New York State colleges waive application fees this month

ALBANY, N.Y. (WETM) -- High school seniors will be able to apply to all State University of New York (SUNY) schools, all City University of New York (CUNY) schools, and 40 private colleges across the state for free this month.

According to Governor Hochul, this is the first time that some of New York's private colleges are joining all of the state's public colleges in waiving fees for students who apply during October, which is New York State College Application Month. The purpose of the fee waivers is to encourage students who can't afford application fees or might otherwise not apply for college to submit applications.

“As we embark on College Application Month, we are reminded that higher education is a critical pathway to success, and we must break down every barrier that stands in the way of students achieving their dreams," said President of the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation Dr. Guillermo Linares. "Waived application fees provide an important tool for breaking down financial barriers and ensuring that every eligible student can realize their potential through higher education."

All 64 SUNY schools are waiving their application fees from Oct. 16 through Oct. 29. New York State residents who are applying as freshmen can apply to all 25 CUNY schools for free from Oct. 16 to Oct. 31. A list of all private institutions that are waiving fees this month, including schools that waive fees all year, can be found on the Higher Education Services Corporation's website.

New York State College Application Month is part of the American College Application Campaign. The national campaign began in North Carolina in 2005. The campaign grew to include all 50 states and Washington, D.C., and it has helped more than 4.2 million students submit more than 7.3 million college applications as of 2022. New York State joined the campaign in 2013.