(Colorado Newsline) It will be free to apply to the 32 public colleges and universities in Colorado from October 15-17.

It is the seventh Free Application Days campaign to increase the college-going rate for Colorado students. Last year, students turned in nearly 65,000 applications, with 44 percent coming from students of color and over one-third coming from first-generation college students.

“We want to help Coloradans save money on college, and Free Application Days do exactly that,” Governor Jared Polis said in a statement. “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.”

According to the 2023 Colorado Talent Pipeline report, 94.7 percent of Tier 1 top jobs and 64.7 percent of Tier 2 top jobs required some type of postsecondary education. The report defines Tier 1 jobs as having a salary of about $77,000. Tier 2 jobs have a salary of about $40,000.

Application fees vary. The University of Colorado Boulder application costs $65 for domestic students and $70 for international students. Applications to Colorado College, however, are free year round, as at community colleges.

Fee waiver information is available on the Colorado Department of Higher Education’s website.

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