Some applicants can skip the fee and apply for free
CSU supports options for students to apply for free as part
of our commitment to access. We have options for graduate students to apply for
free through institutional fee waivers, program affiliation fee waivers, and
free application days. More information about these options is provided
below.
To ensure you’re submitting a high-quality application on
time, we recommend that you begin your application early! Each
graduate program has its own application deadline, and some programs
have deadlines prior to the free application days. Contact
your graduate programs using the contact information published at Graduate Programs to
confirm the application deadline and other requirements.
If you qualify for a fee waiver it benefits you to
apply now rather than wait for one of the free days.
Fee waivers
CSU supports fee waivers for Graduate School applicants who can demonstrate participation in or affiliation with specific programs and/or partnerships. Fee waivers are not granted based solely on financial hardship.
Application fees will be automatically waived starting with the Fall 2025 application cycle if you earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally (HLC) accredited Colorado Institution or a U.S. Land-Grant Institution.
You will need to submit a fee waiver request form for all other program/partnership affiliations. All program/partnership affiliations are verified by staff members and require you to upload confirmation documents such as an offer letter. Before applying for an application fee waiver, please ensure you can provide documentation of affiliation. Requests without adequate documentation will greatly delay the review of your application.
Fee waivers are for degree-seeking applicants only and cannot be used for certificate programs, returning applications, or non-degree GUEST applications. Applicants must have earned their undergraduate or graduate degree before starting their first semester in a graduate program. Institutional fee waivers cannot be used for the Spring 2025 application cycle.
- Applicants with degrees from U.S. Land-Grant Institutions (fee automatically waived).
- Applicants with degrees from regionally (HLC) accredited Colorado Institutions (fee automatically waived).
- ABRCMS – Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students
- AGEP – Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate
- AISES – American Indian Science and Engineering Society
- AmeriCorps participants
- AMIDEAST – America-Mideast Educational and Training Services
- ASPIRE – Association of Special Programs in Region Eight (TRiO adjacent)
- ASSET / Colorado ASSET (only available to Colorado high school graduates)
- Fulbright Scholar
- Iraqi Scholarship Recipient
- IREX – International Research and Exchanges Board
- IIE – Institute of International Education
- LPDP – Indonesian Endowment Fund for Education Scholarship
- LSAMP – Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation
- McNair Scholar
- MMUF – Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship
- OAS – Organization of American States
- oSTEM – Out in STEM Member
- Pakistan Higher Education Commission Scholarship
- Peace Corps participants
- PREP – Postbaccalaureate Research Education Program
- REU – Research Experiences for Undergraduates / National Science Foundation
- SACNAS – Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science
- TRiO – i.e., Talent Search, Upward Bound, Student Support Services, Educational Opportunity Centers
- US Military – Veterans and Active Duty
- VEF – Vietnam Education Foundation
Fee waiver instructions:
Start your application early! Processing the fee waiver request can take up to four business days. We recommend submitting your application at least one week before your program’s deadline to ensure there is enough time to process your fee waiver.
Be sure to use the same email address on both your graduate school application and fee waiver request form.
- Submit your graduate program application.
- If you qualify to have your application fee automatically waived because you earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally (HLC) accredited Colorado Institution or a U.S. Land-Grant Institution, you will see a confirmation message, and no further action is required.
- If you do not qualify for an automatic waiver, do not immediately pay the application fee. Wait until a link to access the waiver request form appears beneath the payment section. This link may take up to 15 minutes to appear.
- Click the “review requirements and request a fee waiver” link to complete the fee waiver request; some fields may auto-populate from your application.
- Monitor the email you used to submit your application. You will receive a notification on the outcome of your fee waiver request within four business days.
- If your fee waiver request is approved, no further action is needed, and your application will move forward in our review process once it’s otherwise complete. If your fee waiver request is denied, you will be required to pay the application fee as part of completing your application.
FAQ: Fee waivers
Yes, Colorado State University will offer free application days on December 1, 2024, and January 14-15, 2025, for graduate student admissions. During these days, all applicants new to a graduate degree program at CSU can apply for free. Eligible degree programs are Master’s, Accelerated Master’s, and Doctoral. It is important to note that some programs have application deadlines before December 1. Please be sure to check your program deadlines and plan accordingly.
After you submit your application, you should submit the fee waiver request form. Processing the fee waiver request can take up to four business days. We recommend submitting your application at least one week before your program’s deadline to ensure there is enough time to process your fee waiver. Application deadlines vary by program. If your fee waiver request is denied, you will need to pay the application fee to complete your application.
You must have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited Colorado institution to qualify for the fee waiver. An associate degree or certificate alone does not meet the requirement.
No action is needed. Your fee will automatically be waived if you received your bachelor’s degree or higher from an HLC-accredited Colorado Institution or a U.S. Land-Grant institution that was accredited during the time you were enrolled. Your attendance will be verified through your transcripts.
Yes, fee waivers are available for honorably discharged Veterans when required documentation is provided.
If you have questions about your program affiliation and your eligibility for an application fee waiver, please consult with the Graduate School, the Office of International Programs (OIP) or your department coordinator.
Free Graduate Application Days
Colorado State University will offer free application days for graduate admissions on December 1, 2024, and January 14-15, 2025. All applicants new to a graduate degree program at CSU can apply for free during these days. Eligible degree programs include Master’s, Accelerated Master’s, and Doctoral. Please contact [email protected] if you have problems submitting your application.
Start your applications early!
Each graduate program has its own application deadline, and some programs have deadlines prior to the free application days. Do not assume your program’s deadline is after December 1. Contact your graduate programs using the contact information published at Graduate Programs to confirm the application deadline and other requirements.
To ensure you’re submitting a high-quality application on time, we recommend that you begin your application before December 1.
Free day application instructions:
Before applying, review your program’s application deadlines and requirements, and review the “How to Apply” guide for graduate admissions. Then, apply at gradadmissions.colostate.edu/apply.
To submit your application on Free Application Days, you must provide the following materials and click the submit button on the application.
- Names and contact information for recommenders/references
- Upload Statement of Purpose
- Upload CV/resume
- Required essay and supplemental question responses
- Personal History Statement
Other required materials, such as recommendation letters, transcripts, self-reported English proficiency scores (for international students), and departmental requirements such as test scores (if applicable) do not need to be submitted on or received by the free application day in order for your application to be free. However, they must be submitted by your program’s published application deadline.
You can begin your application at any time, and we recommend that you do so. Your content will be saved as you fill out the application. You must click submit on your application by 11:59 p.m. MST one of the three free days to qualify for the free application. If you’re in a different time zone, please use a time zone converter, which can be found online, to ensure you meet the deadline.
No refunds will be given for applications submitted before or after the free day dates.
FAQ: Free Graduate Application Days
All applicants who are new to a graduate degree program can apply for free, including international students. A bachelor’s degree or higher must be completed by the start of your graduate program, and applicants must meet Graduate Admissions requirements.
If you have previously attended CSU as a degree-seeking graduate student and want to return to complete a degree in progress, you are not eligible to apply for free. Graduate certificate applications, non-degree GUEST applications, and returner applications are not eligible for free application days.
Applicants who have already earned a graduate degree at CSU and are pursuing an additional graduate degree in a different discipline (or pursuing a doctorate to enrich their master’s in the same discipline) are eligible.
You only need to list the names and contact information for your recommenders/references to submit your application on a free application day. Once this is done, a request for a recommendation will automatically be sent to the contacts you listed. The actual letters of recommendation do not have to be received by the free application day for your application to be free. Be sure to check your department’s application deadlines, as some departments may have deadlines before the free application days.
You can apply for multiple graduate programs within CSU for free on the designated application days, provided you meet the eligibility criteria.
Unfortunately, there is no flexibility on the free day dates. We encourage you to review the list of fee waivers above to check if you qualify.
Some programs require and some recommend that applicants secure a faculty advisor prior to completing their application. Your application will ask you to name the faculty member with whom you’ve been in communication and who would endorse your application. Finding a faculty advisor can be a long process, so we encourage you to begin this process well in advance of the application deadline. Securing an advisor does not guarantee admission.
No. After submission, you will only be able to manage your recommenders.
If you realize that information you have submitted needs to be corrected, contact [email protected].
However, there are some support documents you can submit outside of the application free day, such as recommendation letters, transcripts, self-reported English proficiency scores (for international students), and departmental requirements such as test scores (if applicable). These supplemental materials do not have to be submitted on or received by the free application day in order for your application to be free. However, they must be submitted by your program’s published application deadline.
Yes, if you qualify for any of the fee waivers listed above.
No refunds will be given for application fees paid for applications submitted outside of the free day dates.
Once your online application is submitted, the department will review your materials and make an official recommendation to the Graduate School. You will be able to monitor the status of your application online and may receive updates by email if additional information is required and once an admission decision has been made.
You may email questions to [email protected]. Please note, University Offices are closed November 23 – December 1. Additional University holiday closures are published at calendar.colostate.edu.
Questions? Contact Us!
For questions about program application deadlines and requirements: Contact the academic and/or admissions contact on your Graduate Program page.
For issues submitting your application: Please email [email protected]
If you have questions about program affiliation for an application fee waiver, please consult with the Graduate School, the Office of International Programs (OIP) , or your department coordinator.