Starting this fall, the University of Utah will waive application fees for first-time, first-year students who have a permanent mailing address in Utah, or attend a tribal high school in the state. In years past, the U opted to waive application fees for Utah students during Utah College Application Week (UCAW), but starting Aug. 1, the fee will be waived for qualifying applicants during the entire application period, with no special code required.

“The whole point is to take away one more barrier to applying and attending college at the U,” said John Marfield, executive director of the Office of Admissions. “We want to make sure that nothing stands between our applicants and a premiere education.”

The U received feedback from high school counselors in Utah over the last two years that application fees can create a significant barrier for students applying to college. As the state’s education leader, this initiative is aimed at serving students throughout the state who might not otherwise apply.

“The U received a record number of applications for our class this year,” Marfield said. “We want to ensure that every student in Utah can realize their dream to enroll at the University of Utah.”

The new application for spring, summer and fall 2023 will go live on August 1, with an early action and merit scholarship consideration deadline of Dec. 1. The waiver does not apply to transfer students. More information on the application process can be found here.