Best Colleges With No Application Fee + Complete List (2024)
April 4, 2024
One of the most important investments parents/students will make in their lifetime is a college education. The cost of attending a four-year college can range from $50,000-100,000/to attend a smaller school versus $200,000+ for a private institution. That’s indeed a major expenditure. Considering those numbers, it might seem surprising how stressful application fees can be for some families as they prepare for their student’s future. In fact, some are starting to take a more intense look at trade schools and community colleges due to continued increases in college tuition. That’s another article for another time (scroll down for the best colleges with no application fee and a full list of no application fee colleges).
*Please Note: It should be said that, sadly, not everyone in the United States has the opportunity to pursue a college degree. Finances are sometimes a significant hindrance. However, there are many colleges/universities that offer generous scholarships. These scholarships open doors for some potential students that would otherwise be closed. They can be found here.
How Much Are College Application Fees Anyway?
So, what’s the fuss about when talking about college application fees? I mean, it’s an application fee, how much money do they really cost? As it turns out, college application fees can add up quickly. The average college application fee can range anywhere from $50-$75 per application. Students typically apply to 8-12 colleges. While $400-$900 might not seem like much in comparison to four years’ worth of tuition— that’s a lot of money. Why not try to save as much money as possible? College application fees saved could pay for a semester’s book or two.
Who Qualifies For A College Application Fee Waiver?
Before we get to our list of colleges with no application fees, (Woohoo!) let’s address instances that might allow students to receive a waiver. Many schools, even ones that have very high application fees, offer waivers to students with established financial need. Below are some of the circumstances that make a student eligible to have their college application fee waived:
- If the student received a fee waiver to take the SAT or ACT
- If the student is enrolled in a Free or Reduced-Price Lunch Program
- If the student’s family income falls within the Income Eligibility Guidelines set by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service
- If homelessness is a factor, or they are living in federally subsidized housing or a foster home
Finally, here’s a list of the 10 top colleges with no application fees. In addition, we’ve included a comprehensive list of colleges with no application fee that can be found at the end of the article!
Best Colleges with no Application Fee
1) Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
Highlights: Wellesley College ranks at the top of the list of colleges with no application fee— #1. Wellesley, the all-women’s college, is also well-ranked in academics and diversity. Wellesley’s mission is to educate women who will make a difference in the world. The institution’s goal is to make Wellesley financially possible for a broader base of future female leaders.
2) Tulane University, New Orleans, LA
Highlights: Tulane University comes in at almost the top of the list of top colleges with no application fees in 2024. The university is ranked as having an “A+” in vitally important areas such as academic, diversity, and athletics. Among other things, Tulane University is a standout institution for both education and research. With 5 undergraduate schools specializing in Architecture, Business, Liberal Arts, Public Health, and Science & Engineering, the college pushes boundaries in interdisciplinary academic pursuits. The locale doesn’t hurt either.
Colleges with no Application Fees (Continued)
3) Macalester College, Saint Paul, MN
Highlights: Macalester College earns an “A+” in both academics and diversity. This institution boasts solid liberal arts and science programs. In addition, “Macalester’s core values of internationalism, multiculturalism, and service to society” empower students to create positive change in the world around them.
4) Trinity University, San Antonio, TX
Highlights: Trinity boasts more than 100 majors and minors. In addition, the university prioritizes undergraduate research, internship opportunities, and study abroad programs. TU is sought after for their pre-law, pre-med/health professions, economics, and management systems programs.Trinity ranks high in academics, diversity, and in faculty performance.
5) Colby College, Waterville, ME
Highlights: Colby College makes the top ten in colleges with no application fee. In addition to high marks in academics and diversity, Colby is a well-established liberal arts college that offers 57 majors, and 36 minors. Most exciting might be that Colby offers newly developed programs that include the Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence.
Colleges with no Application Fees (Continued)
6) Carleton College, Northfield, MN
Highlights: Carleton College ranks among the highest in academics and diversity. CC approaches learning with an out-of-the-box “distinctly Carleton brand of playfulness.” The community is collaborative with professors and students working together. CC focuses on the exploration of interests and the development of new ones.
7) Grinnell College, Grinnell, IA
Highlights: Grinnell College ranks well in areas of academics and diversity. In addition, students are in charge of their studies. At Grinnell, their curriculum is an “individually advised curriculum.” This offers a unique educational experience. Grinnell has no distribution requirements, with only two required courses for all students being components of the “First-Year Experience.” The remainder of each student’s four-year class schedule is up to the student and their academic adviser based on individual interests and aspirations.
8) Smith College, Northampton, MA
Highlights: In addition to being on the list of colleges with no application fee, Smith College is among the top-ranked women’s colleges in the United States. Smith scores exceedingly well in most areas including academics, diversity, and faculty making it a solid choice to add to the list. If those credits weren’t enough, Smith offers generous financial aid. The college meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for all students, with no loans in their aid packages.
Colleges with no Application Fees (Continued)
9) Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO
Highlights: Colorado College, another small private college with no application fee. CC is well-ranked in academics and diversity. Admissions are extremely competitive. Their most prominent majors include Economics, Liberal Arts/Humanities, and Political Science/Government. Colorado College is also ranked number one on the “Best Colleges of Colorado” list.
For your convenience, here is a comprehensive list of colleges that don’t have application fees:
Colleges with no Application Fees – Comprehensive List
Adrian College |
Agnes Scott College |
Alaska Pacific University |
Albion College |
Albright College |
Alcorn State University |
Alderson Broaddus University |
Alice Lloyd College |
Allegheny College |
Alma College |
Alverno College |
Anderson University (Indiana) |
Aquinas College |
Arcadia University |
Arkansas Tech University |
Asbury University |
Ashland University |
Auburn University at Montgomery |
Augsburg University |
Augustana College |
Augustana University |
Aurora University |
Austin College |
Ave Maria University |
Averett University |
Avila University |
Baker University |
Baldwin Wallace University |
Barton College |
Baylor University |
Belmont Abbey College |
Beloit College |
Berea College |
Berry College |
Bethany College (Kansas) |
Bethany College (West Virginia) |
Bethany Lutheran College |
Bethel University |
Bluefield State University |
Bradley University |
Brandman University |
Bridgewater College |
Bryn Mawr College |
Buena Vista University |
Butler University |
Colleges with no Application Fees (Continued)
Calumet College of Saint Joseph |
Calvin University |
Canisius College |
Capitol Technology University |
Cardinal Stritch University |
Carleton College |
Carlow University |
Carroll College |
Carroll University |
Catawba College |
Cazenovia College |
Cedar Crest College |
Centenary College |
Central College |
Central Pennsylvania College |
Centre College |
Chadron State College |
Champlain College |
Chatham University |
Clarkson University |
Coe College |
Coker College |
Colby College |
Colby-Sawyer College |
Colgate University |
College of Mount Saint Vincent |
College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University |
College of Saint Elizabeth |
College of Saint Rose |
College of Saint Scholastica |
College of Southern Idaho |
College of the Ozarks |
College of Wooster |
Colorado Mountain College |
Columbia College (South Carolina) |
Concord University |
Concordia College—Moorhead |
Concordia University—Nebraska |
Converse College |
Cornell College |
Creighton University |
Culver-Stockton College |
D’Youville College |
Daemen College |
Davis & Elkins College |
Deep Springs College |
Defiance College |
Delaware Valley University |
Denison University |
DePauw University |
Doane University—Crete |
Dominican University of California |
Drake University |
Drury University |
Duquesne University |
Colleges with no Application Fees (Continued)
Earlham College |
Eastern New Mexico University |
Elizabethtown College |
Elmhurst College |
Emmanuel College |
Emory & Henry College |
Eureka College |
Ferris State University |
Finlandia University |
Florida Gateway College |
Florida Institute of Technology |
Fontbonne University |
Franciscan University of Steubenville |
Franklin College |
Freed-Hardeman University |
Gannon University |
Grace College and Seminary |
Graceland University—Lamoni |
Grand View University |
Granite State College |
Greenville University |
Grinnell College |
Guilford College |
Gustavus Adolphus College |
Gwynedd Mercy University |
Hamline University |
Hampden-Sydney College |
Hanover College |
Hardin-Simmons University |
Hartwick College |
Hastings College |
Henderson State University |
Hendrix College |
Hillsdale College |
Hiram College |
Hobart and William Smith Colleges |
Hollins University |
Holy Cross College |
Holy Names University |
Hood College |
Houston Baptist University |
Howard Payne University |
Huntingdon College |
Illinois College |
Illinois Institute of Technology |
Illinois Wesleyan University |
Immaculata University |
Indian River State College |
Indiana Wesleyan University |
Iowa Wesleyan University |
Jackson State University |
John Carroll University |
Juniata College |
Kalamazoo College |
Kenyon College |
Kettering University |
Keuka College |
King’s College —Wilkes-Barre |
Colleges with no Application Fees (Continued)
La Roche College |
La Salle University |
La Sierra University |
Lake Erie College |
Lake Forest College |
Lakeland University |
Lane College |
Lasell University |
Lawrence University |
Le Moyne College |
Lebanon Valley College |
Lesley University |
LeTourneau University |
Lewis & Clark College |
Liberty University |
Limestone University |
Lincoln University (Pennsylvania) |
Lindsey Wilson College |
Linfield College-McMinnville Campus |
Loras College |
Loyola University Chicago |
Loyola University New Orleans |
Luther College |
Lycoming College |
Madonna University |
Manchester University |
Marian University (Indiana) |
Marquette University |
Martin Methodist College |
Maryville College |
Maryville University of St. Louis |
Marywood University |
McKendree University |
Medaille College |
Mercy College |
Mercyhurst University |
Merrimack College |
Metropolitan State University |
Michigan Technological University |
MidAmerica Nazarene University |
Midland University |
Miles College |
Millikin University |
Millsaps College |
Milwaukee School of Engineering |
Mississippi University for Women |
Mississippi Valley State University |
Mitchell College |
Monmouth College |
Moravian College |
Morningside University |
Mount Holyoke College |
Mount Mary University |
Mount Mercy University |
Mount Saint Mary College |
Nazareth College |
Nebraska Wesleyan University |
Neumann University |
New England College |
Niagara University |
Nichols College |
Northland College |
Northwest Christian University |
Northwest Missouri State University |
Northwestern College |
Notre Dame College |
Notre Dame de Namur University |
Colleges with no Application Fees (Continued)
Oakland University |
Oberlin College |
Oglethorpe University |
Ohio Northern University |
Ohio Wesleyan University |
Oklahoma Baptist University |
Olivet College |
Pacific Lutheran University |
Pacific Union College |
Pacific University |
Piedmont University |
Point Park University |
Polk State College |
Presbyterian College |
Queens University of Charlotte |
Randolph College |
Randolph-Macon College |
Reed College |
Regis University |
Rhodes College |
Roanoke College |
Robert Morris University |
Roberts Wesleyan College |
Rockford University |
Rockhurst University |
Rosemont College |
Russell Sage College |
Rust College |
Saint Ambrose University |
Saint Edward’s University |
Saint Francis University |
Saint John’s University |
Saint Joseph’s College of Maine |
Saint Leo University |
Saint Louis University |
Saint Martin’s University |
Saint Mary’s College |
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota |
Saint Peter’s University |
Salem College |
Santa Fe College |
Savannah State University |
Sewanee: The University of the South |
Shawnee State University |
Siena Heights University |
Sierra Nevada College |
Simmons University |
Simpson College |
Smith College |
Southern Arkansas University |
Southwestern Adventist University |
Southwestern University |
Spring Hill College |
St. Augustine College |
St. Bonaventure University |
St. Catherine University |
St. John’s College |
St. John’s College |
St. John’s University |
St. Mary’s University, Texas |
St. Norbert College |
Stephens College |
Sterling College (Kansas) |
Stevenson University |
Susquehanna University |
Sweet Briar College |
Texas Wesleyan University |
The College of Idaho |
The University of Findlay |
Thomas Aquinas College |
Thomas More University |
Touro College |
Transylvania University |
Trine University |
Trinity University |
Truman State University |
Tulane University |
Tusculum University |
Colleges with no Application Fees (Continued)
Union College (Nebraska) |
United States Air Force Academy |
United States Coast Guard Academy |
United States Merchant Marine Academy |
United States Military Academy |
United States Naval Academy |
Unity College |
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff |
University of Dayton |
University of Detroit Mercy |
University of Evansville |
University of Hartford |
University of Houston-Victoria |
University of Indianapolis |
University of Jamestown |
University of Lynchburg |
University of Mount Olive |
University of Mount Union |
University of Pikeville |
University of Saint Francis |
University of Saint Joseph |
University of Saint Thomas |
University of Scranton |
University of Sioux Falls |
University of St. Thomas (Texas) |
University of Texas at El Paso |
University of Texas—Rio Grande Valley |
University of the Pacific |
Upper Iowa University |
Ursinus College |
Ursuline College |
Valparaiso University |
Warren Wilson College |
Wartburg College |
Washington Adventist University |
Washington and Jefferson College |
Wayne State College |
Wellesley College |
Wesley College |
Wesleyan College |
West Liberty University |
West Virginia University—Parkersburg |
West Virginia Wesleyan College |
Westminster College (Missouri) |
Westminster College (Pennsylvania) |
Wheeling University |
Whitworth University |
William Jewell College |
William Woods University |
Williams Baptist University |
Wilmington College |
Wilson College |
Wisconsin Lutheran College |
Wittenberg University |
Xavier University |