Regis University is a private university in Denver, Colorado, that admits nearly 9 out of every 10 people who knock on its door. That fact alone changes the conversation in many homes. But an isolated number is not a plan, so we are going to walk together through what Regis really is, according to what it itself reported to the U.S. federal government. Without selling you anything. Without scaring you about anything. Naming every figure where it belongs, with its proper denominator, and telling you—when necessary—what that number still does not tell you.
What kind of school it is, in its own words
Regis University is a private nonprofit institution that offers programs lasting four years and longer. The highest level it reports offering is a doctorate, and the federal system that classifies U.S. universities—Carnegie—places it among doctoral and professional-career institutions. It is a medium-sized, primarily residential school: in the data snapshot used for that classification, between 25 and 49 out of every 100 degree-seeking undergraduate students lived in institution-owned housing, and at least half studied full time. In its undergraduate profile, Carnegie also places it in the selective-admission group.
This is worth pausing over. That same Carnegie classification from 2021 shows that, counting all full-time-equivalent enrollment, at least half consisted of graduate students. It is a snapshot from a specific moment, not the makeup of the current cycle, and if you come across older guides—from 2015, for example—you will find Regis described differently. Categories change; it is always wise to look at the date of the data before repeating it.
The campus is in Denver, within Denver County, in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial metropolitan area, in a principal city of 250,000 residents or more. That does not tell you whether the campus is downtown or what the daily commute is like. If your child plans to live at home, drive that route yourself on a weekday, at the exact time of their classes. Real travel time is almost never what the map promises.
One more thing before continuing: Regis does not have any of the three federal designations that exist for certain communities—it is not a historically Black college or university, not a tribal college or university, and not a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 universities in this directory, only 138 have one of those three. Regis not having them does not say which students it serves or how your child will feel there. Ask directly: what cultural centers exist today, what student organizations operate, and, better yet, speak with someone already studying there.
The real size of the community, and who makes it up
Regis had 4,631 enrolled students in the most recent official fall count. It is a medium-sized school. But that number includes graduate students: it is divided into 2,680 undergraduate students and 1,951 graduate students. If your child is entering a bachelor’s program, the number that matters to them is 2,680, not the total of 4,631.
Now the figure that, to me, is the most notable in this entire article: 31 out of every 100 Regis undergraduate students reported themselves as Hispanic or Latino. It is nearly one out of three. Among the 941 private four-year schools with selective admission that reported this figure in this census, Regis is among those reporting it most highly—nine out of ten in that group reported an equal or lower proportion. For a Latino family looking for a place where their child will not be the unusual exception in the classroom, this matters.
And here is the counterweight I do not want to skip: counting is not serving. This figure tells you how many Latino students there are. It does not tell you whether there is a counselor who speaks Spanish, whether there is tutoring designed for that community, or whether those students finish their degrees at the same rate as everyone else. And it is the percentage of the whole school, not of the specific program your child is interested in. A high number opens a door to asking better questions; it does not close the investigation.
Other features of this community: 32 out of every 100 undergraduate students are between 25 and 64 years old—it is not a campus made up only of 18-year-olds. There are more women than men: 69 out of every 100. And 78 out of every 100 incoming students had a permanent address in Colorado. If you live outside the state, you will be in the minority in that group, which is neither good nor bad on its own, but is worth knowing.
How the academic year works, and how flexible entry is
Regis organizes its year by semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. That means fixed and matching dates for all students, something many families appreciate because it makes planning simpler.
The school reported that it accepts credit from AP exams and also what IPEDS calls “credit for life experience”—learning acquired through independent study, work, portfolios, prior licenses, or military or professional opportunities. It also stated that it enrolls high school students in college courses for credit, within a formal dual-enrollment program, and that it accepts credit for military training.
All of that sounds generous, and it probably is. But reporting it does not mean they will automatically recognize every credit your child brings. They do not say what AP scores they require or how many credits they award for each one. Ask for the transfer-credit evaluation in writing before enrolling. Do not budget for time or money saved until you have it in hand.
As for degree offerings: in the last reported year, Regis awarded 658 bachelor’s degrees, spread across 22 academic program families. But the offerings are concentrated: health professions represented 296 of those 658 degrees—45 out of every 100. Compared with the other 942 selective private schools in this census, Regis ranks in the top quarter for the number of program families present in its bachelor’s-degree detail, which suggests broad offerings around that strong health core. But broad does not mean deep in every area: a program family may have a row with zero degrees awarded. If your child wants something outside health, verify the exact program, not just whether it appears on the list.
Regarding the student-to-faculty ratio: Regis reports 9 full-time-equivalent students for every full-time-equivalent faculty member. It is a low ratio—among the lowest reported in this census, in the bottom quarter among similar schools. But a low ratio does not guarantee small classes: the number does not count seats in an actual classroom; it only relates institutional totals. Ask directly how many students are in the first-year classes your child would take.
Finally, Regis reports several structured academic paths: study abroad, a complete program that can be taken only at night or on weekends, and teacher-preparation and certification pathways, including state approval for initial teacher certification. It is worth asking by name which of these paths exist today and under what conditions.
What getting in is like: what it requires, and how likely a yes is
Here is the heart of what many families want to know first.
Regis does not have open admission. In its most recent federal report on first-time students, it marked three items as required: the high school transcript, the high school grade-point average, and the English-proficiency exam for those to whom it applies. Other items are not required but are considered if you send them: the personal essay, letters of recommendation, and work experience. The report does not say how much each one weighs in the final decision.
If your child studied outside the United States, or attended high school in Spanish, ask today whether the English-proficiency exam applies to them and what waives it. It is marked as required when applicable, and it is one of those things families discover late, when there is no longer a comfortable amount of time to address it.
The published application fee is $0. That is it, with no fine print to report there.
Now the central figure: in the most recent cycle, Regis received 4,997 first-time applications and offered admission to 4,361. That is 87 out of every 100. Compared with the other 942 selective private schools in this census, Regis is on the more accessible side: seven out of ten of those schools, or more, admitted an equal or lower percentage. Put simply: out of every 100 applicants, 87 received a yes.
But here is a truth I cannot soften: out of every 100 students Regis admitted, only 11 enrolled. In other words, out of every 9 young people who received an acceptance letter, roughly one ended up taking the spot. Compared with similar schools, Regis is on the lower side on this measure—in seven out of ten similar schools, a greater share of admitted students enrolls.
Do not read that as a blemish. The federal record does not say why each family chose what it chose, and a low enrollment rate does not make a school bad. What it does mean is this: what other families decided tells you nothing about what they will offer you. Wait for your own letter with the net price—what the year would actually cost you—before drawing any conclusion about whether Regis remains on or comes off the list.
Regarding standardized tests: Regis is “test optional.” The SAT and ACT are not required, and if your child sends them, they are considered; if they do not send them, the application remains valid all the same. In practice, almost no one sends them: out of every 100 enrolled students, only 1 submitted SAT scores. That does not tell you whether that score helped anyone get in, only that almost no one sent one.
And regarding transfers: in the most recent fall, 204 undergraduate students entered Regis for the first time after having studied at another institution. It is a relatively high number compared with similar schools in this census. What we do not know, because Regis did not report it, is the departure rate—how many students who entered seeking a bachelor’s degree transferred out. That silence in the data does not prove that no one transfers; it simply is not in the file.
The list price, and the price that really matters
At Regis University, among 72 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $18,252. Among 66 students in the same population with family EFC income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $21,418; among 79 students with family EFC income above $110,000, it was $29,220. For dependent students, the band adds their parents’ income and their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band (72 students) and that for the highest-income band (79 students) is $10,968. Among first-year students who received some scholarship, the average was $25,062.
$18,252 was the average net price for the lowest-income families in the 2022-23 academic year. That does not mean it is what your family will pay. It helps you know whether it is worth requesting the aid letter.
None of these figures is a quote for your child. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions they use the in-state or district rate. The overall average with scholarships, when it appears, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional scholarships or grants. The figure that matters is the aid letter that arrives for you. In the meantime, use the net-price calculator on the school’s website.
Scholarships, loans, and the calculation made before signing
Out of every 100 degree-seeking students at Regis, 78 received some scholarship or aid that does not have to be repaid. Among those who received it, the yearly average was $22,976. Compared with similar selective private schools, Regis falls in the quarter where scholarships reach proportionally fewer students—although the average amount, when it arrives, is substantial.
The Pell Grant—federal aid for low-income families—reached 28 out of every 100 students. $22,976 in average grant aid is real money, but it is not a price: what determines how much you will pay is the number left after all aid, and that number is requested school by school, not calculated from this average.
Regarding loans: 46 out of every 100 Regis undergraduate students received a federal student loan in the most recently reported year. That is more than four out of ten. Among those who received a loan, the yearly average was $7,802. Compared with similar schools, this proportion is among the common ones, neither among the highest nor the lowest.
Here is the full calculation, the one you make before signing anything: if your child borrowed a similar amount each year during the program’s four years, the sum would be around $31,208, not counting interest. That number is decided before the first signature, not at the end of the fourth year when there is no turning back. And that average covers only federal loans in the student’s name—it does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, debt with private banks, or credit cards. It is also not the total debt with which someone graduates; for that, all four complete years would have to be added, and that specific number is not in this report.
Regis also offers a tuition payment plan in installments, for those who prefer to spread the cost across the year instead of paying it all at once.
Campus life, sports, library, and support
Regis does have institution-owned housing, with a reported maximum capacity of 1,047 students on or off campus. Not all first-time, full-time students are required to live there—but that does not mean no program has that requirement. It also offers meal plans, although the number of meals per week varies by the selected plan. Before removing room and board from the family budget, request in writing this year’s exact rate, the housing-application deadline, and whether you are guaranteed a space or placed on a waiting list.
Regarding ROTC: Regis marked all three service branches—Army, Navy, and Air Force—plus the Marine Corps option within Navy. Marking all three is not common: of the 3,012 universities in this directory, only 135 do so. But being marked does not demonstrate that the program operates physically on this campus, how many spots there are, or whether it awards scholarships. Ask about each path by name before building a plan around ROTC.
Regis competes in intercollegiate sports and is affiliated with the NCAA, with reported membership in basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. Membership belongs to the school, not your child: if they are interested in competing, write directly to the coach for the specific sport and ask whether there is room, in what division they compete, and whether that sport offers an athletic scholarship. Ask them to confirm it in writing.
In mode of study: Regis offers distance education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. In the most recent count, 25 out of every 100 undergraduate students took all their classes at a distance—a high proportion compared with similar schools, placing it in the quarter with the most undergraduate students studying that way. But this describes all undergraduates together, not your child’s particular program: one program may be almost entirely online while the one next door is almost entirely in person on the same campus.
The library operates with employed staff and its annual spending exceeded the $100,000 threshold recorded by the federal government—it has physical and digital collections, and interlibrary lending. That threshold is only a floor; it does not guarantee that the specific databases your child’s program needs exist. Ask by program name.
And in institutional support, Regis reports: combined academic and career counseling, placement services for graduates, a comprehensive transition program for students with intellectual disabilities, participation in the Yellow Ribbon program, a dedicated point of contact for veterans and their families, a student veterans organization, and a published web address for disability services. It is worth exploring each one directly if it applies to your family’s situation.
How many stay, how many graduate
This is the part where the data demand the most care, because the calculations do not always add up neatly, and I would rather tell you that than pretend the source has a clarity it does not.
Of the cohort of students who entered for the first time, full time, seeking a bachelor’s degree—428 people in a recent fall—322 met the official retention criterion the following year: they were still enrolled or had already graduated. That is 75 out of every 100. Compared with 930 similar selective private schools, Regis is a little below the middle of the group. What this number does not tell you: what happened to the other 106. Not returning is not the same as dropping out—someone who transferred to another university and continues studying there counts the same in this figure as someone who left their studies altogether.
Regarding graduation: IPEDS tracked 534 students who began bachelor’s studies at Regis in 2017, full time and for the first time. After six years, 325 had graduated there: 61 out of every 100. After four years, the figure falls to 51 out of every 100—a difference of 10 points showing that, for many, the path takes more than four years. Compared with 920 similar selective private schools, Regis is above the middle of that group.
Be clear about whom this calculation follows: only those who entered for the first time and full time seeking a bachelor’s degree. It does not include those who arrived as transfers or those who started part time. The available records do not allow a complete reconstruction of what happened to the rest of that original cohort—a gap in the data does not become zero, and does not authorize claiming that they transferred, paused, or dropped out.
There is a third view, after eight years, of a different and broader cohort: 1,766 undergraduate students—first-time and previously enrolled, full time and part time—who entered between July 2015 and June 2016. As of August 2023, 56 out of every 100 had a Regis degree or certificate. Among those who received a Pell Grant, the figure was 52 out of every 100—five points below the group without Pell. Compared with 935 similar schools, Regis is below the middle of that group after eight years.
And here is the piece that does not resolve on its own: 19 out of every 100 in that cohort appear as having no Regis degree and some indication of enrollment elsewhere, but the definition has an internal contradiction in how time is counted, so it cannot be stated precisely how many were still enrolled exactly on that date. And 25 out of every 100—450 exact people—were left with an “unknown” enrollment status. Unknown means the report could not determine what happened to them; it does not mean they were not still studying somewhere else. The two figures do not add up to 100, and that is honest: there are parts of this story that federal data simply cannot reach.
What you already know, and what remains yours to decide
You now know Regis University as deeply as these data allow: a private university in Denver, accessible in its admission rate, with a community where Latino students are not the exception, with a high list price but real aid that reduces that figure for many families, with clear strengths in health, and with open questions in long-term outcomes that no isolated number can resolve for you.
None of this tells you whether Regis is the right university for your child. That depends on what they want to study, what they have already built in high school, and what your family can and is willing to pay. This piece could only give you, honestly, the first of those three parts.
If your child is building their list, ask them what they want to study and how far away they imagine living while doing it. If you already have the admission letter in hand, request the financial-aid letter before deciding anything, and compare the final number, not the size of the discount. And if you feel you are running late, document what you have already done and research what remains—almost always, it is less than it seems late at night, when fear speaks louder than the data.
Put it all together. A plan is born from that combination.
Source note: the information in this article comes from reports Regis University submitted to IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and to other U.S. Department of Education databases, corresponding to different years and cycles as indicated in the text. Best College Aid does not represent Regis University or the U.S. government.