The cost of college adds up quickly, including the costs of applying for college. The average college application fee is $45, according to U.S. News & World Report.
To help high seniors and their parents with the college application process and to help families save money on application fees, the ACT Center for Equity in Learning created the American College Application Campaign (ACAC). The goal of ACAC is to increase the number of students pursuing higher education, especially first-generation college students and students from low-income families.
Apply to College for Free
Many states offer waiver programs for prospective students via a College Application Month or Application Week campaign.September
*Indiana: The last whole week of September, students can apply to several colleges for free. The Indiana "College GO!" program starts September 23-27, with virtual FAFSA workshops occurring throughout the fall. South Carolina: Various dates throughout September.October and November
*Colorado: October 15-17, 2024 *Connecticut: November 1, 2024 *Delaware: October 1 – November 17, 2024 *Idaho: October – June 2024; High school seniors can apply to a maximum of 10 Idaho colleges for free via Idaho's very own common application site. ACAC hosts additional events at public high schools throughout October. Illinois: October 1-31 *Kansas: October 7-9, 2024 Maryland: October 1-November 12, 2024 *Michigan: October 1-31, 2024 *Mississippi: October 16-18, 2024; Students can apply to the University of Mississippi for free. *Montana: September 30 – October 11, 2024 New York: October 1-31, 2024 *North Carolina: October 21-27, 2024 Ohio: October 1-31, 2024 *South Dakota: October 1-November 30, 2024 *Utah: October 1-31, 2024 *Virginia: October 2024 Washington, DC: November 1-30, 2024 West Virginia: October 28 - November 1, 2024February and March
*Alabama *Georgia: March 1-31, 2024June
*Minnesota: June 24-28, 2024; Visit one of 33 colleges during Minnesota State Week to apply for free. High school juniors should know next year's events will likely occur around the same time frame in 2025. If your state is not listed above, contact your high school counselor or visit your state's Department of Education website. You can also check out the ACAC map and select your home state.Free Financial Aid Workshops
Numerous United States high schools offer free financial aid workshops to help students and families navigate the FAFSA. Before you attend a financial aid workshop, consider gathering the FAFSA documents you'll need. This will help you and your FAFSA mentor as you work to complete the financial aid form. According to ACT Center for Equity in Learning, more than 5,000 U.S. high schools hosted an ACAC event in 2022. Students submitted an estimated 960,000 college applications in 2022. Launched in 2005, the ACAC has served 4.2 million students; more than 7 million college applications have been submitted since its inception.Find Scholarships by State
Just as it's a great idea to save money on college application fees, it's also smart to save money when paying for school. Create your free Fastweb profile to find scholarships that fit you. In the meantime, you can also find state scholarships.You Might Also Like
Shawna Newman
Managing Editor, Contributing Writer
Shawna Newman is the Managing Editor and a writer at Fastweb. She has over 10 years of experience in higher education. Her direct work with college admissions teams, financial aid officers, college deans, ...