Experience Auburn Travel Award program aims to help offset campus visit costs for select students in need

Auburn University will soon launch a new Experience Auburn Travel Award program designed to help offset the cost of an on-campus visit for a select number of students in need. 

The program—among several projects up for funding support as part of Auburn’s Feb. 23 Tiger Giving Day—is one of Auburn’s newest initiatives to further grow access to those from underrepresented areas of the state and nation. 

“We recognize that visiting campus is a key part of the college selection process, but that cost can be a prohibitive factor when it comes to visiting colleges for many students,” said Joffery Gaymon, Auburn’s vice president for enrollment. “Experience Auburn makes the visit experience a possibility for students with demonstrated outstanding academic experience and financial need.”

The Office of Admissions will select several students who meet specific criteria and work with them to offset travel expenses, including transportation, lodging and meals while on campus. Eligible high school juniors and seniors will be invited for a personalized campus visit experience. Preference will be given to admitted seniors and students who are first in their families to pursue a four-year college education or who reside in a highly rural county.

In addition to the Experience Auburn Travel Award program, the university has implemented several other new offerings to further open the door of access. Among some recent admission modifications, any valedictorian or salutatorian from an accredited Alabama school with 50 or more graduates qualifies for admission.

This fall, Auburn also expanded its Auburn First dual-enrollment program, which allows for tuition waivers for those with demonstrated financial need. Auburn First students who earn at least six credit hours of approved Auburn coursework and maintain a 3.0 grade point average in those college classes by Aug. 15 of their senior year in high school qualify for automatic admission to the university.

Recently, Auburn likewise furthered its efforts to reach the best students in the state and beyond by joining the Common App system— a powerful online college application platform that serves more than 3 million applicants, teachers, counselors and advisors throughout the nation and world. Since doing so, Auburn has received more than 31,000 applicants through the Common App tool.

“As we focus on efforts of greater access to underserved areas, we are working hard to build connections and further grow our applicant numbers,” Gaymon said.

Those interested in Auburn can learn more here about the university through its various virtual and on-campus visit opportunities.