100+ U.S. Colleges Without Application Fees

The average college application fee is about $50, though fees can be upwards of $100. The College Board recommends students narrow their list of target schools to 5-10 institutions. This means high school seniors regularly spend $250-$500 on fees — a big price tag.

College application fees are collected by universities to cover the cost and labor of the application review, selection, and admissions process. College application fee waivers are offered by most schools, but not everyone qualifies.

If you don't qualify for a fee waiver, applying to colleges that have no application fee is a great way to find backup schools — without needing to make a financial investment. We've found colleges across the United States that don't require a fee to apply.