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The ninth annual Colorado Free Application Days will take place Tuesday, October 20 through Thursday, October 22, 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
For more information, visit the following Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) for more details, including the list of participating colleges and universities, here and here.
The CDHE also provides a lot of educational materials on its My Colorado Journey site. It includes resources for high school course selection, career exploration, college research, financial aid, and test preparation.
Best of luck to your student as they begin their senior year of high school and please reach out to the team at Great College Advice if we can help with their Colorado (and beyond) applications!
