Riverland Community College will waive application fees for high school seniors who apply between Friday and Oct. 31.

The waived application fee is part of College Knowledge Month, and schools in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system are participating in the statewide effort to provide all graduating high school seniors with the preparation, opportunity and support needed to apply to college. Riverland is one of 25 MnSCU institutions waiving application fees for new students for a limited time.

MnSCU’s vice chancellor of academic and student affairs, John O’Brien, said the MnSCU system is committed to making sure all Minnesotans have access to great education.

“Our colleges and universities are places of opportunity,” O’Brien said in a press release. “We are pleased to support this important initiative and look forward to engaging many new prospective students through this process.”

The initiative is designed to provide opportunities for high schools and postsecondary institutions to collaborate in a concentrated effort to engage, inform and support students as they enter into the college application process.

The culmination of College Knowledge Month is a week in which many colleges and universities across the state waive application fees. This year, 25 MnSCU colleges and universities will waive application fees from Friday to Oct. 31.

Riverland Community College, a member of MnSCU, is a regional comprehensive community college inspiring learning for living through a personalized educational environment. Approximately 4,900 students are served annually through a wide range of credit-based educational opportunities. An additional 5,400 students are annually served in non-credit courses. Facilities are located in Albert Lea, Austin and Owatonna. Riverland’s website is www.riverland.edu.

The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system includes 24 two-year community and technical colleges and seven state universities serving more than 430,000 students. It is the fifth-largest higher education system of its kind in the United States.