These Are the 60 Ranked US Colleges Without Application Fees [2024]

Ditch the "broke" phase by being money-smart before you start college.

August 1, 2023

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.

Looking to save a few extra dollars? Choose any of these colleges with no application fees! 👇

Why Go for a College With No Application Fee?
What to Know Before Choosing a College With No Application Fee
Other Ways to Reduce College Application Fees
Complete List of US Colleges That You Can Apply to for Free
Ranked US Colleges Without Application Fees: Frequently Asked Questions

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.

A trio of high school seniors researches different colleges without application fees on a laptop

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.

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. 👍

Other Ways to Reduce College Application Fees

A female incoming college first-year reviews available colleges without application fees with the school counselor

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). 😉

A diverse group of five college students walking to class in their college without application fees

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!

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.

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?

According to US News, the average cost of application fees is $45. Domestic college students can find Stanford University’s application fee to be the highest at $90, while schools such as Nicholls State University charge the lowest at $20.

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.