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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by Staff Writers

Published on March 2, 2022

Edited by Lorraine Mumby
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100+ U.S. Colleges Without Application Fees

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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.

Colleges Without Application Fees

Select a location below to learn more about colleges without application fees.

Location markers are approximate and do not reflect the exact location of each college.

Colleges get thousands of applications each year. Learn about the most common application mistakes and how to avoid making them. Explore the differences between the Common App vs. the Coalition App. Learn how these platforms can help with college applications. Learn how to apply to online college quickly and conveniently, and get a decision fast. Plan ahead and explore tips for a stress-free application experience.

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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