CSU waives undergrad application fees for Coloradans

FORT COLLINS – The three-campus Colorado State University system has eliminated application fees for Colorado residents seeking admission to undergraduate programs, the university said Wednesday.

The move applies to CSU in Fort Collins, CSU Pueblo, and CSU Global; it makes the CSU system the first in Colorado to allow resident students to apply for free to its undergraduate programs.

“Universities exist to help people unlock their potential,” said Tony Frank, chancellor of the CSU System, in a prepared statement. “The CSU System offers three very distinct educational options to help people find the program that best fits their needs. Removing the application fee at all of our campuses simply removes one more potential barrier to a better future.” 

Colorado State University in Fort Collins rolled out its waiver of in-state undergraduate application fees upon opening applications for Fall 2024, becoming the state’s largest four-year institution to take this step. 

In addition to waiving undergraduate application fees, CSU Pueblo also is joining Common App, an organization that allows prospective college students to file a single application accepted by more than 1,000 colleges and universities across the country. Since CSU in Fort Collins is already a member, students in Colorado and elsewhere using the Common Application will have ready access to information about both campuses, and in-state students will be able to have their applications considered by each for free by simply checking the appropriate boxes.  

“We are thrilled to be taking these steps to put a CSU Pueblo education within reach for more students from Colorado and beyond,” said Timothy Mottet, president of CSU Pueblo. “Eliminating the in-state undergraduate application fee builds on work we are already doing to help students chart a path toward academic and career success.”    

At CSU Global, the CSU System’s fully online campus, Colorado residents can use the code “Colorado” to waive the application fee for university admission. Service members and veterans, as well as their dependents, also can apply for free at any time.  

“Since its founding, CSU Global has been a leader in meeting the needs of today’s modern learners and facilitating their professional success,” said Becky Takeda-Tinker, president of CSU Global. “At a time of increasing costs, and given our mission and focus on providing a consistently high return-on-investment for our students’ time and money, we believe that the change to free applications for university admission for Colorado residents and our servicemembers and veterans is timely and appropriate.”  

The Colorado Department of Higher Education is now in the sixth year of its Colorado Free Application Days campaign, which was launched to encourage in-state residents to learn about and apply to Colorado colleges and universities. In 2022, participating students submitted more than 12,000 applications to CSU System campuses, with CSU in Fort Collins receiving more applications than any other institution in the state.  

The three CSU System campuses will continue participating in Colorado Free Application Days even as the benefit extends year-round for in-state applications. With CSU and CSU Pueblo both using the Common App, the two campuses also will be able to explore new opportunities for collaboration as they access shared data and information.    

“CSU is committed to removing barriers,” said CSU President Amy Parsons. “Free application for admission is part of delivering on our land-grant mission of increasing access to higher education for Coloradans.”

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