State colleges and universities waiving application fees all month long
The New Mexico Higher Education Department is partnering with the Public Education Department, the New Mexico Educational Assistance Foundation, and the state’s public colleges and universities to encourage New Mexicans to apply to college with waived application fees during National College Application Month this November.
Public colleges and universities in New Mexico that typically charge application fees will waive the cost throughout November as part of the joint initiative, although most New Mexico schools do not charge application fees at any time of year.
“New Mexico leads the nation in college affordability and accessibility thanks to the Opportunity and Lottery Scholarships. ‘No Fee November’ removes barriers associated with an admission fee, and beyond November, with most New Mexico colleges and universities being open admissions, we want New Mexicans to know that the doors to college are open. I encourage high school seniors, working adults, and any New Mexican interested in furthering their education and career to apply to college.” said Acting Higher Education Secretary Patricia Trujillo, Ph.D.
“I am proud that each of our students can pursue the next step of their careers with this level of support from our institutions. This is emblematic of the belief that we have in what is possible forthe students of our state when it comes to pursuing their dreams. I hope they all take the opportunity to chase what is theirs,” said Secretary of the Public Education Department, Arsenio Romero, Ed.D.
New Mexico’s commitment to college access and affordability is making a difference for students and the state’s workforce. Since the enactment of the Opportunity Scholarship Act in 2022, New Mexico has enrolled an additional 6,700 students, a nearly 7 percent enrollment increase over the last two years. Over 110,000 New Mexicans are pursuing career training certificates, associate, bachelor’s and graduate degrees at state public and tribal colleges and universities this fall, an increase of 2.3 percent over last year. Over 11,000 New Mexicans are pursuing higher education for the first time and as full-time students.
The state is hopeful that this trend will continue as more New Mexicans of all ages seize the chance to further their education.
“We are thrilled that our higher education partners were able to make ‘No Fee November’ happen again this year for college applicants. Eliminating even the smallest barrier is extremely helpful in getting our future college goers into post-secondary education. This can help make a big difference in putting people onto the trajectory that can change their lives and help forge a better New Mexico. I’m proud of each of our colleges and universities that once again chose to join us in this endeavor this month,” said Grace Tackman, Assistant Vice President at the New Mexico Educational Assistance Foundation.
While students can still apply to colleges and universities in the spring, starting the process in the fall is ideal for giving students and families ample time to research admissions requirements, programs of study, scholarships, and other factors before deciding to enroll. Submitting admissions and financial aid applications early also gives students the best chance at early consideration for admission and certain scholarship programs.
Research conducted by the College Board’s Advocacy and Policy Center found that increasing the number of college applications a student completes from one to two increases a student’s probability of enrolling by 40 percent, with three submitted applications adding an additional 10 percent likelihood of enrolling.
The College Application Month campaign engages high school counselors and other partners to work with students and families to research college and career training options and submit applications for admission. Several New Mexico high schools have already hosted on-site application events featuring recruiters from state and regional schools.
Teachers, leaders, relatives, and other trusted adults are also encouraged to talk to prospective students about why they decided to apply to college, and to share what motivated them via social media using the hashtag #WhyApply. Those interested in sharing their story to social media can download the template online here, print it out, and upload their photo to Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.
New Mexicans can search for colleges and universities, find links to applications, and learn more about the New Mexico Opportunity and Lottery Scholarships at ReachHigherNM.com.
A list of participating New Mexico colleges and universities is below with fee waiver instructions indicated:
Schools waiving application fees in November:
- Diné College
- Institute of American Indian Arts
- New Mexico State University – Main Campus
- New Mexico State University – Alamogordo
- New Mexico State University - Doña Ana
- New Mexico State University – Grants
- University of New Mexico – Main Campus: select “mail in payment,” fee will be waived
- University of New Mexico – Gallup
- University of New Mexico – Taos
- University of New Mexico - Valencia
- Western New Mexico University – use application waiver code “WNMU@CAREERMONTH”
Schools with no application fees:
- Central New Mexico Community College
- Clovis Community College
- Eastern New Mexico University
- Eastern New Mexico University –Roswell
- Eastern New Mexico University – Ruidoso
- Luna Community College
- Navajo Technical University
- Mesalands Community College
- New Mexico Highlands University
- New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (New Mexico Tech)
- New Mexico Junior College
- New Mexico Military Institute
- Northern New Mexico College
- San Juan College
- Santa Fe Community College
- Southeast New Mexico College
- Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute
- University of New Mexico – Los Alamos