photo by: Shawn Valverde/Special to the Journal-World

The University of Kansas campus is pictured in this September 2023 aerial photo.

Individuals wanting to attend one of Kansas’ public universities, community colleges or technical schools soon will have a chance to apply without paying any application fees.

The Kansas Board of Regents is hosting its statewide “Apply Free Days” from Oct. 7 through Oct. 9. The free application program applies to the University of Kansas, Kansas State, Wichita State, Emporia State, Fort Hays State and Pittsburg State. Additionally, a multitude of community colleges and technical schools are part of the program, as well as several private universities in the state.

An application to a university or community college does not obligate a prospective student to attend that institution. However, an application is typically the first step to being admitted to a university or higher education institution. Often, such applications involve a fee that is often $50 or more per prospective student.

The Board of Regents — which oversees all public universities and community colleges — noted that students can start the application before Oct. 7 and simply submit the application during the three-day free period to avoid the fee.

This is the second year that the Regents have sponsored the free application period. Last year, applications increased by 30% in the fall compared to the same period a year ago, prior to implementation of the free application program.