126 New York schools waive college application fees

"New York State is expanding financial aid and waiving college application fees for almost 130 institutions statewide, including the State University of New York, the City University of New York, and dozens of private colleges and universities. The move aims to lower financial barriers for high schoolers heading to college. Applications for state and federal financial aid are open for students enrolling in the 2026/2027 school year."

"Waived application fees typically range from $50 to $90 each. While the fee waivers remove one obstacle, students will still have to pay tuition. Applications for state and federal financial aid-Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the New York State Tuition Assistance Program, and the NYS Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Incentive Program-are all open for students enrolling in the 2026/2027 school year."

New York State is waiving college application fees for almost 130 institutions, including SUNY, CUNY, and many private colleges. The waivers, typically $50 to $90, aim to lower upfront financial barriers for high school students applying to college. FAFSA, TAP, and the NYS STEM Incentive Program applications are open for students enrolling in the 2026/2027 school year, with deadlines through June 30, 2027. TAP distributes about $800 million annually and expanded eligibility adds nearly 38,000 students. The STEM scholarships cover tuition for eligible top-10% high school graduates pursuing STEM degrees at SUNY or CUNY.

Read at The Hill