More than 100 NC colleges waive application fees this week

It's a big week for anyone applying to college in North Carolina. All week long, you can save money and apply to NC colleges for free.

More than 100 colleges and universities across the state are waiving application fees for this week only.

Students at Athens Drive High School made the most of the no-fee college applications in 2022 when the rates for college applications went up by 30%.

"Cost is still the biggest barrier that students face in going to college, so any of the ways we can remove the barriers to make college more affordable -- we want to do that," said Kathy Hastings with the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority.

The average college application fee is about $55.

Jasmine Pearson, Dean of Students at Athens Drive Magnet High School, said students average between five and seven college applications.

"We see, typically, application fees can be upwards of $75, $90 per university," Pearson said. "Which if you're applying to four or five, [it] can add up really, really quickly."

Jared Bennett is a student at Athens Drive. He says he's applying to seven schools, adding the process has been nerve-wracking.

"It's a lot, it adds up after a while," Bennett said.

Students must apply through the College Foundation of North Carolina’s website to opt out of the application fee.

You can find a full list of participating colleges and universities on the foundation's website.

UNC Chapel Hill and NC State are not participating.

The last day for students to apply without paying an application fee is this Friday, October 20.