According to the Wisconsin State Journal, the UW Board of Regents plants to dispense with application fees at most UW schools. The proposal will go to the board this week.
Most UW System universities have not charged application fees since December 2020, but those free applications were limited. Prospective students could only apply to three schools for free; the fourth or more would be $25 per application.
Partly behind the move toward free applications is the System’s direct admissions program, which allows high school students who meet the requirements for UW schools to sidestep the traditional college application process and be directly admitted to all schools for which they qualify.
Statewide, 350 high schools signed on to participate in the direct admissions program. UW Regents said it would be “inequitable” to require application fees of students not automatically accepted. The fee elimination would also further expand access and affordability.
Under the proposal, the UW System’s current fee structure would be replaced with a free application for the 10 schools already not charging. UW–Madison will still be allowed to charge $70 per application, and UW–La Crosse and UW–Eau Claire can charge $25 per application. All three are not participating in the direct admissions program and can also waive fees if they choose.
