SPRINGFIELD — In order to make the college transfer process easier and more equitable, State Senator Celina Villanueva championed a new law waving certain admissions fees.

“It’s important that we continue to break barriers and ensure that everyone has equitable access to education,” said Villanueva (D-Chicago). “Pursuing higher education is difficult enough without the burden of various transfer application fees.”

The new law requires public universities to waive admission application fees for a student transferring from an Illinois public community college if the transferring student is enrolled in the last semester of a degree program and is on schedule to graduate with a degree.

Additionally, the law encourages each public university to develop a policy to automatically waive the undergraduate transfer admissions application fees for low-income students transferring from a community college.

“With one less barrier to concern themselves with, transfer students are able to focus on the journey ahead of them,” said Villanueva. “Transfer fees and processes vary depending on the university and this law lessens the confusion.”

Senate Bill 3081 was signed into law Friday and goes into effect immediately.