Kansas Apply Free Days 2026 run October 5-9. Kansas residents can apply to participating colleges without a fee if they submit by 5 p.m. Friday, October 9. Source: Kansas Board of Regents.
This is the first year the window has stretched to a full five days, up from three days in prior years.
Dates and Deadline
The window opens Monday, October 5, 2026, and closes Friday, October 9, 2026, at 5 p.m. local time.
You can start and save an application any time before then. The fee waiver only applies if you hit submit inside that window.
Applications submitted before or after the window will not qualify for a refund, even if a technical issue caused the delay.
If your application will not go through, contact the admissions office at that specific college right away instead of waiting.
“Kansas isn’t the only state waiving fees this fall — see the full list of states with free college application days in 2026 to check if your state qualifies too.”
Who Is Eligible
Any Kansas resident can apply for free during Apply Free Days, regardless of age or income.
Eligible applicants include:
- First-time freshmen
- Transfer students
- Returning students
- Applicants to undergraduate certificate programs
- Applicants to associate degree programs
- Applicants to bachelor’s degree programs
Graduate program applications are not eligible for the fee waiver, even during the October 5-9 window.
Transfer students are fully covered. This includes students moving from a community or technical college into a four-year university.
Which Kansas Colleges Are Always Free
Some Kansas schools do not charge an application fee at all, any day of the year.
All 19 Kansas community colleges fall into this category. You never need to wait for Apply Free Days to apply there.
Three public universities have also permanently dropped their application fees:
- Pittsburg State University
- Washburn University
- Emporia State University
For these schools, Apply Free Days changes nothing. Their applications are free every single day.
Which Private Colleges Participate
Private colleges that belong to the Kansas Independent College Association (KICA) take part in Apply Free Days.
There are 21 KICA member institutions participating for the October 5-9, 2026 window.
If a private college is not a KICA member, it may not honor the fee waiver.
Contact that school’s admissions office directly to confirm before you submit an application expecting it to be free.
Step-by-Step: How to Submit During the Window
- Pick your school(s). Confirm each one is a public university, community college, technical college, or KICA private member.
- Start your application early. Create an account and fill in your details before October 5 if you can.
- Save it, don’t submit yet. Wait until the window opens to avoid being charged.
- Submit between October 5 and October 9. Complete submission before 5 p.m. on October 9.
- Get a confirmation. Save any email or on-screen confirmation showing your submission time.
- Follow up if something breaks. Call the school’s admissions office immediately, not after the deadline passes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can adults apply during Kansas Apply Free Days?
Yes. There is no age limit. Any Kansas resident can use the fee waiver, regardless of age or income level.
Do transfer students qualify?
Yes. Transfer students moving between any two Kansas institutions are fully covered under Apply Free Days.
What happens if my application is late?
Applications submitted after 5 p.m. on October 9 do not qualify for a fee waiver or a refund, even due to technical issues.
Are community colleges free even without Apply Free Days?
Yes. All 19 Kansas community colleges charge no application fee at any point during the year.
Does the waiver cover graduate school applications?
No. Only undergraduate certificate, associate, and bachelor’s degree applications qualify for the free window.
Helpful Links
Last Updated: September 23, 2026.