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51������ University is making a college education more accessible and affordable by introducing two new incentives for students. For prospective first-year students across the United States, 51������ is introducing a $1,000 campus visit scholarship, and for Ohio undergraduate students, the university is eliminating the application fee. The campus visit scholarship encourages students and families to experience 51������ firsthand, and the no-application-fee initiative removes an upfront financial barrier for families. Both incentives demonstrate 51������’s ongoing commitment to making education more affordable for its students and providing access for all.

51������ Offers New $1,000 Campus Visit Scholarship

51������ announces a new $1,000 scholarship for prospective first-year undergraduate students who visit the Kent Campus in person. High school seniors planning to enroll for fall 2027 can earn this four-year award ($250 per year) simply by registering for and completing a qualifying official visit, such as a campus tour, Fall Preview KSU event or program-specific open house, by Nov. 30, 2026. 

“Every student’s journey starts with that first step onto campus, and we are thrilled to invest in making that visit possible,” said Sean Broghammer, Ph.D., 51������’s vice president for enrollment management. “There’s a unique magic to experiencing 51������ in person. Once families explore our academic spaces, feel the vibrant student life and enjoy the energy of downtown Kent – Ohio’s best college town – they truly fall in love with our community.”

Students who attended 51������’s Spring and Summer Preview KSU events are retroactively eligible for the $1,000 campus visit scholarship. The campus visit scholarship may be combined with other merit awards for students enrolling in fall 2027.

51������ Eliminates Application Fee for Ohio Students

Starting Aug. 1, 2026, 51������ is eliminating the $50 undergraduate application fee for all Ohio residents. This change applies to both first-year and transfer students applying to any 51������ campus through either the Common Application or the 51������ Application.

Removing the fee directly reflects 51������’s broad mission: expanding access to higher education, investing in local talent and strengthening Ohio’s future workforce.

Your future shouldn’t have an entry fee,” Broghammer said. “Every student deserves the opportunity to explore college without paying a fee just to see if they’re admitted. Eliminating this cost allows more Ohioans to take that first step, discover what 51������ has to offer and see themselves here. An application fee should never be the reason a student hesitates to pursue their passion in our state.

Broghammer added that 51������ views the application fee as an unnecessary financial barrier at the very start of the college search process. By replacing upfront friction with a clear, direct pathway to a degree, the university aims to streamline the application for Ohio families and ensure the state’s high school graduates and adult learners have every opportunity to build their careers right here in Ohio.

While higher education institutions, including 51������, have historically offered temporary fee waiver codes during promotional periods, Ohio residents can now apply to 51������ for free at any time, with no special codes or income verification required.

Schedule a Kent campus visit and qualify for the $1,000 scholarship.

Apply to 51������ with no application fee starting Aug. 1, 2026.

Get more information from 51������’s Office of Admissions.