There’s no doubt about it: college application fees can quickly pile up. But who would’ve thought that the costs start once you reach the application stage? 💸
For example, college application fees in the US range from $30 to $90 (with an average of $45). This means that you can rack up hundreds of dollars in fees before getting a single acceptance letter. 😬
But, there’s a surefire way to avoid spending a small fortune before you officially enroll — go for colleges without application fees! 🥳 We’ve thrown in handy tips to get the most bang for your buck, too.
Why Go for a College With No Application Fee?
Normally, students are advised to apply to five to eight colleges, which means paying up to $360 (average application fee multiplied by eight) from the get-go.
This sounds like a measly sum, but add in SAT or ACT fees (which can grow if you’re planning to submit scores to more than four colleges), and you’re left with a thinner wallet before you even enroll. 😵💫
That’s not all, though. Remember that you also have to spend on travel, meals, and accommodation during campus visits or in-person interviews.
Requesting your high school transcript and submitting paper applications come with more fees, too. So, it’s best to consider schools where zero fees or waivers are possible. 💸
Good to know: More than 80 percent of four-year colleges are now test-optional, meaning that they don’t require SAT/ACT scores to assess student applications.
Colleges without application fees can save you hundreds of dollars, especially since most students are advised to apply to multiple colleges based on three categories. 🏫
- Reach schools are often prestigious colleges where there’s a narrow chance of being accepted, like Ivy League schools
- Target schools are colleges you’re most likely to get into due to your credentials
- Safety schools are those with high acceptance rates because of flexible standards
What to Know Before Choosing a College With No Application Fee
Application fees exist to cover the costs of processing student applications and to narrow down applicants to only the most eager and qualified. 🧑🎓
But some liberal arts schools and faith-based colleges with zero application fees prioritize inclusivity, so they remove anything that can act as a barrier.
But application fees alone should not be the main driver when choosing a college. Other core details will help form an accurate opinion, such as school accreditation, non-refundable enrollment deposit fees, and rich programs with career-building opportunities.
READ MORE: Is Your College Bankrupt? How to Check a University’s Financial Health
If a no-fee school isn’t up to your standards or doesn’t have any programs you’re interested in, then there’s no real reason to ignore colleges that charge application fees.
Good to know: Many schools with application fees offer student financial aid in the form of grants, scholarships, and waivers that can offset the cost of attendance. 👍
READ MORE: College vs. Trade School: Which Choice Is Right for You?
Other Ways to Reduce College Application Fees
A secret to reducing the bill on college applications is to acquire an SAT or ACT fee waiver to make standardized tests (and the subsequent delivery of results to your target schools) free of charge. 👍
All you have to do is meet at least one of the eligibility requirements:
- A low-income 11th- or 12th-grade student
- An orphan or a ward of the state
- Eligible or enrolled in the National School Lunch Program
- Family income falls within the USDA Food and Nutrition Service’s Income Eligibility Guidelines
- Enrolled in a federal, state, or local program that helps students from low-income families
- Recipient of family public assistance
- Live in a foster home or housing subsidized by the federal government
Visiting the college can work wonders because some schools waive application fees for students who drop by the campus, such as the University of Richmond and Hampden-Sydney College. This option is not commonly advertised among schools, so you might have to inquire directly from the college admissions office to confirm.
You can also apply for a formal waiver through the Common App or the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). 😉
Handling college applications online through websites like Coalition, Common App, or the school’s personal application system can erase fees because this process is less labor-intensive.
To save even more cash, consider cheap colleges, free community colleges, schools that accept fee waivers, or those that don’t have application fees from the get-go — like the ones on the list below!
READ MORE: How to Transfer Colleges: All You Need to Know
Complete List of US Colleges That You Can Apply to for Free
| College | Location | THE Ranking | Type | Acceptance Rate | Notes |
| Arkansas Tech University | Russellville, Arkansas | Unranked | Public | 94 percent | – |
| Baylor University | Waco, Texas | 114 | Private | 57 percent | – |
| Beloit College | Beloit, Wisconsin | Unranked | Private | 67 percent | – |
| Berry College | Mount Berry, Georgia | Unranked | Private | 70 percent | – |
| Carleton College | Northfield, Minnesota | Unranked | Private | 18 percent | – |
| Case Western Reserve University | Cleveland, Ohio | 41 | Private | 30 percent | There’s a $70 application fee but it can be waived. |
| Centre College | Danville, Kentucky | Unranked | Private | 69 percent | – |
| Colby College | Waterville, Maine | Unranked | Private | 9 percent | – |
| Colorado College | Colorado Springs, Colorado | Unranked | Private | 14 percent | – |
| Connecticut College | New London, Connecticut | Unranked | Private | 41 percent | – |
| Creighton University | Omaha, Nebraska | =161 | Private | 78 percent | – |
| Denison University | Granville, Ohio | Unranked | Private | 28 percent | – |
| DePauw University | Greencastle, Indiana | Unranked | Private | 65 percent | – |
| Earlham College | Richmond, Indiana | Unranked | Private | 69 percent | – |
| Florida Institute of Technology | Melbourne, Florida | =161 | Private | 66 percent | – |
| Grand Canyon University | Phoenix, Arizona | Unranked | Private | 85 percent | – |
| Grinnell College | Grinnell, Iowa | Unranked | Private | 11 percent | – |
| Gustavus Adolphus College | Saint Peter, Minnesota | Unranked | Private | 73 percent | – |
| Hampshire College | Amherst, Massachusetts | Unranked | Private | 75 percent | – |
| Hendrix College | Conway, Arkansas | Unranked | Private | 68 percent | – |
| Hillsdale College | Hillsdale, Michigan | Unranked | Private | 24 percent | There’s a $30 application fee but it can be waived if you apply online. |
| Hobart and William Smith Colleges | Geneva, New York | Unranked | Private | 67 percent | – |
| Hope College | Holland, Michigan | Unranked | Private | 92 percent | – |
| Illinois Wesleyan University | Bloomington, Illinois | Unranked | Private | 45 percent | – |
| Juniata College | Huntingdon, Pennsylvania | Unranked | Private | 74 percent | – |
| Kenyon College | Gambier, Ohio | Unranked | Private | 37 percent | – |
| Lake Forest College | Lake Forest, Illinois | Unranked | Private | 64 percent | – |
| Lawrence University | Appleton, Wisconsin | Unranked | Private | 75 percent | – |
| Lewis and Clark College | Portland, Oregon | Unranked | Private | 79 percent | – |
| Loyola University Chicago | Chicago, Illinois | Unranked | Private | 77 percent | – |
| Macalester College | Saint Paul, Minnesota | Unranked | Private | 31 percent | – |
| Marquette University | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | =136 | Private | 86 percent | – |
| Michigan Technological University | Houghton, Michigan | Unranked | Public | 86 percent | – |
| Milwaukee School of Engineering | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | Unranked | Private | 67 percent | – |
| Missouri University of Science and Technology | Rolla, Missouri | =106 | Public | 85 percent | – |
| Ohio Wesleyan University | Delaware, Ohio | Unranked | Private | 74 percent | – |
| Presbyterian College | Clinton, South Carolina | Unranked | Private | 71 percent | – |
| Reed College | Portland, Oregon | Unranked | Private | 44 percent | – |
| Regis University | Denver, Colorado | Unranked | Private | 81 percent | – |
| Rhodes College | Memphis, Tennessee | Unranked | Private | 57 percent | – |
| Rollins College | Winter Park, Florida | Unranked | Private | 49 percent | – |
| Saint Louis University | St. Louis, Missouri | 70 | Private | 70 percent | – |
| Sewanee: The University of the South | Sewanee, Tennessee | Unranked | Private | 60 percent | – |
| Southwestern University | Georgetown, Texas | Unranked | Private | 51 percent | – |
| St. Olaf College | Northfield, Minnesota | Unranked | Private | 47 percent | – |
| The College of Idaho | Caldwell, Idaho | Unranked | Private | 56 percent | – |
| The College of Wooster | Wooster, Ohio | Unranked | Private | 61 percent | – |
| Transylvania University | Lexington, Kentucky | Unranked | Private | 92 percent | – |
| Trinity University | San Antonio, Texas | Unranked | Private | 34 percent | – |
| Tulane University | New Orleans, Louisiana | 82 | Private | 10 percent | – |
| United States Air Force Academy | USAF Academy, Colorado | Unranked | Public | 12 percent | – |
| United States Merchant Marine Academy | Kings Point, New York | Unranked | Public | 25 percent | – |
| United States Military Academy at West Point | West Point, New York | Unranked | Public | 11 percent | – |
| University of Dayton | Dayton, Ohio | 136 | Private | 81 percent | – |
| University of St. Thomas – Minnesota | Saint Paul, Minnesota | Unranked | Private | 76 percent | Application fee is free if done online. |
| University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley | Edinburg, Texas | =161 | Public | 94 percent | – |
| Ursinus College | Collegeville, Pennsylvania | Unranked | Private | 83 percent | Application fee is free if done online. |
| Wheaton College – Illinois | Wheaton, Illinois | Unranked | Private | 86 percent | – |
| Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Worcester, Massachusetts | =136 | Private | 60 percent | – |
| Yale University | New Haven, Connecticut | 7 | Private | 5 percent | There’s an $80 application fee but it can be waived. |
Start your college journey on the right foot by knowing how to budget, and checking out colleges without application fees can be your first step. ✅ The money kept in your piggy bank can be used to pay for anticipated college expenses, such as your room and board or student loans.
Happy hunting! 😉
Ranked US Colleges Without Application Fees: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a college application fee?
A college application fee is charged by educational institutions to cover the costs of reviewing student applications and to control the number of applications they receive. However, there are many US colleges without application fees nowadays.
What is the average cost of application fees?
How can I skip college application fees?
You can forego college application fees by applying online, applying for waivers, visiting the campus, or choosing colleges without application fees.
Which Ivy League has the lowest application fees?
The Ivy League with the lowest application fee is Princeton University at $70, followed by Brown University and University of Pennsylvania priced at $75.
Do all Ivy Leagues have an application fee?
Yes, all of the eight Ivy Leagues have an application fee. For the 2022-2023 school year, these are the application fees for first years per institution:
- Princeton University: $70
- Brown University and University of Pennsylvania: $75
- Cornell University, Dartmouth College, and Yale University: $80
- Columbia University and Harvard University: $85
Can you get accepted into a college without paying the application fee?
Yes, you can get accepted into a college without paying the application fee by applying for a fee waiver (usually for students with a demonstrated financial need), visiting the campus on-site, or choosing a college without application fees.
