Dickinson Eliminates Application Fee for All Students

Admissions Office

Part of an ongoing effort to ensure fair access for future Dickinsonians

by Craig Layne

As part of Dickinson’s commitment to providing equitable access to its world-class education, the college announced it will remove the $65 application fee for all students who apply through the Common Application

The decision comes alongside Dickinson’s ambitious Campaign for Scholarships: Change a Life—Change the World, which seeks to ensure that every Dickinson student who needs a scholarship gets a scholarship and has already generated 75 permanently endowed scholarships. With $47 million raised, the campaign is 63% toward its goal of meeting the full demonstrated need of every admitted student, ensuring financial constraints never prevent potential students from attending. 

“It’s critical that we continue to remove potential barriers to access while being fair and equitable to all applicants,” says President John E. Jones III ’77, P’11. “Dickinson provides a life-changing, world-changing education, and a student’s or family’s financial situation should not stand in the way of that.” 

In addition to removing fees from the application process, Dickinson has already extended its test-free admissions policy through the fall 2023 admissions cycle, following a two-year long trial of test-free admissions implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This means the college will not consider standardized test scores in admissions decisions. 

“Eliminating the application fee is the logical next step in our ongoing efforts to ensure access and equity in admissions while continuing to build a diverse community,” says Catherine McDonald Davenport ’87, vice president for enrollment management and dean of admissions. “Our goal is to bring the best and brightest students to Dickinson, and this will enable the college to do that regardless of student financial need.” 

The college is currently accepting applications for the class of 2027, with the deadline for Early Decision I coming up on Nov. 15. The Early Decision II and Regular Decision deadline is Jan. 15, 2023. 

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Published October 25, 2022