GUEST is intended for individuals seeking to take courses for personal or professional enrichment and enhancement.

Undergraduate-level course work

• GUEST credits can be applied toward undergraduate degree requirements; however, in order to graduate, a student must be admitted to and currently enrolled in a degree program.
• Students who were previously enrolled as degree-seeking (admitted) undergraduate students and who are eligible to return as degree-seeking students must apply for admission as a Returning Student; enrolling through GUEST is not an option.
• Undergraduate students who have been academically dismissed and who are attempting to repair their CSU GPA through GUEST must achieve a term GPA ABOVE 2.0 for each term of enrollment. For all other GUEST participants, continued enrollment through GUEST requires a minimum 2.0 GPA for each term of enrollment.
• CSU does not issue visa documents to international students who apply to GUEST. In order for an international student (i.e., a non-US citizen/non-US permanent resident) to qualify for GUEST, s/he must have 1) a CSU visa AND permission from INTO CSU to take CSU academic courses OR 2) a non-academic visa (such as a work visa).

Graduate-level course work

• Not all GUEST credits are applicable to graduate degrees. Graduate level courses taken through GUEST may be applied to a subsequent graduate degree if the courses satisfy the University’s requirements and the student’s graduate department approves the use of these courses.
• Any individuals, including second bachelor’s/post-bac students, who intend to take GUEST course work at the graduate level before applying for admission to a graduate degree program or graduate certificate program should seek advising from the Graduate School and departmental advisor before enrolling through GUEST.
• Students admitted to a graduate degree program or graduate certificate program should not use the GUEST registration process. Contact the Graduate School at gschool@grad.colostate.edu or (970) 491-6817 for further instructions.
• CSU does not issue visa documents to international students who apply to GUEST. In order for an international student (i.e., a non-US citizen/non-US permanent resident) to qualify for GUEST, s/he must have 1) a CSU visa AND permission from INTO CSU to take CSU academic courses OR 2) a non-academic visa (such as a work visa).

Application

• If you want to take classes at CSU as a GUEST student, you must submit an application. Access the undergraduate GUEST application or the graduate GUEST application.
• Applications can be submitted year-round; however, they are only reviewed shortly before the start of the semester.
• GUEST students are cleared to take classes one semester at a time (fall or spring), so you must submit an application and $25 nonrefundable application fee for each term. Fee waivers are not granted for GUEST applications.
• GUEST application terms cannot be changed once submitted. To choose a new term, you’ll need to apply again and submit a new $25 fee.
• Be sure to fill out all sections of the application completely, including residency, even if you previously have applied to CSU.
• The GUEST application is not an application for admission to a degree program, so no transcripts or supporting documents are required.
• Aims Community College students participating in the Aims Exchange Program also must submit the Cooperative Registration Agreement Form (for Aims students).

Class Registration

• Registration instructions are emailed once the GUEST application has been approved.
• Registration opens the Friday before the first day of classes each spring and fall semesters. The online registration system includes details about space availability and alternate sections of courses and offers instant confirmation of registration.
• GUEST students are eligible to register for most courses, as long as space is available and prerequisites have been met.
• Students with prior CSU academic history may have holds that need to be cleared before registration is possible. Examples include: unpaid past-due balance or lack of immunization records and conduct/discipline holds. Any holds that need to be cleared will be identified in the”registration ready” process.
• GUEST participants are eligible to register for up to six credits (or two classes) per academic semester (fall and spring).

Exceptions:

• Students who have been advised to take two classes that total more than six credits can request a credit extension. Extensions are not granted for requests to take more than two classes, regardless of the number of credits.
• Students who already have completed at least one undergraduate degree are eligible for full-time enrollment (12+ credits).
• Students who are using GI Bill benefits may be approved for up to 12 credits by request.
• Students participating in the Cooperative Registration Agreement with Aims Community College are limited to five credits. Be sure you have submitted the Cooperative Registration Form.

Applications for GUEST can be submitted year-round but are only reviewed shortly before the start of the term. These are guidelines for application dates, not deadlines:

Application dates

To take classes in the fall semester:
For “on-time” registration, apply by August 15.* Applications are reviewed beginning July 15.

To take classes in the spring semester:
For “on-time” registration, apply by January 10.* Applications are reviewed beginning December 15.

*Applications are accepted until the end of the second week of the semester. Late registration requires overrides.

Class registration dates

Class registration opens for GUEST students on the Friday before the first day of classes.

For complete information about key registration dates, refer to the Registrar’s Office Registration Date website.

• Base tuition and fees are determined by a student’s residency and number of credits (1-6). Students will not be approved to register through GUEST until their residency has been determined. Note: GUEST applicants must fully complete the residency section of the application each time they apply; residency does not carry over from term to term.
• GUEST cost of attendance also can be impacted by the type of courses taken, charges for technology, differential tuition and special course fees.
• GUEST participants are not eligible for financial aid.
• Students are billed for tuition and fees after registering for courses. To avoid late penalties, the account must be paid in full by September 10 for fall or February 10 for spring.
• If the first day of the semester has not yet begun, students may cancel their course schedule through RAMweb without any assessment of tuition or fees. Once classes have started, students who are planning to drop all courses and leave the university for any reason during the term must follow the instructions for a semester withdrawal prior to their departure. Unless this procedure is followed, students will receive failing grades in all courses. If students do not attend and do not cancel their courses before the semester begins, they are financially responsible for applicable assessed tuition and fees.
• GUEST participants who enroll in six (6) credits pay full-time student fees and thus can access various services and activities across campus such as career counseling, athletic and performing arts events, use of the Campus Recreation Center and CSU Health Network, and more. GUEST participants who register for five (5) or fewer credits are assessed part-time fees and have restricted access to activities and services. Some student organizations and sport clubs require members to be regularly enrolled (admitted) students, so GUEST participants are ineligible regardless of the number of credits they are taking. The Office of Financial Aid maintains details on the student fees and the activities and services they include.

Special information for Colorado resident undergraduate GUEST participants

• Colorado resident undergraduate GUEST participants may be eligible for the College Opportunity Fund (COF), which provides State tax dollars to college and universities on behalf of eligible Colorado-resident undergraduates. Students must apply one time with the State and authorize the university to request the stipend on their behalf either each term or for a lifetime. To apply, go to cof.college-assist.org. Students must have all course registration in place by course census date(s) to receive the stipend. Registration changes after course census dates are not eligible to receive COF funding.

Undergraduate students

• Academic advising is available from academic success coordinators on the Exploratory Studies Advising team. Advising is available by appointment or on a limited drop-in basis, in person or by phone. Call the Collaborative for Student Achievement at (970) 491-7095 for an appointment and directions to the advising office, located in Canvas Stadium.
• Classes taken through GUEST registration establish a CSU record and appear on a CSU transcript.
• GUEST students with a CSU cumulative GPA below 2.0 are strongly encouraged to meet with an academic advisor/success coordinator to ensure proper academic advising.
• Students who have been academically dismissed may register through GUEST to attempt to repair their CSU GPA. Dismissed students must achieve a semester GPA ABOVE 2.0 in order to demonstrate academic progress and to maintain GUEST eligibility for the next semester. The cumulative GPA at CSU will be affected (for better or worse) by grades earned through GUEST.
• GUEST participants who are not in CSU academic dismissal status must achieve a minimum 2.0 GPA each semester in order to maintain eligibility for GUEST.
• GUEST participants who do not meet the minimum semester GPA guidelines outlined above during the spring semester can regain eligibility for fall semester GUEST enrollment provided they meet the GPA guidelines with Summer Only enrollment.

Graduate students

• Students considering graduate-level GUEST enrollment as preparation for applying to a CSU graduate program are encouraged to contact the academic department graduate coordinator before enrolling in GUEST.
• Students who have been academically dismissed from a graduate program must be approved for readmission in order to enroll in courses to repair their CSU GPA. Contact the academic department graduate coordinator for details.

GUEST students who are taking at least six (6) credits may live in campus residence halls according to the following parameters:

• Residence hall housing is offered on a space-available basis after all new and returning students have been placed.
• Students who were dismissed from CSU for disciplinary reasons are not eligible to live in campus housing.
• Students with prior disciplinary records (but not disciplinary dismissal) may be eligible for campus housing after review and approval by Student Conduct Services.

Refer to the Residence Life website for more information about campus housing and to access the online housing application.