How Much Does It Cost to Apply to College?

Going to college is a massive investment — so large, in fact, that 62% of people we surveyed believe the financial challenges associated with earning a degree make college inaccessible. What’s more, these high costs can start before you’ve even been accepted into your dream school.

The money students spend on college applications, standardized tests and test prep, college advisors, and more varies greatly. But one thing is for certain: Applying to college can become very expensive very quickly.

So, how much does it really cost to apply to college?

Before pressing submit on your college applications, you could be prompted to pay an application fee. Application fees vary depending on the university, program, and school type.

We analyzed 2022-2023 application fee information collected by Peterson’s Data from over 1,100 colleges. According to Peterson’s:^{Note Reference [1]}

At face value, the application fee for just one college might not seem too daunting to pay. However, according to the Common App, applicants applied to 5.7 different colleges each on average during the 2023-2024 application process, so the fees can add up quickly.^{Note Reference [2]}

For example, let’s say a student applied to four public universities and two private nonprofit universities. That student would pay over $300 in application fees alone.

In addition, prestigious universities, like those in the Ivy League, often charge higher-than-average application fees. The average fee for a first-year undergraduate applying to an Ivy-Plus university is $80.

However, many Ivy League universities waive application fees for students who demonstrate financial need.

Online programs tend to charge lower application fees than in-person programs. In fact, many online schools do not charge students any application fee.

We collected current application fees from our list of best online colleges. The average school charges $40 for an undergraduate application.

In 2023, over 1.9 million high schoolers took the SAT, and roughly 1.4 million took the ACT. All those testing fees add up. It costs a minimum of $68 to take a single standardized test. Students should also factor in additional fees, including fees for the test center and for additional score reports.

Luckily, the SAT and ACT offer testing fee waivers for some 11th and 12th graders, including those who:

Additionally, over 1,700 U.S. four-year colleges and universities have switched over to test-optional, test-flexible, or even test-free admissions policies.

Nearly all post-secondary institutions require a high school transcript during the application process.^{Note Reference [8]} Depending on the high school you attended, you might be charged a small fee per transcript either from the school or a third-party site.

Beyond application and testing fees, future college students might opt into spending supplemental funds to increase their chances of getting into their dream school, including: