SUNY Launches Two-Week Free Application Period To Expand College Access
October 16, 2023
Anyone Applying through ApplySUNY or Common App to Receive Up to Five Free Applications Through Oct. 29 for Savings of Up to $250 Per Prospective Student
Many New York Families May Also Qualify for Free Tuition through New York State’s TAP and Excelsior Scholarship — Apply Here Now
Albany, NY – State University of New York Chancellor John B. King, Jr. today announced application fees have been waived for SUNY colleges and universities across the state for two weeks, from October 16 to October 29. That means prospective students can apply to up to five campuses free of charge. The potential savings add up to $250 per applicant, removing an early barrier to college access.
To learn more about applying to SUNY, visit suny.edu/apply. Applicants can apply at ApplySUNY or by using the Common App.
Those who use ApplySUNY will automatically have their first five campus applications waived on the payment page. On the Common App, prospective students must apply campus by campus and select "Yes" to the question: "SUNY is having a free application week. Would you like SUNY to cover your application fee?"
"There is a place at SUNY for every New Yorker, and College Application Month is the perfect opportunity for high school seniors to find their perfect SUNY match. By waiving the application fee for two weeks, SUNY is sending a message to all prospective students that you belong here," said SUNY Chancellor King. "At SUNY, 53% of full-time New York State undergrads attend tuition free after financial aid. The chance to apply to up to five colleges during the free application weeks means prospective students might find programs they like at a school they may not have originally considered, which can open the door to success and upward mobility."
Many New York State families may also qualify for free tuition through New York State’s Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and/or Excelsior Scholarship. Students may apply for financial aid by filling out their FAFSA in December.
SUNY also offers ongoing fee waivers that apply to 60 percent of all high school seniors. Students in foster care, with military connections, students from low-income backgrounds, and students at 500+ designated high schools can apply at up to seven SUNY campuses for free, saving up to $350, throughout the year. Learn more about ongoing application fee waiver programs.
About the State University of New York
The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY’s 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, a law school, the country’s oldest school of maritime, the state's only college of optometry, 12 Educational Opportunity Centers, over 30 ATTAIN digital literacy labs, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. In total, SUNY serves about 1.7 million students across its portfolio of credit- and non-credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide are nearly $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2025, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are more than three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and annually one in three New Yorkers who earn a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunities, visit suny.edu.
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Holly Liapis
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