This information is intended for applicants who are applying for admission to Colorado Law for fall 2025 and claiming in-state residency for tuition purposes. All students are required to meet the state's requirements for residency to receive in-state tuition. Please read all of the information below before submitting your In-State Tuition Classification Application. You will be classified as an out-of-state resident and charged the higher rate of tuition if you do not apply or if you fail to provide all requested information.

The In-State Tuition Classification Application for incoming JD students can be found here.

If you are a current student at the law school and wish to petition for the fall 2025 semester, you must submit the petition by 4:30 p.m. MT on Friday, July 18, 2025. The petition deadline for the spring 2025 semester is Friday, December 13, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. MT. Petitions must be submitted to the CU Boulder Tuition Classification Office, not Law Admissions or Law Registrar.

APPLICATIONS
We ask that you submit your JD application for admission through LSAC before applying for residency. We will not review an in-state classification application until an accompanying JD application has been submitted.

Fall 2025 military applicants apply for residency through the CU Boulder Office of the Registrar.
See Domicile/Exceptions to print application forms.

Students currently enrolled at Colorado Law apply through the CU Boulder Office of the Registrar.

DEADLINES
Applicants and newly admitted students to Colorado Law for fall 2025 must apply for residency before the first day of orientation.

If you are a current student at the law school and wish to petition for the fall 2025 semester, the residency petition will open on March 3, 2025.  The deadline to submit the petition for fall 2025 is 4:30 p.m. MT on Friday, July 18, 2025. The petition deadline to change your residency for the spring 2025 semester is Friday, December 13, 2024 at 4:30 p.m. MT.  For additional upcoming dates and petition instructions visit https://www.colorado.edu/registrar/students/state-residency/current

Petitions must be submitted to the CU Boulder Tuition Classification Office, not Law Admissions or Law Registrar.

ELIGIBILITY
To receive in-state tuition at Colorado Law, you must submit a residency application and be approved for in-state tuition classification by the university. Tuition classification is governed by the State. The university is not free to make exceptions to the rules except as specifically permitted by State law. Each CU student is classified as either a "resident" or "nonresident" at the time of matriculation. The admission staff and the Office of the Registrar classify new students as residents, nonresidents, or nonresidents with exception for tuition purposes based on admission application information, residency application information, and other documents. Applicants may have to submit evidence substantiating their claim of resident eligibility. Matriculants will be classified as nonresidents if they do not apply for residency or fail to provide all requested information.

In-state tuition eligibility requires one year of Colorado domicile (legal residence) immediately preceding the first day of class.

Exceptions to the one-year requirement are provided for military applicants and their dependents, and a select group of other applicants. Please refer to Military applicants and Other exceptions below for more information.
 

ALL APPLICANTS CLAIMING IN-STATE TUITION NEED TO APPLY, THIS INCLUDES:

Colorado residents. Applicants who are currently living in Colorado and have been for a minimum of one year, or believe they are Colorado residents based on other circumstances.

Applicants that are currently enrolled at CU Boulder in a program other than law (undergraduate or other graduate programs) even if currently classified as in-state. You must apply and be classified as in-state for the law program specifically.

CU graduates, including those previously classified as in-state.

Continuing JD students (rising 2L/3Ls) currently enrolled at Colorado Law and previously classified as out-of-state. 

Applicants less than 23 years of age on the first day of class. You can request in-state classification if you can demonstrate that your parents are permanent residents of Colorado. In addition to your own information, provide parent or court-appointed guardian information on the residency application.

Applicants who have been married for one year and are less than 23 years of age on the first day of class.

International Students are persons who are lawful permanent residents or who are admitted as refugees.

Military applicants (and dependents). Exceptions to the one-year requirement are provided for: honorably discharged members of the Armed Forces moving permanently to Colorado and certain dependents, active-duty military stationed in Colorado and certain dependents of active-duty military, and Colorado National Guard members.  Do not complete the application above. Please complete the Active Duty Military Student and Temporary Duty Station forms OR Veterans Form. Details of these exceptions and the required in-state tuition classification forms are available at the CU Boulder Office of the Registrar website.

Other exceptions: If you are claiming eligibility based on one of these exceptions, please contact the CU Boulder Office of Registrar before applying for residency.  

Emancipated minors. Applicants who are less than 22 years old and have been financially and residentially independent for at least one year.

Nonimmigrant aliens who are residing in Colorado for purposes other than education may qualify for in-state status after one year of Colorado residence. NOTE: Nonimmigrants in the following categories cannot qualify for in-state tuition: F-1, F-2, H-3, H-4 (if the visa holder is the spouse or child of an H-3), J-1 and J-2 (if the J-1 visa holder is a student or trainee), M-1, and M-2.

Children of new faculty members at Colorado state-supported colleges.

Employees (and their children) of companies moving to Colorado with State economic incentives.

QUESTIONS
Incoming applicants should direct their questions to the Office of Admissions at law.admissions@colorado.edu or 303-492-7203.

Applicants who may be eligible for residency because they are an exception to the one-year requirement should direct their questions to the CU Boulder Office of the Registrar at tuitclass@colorado.edu or 303-492-6970.

Students currently enrolled at Colorado Law should direct their questions to the CU Boulder Office of the Registrar at tuitclass@colorado.edu or 303-492-6970.