Colorado State University Acceptance Rate

Last Updated on June 4, 2024 by Oluwajuwon Alvina

Colorado State University has an acceptance rate of 90.8%, making it a relatively open admissions school. With nearly all applicants being admitted, getting into CSU is a realistic goal for many students. However, meeting certain academic criteria is still important to be considered for admission.

In order to be admitted to Colorado State University, students generally need a 3.0+ GPA on a 4.0 scale. Demonstrating a steady or upward trend in grades is also important. Additionally, while there is no absolute SAT requirement, having a score of at least 1080 will increase your chances of being considered for admission.

The admission process at CSU involves submitting an application and providing information about your academic performance and course selection. The university takes into consideration any factors that may have impacted your grades or involvement in extracurricular activities. By meeting the GPA and SAT recommendations, students can increase their chances of being admitted to Colorado State University.

Colorado State University Graduate Programs

Colorado State University Tuition

Colorado State University is a public institution that was founded in 1870. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 26,400, its setting is city, and the campus size is 4,773 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Colorado State University’s ranking in the 2020 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities, #166. Its in-state tuition and fees are $12,058; out-of-state tuition and fees are $30,780.

Colorado State University is located in Fort Collins, a midsize city at the base of the Rocky Mountains, less than an hour north of Denver. Colorado State, also known as CSU, offers more than 150 degrees in eight colleges, with graduate programs in the schools of business, engineering and education and the renowned College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. CSU is considered one of the leading research universities, and faculty and students work together to explore fields such as atmospheric science, infectious diseases, clean energy technologies and environmental science.

With an acceptance rate of 81% in the fall of 2019, Colorado State University admissions are slightly selective. A total of 28,319 applicants applied for this semester with an enrollment rate of 23%. The university is one of the best universities in the USA in terms of diversity and quality of education.

CSU offers around 300 academic programs, which include more than 70 majors and with 140 concentrations in fields like Data Science, Agricultural Biology, Economics, English, Journalism, and many more.

The middle 50% of admitted students in the fall of 2019 scored an average of 1070 – 1290 and 23- 29 on SAT and ACT respectively. A minimum of 3.0 GPA is required for all graduate programs.

• Colorado State University invites admission applications in the Fall, Spring, and Summer.
• Certain graduate programs require GMAT/GRE scores. Master of Accounting requires a minimum of 550 on GMAT.
• Applicants may apply for GMAT/GRE waivers if they fulfill the waiver requirements.
• Official Transcripts and Test Scores must be sent directly to the university by the issuing institution.
• SAT/ACT scores are optional in 2021 due to COVID 19 pandemic.

Outside the classroom and research lab, students can get involved with the more than 350 campus organizations, including about 35 fraternities and sororities. Student athletes can find sports at the recreational, club and varsity level, with the CSU mascot and colors reflecting the school’s past. CSU began as an agricultural school, so the sports teams were called the Aggies and their colors were green and gold to represent farming. The school held onto the colors, but the more than 15 varsity sports teams are now called the Rams. They compete in the NCAA Division I Mountain West Conference

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, Colorado State University had an acceptance rate of 81%. That means that for every 100 students who applied, 81 students were admitted, making Colorado State’s admissions process somewhat less competitive.

Highlights

Academics

Colorado State offers 150 programs of study across 8 colleges and 55 departments. In addition to its notable programs in biomedical sciences, engineering, environmental science, agriculture, and human health and nutrition, CSU offers professional programs in disciplines including business, journalism, and construction management as well as in the liberal and performing arts, humanities, and social sciences. CSU also offers bachelor’s degrees, graduate degrees, certificates, and badges online.

Fall Freshman Statistics

Colorado State employs a total of 1,540 faculty members, with 1,000 on tenure-track appointments. The student: faculty ratio is 17:1. CSU awarded 6,090 degrees in 2009–2010, including 4,336 bachelor’s degrees, 1,420 master’s degrees, 203 doctoral degrees, and 131 Doctor in Veterinary Medicine degrees. CSU’s current president is Joyce E. McConnell.

Academic colleges

College of Agricultural Sciences

Preparing students in land stewardship and natural resources, the College of Agricultural Sciences offers majors in traditional disciplines such as agronomy, animal science, and horticulture and Landscape Architecture, in addition to Organic Agriculture, Agricultural Biology, and Agribusiness degrees suited to contemporary developments. College facilities include greenhouses, farms, ranches, and an equine center. In conjunction with the School of Education, the College of Agricultural Sciences provides an interdisciplinary program that leads to a Bachelor of Science and a teaching license in Agricultural Education. The College offers master’s degrees in Agricultural Education, Agricultural Extension Education, Integrated Resource Management, and the Peace Corps Masters International Program. The college-sponsored Specialty Crops Program aims to help local growers master production systems, and explore marketing opportunities for their specialty crops.

College of Health and Human Sciences

With programs in education, individual and family development, health, housing, or apparel/interior design and merchandising, studies in the College of Health and Human Sciences are human-centered, focused on social problems and quality of life issues. CHHS is one of the largest on campus with more than 4,000 undergraduate students and over 850 graduate students. Extension specialists, such as in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, provide valuable health, nutrition, and food safety information to the public. The Human Performance Clinical Research Laboratory in the Department of Health and Exercise Science provides heart attack prevention evaluations to underserved populations, and the Center for Community Partnerships works with citizens with disabilities. The college also has a role in the new Colorado School of Public Health, to be jointly operated with UC Denver Health Sciences Center and the University of Northern Colorado.

College of Business

Colorado State University’s College of Business offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Colorado State’s on-campus Master of Business Administration (MBA) program offers several degrees. The Computer Information Systems (CIS) concentration within the Master of Science in Business Administration (MSBA) is one of the oldest CIS degrees in the country. The new Global and Sustainable Enterprise MSBA takes on environmental conservation, microfinance, public health, alternative energy and agriculture from a business perspective. Each student completes a summer of fieldwork, typically in a developing country. The Denver-based Executive MBA Program instructs professionals, emerging business leaders and mid-to-senior level managers. For over 40 years, CSU has also provided a well-regarded Distance MBA Program. The college was reaccredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business in Fall 2011.

Colorado State University Admission Deadlines

The application deadlines for undergraduate international students is tabulated below:

Graduate Admissions

Please note that the admission deadlines may vary with programs for graduate admissions. Applicants must check the program-specific admission deadlines before making an application.

Colorado State University Admission Requirements

There is hardly any difference in the admission procedure for international and domestic students. International students however need to meet additional requirements to study in the USA.

Application Portal:

• Undergraduate: Common Application
• Graduate: Graduate Application Portal

Application Fee:

• Undergraduate: 50 USD
• Graduate: 70 USD

Admission Requirements: International applicants must satisfy the following requirements to be eligible for the Colorado State University admissions-

• Completed Application
• Official Transcripts
  • High school/equivalent
  • Bachelors/Masters Degree ( Graduate)(Minimum GPA – 3.0)
  • Foreign Credential Evaluation by WES or ECE
  • Should be accompanied by certified translations if not in English.
• SAT/ACT Scores
• GMAT/GRE score for certain graduate programs.
• Certification of Finances
• Proof of Financial support
• Copy of passport
• Program-specific requirements such as Resume, pre-requisite courses etc.
• Essay and/or Personal Statement
• Letters of recommendation
  • Undergraduate: Counselor Recommendation
  • Graduate: 3 LORs.

English Proficiency Test Score for International Students

International applicants from non-English speaking countries are required to submit a proof of English Language Proficiency by submitting one of the following scores:

Applicants should keep in mind that TOEFL and IELTS scores shouldn’t be more than 2 years old. Some departments may require a higher score, depending on the programs. Applicants who have submitted other application related documents except the English proficiency requirements may be considered for conditional admission.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYKxrf023jw

Visa Process for International Applicants

International students applying to the USA need to obtain an Initial I-20 from Colorado State University to apply for the F-1 student visa at a consulate outside the U.S. International students will also need to present their I-20 at the U.S. border along with the F-1 visa, and other supporting documents in order to be able to enter the U.S. as an F-1 student.

Before CSU can sponsor an international student’s I-20 Form, the student must be accepted to their program of study, have submitted the documents to be submitted for attaining the visa, and paid the I-901 SEVIS Fee.

International applicants will need these documents for the visa process:

• SEVIS fee receipt
• Form I-20
• Admission letter
• Financial documents to show the ability to afford expenses for a year of study
• Copy of valid passport identification page (should be valid for at least 6 months after the date of entry into the US.)
• Two passport size photographs
• Visa application fee
• Official financial affidavit (if required)

Students can contact the US Embassy in their home country to know the documents that would be required for the visa application and the procedure involved in getting a visa. Applicants would need to schedule a visa interview once the documents have been submitted.

Colorado State University Undergraduate Admissions

Applicants at CSU get an opportunity to learn from a pool of around 250 programs offered by the Colorado State University. The programs are available in various disciplines for both majors and minors.

Application Portal: Common Application/ CSU Application

Application Fee: 50 USD

Admission Requirements: Applicants must satisfy the following requirements to be eligible for the Colorado State University admissions-

• Completed Application
• Official Transcripts – High school/equivalent
• SAT/ACT Scores
• Admission Essay
• One Letter of Recommendation

Test Profile of admitted students in the fall of 2019:

Colorado State University Graduate Admissions

It offers various graduate programs across 150 fields of study. The admissions are competitive and applicants must ensure to check the admission requirements from the specific program page. Most of the requirements are common though some programs may have additional documents.

Application Portal: Graduate Application Portal

Application Fee: 70 USD

Admission Requirements: Applicants must satisfy the following requirements to be eligible for the Colorado State University admissions-

• Completed Application
• Bachelor Degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0
• Minimum 3 Letters of Recommendation
• Resume/CV
• Personal Statement
• GMAT/GRE

The table below shows some of the popular courses and specific admission requirements for the same:

International students applying to the Colorado State University are recommended to send across their admission documents as early as 4-5 months before the deadlines. Admission decision takes about 2-3 weeks to be completed. The admission decision is first sent through email and then by mail.

In case international students have any queries, they may contact the International Student Services.

SAT Scores and Requirements

Colorado State requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 80% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

=Evidence-Based Reading and Writing

This admissions data tells us that most of Colorado State University’s admitted students fall within the top 35% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Colorado State scored between 540 and 650, while 25% scored below 540 and 25% scored above 650. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 530 and 640, while 25% scored below 530 and 25% scored above 640. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1290 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at Colorado State University.

Requirements

Colorado State does not require the SAT writing section. Note that Colorado State participates in the scorechoice program, which means that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates. Colorado State does not require SAT Subject tests.

ACT Scores and Requirements

Colorado State University requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 43% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Colorado State’s admitted students fall within the top 31% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to Colorado State received a composite ACT between 23 and 29, while 25% scored above 29 and 25% scored below 23.