UC waives application fees for two-week period

In an effort to remove yet another barrier for students to access higher education during the COVID era, the university is waiving the $50 application fee for all undergraduate applicants on all campuses and in all programs from Nov. 2 through Nov. 15. The fee-free application offer extends to undergraduate international students as well, which means a $100 savings.

The move comes on the heels of UC announcing earlier this year that it was moving to test-optional, meaning applicants would no longer have to submit ACT or SAT scores to gain entry into nearly all of its programs.
 

“Although there is a great deal of uncertainty still in our world, one thing we want students to be certain about is that the University of Cincinnati has their best interest in mind,” says Linden Pechette, interim assistant vice provost of admissions. “We are committed to access for students, and we want them to feel confident in taking this next step toward their future.”

Pechette says UC’s admissions team has been doing outreach to better understand student concerns then putting information, staff and resources in place to address barriers.

“The application fee is another barrier that may be keeping students from applying,” she says. "Therefore, for a limited time, we were able to remove it completely from all our applications. Students can apply at no cost during this two-week period.”

UC last waived fees leading up to the fall 2020 application deadline, but that was limited to transfer applicants. 

“We heard from many students that this was a relief to them because it was one less thing for them to worry about when considering UC as their future academic home,” adds Pechette. “By removing this barrier, our hope is that we give many students who are still uncertain the opportunity to keep UC on their list of options for next year. By submitting an application, students have the flexibility to choose later what’s the right fit for them.”
 

A record 46,798 students are currently enrolled across UC’s campuses. That’s 410 more than last year’s all-time high and represents the eighth straight year of record-setting enrollment. In addition, the university held the line on retention with 88% of first-year students returning.

UC officials say the achievement is even more remarkable given the COVID-19 pandemic and state and national trends where the majority of colleges and universities are experiencing significant enrollment declines.

Featured image at top: An aerial photo shows UC's campus.