CSU’s graduate admissions program is designed to foster excellence in scholarship and promote diversity within the student population while assuring equal opportunity to all applicants.

The ultimate criterion for admission is applicant potential for attaining an advanced degree at CSU. However, the resources of CSU are limited and not all applicants who possess this potential can be admitted. Thus, selection is made taking into account a range of factors: past academic performance as indicated by transcripts of formal collegiate work, degrees completed, standardized examination scores (for example, the Graduate Record Examination or Graduate Management Admission Test), geographic residence, leadership qualities, recommendations from qualified references, economic status, ethnic origin, and racial background.

CSU does not set quotas for people possessing particular ethnic, gender, or racial characteristics. However, the vitality of CSU and the quality of the educational experience to be enjoyed by all students depend in part on the existence of a diverse student population. Thus, CSU actively seeks applicants from many backgrounds and with diverse characteristics. The institution is committed to a truly heterogeneous University community.

Application: U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents

Students apply online. In addition to the online application, a non-refundable application fee must be electronically submitted.

The on-line application will be electronically submitted to the Office of Graduate Admissions and then forwarded to the appropriate academic departments. With this system, most documents are uploaded directly by the applicant. 

The following are required for a complete application:

  1. A non-refundable application fee.
  2. Unofficial transcripts of all collegiate work completed post-high school. Separate transcripts are required for study abroad if the courses, grades and credits are not recorded on the transcripts of the university that sponsored the study abroad. Note: departments may require official transcripts prior to an offer of admission.
  3. Official transcripts before students can register for second semester coursework. If the transcript does not show the degree and date awarded, a diploma must also be submitted.
  4. A resume or curriculum vitae.
  5. A written statement of purpose.
  6. Two letters of recommendation. Applicants cannot submit letters of recommendation. Recommenders will be notified and prompted to provide a recommendation letter through the online system. The letter of recommendation will be automatically processed and submitted to the student's online file. Note: departments may require more than two letters of recommendation.
  7. Test scores such as GRE or GMAT, if required by department, should be submitted with institution code 4075.

The application fee is not refundable even if the application is withdrawn or admission denied, nor is it applied to tuition and fees if the applicant subsequently enrolls. The non-refundable application fee must be paid, waived, or deferred before the application can be reviewed.

Applicants must have earned a bachelor’s degree from colleges or universities accredited by one of the major regional accrediting agencies. Degrees from schools that do not possess overall, institutional accreditation or that have only specialized accreditation cannot be accepted. Accelerated Master's Program (AMP) students must earn their bachelor’s degrees prior to, or concurrent with, the award of their graduate degrees.

An undergraduate grade point average of 3.000 (A = 4.000) is required for unconditional admission.

The Graduate School recognizes that many undergraduates experience additional pressures beyond their academic experience that can impact the GPA, such as being first generation, care-taking responsibilities, and financial need. In keeping with the land grant mission of CSU, the Graduate School provides accessibility to a graduate education for applicants with a GPA of 2.800-3.000. Such applicants will be provisionally admitted and immediately placed on academic warning. Departments must recommend such applicants for admissions and commit to supporting the applicant's individual student success as indicated by the department within SLATE during the admissions process.

For applicants with a GPA below 2.800, the Access Admission Pathway (see Access Admission Pathway section) provides an admission pathway that balances accessibility with individual student success for applicants who have completed six credits of regular, graduate-level coursework at CSU and received a B or better in each individual course. Applicants who qualify for Access Admission will be provisionally admitted and immediately placed on academic warning. Departments must recommend Access Admission applicants for admission and supply a department support letter describing in detail how they will support the individual student success.

For applicants with a GPA below 2.800 and who do not qualify for Access Admissions, departments may petition the Graduate School to provisionally admit the applicant under unusual circumstances. Applicants must present strong countervailing evidence that successful completion of a degree program is likely. Examples of the kinds of evidence that might be considered are explanation of extenuating circumstances that affected the undergraduate GPA and how circumstances have changed to favor success as a graduate student, a grade of B or better in regular, graduate-level courses taken elsewhere or at CSU as a guest, high scores on standardized tests required by the program, excellent letters of recommendation, relevant professional experience, and other indicators of exceptional motivation and performance. A positive recommendation by the department is required in such cases. Some departments may waive their specific requirements under similarly exceptional and compelling circumstances. However, they are not required to do so and many cannot, due to space and resource considerations.

Applicants who are provisionally admitted and placed immediately on academic warning must achieve a term GPA of 3.000, averaged across all coursework that is traditionally graded (A through F), in the first semester, or the student will be dismissed from the Graduate School. This policy applies to all provisionally admitted graduate students.

Departments may have requirements in addition to or more stringent than those of the Graduate School. Applicants are strongly urged to contact the department in which they intend to study. Meeting the minimum CSU or department standards does not entitle an applicant to admission. Meeting such standards only insures consideration of the application. Since CSU cannot accommodate all who meet the minimum standards, it reserves the right to select individuals for admission on the basis of merit in such a way as to promote the best interests of CSU and the society as a whole and to maximize the potential for individual accomplishment.

Admissions decisions are made by the Graduate School after strong consideration of recommendations made by academic departments. Decisions made by the Graduate School to deny admission are final and not subject to appeal by the applicant. Among departments where the number of admitted students is capped each year, the selection of admitted students not only considers the qualifications discussed above, but the competitiveness of the applicant pool and available resources of the department.

Persons not seeking advanced degrees may be recommended for admission as non-degree students if space permits and if they meet the academic admission requirements. Advanced course work, research experience, teacher recertification, and specialized training are among the objectives of students requesting admission in this category.

Students who have not been admitted to graduate study but who take courses on some other basis have no assurance that such courses will be acceptable in a degree program. Credits taken prior to admission to Graduate School may be allowed, but acceptance of any courses in a graduate degree program is at the discretion of the student’s graduate committee and the Graduate School and will not be calculated in the student’s GPA.

Courses taken by CSU undergraduates may, under certain circumstances, be subsequently credited toward graduate degrees at CSU. Undergraduates who enroll in 500-level courses that are not applied toward the bachelor’s degree may request that an exclusion statement be placed on their academic records for no more than 9 credits. Students cannot exclude any courses below the 500 level under this policy. Courses at the 600 level are automatically excluded from use for an undergraduate degree.

Accelerated Master’s Program (AMP) students who wish to double count up to 9 credits of 500 level courses must submit a AMP Double Count Courses GS Form 4 (GS form 4) once admitted into the Graduate School and prior to completing your undergraduate degree.  Double counted courses must appear on the formal program of study (GS form 6) filed during the first semester after Graduate School admission.

Permission to double count courses from the bachelor’s degree does not assure acceptance of these credits toward a graduate degree program. No course will be accepted for transfer with a grade of B- or less. Both departmental and Graduate School approval is required at the time of filing the formal program of study.

Those with bachelor’s or advanced degrees who desire to complete requirements for certification as teacher, administrator, counselor, reading specialist, or vocational certification must contact the School of Education. Individuals seeking professional certification in other areas must contact the departments concerned.

The submission of any false information or fraudulent documents in connection with the application process is grounds for rejection of the application or dismissal from the Graduate School regardless of the nature of other credentials.

Application: International Students

Students apply online. In addition to the online application, a non-refundable application fee must be electronically submitted.

The online application will be electronically submitted to the Office of Graduate Admissions and then forwarded to the appropriate academic departments. With this system, most documents are uploaded directly by the applicant.

The following are required for a complete application:

  1. A non-refundable application fee.
  2. Unofficial transcripts of all collegiate work completed post-high school. If the degree has been completed at the time of application and the transcripts do not show the degree and date awarded, a diploma must be submitted. If the native language is not English, the transcripts must be submitted in the native language along with a certified English translation. Additionally, separate transcripts are required for study abroad if the courses, grades, and credits are not recorded on the transcripts of the university that sponsored the study abroad. Note: departments may require official transcripts prior to an offer of admission.
  3. Official transcripts before students can register for second semester coursework. If the transcript does not show the degree and date awarded, a diploma must also be submitted.
  4. A resume or curriculum vitae.
  5. A written statement of purpose.
  6. Two letters of recommendation. Applicants cannot submit letters of recommendation. Recommenders will be notified and prompted to provide a recommendation letter through the online system. The letter of recommendation will be automatically processed and submitted to the student's online file. Note: departments may require more than two letters of recommendation.
  7. Test scores such as GRE or GMAT, if required by department, should be submitted with institution code 4075.
  8. Scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Duolingo, or Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic.  Test scores should be submitted with institution code 4075.
    1. When the CSU graduate degree program is taught outside the U.S., the TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or the PTE Academic requirement will be waived.
    2. Students are exempted from the TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or PTE Academic requirement if the official language of their country is solely English, if they have recently earned a degree at a university in the United States, or if they have recently earned a degree from a university in a country on the English language proficiency exempt list maintained by the Graduate School (e.g. United Kingdom). 

Required items for Immigration Document Issuance

These items are not required for the application review process, but will be required if officially admitted. The following materials must be uploaded to your CSU application:

  1. Certified proof of financial support
  2. Passport copy

Departmental requirements for additional materials such as standardized tests (e.g. GRE or GMAT) are the same as for U.S. students. Regulations regarding deadlines and application fees are likewise the same as for U.S. students.

Information on application deadlines and application fees is contained in the U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents section.

The U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services requires CSU to have proof of financial support before immigration documentation can be issued. Immigration documentation is needed to obtain a visa. The following link provides more information: https://international.colostate.edu/isss/students/obtain-your-immigration-documents/

All international students and their accompanying dependents are required to maintain adequate health insurance during their stay at CSU.

Only persons with degrees equivalent to U.S. 4-year bachelor’s degrees are qualified to apply for admission. Further, it is a CSU regulation that international applicants should be among the top students in their classes.

CSU requires that proficiency in the English language be demonstrated either by the TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo, or PTE Academic tests prior to admissions. The minimum TOEFL score for admission without condition is 80 for the (internet-based exam). Contact the Graduate School for guidance on interpreting paper-based exam scores. The minimum IELTS score for admission without a condition is 6.5. The minimum Duolingo score for admission without condition is 120. The minimum PTE Academic Score for admission without a condition is 58. Official scores, taken within two years prior to admission, must be submitted directly from the testing agency.

To be considered for conditional admission, a student must have a minimum TOEFL score of 50 on the internet-based test, a minimum IELTS score of 5.5, a minimum Duolingo score of 95 or PTE scores from 40-57.  After receiving conditional admission, the student must satisfactorily complete the Intensive English Program offered through the Office of International Programs. Enrollment in regular CSU academic courses is at the discretion of the admitting department and the Intensive English Program. Approval of both the department and the Graduate School is necessary for conditional admission.

Generally, however, applicants should achieve satisfactory TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo or PTE Academic scores before arriving on the CSU campus.

The individual departments may have requirements or standards in addition to or more stringent than those of CSU. Students must contact the department in which they intend to study for additional information. Consult the Department Head or Program Contact Persons for the proper addresses.

The paragraphs in the preceding section on U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents on academic requirements, how students are selected for admission, non-degree study, previous undergraduate work at Colorado State, certification, and the consequences of presenting any materials that are not genuine, also apply to international students.

Language Requirements

English is the language of instruction at CSU. Adequate knowledge of that language is expected. The various departments generally evaluate students in this regard, and they may require students to secure remedial instruction if necessary.

Students whose native language is not English must demonstrate capability through the TOEFL examinations or other means (see above).

Some departments may require a knowledge of one or more foreign languages for advanced degrees. For information the student should contact the department.

Access Admission Pathway

The Graduate School recognizes that many undergraduates experience additional pressures beyond their academic experience that can impact the GPA, such as being first generation, having caretaking responsibilities, and having financial need. In keeping with the land grant mission of CSU, the Graduate School Access Admission pathway provides accessibility to a graduate education for applicants who do not meet the 3.000 minimum GPA requirement for non-provisional admission. Such applicants will be provisionally admitted based on departmental recommendation and a commitment to supporting the applicant's individual student success, as indicated by the department within SLATE during the admissions process.

Applicants with a GPA below a 2.8 and who have completed six credits of regular, graduate-level coursework at CSU with a grade of B or better in each individual course are eligible for Access Admission. 

Departments must recommend Access Admission applicants for admission and supply a department support letter describing in detail how they will support the applicant's individual student success.

Applicants accepted by the Graduate School through the Access Admission pathway will be provisionally admitted and placed immediately on academic warning. The student must achieve a term GPA of 3.000, averaged across all coursework that is traditionally graded (A through F) in the first semester, or the student will be dismissed from the Graduate School. This policy applies to all provisionally submitted graduate students.

Students applying through the Access Admission pathway follow the regular admissions process outlined above and submit their application online. In addition to the online application, a non-refundable application fee must be electronically submitted.

Application Deadline Dates for Graduate School and Financial Support

Individual degree programs establish their own application deadline dates for Graduate School and financial aid support. General deadlines for the receipt of complete applications are as follows: Fall Semester, April 1; Spring Semester, September 1; Summer Term, January 1. Please consult the degree program or department website for exact deadline dates. Applications completed later than published deadlines may be considered depending on space and resources available. Late applications that cannot be considered may be updated by the applicant or the department to a later semester or term; otherwise the application will be withdrawn. Except for Accelerated Master's Program (AMP) admissions, applications cannot be accepted more than fifteen months in advance of the term in which study is to begin.

Students who wish to be considered for fellowships, assistantships, or other forms of merit- or competency-based financial support may be subject to earlier deadlines. See Application for Financial Support.

Term Applying to Graduate School Only Applying to Graduate School and Financial Support
Fall April 1st February 15th
Spring September 1st July 15th
Summer January 1st November 15th

Personal Identifier/Social Security Number

The personal identifier for all CSU students is the CSUID. The CSUID is a nine-digit unique numeric identifier that begins with the digit 8 and is assigned by the ARIES student information system. The Social Security number (SSN) is no longer used at CSU as a personal identifier.

All students are requested to submit a Social Security number (SSN) at the time of admission or before initial enrollment at CSU. The Social Security number is maintained as a secure data element in the student information system and is not accessible as directory information or to unauthorized persons. International students are encouraged to file for a Social Security number although they are not eligible for Social Security benefits. Students’ disclosure of the social security number is required for financial aid purposes, employment, and state and federal reports required by law.

The Social Security number is released to agencies or individuals outside CSU only at the request of the student or in accordance with federal and state requirements in regard to financial aid awards; Internal Revenue Service for student employee salary reporting and 1098T/1098E reporting; and State Controller’s debt collection procedure. CSU has strict policies protecting and prohibiting the use of SSN and uses every reasonable effort to hide and protect SSN.

Readmission

Graduate students enrolled in a degree or certificate program are required to be continuously enrolled. If there is an interruption in successive semester-to-semester registration in a degree program, enrollment will lapse and graduate students will need to reapply for admission. This applies to all graduate students, on-campus resident instruction or on-line.  There is a non-refundable readmission fee.

Readmission is not required for Guest registration or courses taken outside of a degree program.

For a certificate-seeking post-baccalaureate student not enrolled in a degree-program, or, if there is a lapse in continuous enrollment in a certificate program, students will be required to complete a new application.  There is a non-refundable application fee.

Transfer of Graduate Credit from Other Institutions

Credit may be transferred to a graduate program at CSU with the approval of advisor, committee, and Graduate School. There is no right to transfer credits; each case is assessed individually and accepted or rejected on its merits. The number of credits that may be transferred is limited. See requirements for the number of credits that may be earned at CSU after admission to the Graduate School under the descriptions of the various degree programs and in Credit Requirements section.

Individual credits used to fulfill requirements for previously earned degrees are not accepted for transfer credit.

Requests to transfer graduate credit earned at another university must be accompanied by official transcripts. Courses accepted for transfer must be at the equivalent level of CSU’s regular courses at the 500 level or above. Arrangements for transfer of credit are made when the program of study is submitted (see Program of Study). In general, credits transferred must be part of a graduate curriculum. However, credits that are part of a post baccalaureate professional curriculum in Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Law, or Divinity may be so transferred if they address the intellectual bases of a graduate discipline.

Credits earned at institutions not accredited by one of the major regional accrediting agencies are not acceptable for transfer; except that a CSU academic department may petition the Graduate School to have graduate level credits earned from an international institution accepted as transfer credit. Grades in courses accepted for transfer will not be included in calculation of the grade point average. No course will be accepted for transfer with a grade of B- or less.

CSU may establish bilateral cooperative agreements with other institutions within the Colorado State University System (CSU-Pueblo and CSU-Global) that permit transfer to CSU of up to half of the total required credits for a specific master’s degree.

Procedures

  1. Any  bilateral  agreement  must  be  formal,  proposed  by  an  academic  department, signed by the Provost/Academic Vice-President, and approved by the Committee on Scholarship, Research and Graduate Education (COSRGE). It must refer to a particular named master’s degree now offered by CSU.
  2. Courses offered for transfer under these arrangements must be:
    1. The exact equivalents of particular courses at CSU and so certified by the Faculty Council Curriculum Committee.
    2. Taught by persons who are Faculty or Affiliate Faculty of CSU.
  3. Persons who seek to avail themselves of such transfer privileges must be admitted to graduate school at CSU. No more than nine credits offered for transfer may be earned prior to such admission. This means that students must apply for and secure admission well in advance of actual transfer to CSU.
  4. Persons who transfer credits under such a bilateral agreement may also transfer credits under the normal procedures as described in this Bulletin. Such transfers may not exceed six credits and the total number of transferred credits, under bilateral agreement and normal procedure combined, may not exceed half the total required for the master’s program.
  5. Credits submitted or transferred under such special agreements must be earned by a person enrolled as either a graduate student or a post baccalaureate student at the cooperating institution. Credits earned prior to the award of a bachelor’s degree or those used to fulfill requirements for a previously earned degree are not accepted.
  6. Additional regulations and restrictions as described in this Bulletin under the section Transfer of Graduate Credit from Other Institutions also apply to bilateral agreement transfers.

Credit for Graduate Courses Taken at CSU Prior to Admission to a Graduate Program

Certain CSU courses taken after receipt of a bachelor’s degree but prior to formal admission to a graduate program may contribute to graduate degree requirements (see Credit Requirements for the degree pursuing). Grades earned in such courses will not be included in the calculation of grade point averages. No course will be accepted for transfer with a grade of B- or less.

Students of Veterinary Medicine

A student in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences who holds a bachelor’s degree and who meets the requirements for admission to the Graduate School may pursue work concurrently toward the degrees of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Master of Science if approved in advance by the Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and the Dean of the Graduate School. Credits applied on one degree may not be used in meeting requirements for the other. Refer to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program or the Graduate School for more information.

Accelerated Master's Degree Programs

Accelerated master’s programs (AMP) partner an undergraduate and a master’s degree graduate program within or between departments, programs, or SAUs in the same or differing colleges, in a streamlined path that reduces the time to earn a master’s degree. Undergraduate students are admitted internally by the participating programs and are guaranteed conditional admission to the partnering graduate program during their undergraduate career. Final admission to the graduate program and Graduate School is granted when students meet the minimum graduate program and Graduate School admissions criteria upon completion of the bachelor’s degrees.

Undergraduate students in AMPs may enroll for a maximum of nine credits of 500-level regular coursework while paying the undergraduate tuition rate. These credits will be counted toward the undergraduate degree. Regular, 500-level courses with grades of B or better will be transferred and double-counted toward the graduate degree, as courses taken prior to final admission to the graduate program.

If the nine credits taken fulfill the requirements of a graduate certificate, the graduate certificate may be awarded once the student is enrolled in the partnering graduate degree. Graduate students must apply for the graduate certificate program and pay the application fee for the certificate to be conferred.

To participate in an AMP, undergraduate students complete an internal AMP application created by the partnering undergraduate and graduate programs. The timing of the application and its requirements are defined by the partnering programs. The minimum undergraduate GPA acceptable for entrance into an AMP is 3.000. Students may be admitted into the AMP at any point the partnering programs of the AMP so choose.

Students must complete the Graduate School application and pay the Graduate School application fee during their final undergraduate year.

To be eligible to offer an AMP, partnering programs must submit, and have approved by the department head(s), college dean(s), and Graduate School, a one-time Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), available from the Graduate School. The minimum requirements for the MOU are:

1. Description of the purpose of the AMP.

2. List participating undergraduate and graduate program codes.

3. List the internal admissions requirements for students participating in the AMP. All undergraduate students must have a GPA of 3.000 or higher to be admitted by the programs.

4. Students will be advised of the following:

a. Admitted undergraduate students are guaranteed conditional admission to the partnering graduate program.

b. Students may enroll in up to nine credits of 500-level regular course work of the graduate program as undergraduates, while paying the undergraduate tuition rate. These credits will be counted toward the undergraduate degree. Regular, 500-level courses with grades of B or better will be transferred and double-counted toward the graduate degree, as courses taken prior to final admission to the graduate program.

c. Students must complete the Graduate School application and pay the application fee during their final year as undergraduates. Graduate applications will not be accepted earlier than one year prior to starting the graduate program.

d. Students must complete and submit the GS4 Double Count Form in RAMweb during their final undergraduate semester and prior to completing the undergraduate degree.

e. Final admission to the partnering graduate program and the Graduate School is granted when students meet the minimum graduate program and Graduate School admissions criteria upon completion of their bachelors’ degrees.

f. Students must earn 21 credits after admission to the Graduate School for a master’s degree.

g. If applicable, students will be advised that if the nine credits taken fulfill the requirements of a graduate certificate, the graduate certificate can be awarded once the student is enrolled in the partnering graduate degree. Graduate students must apply for the graduate certificate program and pay the application fee for the certificate to be conferred.

h. This is a continuous enrollment program requiring students to be continuously registered in fall and spring semesters - both upon the completion of the undergraduate degree and throughout the completion of the AMP. Deferral of enrollment into the master's program is not permitted and continuous registration (CR) may not be used until the second semester in which a student is officially admitted to a graduate program.

5. Provide contacts of department staff members that will be managing the AMP.

6. Approval signatures of the department head(s), college dean(s), and the Dean of the Graduate School.

Departments offering AMP programs with unique requirements, incentives or other elements in addition to those stated above must request approval from the Graduate School for the specific terms they wish to address. The final terms of the agreement will be stipulated in an MOU between the Graduate School and the partnering programs.

Dual and Joint Master's Degree Programs

Dual and joint degree programs partner two master’s degree programs within or between departments, colleges, programs, or SAUs in the same or differing college. Such dual and joint programs have been formally reviewed and approved through the University’s curricular processes. A dual degree program results in the simultaneous conferral of two separate degrees. A joint degree program results in the conferral of a single degree with both programs listed on the diploma. For either the dual or joint degree program, a defined number of credits is shared between the two program areas, so that the total number of credits is less than that for two individual degrees.

Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications of the Graduate School (see section on Application: U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents), as well as any additional qualifications of the dual or joint program. 

For new students, applicants must apply online to the dual or joint program (see section on Application: U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents). There is a single application process and only one application fee is submitted. If the student is already enrolled in one master’s degree, and wishes to switch to a dual or joint master’s degree program, the student must complete the Request for Change of Department and/or Degree Program (GS7) form and submit it to the Graduate School.