Last Updated: October 3, 2026
Free college application week 2026 Alabama runs Oct. 5–9. Alabama students can apply to participating colleges without paying a fee.
The University of Alabama deadline is 11:59 p.m. CDT on Friday, Oct. 9. Late submissions pay the full fee.
This guide lists what is confirmed for 2026, what is still pending, and how to use a waiver code if your college requires one.
Alabama College Application Week 2026: Key Dates at a Glance
Alabama College Application Week is a statewide campaign led by the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE). Colleges choose whether to join each year.
The University of Alabama confirms its own Free App Week uses the same Oct. 5–9 window. Use the table below to plan your submission.
| Event | Date and Time |
|---|---|
| Free application week starts | Monday, Oct. 5, 2026 |
| Free application week ends | Friday, Oct. 9, 2026 |
| UA undergraduate, Early College and Graduate School application deadline | Oct. 9, 11:59 p.m. CDT |
| UA Graduate School waiver request form deadline | Oct. 9, 5 p.m. CDT |
| UA graduate applicants with “awaiting payment” status: enter code by | Oct. 9, 5 p.m. CDT |
Dates come from ALSDE campaign materials and University of Alabama announcements. Always confirm the cutoff on your college’s own page.
Who Can Apply for Free?
Eligibility depends on the college, not on the statewide campaign. Read each school’s rules before you start your application.
Here is who the week is generally built for:
- Alabama high school seniors: the main target group of the campaign.
- Transfer students: eligible at colleges that include transfers, such as UA and UAB.
- Online applicants: UA Online applicants are included in UA’s waiver.
- Graduate applicants: UA’s Graduate School offers waivers, but eligible students must claim a code first.
- Early College applicants: UA Early College is part of Free App Week.
Some colleges open the waiver to every applicant. Others limit it to Alabama residents or require a code.
UAB, for example, says freshmen, transfers and online students need no code. Applications must be started and submitted Oct. 5–9.
University of Alabama Free App Week 2026
The University of Alabama is waiving application fees from Oct. 5 to Oct. 9, 2026. The waiver covers several applicant groups.
- Undergraduate applicants
- Graduate applicants
- UA Online applicants
- UA Early College applicants
Undergraduate Admissions, Early College and the Graduate School all share one deadline. Submit by 11:59 p.m. CDT on Oct. 9.
Undergraduate and Online Applicants
Start your application at the official Free App Week page. Complete every step and submit before the Oct. 9 cutoff.
UA Early College
Submit your Early College application by 11:59 p.m. CDT on Oct. 9. Applications submitted during the week carry no fee.
If you start during the week but submit after Oct. 10, the $40 fee still applies. Current high school freshmen cannot apply until Spring 2027.
Graduate School Waiver Code Process
Graduate applicants do not get a free application automatically. You must request and claim a waiver code first.
- Submit the Free Application Waiver Request Form by 5 p.m. CDT on Oct. 9.
- Wait for the code to arrive by email. Codes are not sent before the week begins.
- Enter the code in the application portal.
- Submit your application by 11:59 p.m. CDT on Oct. 9.
The Graduate School states it will not enter a waiver for you. If your application shows “awaiting payment,” enter the code yourself.
Alabama residents must also meet a 3.0 GPA requirement to qualify, according to UA Graduate School rules. Check the Graduate School page for out-of-state criteria.
Alabama Colleges Waiving Fees in October 2026
Only colleges with an official 2026 announcement are marked “Confirmed 2026.” Everything else is “To be confirmed” until a college or ALSDE publishes it.
Older lists from February 2026 and October 2025 are not proof of this year’s participation. Do not rely on them.
| College | Status | Code Needed | Official Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama (undergraduate and UA Online) | Confirmed 2026 | Check | UA Free App Week |
| University of Alabama Graduate School | Confirmed 2026 | Yes | UA Graduate School |
| UA Early College | Confirmed 2026 | No | Early College |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) | Confirmed 2026 | No | UAB Apply |
| Alabama community colleges | To be confirmed | Check | ALSDE |
| Alabama A&M University | To be confirmed | Check | ALSDE |
| Alabama State University | To be confirmed | Check | ALSDE |
| Troy University | To be confirmed | Check | ALSDE |
| Jacksonville State University | To be confirmed | Check | ALSDE |
| University of South Alabama | To be confirmed | Check | ALSDE |
| University of North Alabama | To be confirmed | Check | ALSDE |
| University of West Alabama | To be confirmed | Check | ALSDE |
| University of Alabama in Huntsville | To be confirmed | Check | ALSDE |
| Huntingdon, Miles, Stillman and Talladega Colleges | To be confirmed | Check | ALSDE |
Last Updated: October 3, 2026. The full ALSDE college list and codes were not yet public at this update.
Alabama’s community colleges have historically charged no application fee. Confirm that with your campus admissions office.
How to Use a Waiver Code Step by Step
Not every college uses a code. If yours does, follow these steps in order.
- Open the college’s official application portal. Do not use a third-party site.
- Create your account and complete the application.
- Find the payment or fee page at the end of the form.
- Enter the waiver code exactly as written, including capital letters.
- Confirm the fee shows $0.00 before you click submit.
- Save your confirmation email.
If the fee still shows, do not pay. Clear the code field, retype it, and try again.
Still seeing a charge? Contact the admissions office before the deadline and ask them to apply the waiver manually.
Common Problems and Fixes
The Code Is Not Working
Check for extra spaces and the wrong application type. Codes often work only for freshman, transfer or graduate forms.
The Fee Is Still Charged
Stop before paying. Email admissions with a screenshot and your application ID. Ask for a manual waiver.
You Applied Before the Window Opened
Many colleges require both the start and submit dates to fall inside the week. UAB says this directly for 2026.
If you already submitted early, ask admissions whether a fee refund or waiver is possible.
You Missed the Deadline
The Oct. 9 cutoff is firm at UA. Applications submitted late pay the standard fee.
Ask about other fee waivers based on financial need. Many colleges offer them year-round.
Save Your Fee After Free App Week
Free application windows happen in several states. Compare dates in our Free College Application Days 2026 guide.
Kansas runs its own window as well. See our Kansas Apply Free Days 2026 guide for dates and deadlines.
If you miss Alabama’s week, use the same strategy: check each college’s fee waiver page and apply early.