What Is Colorado State University?

Colorado State University (CSU) is a public university in Fort Collins, Colorado, offering undergraduate, graduate, and online programs across eight colleges. It presents itself as a research-driven institution with a broad academic catalog—nearly 300 academic programs and over 70 majors at the undergraduate level—and a campus culture centered on student potential, research impact, and inclusive excellence. This overview is for prospective students, researchers, or anyone trying to understand what CSU is and where to find its main resources.

Where CSU Is Located

CSU's main campus sits in Fort Collins, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The university frames this location as part of its identity—referring to the surrounding community as "Ram Country"—and ties it to its sustainability and outdoor-oriented culture.

Academics: What You Can Study

CSU organizes its academic offerings into eight colleges:

Programs are grouped into three main paths:

• Undergraduate — nearly 300 academic programs and over 70 majors.
• Graduate — advanced study positioned as preparation for research and professional impact.
• CSU Online — degree programs delivered online for students who need flexibility.

If you're comparing CSU against other schools, these three categories are the most useful starting point, since the admission process and program structure differ across them.

Research and Institutional Identity

CSU emphasizes "high-impact research" paired with "everyday solutions," signaling an applied-research orientation rather than a purely theoretical one. The university also highlights inclusive excellence—stating that students, faculty, and staff from all backgrounds should feel valued and empowered—as a stated institutional value. These are positioning statements from the university itself, useful for understanding its priorities but not a substitute for checking specific department or program reputations.

Getting Started: Admissions and Information

The site's primary calls to action are Visit, Apply, and Get Info. Prospective students can subscribe for information through the admissions contact page at admissions.colostate.edu/contact-us/subscribe/. Note that the site does not publish tuition figures or pricing details on the pages reviewed here, so costs and any login requirements should be confirmed directly with the admissions office rather than assumed.

Campus Life and Events

CSU hosts ongoing events—concerts, workshops, and keynote speakers—that it describes as a conduit for community building. One example from the site is the Symposium for Inclusive Excellence, a multi-day event featuring over 60 workshops and a film screening. News and updates are published through SOURCE, the university's news outlet.

Quick Orientation

• What it is: A public research university in Fort Collins, Colorado.
• Academic scope: Undergraduate, graduate, and online programs across eight colleges.
• Where to start: Use the admissions site to apply or request information; use the academics pages to browse programs by level.
• What to verify yourself: Tuition, deadlines, and program-specific requirements, since these aren't detailed on the pages reviewed.