During College Application Month, Chancellor King Announces Free Application Weeks and Fee Waivers for Students Applying to SUNY
October 20, 2025
Prospective Students May Use ApplySUNY or the Common App to Apply to Up to Five Campuses at No Cost from October 20th Through November 3rd
52 percent of NYS Resident Full-Time Undergraduate Students Attend SUNY Tuition-Free Thanks to TAP, FAFSA and Other Financial Aid – Apply Here Today
Follows Governor Hochul's Proclamation of October as New York State College Application Month and Fee Waivers for Applications at Over 130 New York State Institutions, Including SUNY
Albany, NY — State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. announced SUNY's Free Application Weeks, from October 20th to November 3rd. During the two-week free application period, prospective students will receive fee waivers to apply to up to five SUNY campuses. The free application period encourages high school seniors to find their perfect SUNY campus. To further help students find their perfect campus, SUNY also offers a comprehensive program search that aligns students' interests with available academic opportunities.
Governor Kathy Hochul proclaimed October as College Application Month in New York State to expand opportunities for students, especially those from low-income families, first generation students, and students facing financial barriers. SUNY campuses are known for their affordable excellence throughout the state.
"This exciting initiative, in collaboration with Governor Hochul, underscores the fact the there is a place at SUNY for every New Yorker," said SUNY Chancellor King. "Free Application Weeks empower students and families to reach out and apply to SUNY institutions. We encourage prospective students to utilize this opportunity, as well as FAFSA and TAP funding, to help them achieve their dreams with an affordable and high-quality education at SUNY."
The SUNY Board of Trustees said, "The SUNY system is proud to join Governor Hochul in ensuring that prospective students can access the first step towards achieving their dreams through higher education free of any fees. We are excited to be championing historic initiatives to remove financial barriers and help more New Yorkers attend the SUNY institution of their choice."
Fee waivers can be accessed through both ApplySUNY and the Common App. In the ApplySUNY application, fees for the first five campuses in an application will automatically be waived. Those applying with Common App will have to apply campus by campus. During the Free Application Weeks, students applying using the Common App will be prompted to select "yes" for the fee waiver, for up to five SUNY schools.
In addition to free application weeks, Chancellor King reminds New Yorkers that as of October 1st, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and New York State's Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) applications have opened. With assistance from federal, state, local, and institutional financial aid, 52 percent of New York State resident full-time SUNY students attend tuition-free. Many families qualify for financial aid through New York State's Tuition Assistance Program and the Excelsior Scholarship. High school seniors may apply for both programs here.
Along with Free Application Weeks, SUNY also offers ongoing fee waivers that apply to 60 percent of all high school seniors, particularly students attending high schools with large numbers of free and reduced lunch recipients, students from low-income households, students in foster care, and students with military connections.
Additionally, the application fee waiver supports students that are on track to earn an associate degree at a SUNY community college to apply to a bachelor's degree granting SUNY campus. Fee waivers are also offered to all AmeriCorps alumni. More information about ongoing application fee waiver programs can be found here.
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.
Share this:
Holly Liapis
518-320-1311
Email the Office of Communications
