Texas – Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) announced that Free College Application Week will take place Oct. 13-19, 2025. The initiative allows Texas residents to apply to public colleges and universities without paying application fees.
“Texas prioritizes opportunities for students to pursue the best education they need to succeed in high-demand, good-paying jobs after graduation,” Governor Abbott said. “During free college application week, Texans can apply to their preferred colleges or universities without application fees. By supporting our students today, we are investing in a stronger Texas tomorrow.”
Created by Senate Bill 2231 during the 89th Texas Legislative Session, the program requires all public colleges and universities in Texas to waive admission application fees for Texas residents applying to undergraduate programs through ApplyTexas.
The initiative works alongside My Texas Future, ApplyTexas, and the Direct Admissions program to help students streamline their college search and make higher education more affordable.
“In addition to the cost savings, combined with other tools available to Texans for planning and achieving educational and career goals, free application week removes a barrier so more students can take their first step toward higher education,” said THECB Commissioner Wynn Rosser.
Free College Application Week will occur annually during the second full week of October. All Texas residents applying for undergraduate admission through ApplyTexas—including first-time and transfer students—are eligible to participate. Details on residency status are available in the Texas Residency Guidelines.
My Texas Future offers tools for students to explore careers and programs, plan for school, and navigate financial aid. The platform also connects prospective students to ApplyTexas and the Direct Admissions program, which allows students to receive a list of colleges where they may qualify for acceptance before submitting applications. Students can share academic information such as class rank, GPA, and SAT/ACT scores to receive their Direct Admissions list as early as the end of their junior year.
