Alabama High School Seniors Can Apply to Colleges for Free Feb. 23-27

More than 50 colleges and universities in Alabama and surrounding states are waiving application fees for a week-long campaign.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Alabama high school seniors will have the opportunity to apply to dozens of colleges and universities for free during the Spring 2026 College Application Campaign, taking place from February 23-27. The statewide effort follows a successful fall campaign that saw over 28,000 seniors submit applications, and is aimed at expanding access to higher education and supporting students as they plan for their futures.

Why it matters

This free college application campaign is an important initiative to help make higher education more accessible for Alabama high school students. By waiving application fees, the program removes a key financial barrier that can prevent some students from applying to college and pursuing their educational goals.

The details

More than 50 colleges, universities and community colleges in Alabama, along with several institutions in other states like Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, South Carolina, Mississippi and Florida, are participating in the free application campaign. Students will need to use specific application codes provided by the organizers to activate the fee waivers. The campaign builds on the success of a similar effort held in the fall of 2025, which encouraged thousands of seniors across the state to submit college applications.

  • The Spring 2026 College Application Campaign will take place from February 23-27, 2026.
  • The previous Fall 2025 college application campaign was held in October 2025.

The players

Dr. Monica P. Mack

The Alabama College Application campaign coordinator.

Alabama Community College System

One of the participating institutions waiving application fees for Alabama high school seniors.

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What they’re saying

“During our college application campaign held in October, we had over 28,000 seniors across the state apply to colleges and universities. Due to the success of this campaign, colleges and universities have agreed to host another event for students.”

— Dr. Monica P. Mack, Alabama College Application campaign coordinator (WTVM)

What’s next

Students that did not apply to a college or university during the initial fall campaign are encouraged to participate in this free application event in February.

The takeaway

This statewide college application campaign is an important initiative to help make higher education more accessible for Alabama high school students by removing the financial barrier of application fees. The success of the previous fall campaign has led to an expanded offering in the spring, demonstrating the demand and need for such programs to support students' educational aspirations.