Colorado residents can apply to college for free this week as part of statewide program

This week, Coloradans looking to pursue higher education can save money while doing so. The ninth annual Colorado Free Application Days are Tuesday, Oct. 20 through Thursday, Oct. 22.

All 32 public colleges and universities in Colorado and several private institutions allow students to apply for free in the month of October, as part of the Free Application Days.

Colorado leads the nation in the percentage of residents who have some type of college-level education, with 62.9% having a certificate, certification, or degree, data shows. 

The statewide program encourages residents to continue that trend, like West High School Senior Mahi Hardiman.  

"I want to be a photographer, study photography, fashion design, and look into engineering," he said.

Denver Scholarship Foundation College Advisor Yosedit Romero is alongside him for the journey, helping make it happen. "My main role is to support students and their families through the college-going process. So, we support by asking questions, providing resources, and getting them involved from 9th through 12th grade for whatever they want to do."

"They start almost like a caterpillar, right?" she said with a hand gesture and smile. "They're developing and doing all the things, and they blossom into a butterfly by the time they get to graduation and take these big adult steps."

She highly recommends taking advantage of Free Application Days. "Really setting the stepping stones to apply to a couple of colleges, see what's out there, what are the options. If you don't apply, you're closing your own doors on yourself. It really does add up when you think one college is $50 and another college is $75, and an out-of-state one is $100."

"That will help me a lot, knowing I didn't come from money. I'll use it to my advantage to apply to schools that I want to go to," Hardiman said. 

So, his future at his top schools is looking brighter than ever. "My number one choice is CSU - Fort Collins. Then probably CU Boulder, and the University of Northern Colorado."

Students can apply online by following the Colorado Free Application Day instructions.