There is one application cycle per year for the BFU program.

The 2023 BFU Application is now open, and the next submission deadline is August 10, 2023. 

Yes, there is a $100 application fee for each application that is submitted.

Discounts are available for the following institutions: 

• Existing Bicycle Friendly Universities that are scheduled to renew this year (their last application was 4 years ago).
• Previous BFU applicants that received No Award or Honorable Mention on their most recent application. 
• Insititutions that are a current Affiliate/organizational Member of the League, and maintain their membership for the full 4 years of their BFU designation. 
• HBCUs and other Minority Serving Institutions.
• All-Women's Colleges.
• Community Colleges.

Please contact bfa@bikeleague.org to learn more if your school is eligible for a discount. 

Invoicing is available for schools with Purchase Order systems.

Once your online application is finalized, there will be an option to "add to cart." From there, you will be prompted for payment before you are able to submit the application. You will be able to select whether you want to pay by credit card or request an invoice to pay by check or purchase order. Payment is due within 30 days of the application submission deadline. 

Any university, college, community college or other institution of higher education with a physical campus is eligible to apply for the BFU℠ program. Your bicycle, sustainability, or transportation program manager should review the application and resources. University administration should work alongside campus bicycling groups to complete the form. BFU staff are available to answer questions about eligibility, the application process and best practices.

Visit the Getting Started page to learn more about the application process.

To complete the most comprehensive application, the applicant should be aware of all aspects of the university’s bicycle-related activities and efforts. We encourage the applicant to consult bicycling students and staff  to help advise on the campus’s true environment for cycling.

Please be certain that the leaders of the college or university are consulted before applying.

New and renewing applicants fill out the same application form. However, renewing/returning applicants whose most recent application was in 2016 or later can now simplify the application process by duplicating their previous submission answers into the current online form. Learn more here.

Applications that are not submitted by the application deadline will be automatically transferred to the next year's application. Please note that any questions that were changed or added may not transfer data correctly, so it is important to double check all of your answers before submitting an application that was started in a previous round.

Applicants that just fall short of a designation receive an Honorable Mention. Universities that receive an Honorable Mention are being promoted on the League website for one year. However, they do not receive a certificate, seal or award. The names of applicants that do not receive any recognition are not published. All applicants that do not achieve Bicycle Friendly status still receive a detailed feedback report that can be used to work towards a designation next time the campus applies.

The BFU designation is given on a four-year basis, after which time the university must reapply to maintain or improve their status. Universities that do not maintain their cycling environment over the years may also lose their BFU status.

Any university, college, community college or other institution of higher education with a physical campus is eligible to apply for the BFU program. Your bicycle, sustainability, or transportation program manager should review the application and resources. University administration should work alongside campus bicycling groups to complete the form. BFU staff are available to answer questions about eligibility, the application process and best practices.

An important part of the BFU designation is the official presentation of the award to the college or university. The following steps are usually involved in setting up an award ceremony:

1. Choose a date and location.
2. The League will identify a representative to present the award – the representative may be a League staff person or board member, the head of a local club, a member of the bike industry, or other appropriate person. If you have a preference, please let the League staff know. The League will provide talking points for the presentation.
3. The League can assist you in developing a press release for your business announcing the award ceremony. Most universities use their communications department to distribute the press release.

The League has developed a promotional BFA toolkit specifically for bicycle advocates -- learn more on the Advocate Tools page.