
The University of Denver (DU) is a private research university in Denver, Colorado, founded in 1864. DU has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,412 (as of Fall 2023), with a gender distribution of 44.7% male students and 55.3% female students. DU's total enrollment is approximately 13,856 students, with 5,362 undergraduates and 3,334 graduate students. The average age of an undergraduate student is 23 years, while the average graduate student is 32 years old. DU has a diverse student body, with 42.1% of students falling within the traditional college age range of 18-21, compared to a national average of 60%. The university offers a range of academic programs, including over 110 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, and supports students from all walks of life, including nontraditional, working students.
Explore related products
What You'll Learn

The University of Denver's non-traditional roots
The University of Denver (DU) was founded in 1864 as the Colorado Seminary, just six years after the founding of Denver City. Its first buildings were located in downtown Denver in the 1860s and 1870s, but it soon relocated to a new campus built on donated land six miles south of the city centre. DU's early years were marked by financial issues, and it briefly shut down before reopening in 1880 as the University of Denver.
DU's evolution from a Methodist seminary into a global intellectual centre has gone hand-in-hand with the development of Denver itself. As the city grew from a gold rush boom town of 3,000 people into a cosmopolitan hub in the interior West, the university's reputation spread beyond the region, and its enrolment surged after World War II with the influx of G.I. Bill students. DU's non-traditional roots are also evident in its establishment of one of the country's first business schools and the first school of social work between the Mississippi and the West Coast.
Today, DU continues to embrace diversity and serve students from all walks of life. The university's undergraduate population has an average age of 23, indicating the presence of non-traditional students who have delayed college entry or are pursuing degrees mid-career. DU's quarter-based academic calendar, with shorter 10-week quarters, offers flexibility for students at various life stages. The university also provides a range of degree programs, including over 30 online degree programs, allowing students to pursue their educational goals while balancing other commitments.
DU's commitment to inclusivity is further demonstrated through initiatives like the Task Force on Native American Inclusivity, which aims to enhance accessibility and support for Native American students. The university acknowledges its location on the traditional territories and ancestral homelands of the Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Ute nations and recognises the painful history of genocide and forced removal associated with this land. DU's diversity extends beyond its Native American community, with students of colour making up 50% of the student body, attracting individuals from across the country and the world.
Graduate Student Population at Princeton University
You may want to see also
Explore related products

Current student age diversity
The University of Denver (DU) is a private research university in Denver, Colorado, founded in 1864. DU has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,412 (as of fall 2023) and a gender distribution of 44.7% male students and 55.3% female students. The average class size is under 21 students, and the university has an 11:1 student-to-faculty ratio.
DU's total enrollment is approximately 13,856 students, including 5,362 undergraduates and 3,334 graduate students. However, another source states that DU has approximately 12,000 graduates and undergraduates. The university's campus size is 125 acres, and it operates on a quarter-based academic calendar, allowing students to take more classes each year than a traditional semester system.
DU has a diverse student body, with an age diversity score of 83.15 out of 100, indicating that the university attracts students of all ages. Only 42.10% of students are in the traditional college age range of 18-21, compared to a national average of 60%. The average age of an undergraduate student at DU is 23 years, while the average graduate student is 32 years old. The university has a history of supporting students from all walks of life and is committed to being inclusive and accessible to a diverse range of students.
CU Denver, part of the University of Colorado system, is located on the traditional territories of the Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Ute nations. It was founded in 1973 and has grown to become Colorado's most diverse research university, offering over 110 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. CU Denver has a total enrollment of 15,000 students and has supported nontraditional, working students since its early days as the University of Colorado's Department of Correspondence and Extension in 1912.
International Students at Georgia Southern University: A Growing Population
You may want to see also
Explore related products

International students
The University of Denver (DU) has a diverse student body, with a strong representation of international students. DU is committed to helping international students flourish and offers various support services to ensure their academic, personal, and professional success.
DU's campus is home to more than 1,000 international students, with nearly 800 students from over 80 countries, including South Korea, China, Kuwait, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, and Vietnam. The university celebrates this cultural diversity and strives for inclusivity and academic excellence.
DU also fosters a sense of community by requiring all first-year and transfer students to live on campus for the first two years, creating an immersive undergraduate experience. This requirement helps international students integrate and build meaningful connections with their peers.
Additionally, DU is located in one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation, offering international students a vibrant cultural scene and a vast professional network. The campus's proximity to the Rocky Mountains and Colorado's natural beauty enhances the overall experience for students.
International Students Thriving at the University of Minnesota
You may want to see also
Explore related products

Graduate and undergraduate numbers
The University of Denver (DU) is a private research university in Denver, Colorado, founded in 1864. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 6,412 (as of fall 2023), with a gender distribution of 44.7% male and 55.3% female students. The full-time undergraduate population comprises 55% women and 45% men. The total graduate student population is harder to ascertain, with one source stating 3,334, and another 7,200. The university itself describes its size as "mid-sized", with "about 12,000 graduates and undergraduates".
DU's total enrollment is approximately 13,856 students, according to one source, while another states 15,000. The average age of an undergraduate student is 23 years, while the average graduate student is 32 years old. DU's athletic teams are known as the Denver Pioneers and the school has been fielding athletic teams since 1867, winning 35 NCAA Division One titles since 1949.
DU's Office of International Education offers support and advice for all undergraduate students who want to study abroad. The Cherrington Global Scholars program offers every undergraduate the chance to study abroad at no extra cost. DU has a diverse student body, with students of colour making up 50% of the student population. The university is committed to being an institution that works for students from all walks of life.
Jewish Students at University of Virginia: How Many?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$19.99 $21.99

The university's history
The University of Denver (DU) was founded in 1864 by John Evans, the former governor of the Colorado Territory, as the Colorado Seminary. The first buildings of the university were located in downtown Denver in the 1860s and 1870s. However, concerns about the city's rough-and-tumble frontier town atmosphere led to a relocation to a new campus built on donated land about six miles south of downtown. The University of Denver grew alongside the city, attracting a primarily regional student body before World War II.
After World War II, the large influx of G.I. Bill students pushed DU's enrollment to over 13,000, the highest in its history, and helped establish its reputation nationally. DU has a rich history of athletic achievements, with its teams, known as the Denver Pioneers, winning 35 NCAA Division One titles since 1949, including 24 NCAA national team skiing championships, more than any other school. The university has also hosted fraternities and sororities for over 130 years.
DU's commitment to research and exploration has led to its recognition as a "Very High Research University" or "R1" by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. With over 40 research centres and institutes, the university generates knowledge and solutions to complex societal issues. The institution has a diverse student body, with students of colour making up 50% of the population, and it is the most diverse research university in Colorado. The average age of an undergraduate student is 23 years, while the average graduate student is 32 years old.
The University of Denver has a strong global presence, with international students from 135 countries and top study abroad destinations including the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, and Scotland. DU's Cherrington Global Scholars program offers every undergraduate the opportunity to study abroad at no additional cost, fostering cultural self-awareness and a global perspective. The university's recent history includes a commitment to acknowledging the Indigenous Peoples connected to the land on which the campus is located, with a formal Land Acknowledgement honouring the Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Ute nations.
University Students: How Much Time on Campus?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
57.9% of students at the University of Denver are not within the traditional college age range of 18-21.
The University of Denver has an approximate total enrollment of 13,856 students, with around 5,700 undergraduate students and 7,200 graduate students.
The average age of an undergraduate student at the University of Denver is 23 years old, while the average graduate student is 32 years old.











































