Office of the Registrar - University of Colorado, Boulder

College Opportunity Fund (COF)

Registration Info » College Opportunity Fund (COF)

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Step 5: Authorize COF

For Undergraduate In-State Students Only: Beginning fall 2005, the Colorado State Legislature established a new way to provide state tax dollar support for higher education at the undergraduate level. This method of funding is the College Opportunity Fund (COF), which applies only to undergraduate students paying resident (in-state) tuition. This is not an automatic process. You must complete the following steps or you will be responsible for paying the total in-state tuition, including the portion that would have been covered by the College Opportunity Fund. View the current COF voucher amount (on the tuition tables) to see how much of your tuition will be covered by COF. Also see How COF Applies to You for important information.

Apply for COF	Deadline to Apply and Authorize COF
Authorize CU Access	Deadline to Add a Course and Be Eligible for the COF Voucher
Questions Regarding COF	COF Waiver

Apply - Step 1

To apply for COF go to https://cof.college-assist.org/COFApp/. This is a one-time application.

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Authorize - Step 2

Once you've applied for COF, you’ll be asked to authorize CU access to these funds as you register for courses each semester. If you choose not to authorize COF for that term, the COF stipend will NOT be credited toward your tuition and fees for that term. (NOTE: If you register for courses before you apply for COF, you’ll need to come back to web registration approximately 48-72 hours after you apply and select the COF Authorization tab and follow the instructions in order to have the COF stipend applied to your tuition and fee bill for the term.)

To Authorize your Courses for COF:

Logon to CUConnect.
Click on the Courses tab (at the top of the page) and then click Register for Courses (under Schedule and Grades). This takes you to web registration.
Next click on the COF Authorization tab (lower right-hand corner); on the next page select the current semester for which you're registering and click Submit; on the next page, select the "I authorize" option and then Submit.

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Deadlines to Apply and Authorize for COF

Students can apply for COF and authorize through the end of finals for the current term. HOWEVER, students can only authorize via web registration through certain dates each term (see below).

May 1st	For spring term
July 10	For summer term
December 1st	For fall term

After these dates students can still authorize through the end of finals but need to come into the Office of the Registrar in Regent 105 to do so. (NOTE: For summer 2010, the last day of Final Exams is August 6)

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Deadline to Add a Course and Be Eligible for the COF Voucher

If a COF eligible student adds a course after the deadlines indicated below, according to CCHE COF policy, the student will pay full tuition for the course, including the amount normally paid by COF, and the course will not be credited to COF hours used.

September 11 (Fri.), 5:00 p.m.	For Fall 2009
January 29 (Fri.), 5:00 p.m	For Spring 2010
July 30 (Fri.), 4:30 p.m	For Summer 2010
September 10 (Fri.), 5:00 p.m.	For Fall 2010

Exceptions: COF eligible students who add a course after the dates indicated above will still be eligible for the COF voucher for the added course if one of the following conditions are met. (Note: No exceptions are made for courses added AFTER the last day of classes of the term. For summer 2010, last day of classes is August 6.)

Administrative error - student attending course but not registered due to administrative error
Section change - student moving from one section of the course to another
Level change - instructor or advisor recommends the student move to another level of the course
Courses with non-standard meeting times - includes independent study, intensives, etc

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COF Waiver

Undergraduate in-state students who will use more than 145 hours towards their first degree may apply for a waiver to this limit. You may not apply for this waiver until you have less than 25 COF hours remaining (life time hours 145, COF hours used greater than or equal to 120).

Waivers will be considered for the following reasons:

Extenuating circumstances exist outside the student’s control (health, physical ability, change of work hours/location) that keep the student from finishing the degree program within the 145 lifetime credit hour limit.
The degree program as approved by CCHE requires more than 120 hours to complete.
While the student was enrolled in a specific degree program, CCHE approved and the institution implemented an alteration of degree requirements or standards for the specific degree.
Paying the full amount of total in-state tuition for credit hours that exceed the 145 COF credit hour lifetime limit would cause a substantial economic hardship on the student and the student’s family.
Disadvantages created when COF was implemented because of AP, high school coursework or other transfer credit brought in that led to a lower awarding of COF credits due to your initial class standing (freshman, sophomore, etc.).

Waivers based upon the following criteria alone will not be considered for the following reasons:

A student decision to pursue a dual degree, double major, or combination of majors/minors that extend the time to achieve the degree.
Participation in the Course Repetition program.
Lack of satisfactory academic progress, including failed courses, awarding of incomplete grades, etc.

Please complete the Waiver Request Form and all supporting documentation and return it to the Office of the Registrar, Regent 105.

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