New York colleges and universities are waiving application fees

More than 130 colleges and universities across New York are waiving their standard application fees for the second year in a row in conjunction with College Application Month, officials said Friday.

The exemption covers applications to all schools in the State University of New York and the City University of New York, as well as applications to more than 50 New York colleges and universities.

While application fee waiver dates for participating private institutions vary by campus, the offer for students applying to SUNY schools begins Monday and runs through November 3rd.

The application fee waiver period for CUNY schools runs from October 21st to November 21st. November 15th for high school graduates and November 4th-15th November for all citizens applying as first-year students.

The free application offer could save families and students applying to SUNY schools up to $250 off regular fees. SUNY schools typically charge $50 per application. The free application offer is valid for up to five selected schools.

The normal fee for CUNY applications is $65. A single application is enough for six schools.

The filing fee waiver is not retroactive and does not apply to applications submitted before the offering, officials said.

“We are empowering students across the state to take the first step toward achieving their educational and career goals while eliminating the financial barriers that may prevent students from pursuing higher education,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement.

Participating public schools on Long Island include:

• Stony Brook University
• Farmingdale State College
• SUNY-Old Westbury
• Nassau Community College
• Suffolk Community College

Other local SUNY schools include SUNY-Maritime in the Bronx and the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan.

Private institutions waiving application fees associated with the program include:

• Adelphi University
• Hofstra University
• Molly University
• St. Joseph's University
• New York Institute of Technology
• Five Towns College
• Pace University
• Iona College
• St Francis College
• Fordham University
• Wagner College
• Culinary Institute of America
• New York Automobile and Diesel Institute
• School of Fine Arts
• Plaza College
• Phillips School of Nursing at Mount Sinai Beth Israel
• New York School of Medical and Dental Assistants

Officials said students applying through the Common App must apply campus by campus for public colleges and universities. During the offer period, students will be asked to select “Yes” for each SUNY school’s tuition waiver (up to five choices).

For the fall 2023 semester, there were 321,660 undergraduate students enrolled across all SUNY schools, with an additional 45,882 enrolled as graduate students.

“We are committed to ensuring that the pursuit of higher education is accessible to all New Yorkers,” SUNY Chancellor John B. King said in a statement.

For more information, including application fee waiver dates by school, visit the federally funded We Are NY program website: hesc.ny.gov.

John Valenti, a Newsday reporter since 1981, has been nationally honored by the Associated Press and the Society of the Silurians for his investigative, entrepreneurial and breaking news reporting and column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about the former New York City playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti appears in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30 for 30 film “Big Shot.”