See tuition and fees listed at Student Financial Services.

More than 27,000 students attend Colorado State University and live in the Fort Collins area. As such, there are numerous options for students interested in finding housing. Some graduate students choose to live on-campus (see CSU Housing and Dining Services). Other students choose to live off campus. CSUs Off-Campus Life Office, CraigsList, and Northern Colorado Rentals may be helpful in locating off-campus housing.

Colorado State University’s Graduate School requires all admitted graduate students to have an undergraduate GPA at or above a 3.0. When calculating an applicant’s undergraduate GPA, the Graduate School uses all classes that counted toward the applicant’s degree. Students with an undergraduate GPA below a 3.0 should contact the Graduate Program Director before applying to the program.

The requirement to submit a GRE score is currently being waived for Master’s and PhD applications.

The department’s graduate program committee carefully reads each letter of recommendation, so it is important that applicants select appropriate letter writers. Letter writers should be able to speak to the applicant’s likelihood of success in the M.S. or Ph.D. program. In particular, letter writers are asked to assess the applicant’s likelihood of successfully completing the program, overall problem solving abilities, ability to work independently, writing skills, oral communication skills, interpersonal skills, and motivation. Applicants should ensure that their letter writers have enough information and experience to address these issues. The letter writer’s relationship to the applicant is also noted by the graduate admissions committee. M.S. applicants are encouraged to ask individuals who have known them in a variety of capacities to write recommendation letters. Letters typically come from employers, professors, and academic advisers. In contrast, Ph.D. applicants should primarily ask individuals who can speak to their research and teaching abilities. Usually, successful Ph.D. applicants ask their thesis adviser(s) and other major master’s degree professors to write letters of recommendation.

The graduate admissions committee carefully considers each writing sample, so it is important that applicants select appropriate writing samples. In essence, the writing samples should demonstrate to the committee that the applicant’s academic writing and research, and/or professional work are of high quality and relevant to the department’s areas of study.

M.S. applicants may choose to submit examples from both their professional work (e.g., reports, manuals, video productions, magazine or newsletter articles, press releases) and academic work (term papers, thought pieces, etc.). Ph.D. applicants should limit their writing samples to academic work (journal articles, thesis chapters, term papers, conference papers, etc.) that demonstrates their ability to conduct research and write cogently.

The Statement of Purpose is a key element of the application. In the statement, you should demonstrate how the department’s master’s or Ph.D. program would help you meet your career goals. You should demonstrate in your Statement of Purpose that you have a clear understanding of the emphasis areas for our master’s or Ph.D. program and, in particular, its research-oriented nature.

The statement should be primarily forward-looking. In other words, while it should include references to past academic/professional experiences, the primary focus should be upon the future (i.e., your research interests, your career goals, your interest in the program, which professors you would like to work with, etc.). Students with low GPAs and/or GRE scores and students who have other unusual aspects to their application may briefly describe the circumstances that contributed to these situations, but these explanations should be a minor part of the Statement of Purpose.

Finally, remember that your Statement of Purpose is another example of your writing ability.

CSU students and graduates are not required to provide transcripts from CSU. However, CSU students and graduates who completed coursework at other institutions may be required to submit transcripts from those institutions. Applicants should check with the department’s graduate program administrator to find out whether they need to request these transcripts.

Yes. All applicants are required to submit transcripts from every school attended. This requirement includes any coursework completed at community colleges and at institutions where no degree was awarded.

The minimum TOEFL score for international students is 213 (computer-based), 550 (paper-based), or 80 (Internet-based). The minimum IELTS score is 6.5. Scores must be no older than two years and must be submitted to the university directly from the testing agency. The department does not conditionally admit students who do not meet the TOEFL/IELTS score requirement.