What is Free App Week at The University of Alabama?

Updated

Free App Week at The University of Alabama (UA) is a designated period when the university waives application fees for prospective students. According to UA's website, the event runs October 5–9 and applies to undergraduate and graduate applicants, including those applying to UA Online and UA Early College. If you are planning to apply to any of these programs and want to avoid the application fee, this is the window to submit your application. The university directs applicants to a dedicated Free App Week hub for full details.

Who Qualifies for the Fee Waiver?

The fee waiver during Free App Week covers a broad set of applicant types. Based on UA's announcement, the following groups are included:

  • Undergraduate applicants — first-time freshmen, transfer students, and others seeking a bachelor's degree.
  • Graduate applicants — students applying to master's, doctoral, or other graduate-level programs.
  • UA Online applicants — those applying to any of UA's 100+ online undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and certificate programs.
  • UA Early College applicants — high school students applying to UA's dual-enrollment program.

If you fall into any of these categories, you can submit your application during the October 5–9 window without paying the standard application fee.

How to Use Free App Week

The process is straightforward, but timing matters:

  1. Confirm your program and deadline. Check that your intended program accepts applications during this window. UA Online and UA Early College have their own application timelines, so verify yours aligns with October 5–9.
  2. Prepare your application materials in advance. Gather transcripts, test scores (if required), personal statements, and recommendation letters before the window opens. The fee waiver applies to the application submission, not to incomplete applications.
  3. Submit your application between October 5 and October 9. The waiver is tied to this specific date range. Submitting before or after will likely result in the standard fee.
  4. Visit the Free App Week hub. UA maintains a dedicated page with links to each application portal and any program-specific instructions. Use it to confirm you are applying through the correct channel.
  5. Verify your submission. After applying, check your email or applicant portal to confirm UA received your application and applied the fee waiver.

What to Watch Out For

  • The window is short. Five days is a narrow timeframe, especially if you need to request transcripts or finalize essays. Start preparing at least two weeks ahead.
  • Not all programs may participate. While UA's announcement lists undergraduate, graduate, UA Online, and UA Early College, individual departments or professional schools could have separate application processes. Check with your specific program.
  • The waiver covers the application fee only. It does not cover other costs such as test score sends, transcript fees from your previous institution, or enrollment deposits.
  • UA Online and UA Early College have distinct portals. Do not assume the main undergraduate application covers these programs. Use the links provided on the Free App Week hub.

Why This Matters for Applicants

Application fees can add up quickly, especially if you are applying to multiple schools or programs. For UA specifically, Free App Week removes one barrier to entry and encourages applicants who might otherwise hesitate due to cost. It also signals that UA is actively recruiting across all its formats — residential, online, and early college — which may be useful context if you are weighing UA against other institutions.

If you are considering UA, mark October 5–9 on your calendar and check the Free App Week hub for the latest details, as dates and participating programs can change year to year.