The University and Its Setting
Colorado State University, founded in 1870 as Colorado’s land-grant institution, has offered graduate work for more than 90 years. Combining a tradition of excellence in higher education with outstanding facilities, the 669-acre campus at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains provides a pleasant and inspiring setting for graduate study. Take a campus tour without leaving home! The present Colorado State enrollment consists of 21,795 regular on-campus undergraduate and 3,325 graduate students (Spring 2023 numbers). In Fall 2022, we welcomed our largest incoming class of more than 5,700 students.
Colorado State is located 64 miles north of Denver in Fort Collins, Colorado, a city of 143,986 (2010 census). At 4,984 ft. elevation, Fort Collins has a pleasant four-season climate, characterized by a clear, dry atmosphere and an annual average of 246 days of sunshine. Temperatures range from an average high of 82° to an average low of 54° in the summer, and from an average high of 45° to an average low of 17° in the winter. The average annual precipitation is 14.2 inches, in part provided by an average annual snowfall of 46 inches. For up-to-the-minute weather information in Fort Collins, The Weather Underground has the current conditions, as well as a five-day forecast.
Housing
Colorado State provides comfortable on-campus housing facilities for undergraduate students, student families and single graduate students at rates well below the national average. One and two- bedroom apartments are available either furnished or unfurnished. Students preferring off-campus housing can choose from among a large number of modern apartments and homes that are located in the vicinity of the campus.
Recreational Opportunities
From the Colorado State campus, it is only a ten minute drive to Horsetooth Reservoir, a man-made lake and recreation area situated in the foothills. Thirty minutes from the campus is the canyon of the Cache La Poudre River, famous as a trout fishing and white water recreation area. Estes Park, the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park, is a one-hour drive up the Big Thompson Canyon.
Many nationally known ski areas are located within a few hours’ drive:
Camping, climbing, boating, skiing, horseback riding, fishing, hunting, and many other outdoor activities are easily available to Colorado State students year round. In addition, numerous cultural activities including lectures, symphony concerts, ballets, plays, and movies are regularly brought to campus. Visit http://www.fcgov.com for more information on the wealth of social, cultural, and educational activities available in Fort Collins.