Authority to set tuition rates is vested in the governing boards of Colorado’s state institutions of higher education. The tuition rates which apply to any succeeding fiscal year will not be known until June of each year. The Board of Governors of the CSU System, therefore, reserves the right to change tuition and fee schedules and related policies, including the time, date, and method for payment, at any time.

By registering for a course, a student acknowledges legal and financial responsibility for any and all tuition and fees assessed as a result of registration. Students must follow, and are financially responsible for, formal add/drop and withdrawal procedures at CSU. Non-attendance does not relieve a student of financial responsibility. A student whose account becomes delinquent will be held responsible for paying any late payment charges, collection agency fees up to 40% of the debt, and all costs and expenses including reasonable attorney fees that CSU incurs in its collection efforts. CSU will not register a student, release a diploma or proof of degree, nor provide official transcripts to any current or former student who has past due financial obligations to CSU.

Graduate Students (Except Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Students) 

Resident and Non Resident fees can be found on the Tuition & Fees website.

Approved WICHE Programs

To view a list of approved programs, visit our Graduate Programs webpage and use the search term “WRGP” for a current list of WRGP approved programs. Use the icons in the upper right to toggle the view between grid and list style. 

Graduate Charges for Technology/Term 

Fees can be found on the Tuition & Fees website.

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Students Enrolled in 9-24 Credits 

Fourth-year veterinary students are assessed tuition on a credit basis for each semester since their class schedules vary during the three-semester period. Fees for fourth-year veterinary students are assessed over three semesters in equal payments. The University Technology Fee is also assessed to fourth-year students for the summer term.

Special Fees 

In addition to the regular charges which all students are assessed, other fees may be applicable at certain times or for certain groups of students pursuing particular activities.

Admission (U.S. citizen/permanent resident) application fee $60.00
Admission (International) application fee $70.00
Admission for certificate program only (U.S. citizen/permanent resident and international) application fee $60.00
Reapplication fee $150.00
Continuous registration fee $150.00 per semester
Late registration fee $50.00
Transcript fee per copy Refer to https://registrar.colostate.edu/transcripts/
Course Fees Certain courses carry a special fee which is assessed at the time of registration. The costs vary and are determined annually. The current fees for each course can be found at https://financialaid.colostate.edu/base-tuition/. The fees are for the use of materials or other specific expenditures necessary for the conduct of instruction.
International and Scholar Services The International Student and Scholar Services administrative charge is $175 each semester. Charges are subject to change.

Nonrefundable Fees

Please refer to the General Catalog for more information on Tuition and Fees.  

Paying Your Bill 

Payment of Student Accounts

Any student who completes registration agrees to pay the University as follows:

Charges Fall Spring Summer
Tuition, fees, residence hall charges, health insurance and other institutional charges September 10th February 10th Due when billed

Charges incurred after the bill date for the semester will be billed mid-month of the following month and have a due date of the 10th of the month after that statement date or the following business day if the 10th falls on a weekend or University holiday.

University charges are due by the date specified on your bill. Due dates are the 10th of each month unless the 10th falls on a weekend or holiday. In those cases, the due date is the following work day. Payment of all CSU charges is to be received in the University Cashier’s Office or cashiering system by the due date to avoid late payment penalties. Penalties include a late payment charge and holds on CSU services. Payments by check are processed when received – postmarks do not apply and future dates are not honored. 

Students are responsible for all charges on their account and arrangement of payments due. Payments should only be made when a balance due exists on an account. Credit card overpayments will be credited back to the originating card. All other overpayments will be refunded via mailed check to the student.

In support of CSU’s Green Initiatives, CSU implemented e-billing effective in Fall 2010. Billing notifications are e-mailed to Rams e-mail addresses. Students can then log into RAMweb to view their University Billing Statement. Additional billing notifications may be sent to alternate e-mail addresses maintained by the student on RAMweb. Students who are sponsored by a third party may request direct billing to the sponsor for tuition, fees, and other related educational expenses. Detailed information on sponsor billing is available upon request from the Office of Financial Aid. Arrangements for sponsor billing must be made prior to the student account due dates to prevent late payment penalties.

“Billing Information” in RAMweb provides more information on setting up a billing address, billing statement information, accepted payment methods, credit balance refunds, and education tax credit information.

Late Payment Penalties

Late Payment Charges

Mailed payments must reach the University Cashier’s Office, 6015 Campus Delivery, by 4:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (MST) on the due date (postmarks do not apply). Online payments must be made by 2:00 p.m. MST on the due date for the payment to be considered timely. Penalties in the amount of 1.5% of the past due balance will be assessed monthly for the purpose of encouraging prompt payment. Failure to pay amounts due may also result in referral of outstanding balances to a collection agency. These agencies may take legal action to collect past due balances. Further, CSU reserves the right to impose a penalty fee and financial hold for returned checks.

Registration, Transcript, and Diploma Holds

Unpaid past due balances may cause a hold on registration, transcripts, and diplomas. CSU will not register a student, release a diploma or proof of degree, nor provide an official transcript or diploma to any student or former student who has past due financial obligations to CSU until the hold is removed. The release of the hold may be expedited by paying the past due balance in full.

Returned Checks

Any person who presents a check to CSU, either paper or electronic, that is not accepted for payment by the bank (due to insufficient funds, stopped payment, non-existent account, or other reason for which the person is responsible) is charged a penalty as provided by state law. Contact the Treasury Services Office, 555 S. Howes Street First Floor, for the current returned check penalty fee.

CSU sends a notice to the person who presents a check that is not accepted for payment by the bank. In the case of students, the notice is mailed to the student’s billing address on file with CSU. Within the time specified in the notice, the person is expected to make payment by guaranteed funds including cash, cashier’s check, money order, wire transfer, or accepted credit cards. The payment must be equal to the total of the invalid check plus penalty fee if applicable. Failure to do so will result in action deemed appropriate under the circumstances. If the original presentation of the returned check allowed a student to register for an academic term and full payment of the check plus penalty fee is not made within the time specified in the notice, the student’s class schedule may be cancelled.

Conditions that Affect the Assessment of Charges 

Tuition and fees for a student registering for a combination of regular on-campus courses, or Continuing Education (CSU Online) courses will be assessed individually according to the schedule established for each. Students who are off campus for full-time internships, practica, or professional affiliations, and who are not concurrently enrolled in other on-campus experiences or courses, may be assessed a reduced student fee. CSU usually pays the tuition on behalf of teaching assistants (full-time registrants who receive a stipend of at least $1,370.00 per month). Research assistantship stipends are typically paid from research grants received by faculty members. Tuition charges may also be paid from these grant funds on behalf of the students, but practice is highly variable. Information should be requested from the department head or the faculty member serving as principal investigator on a particular grant. All students are directly responsible for the payment of fees.

Accelerated Master's Programs (AMP) Admission students enrolled in combined bachelor’s/master’s degree programs will be assessed tuition at the undergraduate rate until they have accumulated 120 credits towards their baccalaureate degree after which they will be assessed tuition at the graduate rate. Such students likewise become eligible to hold Graduate Assistantships at the same transitional time.

Additional Academic Expenditures 

Graduate students may be responsible for all or part of the costs involved in the preparation of theses, dissertations, or other pieces of scholarly work required in the academic program. The expenses of an appropriate research or artistic project are highly variable, depending on the discipline, the specific nature of the work involved, and the availability of resources from funded projects, students’ sponsoring agencies, or the academic departments. In some cases, students may pay such costs directly. In others, departments may request that funds be deposited in a special account in advance.

Personal Expenses 

Health Insurance

The CSU Student Health Insurance Plan is designed to work in conjunction with the student fee-funded services provided at the CSU Health Network. The plan, underwritten by Aetna Life Insurance Company and its affiliates (“AETNA”), provides students with access to comprehensive, high quality care. Plan benefits are provided both within the CSU Health Network and when services are provided off campus, outside the CSU Health Network. Fee-paying students are eligible to enroll in this plan. 

Graduate students who are enrolled in less than six (6) RI credits may opt into coverage by completing an enrollment form at the CSU Student Insurance Office (information in the Student Insurance Office) before the plan enrollment/cancellation deadline. Graduate students enrolled in LESS THAN six (6) resident instruction (RI) credits will NO LONGER be automatically enrolled.

Students enrolled in six or more resident instruction credit hours are automatically enrolled in the plan and are subject to the mandatory insurance requirement. These students must demonstrate proof of enrollment in comparable insurance in order to opt out via the CSU Student Health Insurance Waiver process. Students who have been granted a waiver in the fall semester will be automatically waived in the spring semester as well. All waiver requests must be submitted by the published enrollment/cancellation deadline.

If you do not waive out of the plan by the enrollment/cancellation deadline, your student account will be billed for the premium. Due to the terms of the insurance carrier, no exceptions can be made. Information about the enrollment/cancellation deadline for each semester is available online.

Note for International Students: International students are required to hold health insurance regardless of their enrollment status. You will be automatically enrolled in the CSU Student Health Insurance Plan and must show proof of enrollment in a comparable plan through the waiver process if you wish to opt out.

For more information visit the CSU Health Network or the Graduate School websites.

Living Expenses

Since individual habits and needs vary greatly from individual to individual, it is difficult to produce a standard estimate of overall living expenses. Information on housing options and costs is available through Housing and Dining Services and the Office of Off-Campus Life.

New students should be aware that expenses incurred as a graduate student are likely to be higher than as an undergraduate. The purchase of research supplies, the acquisition of a personal library, attendance of seminars, conferences and meetings, and general change of lifestyle are some of the factors that may account for this.

International students particularly may incur high costs. Many necessary articles cannot be transported as luggage and may have to be purchased after arrival at CSU. Clothing appropriate to the climate may have to be acquired. A detailed estimate of expenses including out-of-state tuition and fees, living expenses, and cost of mandatory health insurance for a full calendar year (two semesters and a summer term) may be obtained from the Office of International Programs or emailing isss@colostate.edu.

"In-State Residency" for Tuition Classification Purposes 

Office of Financial Aid
Centennial Hall
1065 Campus Delivery
(970) 491-6321
Fax: (970) 491-5010

Classification of students for tuition purposes is governed by State Statute (“tuition law”) which sets forth conditions for a student being considered as “in-state” for purposes of tuition classification. The tuition law is contained in sections 23-7-101 to 23-7.4-204, of the Colorado Revised Statutes. Although individuals may be considered state residents for voting or other legal purposes after being in the state for a short period of time, the tuition law specifies additional requirements for classification as “in-state” for tuition purposes. The tuition law, which applies to all public institutions of higher education in Colorado, is subject to judicial interpretation and change at any time by the Colorado Legislature. CSU must apply the rules set forth in the Colorado Revised Statutes, and is not free to make exceptions except as specifically permitted under the Statute.

Note: This information is considered to be general guidance and is not legal advice. Refer to State Statute to review the actual law.

Definition of "In-State Residency" for Tuition Purposes

Under the Colorado tuition law, the term “in-state” student means: “A student who has been domiciled in Colorado for one year or more immediately preceding the first day of classes for the term for which such status is claimed.” Further the tuition law states: “Attendance at an institution of higher education, public or private, within the state of Colorado shall not alone be sufficient to qualify for domicile in Colorado.”

The Statute states that the applicant has the burden of providing clear and convincing evidence that a Colorado domicile has been established for the required one-year period. CSU may require completion of appropriate forms and additional documentation as necessary to make a determination of domicile. After registration, the initial tuition classification will remain unchanged absent clear and convincing evidence to the contrary.

In-state classification requires a domicile in Colorado for 12 months on or prior to the first day of classes of each semester. “Domicile” is the legal term used to describe the place where a person has chosen to make a true fixed and permanent home. Domicile is made up of two components: physical presence and evidence of intent. Both physical presence and evidence of intent must be established for 12 months on or prior to the first day of classes. A student can only establish domicile in Colorado for tuition purposes if they intend to reside permanently in the state and meet the definition of a “Qualified Person.”

Initial residency determination for tuition purposes of any student enrolling at CSU is concluded by the Office of Admissions. To be initially considered for in-state classification you must answer all residency questions completely and accurately on the application and submit requested evidence substantiating their claim. Failure to do so will result in classification as out- of-state for tuition purposes.

In-State Status: Other Circumstances

Exceptions to the one-year residence requirement exist for the following:

  • Colorado National Guard members
  • Active-duty military stationed in Colorado
  • Honorably-discharged members of the U.S. Armed Forces
  • Returning active-duty military members
  • Canadian military stationed in Colorado
  • Peace Corps volunteer
  • Employees of companies moving to Colorado receiving government economic incentives

For detailed explanation of the requirements for these exceptions, including spouse eligibility, go to CSU's Office of Financial Aid or the Colorado Higher Education Residency Guide.

International Students

International students who are lawful permanent residents or who are admitted as refugees are eligible to establish domicile for tuition purposes. Nonimmigrant aliens who are residing in Colorado for purposes other than education may qualify for in-state status after one year of Colorado domicile. A nonimmigrant with the following student visa categories cannot qualify for in-state tuition classification: F-1, F-2, H-3, H-4 (if the visa holder is the spouse or child of an H-3), J-1 and J-2 (if the J-1 visa holder is a student or trainee), M-1 and M-2.

Petition for Reclassification

A petition may be filed if a student wishes to contest out-of-state classification or if the student has subsequently become eligible for in-state status. Petitions will be processed only for students who have been admitted to CSU and currently enrolled for the semester in which they are requesting a change in classification. Please review the Office of Financial Aid website for more information.

A student’s current tuition classification will remain until they have received notification from the Office of Financial Aid Tuition Classification Officer indicating a residency change has been approved. Students who are petitioning for in-state classification remain responsible for paying their tuition based upon current tuition classification. Students are strongly urged to petition as early as possible within the submission window dates provided on the Office of Financial Aid website in order to receive a response of their tuition classification prior to the beginning of the semester.

Petition Process/Deadline

The Office of Financial Aid must receive completed petitions no later than the published deadline date for the semester for which you are petitioning. Deadlines are provided on our website. Petitions will not be accepted after the published deadline date and incomplete petitions will not be accepted and/or reviewed for that semester, and your tuition classification and tuition assessment will remain nonresident for that term. Petitioners will be notified of the results of their petition by mail. Please allow 4-8 weeks for notification. If additional information is required, the additional information must be submitted within two weeks of the communication sent to the petitioner unless special arrangements are made with the Tuition Classification Officer.

Decisions made by the Tuition Classification Officer may be appealed by the petitioner. A petitioner wanting to appeal the decision to the Residency Appeals Committee must contact the Office of Financial Aid no later the deadline date provided in the letter in which the decision was conveyed to the petitioner. The decision of the Residency Appeals Committee is the final University determination for that specific semester. In addition, there are no provisions in the Tuition Classification Statutes for retroactive compliance.

The fact that you do not qualify for in-state status in any other state does not guarantee in-state status in Colorado; in-state classification is governed solely by Colorado statute. The tuition classification statute places the burden of proof on the petitioner to provide clear and convincing evidence of eligibility.

Any student who provides false information to avoid paying out-of-state tuition may be subject to legal and/or disciplinary actions.