Several states waive college application fees for a few days in fall 2026. Kansas runs October 5-9. Colorado runs October 20-22. Other states run fee-free windows throughout October and November. Find your state below.
Last Updated: September 22, 2026
2026 Free College Application Dates at a Glance
| State | 2026 Dates | Who Qualifies | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas | October 5-9 | Any Kansas resident, undergraduate | Confirmed |
| Colorado | October 20-22 | Colorado residents, undergraduate | Confirmed |
| Indiana | September 21-25 | High school seniors, participating colleges | Confirmed |
| North Carolina | October 19-25 | All applicants, through CFNC.org | Confirmed |
| Tennessee | September (all month) | Tennessee residents, participating colleges | Confirmed |
| Idaho | October (opens Oct. 1) | Current-year Idaho high school seniors | Confirmed |
| New York | Late October through November (exact 2026 dates pending) | New York residents, SUNY/CUNY/private colleges | Reported |
| South Dakota | October 1 – November 30 | Applicants to public colleges and tech schools | Reported |
| Virginia | Mid-to-late October (exact 2026 dates pending) | Virginia high school seniors | Reported |
| Delaware | Mid-October through mid-November | Delaware high school seniors | Reported |
Kansas
Kansas Apply Free Days run October 5 through 5 p.m. on October 9, 2026.
Any Kansas resident can apply free to all seven public universities, 19 community colleges, six technical colleges, and 21 private colleges that belong to the Kansas Independent College Association.
First-time freshmen, transfer students, returning students, and second-bachelor’s applicants all qualify. Graduate programs do not.
The window has grown from three days to five since it launched, and applications jumped 30 percent the first year it ran.
Students using the Common App for KU, K-State, or WSU need to contact that school’s admissions office directly for the waiver.
Official info: kansasregents.gov/applyfree.
Colorado
Colorado Free Application Days run Tuesday, October 20 through Thursday, October 22, 2026. This is the ninth annual event.
All 32 public colleges and universities waive fees, along with five private schools: Colorado Christian, Colorado College, Regis, University of Denver, and Naropa.
Undergraduate certificates, associate degrees, and bachelor’s degrees qualify. Graduate programs do not.
Community colleges and technical colleges never charge an application fee, even outside this window.
In 2025, more than 71,000 applications came in during the three-day period, saving families over $2.4 million.
Official info: cdhe.colorado.gov/cofreeappdays.
Indiana
Indiana’s National College Application Week runs September 21-25, 2026, according to Learn More Indiana.
Note: this window is earlier than some third-party lists suggest, so double-check before it passes.
More than 40 Indiana colleges waive fees for high school seniors during this week, part of the annual College GO! initiative.
#WhyApply Day, a social media push encouraging students to share why they’re applying, kicks off the week on September 18.
Official info: learnmoreindiana.org.
North Carolina
College Application Week runs from 7:30 a.m. on October 19 through 5 p.m. on October 25, 2026.
More than 40 four-year colleges and all 58 community colleges waive fees, which average around $41 per school.
Students must apply through CFNC.org, not directly through a college’s own site, to receive the waiver.
The week kicks off North Carolina’s Countdown to College campaign, which also covers residency determination and financial aid forms.
Official info: cfnc.org/c2c.
Tennessee
Tennessee’s College Application and Exploration Month runs the entire month of September 2026.
More than 40 participating colleges offer fee waivers, each using its own code, listed in TSAC’s application toolkit.
The month is broken into weekly themes: explore, prepare, apply, then follow up.
The separate Tennessee Promise scholarship deadline typically falls in early November, so don’t confuse the two dates.
Official info: collegefortn.org.
New York
SUNY, CUNY, and dozens of private colleges waive fees during College Application Month (CAM), which spans October and November.
As of this update, HESC’s own site says the 2026 school list and exact dates are still coming; check back in the fall.
For reference, in 2025 SUNY’s window ran October 20 to November 3 across all 64 campuses, covering up to five applications per student.
CUNY’s 2025 window ran October 27 to November 21 for New York City students, and November 10 to November 21 for students elsewhere in the state.
Private colleges set their own dates throughout the month. Nearly 130 schools took part in 2025.
Expect a similar structure for 2026. Check hesc.ny.gov/cam for the confirmed schedule once it posts.
South Dakota
South Dakota’s Free Application Period has run October 1 through November 30 for several years running, and 2026 is expected to follow the same pattern.
All ten public universities and technical colleges are included: Black Hills State, Dakota State, Northern State, South Dakota Mines, South Dakota State, University of South Dakota, and four technical colleges.
The normal application fee runs around $20. Three of the technical colleges never charge a fee, even outside this window.
Official info: check the South Dakota Board of Regents site or OurDakotaDreams.com for the 2026 confirmation.
Idaho
Apply Idaho opens October 1, 2026, and stays open through June for that year’s graduating class.
October is designated Idaho College Month, encouraging seniors to apply early using a single shared application.
One Apply Idaho application covers up to ten in-state colleges, including all eight public schools plus College of Idaho and Northwest Nazarene.
Only current-year Idaho high school seniors qualify for the free application; it is not open year-round to all applicants.
Official info: nextsteps.idaho.gov.
Virginia
Virginia College Application Week has historically fallen in late October, coordinated by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV).
Some third-party lists cite October 19-23 and 26-30 for 2026, but the state has not posted a matching official confirmation as of this update.
Treat these dates as reported, not confirmed, until SCHEV or your high school counselor’s office confirms them.
The week is part of Virginia’s broader 1-2-3 Go! initiative, which also covers FAFSA help and college-fit events.
Official info: schev.edu.
Delaware
Delaware’s College Application Month typically runs mid-October through mid-November.
All Delaware colleges, including the University of Delaware, Delaware State, Delaware Tech, Wilmington University, and Goldey-Beacom, waive fees for Delaware high school seniors.
The University of Delaware’s standard fee is $75, so the waiver is a meaningful saving for students applying to multiple schools.
Exact 2026 start and end dates were not yet posted at the time of this update.
Official info: delawarestudentsuccess.org.
Common Rules
Most states share a few basic rules for these fee-free windows.
- You must submit, not just start, your application inside the dates listed.
- Most programs cover undergraduate applications only. Graduate programs are excluded almost everywhere.
- Many states require residency to qualify, though some private colleges extend the waiver to out-of-state applicants too.
- Transfer and returning students usually qualify alongside first-time freshmen.
- Private colleges set their own waiver dates, separate from public-school windows, and often require a separate code.
- Some platforms, like Common App, need the fee waiver applied manually at each individual school.
What to Prepare Before the Free Window
Start your application early so you’re only clicking submit during the free dates. Waiting until the last day risks technical issues that won’t be refunded.
- Transcript and GPA information
- Test scores, if your target schools require them
- A short activities list or resume
- Personal essay, if required
- FAFSA or state financial aid application, started separately
- Any fee waiver code your school or state provides
What If Your State Is Not Listed
Not every state runs a statewide free application program.
Many individual colleges still offer year-round fee waivers for financial hardship, first-generation students, or military families, regardless of state.
Ask your school’s admissions office directly, or check if you qualify for an NACAC fee waiver or a College Board fee waiver tied to the SAT.
Community colleges in most states also charge little or no application fee at any time of year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which states have free college application days in 2026?
Kansas, Colorado, Indiana, North Carolina, Tennessee, Idaho, New York, South Dakota, Virginia, and Delaware all run some version of a fee-free application window in fall 2026.
Are free application days only for high school seniors?
No. Most states also allow transfer students and returning students to use the waiver, though a few programs, like Idaho’s, are senior-specific.
Can transfer students use them?
Yes, in most states. Kansas, Colorado, and North Carolina explicitly include transfer applicants in their fee waivers, with no extra steps required.
Do private colleges participate?
Some do. Private participation varies by state and by school, and dates often differ from the public-college window, so check each school separately.
What if I miss the window?
Contact the admissions office directly. Most colleges offer year-round fee waivers for documented financial hardship, even outside these state-run windows.