About CSU

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  • One of the nation’s top public research universities, Colorado State University touches the lives of people in Colorado, across the nation, and around the world through our mission of access, discovery, and engagement.

  • Inspired by our land-grant heritage, Colorado State University is committed to excellence, setting the standard for public research universities in teaching, research, service and extension for the benefit of the citizens of Colorado, the United States and the world. And we do it in an environment of accountability and responsibility, grounded in integrity and transparency.

    Last fall, CSU welcomed some 34,218 students, 60 percent of whom are Colorado residents and 25 percent of whom come from diverse backgrounds. The university also hosts some 1,400 international students typically from over 100 countries, while more than 1,600 students typically participate in education abroad. 

    Committed to excellence, the university offers over 75 undergraduate degree programs, 21 of which are also available online; 142 master’s degree programs, 50 of which are offered online; 65 doctoral programs, 3 of which are offered online; and 67 graduate certificates, 54 of which are offered online. We have a student:faculty ratio of 17:1, which means that our extraordinary teachers in all disciplines interact with our students directly, whether in the classroom, the lab, or the field. World-class teaching and research mean academic programs that consistently rank among the best in the nation and world.

    Colorado State University is designated as a Carnegie R1 (very high research activity) institution, with $622 million in research project expenditures during the 2025 fiscal year. We are recognized internationally for our work in such diverse and critical fields as cancer research, atmospheric science, animal science, climate change, forest and wildlife management, engineering, and water management.

  • CSU Online is the distance-learning division of CSU in Fort Collins. It allows students globally to earn the same regionally accredited degrees and certificates as on-campus students, taught by the exact same faculty. CSU Online collaborates closely with the departments across the university as well as government, business, and nonprofit organizations to foster a vibrant community that cares about learners, their experience, and their success.

    The Office of Engagement and Extension applies research via CSU Extension and Colorado Water Center by connecting communities with shared solutions through education, research, and leadership.

    Colorado State University is also, proudly, one of the most sustainable universities in the world. We were the first university in the nation to receive a Platinum designation – the highest available – from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), and we earned our record fifth consecutive Platinum rating in 2026. CSU has the best interdisciplinary sustainability curriculum among all institutions listed in the AASHE's Sustainable Campus Index Ratings of 2023.

  • Land Grant Tradition
  • Outreach, Research, Engagement and Extension
  • CSU System
  • Accreditation
  • University Leadership
  • Fort Collins Community