100+ U.S. Colleges Without Application Fees

High school seniors regularly spend $250-$500 on college applications fees. We've created a map to help students find colleges without those fees.
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The staff writers for BestColleges collaborate to deliver unique, student-driven content on topics such as career development, college life, and college planning....
Updated on April 26, 2023
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Lorraine Mumby is an editor for BestColleges who focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion. She is passionate about equipping students with the tools to succeed and have meaningful, equitable educational experiences. Lorraine has a bachelor's degre...
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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.

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Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

BestColleges.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

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