CUNY waives application fee for NYC public school seniors

New York City public high school seniors who apply to The City University of New York (CUNY) will have one less thing to worry about — the college application fee.

On Friday, the City University of New York announced that it is waiving the $65 application fee for New York City public high school seniors who apply between March 1 and April 15 to attend a CUNY college in Fall 2023. The move is part of an effort to entice undecided high schoolers while expanding access to higher education.

The City University of New York announced Friday that it is waiving the $65 application fee for New York City public high school seniors who apply between March 1 and April 15 to attend a CUNY college in Fall 2023.

The move is part of an effort to entice undecided high schoolers while expanding access to higher education, particularly for first-generation college students, immigrants and working-class Black and Hispanic New Yorkers.

“We are trying to motivate seniors who may still be undecided about applying to college to take this important step toward their future at no cost. We are also removing a financial roadblock that has deterred many students from applying,” CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez said in a statement. “This initiative is an example of how the University and the New York City public schools have a powerful partnership and are working together to help make the transition from high school to CUNY a seamless one.”

New York City Public Schools seniors who are graduating between January and August 2023 and planning to start college in Fall 2023 are eligible for the fee waiver initiative by obtaining a waiver code through their school guidance counselors. Overall, 82% of CUNY’s first-time freshmen are graduates of city public high schools.

While CUNY has already waived the application fee for thousands of eligible city public school students over the years, including those experiencing homelessness or in foster care as well as those living in subsidized public housing or receiving public assistance, this latest initiative is far-reaching.