

  Learn More & View Campus Jobs 

MSW Curriculum Plans & Academic Planning

Register for an Academic Q&A information session.

For any questions about the registration process, course options, and your academic path prior to your arrival at orientation, you can register for an Academic Q&A Info Session. 

• Fall Denver Campus Advanced-Standing MSW Program

  TBD

• Fall Denver Campus MSW Program

  TBD

MSW Degree Planning Packet

The Degree Planning Packet is a tool you’ll use throughout your MSW program to help guide your course selection and sequencing. It serves as a comprehensive roadmap, outlining degree requirements, credit breakdowns, and curriculum plans to ensure you stay on track for graduation.

Summer 2025 MSW Degree Planning Packet

Fall 2025 MSW Degree Planning Packet 

You will pursue your degree within the Advanced Social Work Practice concentration. You can select from a wide variety of courses to create a specialization that suits your personal interests and career goals. The concentration gives you the flexibility to choose courses that span a variety of social work topics and find the right fit. If you know where your interests lie, we offer several curriculum pathways.

Denver Campus MSW Program 

Denver Campus Advanced-Standing MSW Program

Registration

After you deposit, you will receive an email with registration instructions. Refer to the registration email for more information or read the information below for registration preparation and instructions.  

Registration Preparation

• 

  Check Your Student Profile for Registration Holds

  • Log into MyDU with your DU ID number (87#) and password
  • Select “My Student Profile” under the Academic Profile widget
  • Select the correct registration quarter from the "Term" drop-down menu above your profile photo
  • Click "Holds" on the top right
  • Review common registration holds or direct questions or concerns to the department that placed the hold.
• 

  Confirm Your Registration Day and Time

  • Log into MyDU with your DU ID (87#) and password
  • Select “My Student Profile” under the Academic Profile widget
  • Select the correct registration quarter from the "Term" drop-down menu above your profile photo
  • Click “Registration Notices” at top right of screen and review your registration day and time under "Time Tickets"
• 

  Plan Your Classes and Connect with an Advisor

  • Email GSSW.DenverCampus@du.edu if you have questions about what classes to take.
  • Tips for Viewing the Course Schedules:
    • Search by the subject "social work" and use attribute: "Social Work: Denver" to only see your program's classes.
    • All of your sections are in the 1s or 100s. If you see 200s, 300s or 500s, these sections belong to other MSW programs and you cannot register for them.

• Common Registration Holds

  Academic Standards Agreement Hold

  • This is a hold you can resolve via your MyDU. Once you sign, the hold is immediately removed.
  • Log into MyDU with your DU email and password
  • Using the search box function at the top of the screen, type "GSSW Academic Professional Standards Agreement"
  • Click on "GSSW Academic Professional Standards Agreement"
  • Read agreement and sign using your DU password

  Missing Billing Agreement Hold

  • This is a hold you can resolve via your MyDU. Once you sign, the hold is immediately removed.
  • Log into MyDU with your DU email and password
  • Using the search box function at the top of the screen, type "Billing Agreement"
  • Click on "Billing Agreement"
  • Read agreement and sign using your DU password

  Financial Hold

  Please call 303.871.4944 to clear this hold. You will need to work with them directly to clear your hold before you can register.

  Immunization Hold

  Reach out to Health and Counseling Center at 303.871.2205 or email them at info@hcc.du.edu. You will need to work with them directly to clear your hold before you can register.

  Missing Transcripts Hold

  The registration hold on your student profile will indicate which official transcripts are missing from your record. If you have not already done so, please have official transcripts sent directly from the school directly to registrar@du.edu to clear this hold. They must be sent directly from the school to be considered official.

  Office of Outreach and Support Hold

  Call 303.871.2400 to clear this hold. You will need to work with them directly to clear your hold before you can register.

  Parking Fines Hold

  Call 303.871.3210 to clear this hold. You will need to work with them directly to clear your hold before you can register.

Register For Classes

Find your program and curriculum plan below and register for the corresponding courses.

• Summer 2026: Denver Campus Advanced-Standing MSW Program: Full-Time

  Curriculum Plan	Courses
  Denver Campus Advanced-Standing MSW Program: Full-Time 4-Quarter Curriculum Plan	SOWK 4302 Advanced Standing: Advanced Evidence for Practice (3 credits)  SOWK 4303 Advanced Standing: Engaging Anti-Oppressive Social Work (3 credits) SOWK 4299 Advanced Standing Seminar (3 credits)

• Fall 2026 Denver Campus MSW Program: Full-Time

  Curriculum Plan	Courses
  Denver Campus MSW Program: Full-Time 6-Quarter Curriculum Plan/Summer Off	SOWK 4132: Power, Privilege, & Oppression (3 credits) SOWK 4020: Integrated Practice for Social Justice (4 credits) SOWK 4000: Professional Development Seminar (1 credit) SOWK 4001: Clinical Social Work Skills (3 credits) SOWK 4950/4970: Foundation Field Internship - You cannot register for your field course until you complete the field education process.

  Register Now

• Fall 2026 Denver Campus MSW Program: Part-Time

  Curriculum Plan	Courses
  Denver Campus MSW Program: Part-Time 14-Quarter Curriculum Plan	SOWK 4132: Power, Privilege, & Oppression (3 credits) SOWK 4020: Integrated Practice for Social Justice (4 credits) SOWK 4000: Professional Development Seminar (1 credit)

• Fall 2026: Denver Campus Advanced-Standing MSW Program: Full-Time

  Curriculum Plan	Courses
  Denver Campus Advanced-Standing MSW Program: Full-Time 4-Quarter Curriculum Plan	SOWK 4299:Advanced Standing Seminar (3 credits) SOWK 4302: Advanced Standing: Advanced Evidence for Practice (3 credits) SOWK 4303: Advanced Standing: Engaging Anti-Oppressive Social Work (3 credits) SOWK 4950/4970: Foundation Field Internship - You cannot register for your field course until you complete the field education process.

• Fall 2026: Denver Campus Advanced-Standing MSW Program: Part-Time

  Curriculum Plan	Courses
  Denver Campus Advanced-Standing MSW Program: Part-Time 10-Quarter Curriculum Plan	SOWK 4299:Advanced Standing Seminar (3 credits) SOWK 4303: Advanced Standing: Engaging Anti-Oppressive Social Work (3 credits)

Field Education

With field internships, you can begin practicing your social work skills right away. With more than 700+ GSSW field agencies in Denver—from hospitals and hospices to child welfare agencies, policy nonprofits and animal sanctuaries—you’ll find an internship that fits your specific needs and interests.

Please note that you will not be able to register for your field internship course until you complete the field internship process listed below. Email field@du.edu with any questions. 

• 

  Attend a Mandatory Field Information Session

  Sign-up instructions will be emailed after you submit your deposit.

• 

  Complete the Internship Search Form

  Information about the internship search form will be sent via email after the information session.

• 

  Schedule an Appointment with a Field Advisor

  After you complete the internship search form, you will set up a one-on-one meeting with a field advisor, who will work with you to identify GSSW-approved field agencies for your interview and selection process. 

• 

  Field Confirmation Form

  You may not register for a SOWK 4950 or SOWK 4970 Foundation Field Internship, or begin your field placement, until you have submitted a Field Confirmation Form located in the internship database AND received specific registration instructions from the field office.

• 

  Field Internship Course Registration

  The field office will begin sending registration instructions on June 2026. When you register for classes you will refer to the field registration instructions the field office provided you via email from field@du.edu after you submitted the Field Confirmation Form.

New Student Orientation

Required for all incoming Denver Campus MSW students, orientation will introduce community resources, expectations and opportunities as you begin your journey at GSSW. (Note: The date of the first day of classes may differ from DU's academic calendar.) All dates are subject to change. 

Academic Calendars

• Academic Year Calendar 2025-2026
• Academic Year Calendar 2026-2027

Welcome to DU Video from Chancellor Jeremy Haefner