Alcorn State University is waiving the application fee for its graduate programs throughout July. The move strips away one of the most common reasons students put off applying — the cost at the front door.
The waiver applies across the university’s graduate programs and runs through July 31. It is part of the “Always Advancing. Always Alcorn.” campaign, an effort to grow graduate enrollment ahead of the fall term.
“By waiving the fee, we are sending a clear message,” said Dr. Edmund Buckner, associate provost for research, innovation and graduate education. “We want students to explore graduate education without hesitation.”
The timing is deliberate. The waiver gives graduate students the room to finish admission requirements, talk with program coordinators, weigh financial aid and prepare to enroll. Apply now, and the semester starts with a plan instead of a scramble.
Buckner said the fee can be the deciding factor for the very students Alcorn most wants to reach — recent graduates, working adults, first-generation students and people balancing jobs, families and tuition.
“For students who have been waiting for the ‘right time,’ this is that moment,” he said.
The waiver covers graduate programs across the university, including the STEM-designated Master of Business Administration, the Doctor of Nursing Practice, the Master of Arts in Teaching, the Master of Science in Nursing, the Educational Specialist, and master’s degrees in biology, agriculture, biotechnology, applied science, computer science and liberal arts.
Buckner framed the waiver as part of Alcorn’s longer mission. Graduate study at a historically Black university, he said, pairs academic rigor with belonging. Students are known by name. They work closely with faculty. Many go on to serve as teachers, nurses, counselors, researchers and public servants across Mississippi and the region.
“Alcorn State University was built to open doors, and we are still doing that work today,” Buckner said.
Growth at the graduate level matters to the institution, too. It strengthens the academic profile, expands research, supports the regional workforce and helps the university build new partnerships. For a small HBCU, Buckner said, it is also tied to long-term sustainability.
Advisement takes place Aug. 13-14. Classes begin Aug. 17, the same day late registration opens and a $50 late fee takes effect. Apply in July, and there is time to be admitted, advised and registered before that window closes.
Prospective students can apply here or contact the Office of Graduate Studies at 601.877.4708 or Julia Odom at [email protected]. The fee is waived for graduate applications submitted in July.
