For nearly 150 years, Wayne State University has been committed to providing affordable access to higher education. This year, the university will broaden its efforts to expand access by waiving the application fee for all first-generation students.

“At Wayne State, we want to inspire the next generation of students to reach their highest potential, so  we’re working to remove the barriers to access,” said Provost Keith Whitfield. “We’re proud of our rich history as an institution that provides access to higher education for low-income and first-generation students.”

The WSU Generation Next fee waiver, an initiative launched by the Office of the Provost and the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, will alleviate the requirement for first-generation students to pay the $25 undergraduate application fee.

Approximately 36 percent of the nearly 19,000 freshmen applications for the 2017-18 academic year were submitted by first-generation students — defined as students whose parents have not received a four-year college degree.  

The Generation Next fee waiver follows the 2017 launch of the Wayne Access Award, which helps eligible incoming freshmen with the most unmet need cover the cost of tuition and fees. The need-based award is renewable for up to four years and covers up to the full cost of tuition and fees in combination with federal, state and other institutional aid.  The university has extended a Wayne Access Award to more than 800 students for the 2017-18 academic year.

“Wayne State has always been a university of excellence and of opportunity,” Whitfield said. “We’re proud to offer both the Generation Next fee waiver and the Wayne Access Award to make the dream of achieving a college degree accessible to more students.”

For additional information, contact the Student Service Center at 313-577-2100 or email admissions@wayne.edu.