Colleges with No Application Fees
Colleges Where You Can Apply Without an Application Fee
Students must weigh many considerations when compiling their list of best-fit colleges, including application fees. Many universities include a fee that applicants must pay when applying unless that student qualifies for fee waivers. However, there are a number of colleges without an accompanying application fee.
Curious which schools are free for all students looking to apply? Keep reading to learn more about how college application fees work and a list of the colleges and universities without an associated fee.
College Application Fees 101
For many students, tuition and housing are far from the only college expenses they will encounter. Test takers usually pay when registering for the SAT or ACT exam and application fees themselves are far from uncommon.
Amongst nearly 1,000 colleges and universities ranked by U.S. News & World Report, the average application cost is $44. However, many of the most competitive colleges charge $75 or more. Stanford University tops the list of colleges with the highest application fee, at $90 per student.
Since every college’s fee varies, it’s important for students to research the application process at each school on their best-fit list for information that’s updated and accurate. Students should also note that some schools that previously charged an application fee are waiving these costs either permanently or temporarily due to COVID-19. Many of these colleges are hoping to increase the number of applications they receive and ultimately their class size to account for financial losses associated with the pandemic.
Schools with No Application Fee
Many colleges offer no application fees for students who apply, but policies can vary from school to school. For example, some schools might charge a small fee if you request a paper application. Others might only waive application fees for international students. It’s important to review the application fee policy for each school to which you plan to apply.
Here’s a list of colleges and universities with no fee for applicants:
Agnes Scott College
Alaska Pacific University
Albright College
Alderson Broaddus University
Alice Lloyd College
Allegheny College
Allen University
Alverno College
Ancilla College
Anderson University
Arcadia University
Arkansas Tech University
Asbury University
Ashland University
Auburn University at Montgomery
Augustana College
Augustana College
Aurora University
Austin College
Ave Maria University
Averett University
Bainbridge College
Baker University
Baldwin Wallace University
Barclay College
Barton College
Baylor University
Belmont Abbey College
Beloit College
Berea College
Berry College
Bethany College
Bethany College
Bluefield State College
Bradley University
Brandman University
Bridgewater College
Bryn Mawr College
Buena Vista University
Butler University
California College San Diego
Calumet College of St. Joseph
Canisius College
Capitol Technology University
Cardinal Stritch University
Carlow University
Carroll University
Catawba College
Cazenovia College
Cedar Crest College
Centenary College
Central College
Central Pennsylvania College
Centre College
Champlain College
Chatfield College
Chatham University
Christendom College
Clarkson University
Coe College
Coker College
Colby College
Colby-Sawyer College
Colgate University (free for non-US citizens only)
College of Idaho
College of Mount Saint Vincent
College of New Rochelle/Mercy College
College of Saint Elizabeth
College of Southern Idaho
College of St. Rose
College of Wooster
Colorado Mountain College
Columbia College
Concord University
Converse College
Cornell College
D’Youville College
Daemen College
Davis & Elkins College
Davis College
Deep Springs College
Defiance College
Delaware Valley College
Denison University
DePauw University
Dominican University of California
Drake University
Duquesne University
Earlham College
Eastern New Mexico University – Main Campus
Elizabethtown College
Elmhurst College
Emory & Henry College
Eureka College
Florida Gateway College
Florida Institute of Technology
Franciscan University of Steubenville
Franklin College
Franklin University
Freed-Hardeman University
Gannon University
Grace College
Graceland University
Grand View University
Granite State College
Greenville College
Grinnell College
Guilford College
Gwynedd Mercy University
Hampden-Sydney College
Hanover College
Hardin-Simmons University
Hartwick College
Henderson State University
Hendrix College
Hilbert College
Hiram College
Hobart & William Smith Colleges
Hollins University
Holy Cross College
Holy Names University
Hood College
Houston Baptist University
Howard Payne University
Huntingdon College
Illinois College
Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois Wesleyan University
Immaculata University
Indian River State College
Indiana Wesleyan University
Iowa Wesleyan College
John Carroll University
Johnson & Wales University – Charlotte
Johnson & Wales University – Denver
Johnson & Wales University – North Miami
Johnson & Wales University – Providence
Juniata College
Kenyon College
Keuka College
King’s College
La Roche College
La Salle University
La Sierra University
Lake Erie College
Lake Forest College
Lakeland College
Lane College
Le Moyne College
Lebanon Valley College
LeTourneau University
Lewis & Clark College
Liberty University
Limestone College
Lincoln University of Pennsylvania
Lindsey Wilson College
Linfield College-McMinnville Campus
Loras College
Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University New Orleans
Luther College
Lycoming College
Lynchburg College
Manchester University
Marquette University
Martin Methodist College
Maryville College
Marywood University
McKendree University
Medaille College
Mercyhurst University
MidAmerica Nazarene University
Miles College
Millikin University
Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design
Milwaukee School of Engineering
Mitchell College
Monmouth College
Moravian College
Morningside College
Mount Mary University
Mount Mercy University
Mount Saint Mary College
Navajo Technical University
Nazareth College
Neumann University
New England College
Niagara University
Northern New Mexico College
Northland College
Northwest Christian University
Northwest College
Northwestern College
Notre Dame College
Notre Dame de Namur University
Oberlin College
Oglethorpe University
Ohio Northern University
Ohio Wesleyan University
Oklahoma Baptist University
Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Olympic College
Pacific Lutheran University
Pacific Union College
Piedmont College
Point Park University
Polk State College
Presbyterian College
Purdue University-North Central
Queens University of Charlotte
Randolph College
Randolph-Macon College
Reed College
Regis University
Rhodes College
Roanoke College
Robert Morris University
Roberts Wesleyan College
Rockford University
Rosemont College
Sage College of Albany
Saint Augustine College
Saint Edward’s University
Saint Francis University
Saint Leo University
Saint Martin’s University
Saint Peter’s University
Salem College
Santa Fe College
Savannah State University
Sewanee: The University of the South
Shawnee State University
Simpson College
Southern Arkansas University
Southwestern Adventist University
Southwestern University
Spring Hill College
St. Ambrose University
St. Bonaventure University
St. John’s College
St. John’s College
St. John’s University
St. Joseph’s College
St. Mary’s College
St. Mary’s University
St. Norbert College
Sterling College
Stevens-Henager College – Murray
Stevenson University
Susquehanna University
Sweet Briar College
Texas Wesleyan University
Thomas Aquinas College
Thomas More College
Touro College
Transylvania University
Trine University
Trinity University
Tulane University
Tusculum College
Unity College
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
University of Dayton
University of Evansville
University of Findlay
University of Hartford
University of Houston-Victoria
University of Indianapolis
University of Jamestown
University of Mount Olive
University of Mount Union
University of Pikeville
University of Rio Grande
University of Saint Joseph
University of Scranton
University of Sioux Falls
University of St. Francis
University of St. Thomas
University of Texas – Rio Grande Valley
University of Texas-El Paso
University of the Pacific
University of the Sciences
Upper Iowa University
Ursinus College
Ursuline College
US Air Force Academy
US Coast Guard Academy
US Merchant Marine Academy
US Military Academy (West Point)
US Naval Academy
Valparaiso University
Warren Wilson College
Wartburg College
Washington & Jefferson College
Washington Adventist University
Wesley College
Wesleyan College
West Liberty University
West Virginia University at Parkersburg
West Virginia Wesleyan College
Westminster College
Wheeling Jesuit University
Whitworth University
Williams Baptist College
Wilmington College
Wilson College
Wisconsin Lutheran College
Wittenberg University
Xavier University
Compiling a list of best-fit colleges is a multi-faceted process that requires ample research and self-reflection. If you are preparing to create your list and looking for specialized guidance, our team of college admissions experts can offer personalized insight.
