Common App celebrates its 50th anniversary with the launch of 2025-2026 application season

Arlington, VA - Today, Common App celebrated the launch of the 2025-2026 application season with over 1,100 colleges and universities worldwide. This marks the 50th year the Common App has launched in support of its mission to simplify the college application process. Each year, more than 3 million students, teachers, and counselors use the Common App platform to simplify the college application process, providing resources and support to make higher education more accessible.

The 50th edition of the Common App features a refreshed look and feel to the application and the main menu as part of its ongoing work to expand access to more students from low- and middle-income communities.

“As we mark 50 years of simplifying the college application process, we’re proud to launch the 2025-2026 application season with a renewed commitment to removing barriers for students. With our refreshed application experience and a growing membership of more than 1,100 colleges and universities, we’re advancing toward our moonshot goal of closing the gap for students from low-and middle-income communities,” said Jenny Rickard, CEO of Common App. “Together with our members, we’re building a future where all students, no matter their background, can more easily access postsecondary opportunities.”

Updates to the 2025-2026 Common App

Along with the refreshed look and feel, Common App is adding a new Responsibilities and circumstances question in the Activities section, which allows students to think more broadly about their experiences like working at a paid job to support their family, living in an environment without reliable internet, taking care of their siblings, and other responsibilities students might have. The required question comes after three years of piloting this question, and the findings reinforced the importance of giving students space—beyond the personal essay—to share factors that have shaped their high school experience.

Common App will also launch its 2025-2026 Direct Admissions program to first-generation and low-and middle-income students, with more information to come later this month. After awarding nearly 1.5 million students with scholarship opportunities last application season, Common App will also continue notifying students directly in the application of scholarship opportunities.

“Northern Arizona University’s partnership with Common App will help our university reach more prospective applicants by increasing our visibility on a widely used platform while simplifying the application process for students,” said Lacy Holt, Director of Enrollment Management at Northern Arizona University. “Additionally, Common App provides access to data and insights to the applicant population, which can support our evaluation process and strategic marketing efforts for NAU.”

Murphie Rambo, Director of Marketing for Zane State College, expressed a similar sentiment as one of six community colleges joining Common App this season: “It’s a great fit for us because we don’t have as many questions that are different than what’s included on the profile within Common App. It’s an easy build, transition, and it will provide a direct marketing message to those high school counselors in our area to list us on their application, since we are a free application.”

New members for the 2025-26 application season*

Common App is also welcoming 45 new members to the platform this year. Notably, after adding its first cohort of four community colleges in 2024-25, six additional community colleges join for this application season.

Mid-Atlantic
Fei Tian College - Northern Campus(NY)

Mid-West
Alverno College (WI)
Andrews University (MI)
Cottey College (MO)
Grand View University (IA)
Lincoln Land Community College (IL)
Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design (WI)
Missouri Western State University (MO)
Northwest Missouri State University (MO)
Oakton College (IL)
Triton College (IL)
Upper Iowa University (IA)
Zane State College (OH)

New England
York County Community College (ME)

South
Alabama State University (AL)
Allen University (SC)
Brescia University (KY)
Fayetteville State University (NC)
Kentucky College of Art + Design (KY)
Lander University (SC)
Southern University and A&M College (LA)
University of South Carolina Aiken (SC)
University of South Carolina Upstate (SC)
Valdosta State University (GA)
Wake Technical Community College (NC)

South-West
East Texas Baptist University (TX)
Lamar University (TX)
Lubbock Christian University (TX)
New Mexico State University (NM)
Northeastern State University (OK)
Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi (TX)
Texas A&M University at Galveston (TX)
Texas A&M University - San Antonio (TX)
Texas College (TX)
Texas Woman’s University (TX)
The University of North Texas at Dallas (TX)
The University of Texas at Tyler (TX)
University of Texas Permian Basin (TX)
West Texas A&M University (TX)

West
Arizona Christian University (AZ)
Northern Arizona University (AZ)

International
Leeds Beckett University (GBR)
London Metropolitan University (GBR)
Mondragon University (ESP)
Salzburg University (AUT)

About Common App

Common App is a not-for-profit member organization committed to the pursuit of access, equity, and integrity in the college admission process. Each year, more than one million students apply to college through the Common App’s online application. In January 2019, the Common App united with Reach Higher, the college access and success campaign started by former First Lady Michelle Obama during her time at the White House.

By joining forces, Common App and Reach Higher accelerated progress toward our joint goal of supporting all students, especially low-income and first-generation students, in achieving their higher education dreams.

Founded in 1975, Common App serves over 1,100 member colleges and universities worldwide. To learn more, visit commonapp.org and follow @CommonApp and #CommonApp on social media.