Western Drops Application Fee for Prospective Students

BY SETH MENSING  |  University Communications Manager

e: smensing@western.edu    p: 970.943.7027

 

“Our mission at Western is to make education accessible for all (undergraduate) students across the country”

 

Students interested in attending undergraduate programs at Western Colorado University will have one less hurdle to clear on their way to enrollment, with the elimination of the University’s application fee, effective August 1, 2024. The change reflects Western’s ongoing commitment to reducing barriers for prospective students and creating more opportunities for individuals from all backgrounds to pursue an undergraduate college education.

By eliminating the $30 fee, Western is taking one more step to eliminate the financial barriers for those interested in attending the University and hopes that more students will be encouraged to apply in the current cycle.

“Our mission at Western is to make education accessible for all students across the country,” Admissions Director Chase Watts said. “Our dedication to this mission has led us to the decision to no longer charge an application fee to our prospective students. My hope is that by removing this barrier students will feel more at ease in applying to Western and experience our dedication to them from the very beginning of their college search process.”

This change comes at a time when the rising costs of education are a major concern for students and families across the country. Regional Public Universities, like Western, are leading the effort to help ease the financial burden on students and open doors to those who might have otherwise hesitated to apply due to cost concerns.

In fact, Western has several programs aimed at eliminating the barriers to entry, including the Mountaineer Promise, which covers the cost of tuition and required fees for students from families making less than $70,000 annually. For those students who don’t quite qualify, there’s the Geiman Scholars Program, which provides low-income, first-generation students who demonstrate academic potential and motivation in high school the opportunity to attend Western with their full cost of attendance covered. The Reisher Scholars Program is similar but provides substantial scholarships after a student has completed their first year of college.

In all, Western’s Scholarship Application offers more than 300 scholarship opportunities. For more information about those programs and others aimed at making Western more affordable and accessible, or to apply to Western at no cost, visit the Admissions page on our website.

 

Admissions

 

COURTESY PHOTO