University of Wisconsin System President Ray Cross announced today that application fees will be waived, effective immediately and through Sept. 7, for students applying to any of the 13 two-year UW Colleges campuses for the upcoming fall 2018 term. This is when the largest volume of applications to the UW Colleges are usually submitted.
“Waiving the application fee demonstrates our continued commitment to the access and affordability mission of these campuses,” said President Cross. “During the transitional period of our restructuring, we want to reassure prospective students that all campuses remain open and we encourage them to apply and enroll.”
As part of a restructuring initiative, the UW Colleges campuses will be joined with the System’s four-year comprehensive and research institutions as branch campuses effective July 1, 2018, pending formal approval by the Higher Learning Commission later this month. A primary goal of the restructuring is to expand higher education opportunities available to students.
The UW Colleges have traditionally served as important access points for students, particularly those at risk of not being able to afford college: first-generation, low-income, and underserved communities. The restructuring plan maintains existing tuition levels for classes currently offered at the two-year institutions to keep them affordable for students and families.
The one-time application fee waivers are intended to eliminate one possible barrier for prospective students during the transition.