EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - Colleges and universities around Indiana are getting ready for “College GO!” week, a yearly event where participating schools waive application fees for one week.
The University of Southern Indiana is one of the schools participating.
The undergraduate application fee for USI is $40, but if you apply during the month of September, the application will be free.
The Indiana Commission for Higher Education reports 33 Indiana colleges and universities have free applications year-round, including the University of Evansville. Six schools in the state will waive application fees September 26-30, and USI will waive the fee the entire month.
“Our goal is to make sure that we are supportive and that we are creating that accessibility in the way that we’re removing a barrier for some,” said USI Enrollment Director Rashad Smith.
USI has also been working to encourage younger students to get excited and start planning for college.
They say they’re working with local elementary schools, including providing lesson plans developed by former teachers on staff that tie into what the elementary schools are already teaching.
They say they’ve reached over 3,000 elementary school students.
“Starting at a very young age, it’s important for them to understand what is the pathway to get to where you want to go right now,” said Smith.
USI officials say when they waive fees, they want to make the burden lighter on potential students and their families. They say post-secondary education can make a big difference in someone’s life.
“I was the first in my family to go to college, and the impact that it has had, it’s going to impact generations,” said Smith.
Copyright 2022 WFIE. All rights reserved.
