DENVER - To encourage Coloradans to continue their education, Governor Jared Polis and the Department of Higher Education announced today that all 32 public colleges and universities in Colorado and several private institutions will allow students to apply for free from Tuesday, Oct. 15 through Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, as part of the seventh annual Colorado Free Application Days. View Gov. Polis’ announcement in English and Spanish. 

“We want to help Coloradans save money on college, and Free Application Days do exactly that. I encourage every Colorado student to take advantage of this opportunity to avoid application fees. In Colorado, we are focused on breaking down barriers to accessible, affordable education and connecting Coloradans to the skills necessary for a good-paying job and power Colorado's thriving economy,” said Governor Polis. 

The Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) has posted admissions application and fee waiver information for each college and university that allows students to apply, from Oct. 15-17 only, with no application fees to as many participating institutions as they are interested in. For the fourth consecutive year, the program has been extended from one day to three days. 

The Free Application Days campaign is a conscious effort by the state, designed to increase Colorado’s college-going and FAFSA and CASFA completion rates. This statewide push strategically aims to support low-income and first-generation students, while keeping Colorado students in state. According to 2023 numbers from CDHE’s Pathways to Prosperity Report, 49.9% of high school graduates enrolled in postsecondary education the fall after graduation (a slight decrease from 2020) - race and ethnicity enrollment gaps persist. 

“We want Coloradans to shoot for the stars. Free Application Days supports students in achieving their postsecondary goals,” said Dr. Angie Paccione, executive director of CDHE. “If we increase FAFSA and CASFA completion through these two campaigns, then not only do our students and families benefit but Colorado benefits as a whole.” 

During last year's campaign, students turned in nearly 65,000 applications, and 44% came from students of color and over a third from first-generation students. Statewide, 2023 applications were up 1% compared to 2022. 

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. The 2023 Colorado Talent Pipeline Report identified that 94.7% of Tier 1 Top Jobs and 64.7% of Tier 2 Top Jobs required some type of postsecondary education past a high school diploma or equivalent to be relevant for a particular role and 70.4% of Tier 2 top jobs require a credential beyond high school. According to the Lumina Foundation, 60.5% of Coloradans 25 and older hold a postsecondary credential, indicating a supply-and-demand gap for some occupations. 

In response to these workforce demands, the Colorado Commission on Higher Education set a strategic goal to increase the number of Coloradans benefiting from valuable career skills, obtained while in high school or via postsecondary education, that -at a minimum- enable additional lifetime earnings greater than the cost of attendance, in its statewide plan for higher education, Building Skills for an Evolving Economy. Increasing postsecondary enrollment and reducing equity gaps-the racial disparities in educational attainment-are priority strategies to improve access and reduce costs for Coloradans. 

For more information, visit the Colorado Free Application Day webpage.