Colleges With No Application Fee (2023 Update)

A lot goes into preparing for the college application process. From getting ahold of your high school transcripts and test scores to scoring a few great letters of recommendation, completing the average college application can seem like an epic feat.

Then there's the matter of college application fees - those pesky fees that some colleges charge as a standard part of the admissions process. Some colleges charge between $45 to $60 per application, but others, such as Stanford in California, charge over $100.

But the good news is that there are ways to apply to multiple colleges without breaking the bank. We'll give you a list of colleges (in no particular order) requiring no application fees at all. Then, we'll give you some cost-cutting tips for applying to colleges.

Wellesley College

• Location: Wellesley, Massachusetts
• Undergraduate student enrollment: 2,280
• Acceptance rate: 20%
• Graduation rates: 86% (4-year) / 94% (6-year)

Wellesley College is a private liberal arts college for women that offers bachelor's degrees in over 50 majors. Students enjoy a small 8:1 student-to-faculty ratio, access to plenty of excellent internships, and over 150 student organizations on campus. Wellesley also has a need-blind admissions process and an excellent financial aid policy that makes enrollment possible for women from all walks of life.

You might also like: Smith College - Northampton, Massachusetts

Carleton College

• Location: Northfield, Minnesota
• Undergraduate student enrollment: 1,940
• Acceptance rate: 21%
• Graduation rates: 88% (4-year) / 94% (6-year)

Carleton College is a private liberal arts college located about 40 miles south of the Twin Cities. Choose from 33 majors and 38 minors including popular programs like Business, Education, and Health Care. You'll enjoy a 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio and the chance to pursue an excellent higher education among a tight-knit student body.

You might also like: St. Louis University - St. Louis, Missouri

Colby College

• Location: Waterville, Maine
• Undergraduate student enrollment: 2,155
• Acceptance rate: 10%
• Graduation rates: 89% (4-year) / 90% (6-year)

Colby College is a private liberal arts college that sprawls across a beautiful 714-acre campus. Pursue a degree in one of 45 majors and 35 minors as you learn from an expert faculty of professors, 100% of whom hold a Ph.D. or terminal degree in their field. Colby also offers plenty of amazing research opportunities as well as a solid study abroad program.

You might also like: Loyola University Chicago - Chicago, Illinois

Grinnell College

• Location: Grinnell, Iowa
• Undergraduate student enrollment: 1,493
• Acceptance rate: 19%
• Graduation rates: 81% (4-year) / 87% (6-year)

Grinnell College is a private liberal arts and sciences school that was founded in 1846. Not only does Grinnell offer 28 majors in 17 concentrations but also a unique curriculum that only includes one mandatory class for all students. If you want to kick general education requirements to the curb and get right to exploring the topics that interest you the most, then Grinnell is an awesome choice.

You might also like: Denison University - Granville, Iowa

Tulane University

• Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
• Undergraduate student enrollment: 8,537
• Acceptance rate: 11%
• Graduation rates: 77% (4-year) / 86% (6-year)

Tulane University is a private Carnegie R1-rated research university located less than five miles from New Orleans' famous French Quarter. Whether you're interested in English, Economics, or Biomedical Engineering, Tulane has you covered with over 75 undergraduate majors. The university also offers over 110 study abroad programs, more than 200 student organizations, and a stellar NCAA Division I athletics department.

You might also like: Berea College - Berea, Kentucky

Reed College

• Location: Portland, Oregon
• Undergraduate student enrollment: 1,366
• Acceptance rate: 42%
• Graduation rates: 62% (4-year) / 77% (6-year)

If you want to join a tight-knit, forward-thinking student community that can't get enough of outdoor adventure, then Reed College may be for you. An independent liberal arts and sciences college, Reed College offers students a range of 38 majors and a comprehensive, humanities-based curriculum. At Reed, you won't find any fraternities or sororities, and instead of grades, you'll get one-on-one feedback from faculty who strive to help every student achieve their full potential.

You might also like: Colorado College - Colorado Springs, Colorado

Kenyon College

• Location: Gambier, Ohio
• Undergraduate student enrollment: 1,615
• Acceptance rate: 37%
• Graduation rates: 86% (4-year) / 89% (6-year)

Kenyon College is a private liberal arts college set on a beautiful 1,200-acre campus and living laboratory. While the school is a popular choice for Natural Science majors, Kenyon offers 50 academic programs and professional tracks in Business, Law, Education, Engineering, and Medicine. Home to the celebrated Kenyon Review magazine, the college is also a great choice for writers and has produced a number of prize-winning authors.

You might also like: The University of Dayton - Dayton, Ohio

Dickinson College

• Location: Carlisle, Pennsylvania
• Undergraduate student enrollment: 1,932
• Acceptance rate: 52%
• Graduation rates: 81% (4-year) / 84% (6-year)

Chartered in 1783, Dickinson College is a four-year liberal arts college that's set on a 144-acre campus with seven LEED-certified buildings. Students enjoy a small average class size of 17, 46 majors, and a range of research and internship opportunities. Dickinson also offers 13 language courses and a renowned off-campus study program that extends over 30 countries.

You might also like: Illinois Wesleyan University - Bloomington, Illinois

Trinity University

• Location: San Antonio, Texas

• Undergraduate student enrollment: 2,504
• Acceptance rate: 34%
• Graduation rates: 67% (4-year) / 79% (6-year)

Trinity University is a private Christian liberal arts university that's dedicated to inclusivity, discovery, and intellectual inclusion. Explore over 100 majors and minors (or create your own), and participate in undergraduate research, study abroad programs, and internships. Get involved on campus with one of over 150 student organizations or club sports ranging from boxing and jiu-jitsu to rock climbing and polo.

You might also like: Baylor University - Waco, Texas

Check your eligibility for free college applications

There are plenty of great colleges with no application fees. But what do you do if your top choices aren't on the list? The good news is that many universities offer free applications or fee waivers for students in certain circumstances.

Fee waiver eligibility may apply to students from low-income families, veterans, or international students. Rather than requesting a fee waiver from each school individually, your best bet is to sign up for the Common Application.

Whether you're in financial need or not, it's worth signing up for a Common App account, which will allow you to submit to multiple schools all from one easy dashboard. It lets you upload everything from your GPA and ACT/SAT test scores to your college transcript and extracurricular activities.

You can also apply for a Common Application fee waiver, which will allow you to apply to multiple colleges with no application fee. 

College application FAQ

Which top U.S. universities don't have an application fee?

The colleges listed above all enjoy some of the highest rankings in the United States. While there are plenty of universities out there with no application fees, we've listed the best of the best.

Can I go to college without applying?

Some colleges are experimenting with direct admissions, where certain students are offered admission without having to apply. Many community colleges also have an open admissions policy, which means that students are accepted for enrollment as long as they have certain qualifications such as a GED or high school diploma.

Which no-application-fee colleges don't accept the Common App?

While you'll find hundreds of colleges on Common App, some Christian schools (including Berea College) and military academies (such as the U.S. Military Academy) do not use the platform. 

Find the perfect no-application-fee college with College Rover

Want to find out more about the top colleges on your wishlist? Look no further than the user-friendly search tools you'll find on College Rover.

Create your own unique filters to find the right schools and programs for you or compare your top choices side by side. We've got all the info you need to get started on your college search all in one handy place.

College Rover gets the majority of its data directly from the U.S. Department of Education (DOE). The DOE publishing schedule "lags" the most current data which some colleges post on their official websites. This may cause there to be a difference in the data you see on College Rover and an individual college website. College Rover's website is updated as the DOE data becomes available and is configured for the College Rover website.