Texas waives fees for public college applications this week

Texas Free College Application Week runs Oct. 12-18, 2026, waiving application fees for Texas residents who submit undergraduate applications to participating public colleges and universities through ApplyTexas by 11:59 p.m. Oct. 18. Fees cost about $50 each. The waiver generally does not cover graduate applications, and not all public institutions take part. The annual event falls in the second full week of October and links to the My Texas Future portal. Scholarship applications on ApplyTexas should be finished before the admission application. Gov. Greg Abbott reminded residents of the week and said a Texas student can apply to any public college or university and pay no application fee. He said he froze undergraduate tuition and fees through the 2026-27 academic year and that a three-year bachelor's degree could save as much as $35,000. Higher Education Commissioner Wynn Rosser said the week makes it easier and affordable and can save applicants hundreds of dollars, urging all prospective students to take full advantage. McAllen ISD encouraged students to use campus college specialists for help. Contested: none identified.