Colorado Free Application Days
October 20 - October 22
The ninth annual Colorado Free Application Days will be held on Tuesday, October 20th – Thursday, October 22nd, 2026.
The Colorado Free Application Days campaign is an initiative designed to inspire more Coloradans to continue their education. From Tuesday, Oct. 20 through Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, many public colleges and universities in Colorado and several private institutions will waive their application fees, making it free for Colorado residents to submit an application. By waiving application fees—a common barrier to higher education—Colorado Free Application Days aims to improve access to further education and training, which is becoming increasingly critical in the state’s rapidly changing economy.
2025 Free Application Days Results:
- 71,504 applications (9% increase from 2024) were submitted during October 7 – October 9, 2025
- More than $2.4 million saved by applicants in waived application fees
- 36% of applications were submitted by students who are the first generation in their family attending college
- 49% of applications were submitted by students of color
The days cap off Colorado Applies Month, a five-week, statewide campaign that encourages high school juniors and seniors – and adults – to select an education or training option that’s best for them and apply to that program when eligible to do so. The statewide push is designed to increase Colorado’s college-going and FAFSA and CASFA completion rates. The campaign aims to support low-income and first-generation students and to help keep Colorado students in state.
Review the Communications Toolkit
Last year’s Colorado Institutions Participating in Free College Application Days. The 2026 list will be released in early to mid 2026:
Public Institutions
- Adams State University
- Colorado Mesa University
- Colorado School of Mines
- Colorado State University Fort Collins
- Colorado State University Global
- Colorado State University Pueblo
- Fort Lewis College
- Metropolitan State University of Denver
- University of Colorado Boulder
- University of Colorado Denver
- University of Colorado Colorado Springs
- University of Northern Colorado
- Western Colorado University
- All two-year and community colleges
- All area technical colleges
Private Colleges and Universities
- Colorado Christian University
- Colorado College
- Regis University
- University of Denver
- Naropa University