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 that come 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?

Application Fees for Colleges

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 degree level.

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 2022-2023 application process, so the fees can add up quickly.^{Note Reference [1]}

College Application Fees for Undergraduates

• The average student from the United States dishes out $56 per college application. The costs range from $0 at the University of Maine all the way to $90 for Stanford's application.^{[5], [6]}
• If a student applies to between five and six schools, they will likely pay $280-$336 on application fees alone.
• Applying to public universities is slightly cheaper than applying to private institutions. On average, it costs $53 to apply to a public college and $67 to apply to a private college as a United States citizen.
• Applying to an Ivy League school is even pricier at about $76 per application.
• For international students, applying to college costs even more. On average, students from outside of the U.S. pay $60 per undergraduate application, $4 more than domestic students per application.

College Application Fees for Graduate Students

On average, graduate schools charge U.S. students $66 per application. They charge international students $74.

Prices range widely. For example, Clemson University's application is free. An application to UCLA, on the other hand, costs $135.^{[7], [8]}

International students, on average, pay $8 more per application than domestic students. At some institutions, the difference in price is much greater. At Utah Valley University, international students are charged $100 more than students from the United States.^[9]

Online Program Application Fees

Online programs tend to charge less for each application fee. On average, online programs charge $44 for an undergraduate application and $55 for a graduate application. Even still, a few programs charge applicants over $50 to apply.

Standardized Testing Fees

Last year, over 1.7 million high schoolers took the SAT, roughly 1.3 million took the ACT, and just under 350,000 people took the GRE. All those testing fees add up. It costs $60-$220 just 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:

• Are enrolled in or eligible for federal free or reduced-price lunch programs at school.
• Are enrolled in a federal, state, or local program that aids students from low-income families.
• Reside in foster homes, are wards of the state, or are experiencing homelessness.
• Receive public assistance or live in federally subsidized public housing.^{[11], [12]}

Additionally, over 1,700 U.S. four-year colleges and universities, including all Ivy League institutions, and a growing number of master's degree programs have switched over to test-optional, test-flexible, or even test-free admissions policies.

The Cost of College Test Prep

Standardized tests are not just expensive to take, but also expensive to prepare for.

We rounded up the average cost of study guides and textbooks, online programs, and one-on-one tutoring offered by the top five best test-prep companies, including The Princeton Review, Kaplan, Testive, Magoosh, and Prep Scholar.

A single student could spend thousands of dollars on test prep alone. For example, if a student studied for 20 hours with a one-on-one SAT tutor, they could spend up to $5,000.

Additional Costs for Applying to College

Nearly all post-secondary institutions require a high school transcript during the application process.^[14] Depending on the high school you attended, you might get charged a small fee per transcript 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:

• College essay tutoring
• College entrance coaching and advising
• Traveling to and from in-person college tours or interviews