Universities and Colleges Without Application Fees: Colleges with Free Applications

College is already complicated, but the cost of the admission application fee makes it even scarier. But why pay the application fee? when there are a variety of Top-ranked colleges and Universities that do not even cost a single penny for the application fee for admissions.

Nowadays, it is common to expect the expenses regarding the application fee when applying to a college. College is already expensive, and the application fee expenses make it further costly, putting additional strain on students.

Colleges usually charge an application fee of 75$ USD on average, making it difficult for a majority of students to apply to a college. Thus, it becomes a stumbling block in a bright student’s educational career.

Looking for colleges that do not charge application fees is hard. But fret not! We have got you covered. We have made it convenient for you to go through a list of colleges without application fee, and choose the one appropriate for you. A vast majority of these colleges even provide full-ride scholarships to candidates.

But why do colleges set an admission fee criterion? This is because they want to avoid thousands of student applications. Colleges usually increase their application fee every year, making it difficult for a majority of students to even submit an application.

We recommend that you apply to colleges that do not charge an admission fee, like the ones listed below.

Many colleges state that they do not charge application fees if a student applies via their online portal. This offers an additional alternative to students who do not wish to pay the huge application fee.

If you submit an online application to any one of the colleges listed below, rest assured you won’t have to pay a penny.

Based on the “Top American Colleges” list published on Forbes, following is the complete Forbes List of Top Colleges without application fees for admissions:

1. Carleton College

Ranked #16 in Forbes Top Colleges
There is no online application fees for local students in Carleton College
CAD $165 for international students for 3 program choices in Carleton College

2. Yale University

Ranked #06 in Forbes Top Colleges
Yale University application fee is $80 (or you can apply for an application fee waiver)

3. Thomas Aquinas College

Ranked #16 in Forbes Top Colleges
The Thomas Aquinas College charges an application fee of $30 or applies for an application fee waiver

4. University of Louisiana, Tulane

Ranked #15 in Forbes Top Colleges
The University of Louisiana, Tulane Application fee of $25 (fluctuating since 2019)

5. Wellesley College

Ranked #29 in Forbes Top Colleges
There is no online application fees in Wellesley College if granted tuition fee waiver, the normal application fee is $50

6. Colby College

Ranked #39 in Forbes Top Colleges
Colby College has No application fee

7. Kenyon College
   

Ranked #42 in Forbes Top Colleges
Kenyon College online applications have no application fees but paper applications in Kenyon college require US$50 as an application processing fee.

8. Smith College

Ranked #49 in Forbes Top Colleges
There is no application fee to apply to Smith college for admission.

9. Reed College

Ranked #49 in Forbes Top Colleges
Reed College has no application fees if the application comes from common App

10. Grinnell College

Ranked #58 in Forbes Top Colleges
Grinnell College has no online application fees via Common App

11. Union College

Ranked #57 in Forbes Top Colleges
Union College has no online application fees via Common App and normal application fees in Union college is US$50

12. Centre College

Ranked #81 in Forbes Top Colleges
There is no online application fees in Centre College via Common App

13. Bryn Mawr College

Ranked #6 in Forbes Top Colleges
Bryn Mawr College has no application fees if applied for admission via the common app but there is an application fee of US$50 for normal applications.

14. Earlham College

Ranked #91 in Forbes Top Colleges
Earlham College has no application fees if applied for admission via the common app but there is an application fee of US$35 for normal applications.

15. The Depauw University

Ranked #92 in Forbes Top Colleges
There is no online application fees in the Depauw University via Common App

16. Denison University

Ranked #95 in Forbes Top Colleges
No online application fees via Common App

17. Rhodes College

Ranked #93 in Forbes Top Colleges
No online application fees via Common App

18. Mount Holyoke College
    

Ranked #97 in Forbes Top Colleges
No online application fees via Common App

19. College St. Olaf
    

Ranked #109 in Forbes Top Colleges
No online application fees via Common App

20. University of South, Sewanee

Ranked #98 in Forbes Top Colleges
No online application fees via Common App

21. The Hampshire College

Ranked #110 in Forbes Top Colleges
No online application fees via Common App

22. The Case Western Reserve University

Ranked #127 in Forbes Top Colleges
No online application fees via Common App

23. Clark and Lewis College

Ranked #115 in Forbes Top Colleges
No online application fees via Common App

24. Trinity University in San Antonio

Ranked #132 in Forbes Top Colleges
No online application fees via Common App

25. Wooster College

Ranked #136 in Forbes Top Colleges
No online application fees via Common App

26. Juniata College

Ranked #133 in Forbes Top Colleges
There is no online application fees in Juniata College via Common App

27. Presbyterian College

Ranked #142 in Forbes Top Colleges
There is no online application fees in Presbyterian College via Common App

28. Ohio Wesleyan University

Ranked #14 in Forbes Top Colleges
There is no online application fees in Ohio Wesleyan University via Common App

29. Drake University

Ranked #143 in Forbes Top Colleges
No online application fees via Common App

30. Hendrix College

Ranked #152 in Forbes Top Colleges
No online application fees via Common App

31. Hobart William Smith College

Ranked #160in Forbes Top Colleges
No online application fees via Common App

32. Creighton University

Ranked #156 in Forbes Top Colleges
No online application fees via Common App

33. John’s College

Ranked #162 in Forbes Top Colleges
There is no online application fees in John’s College via Common App

34. Hamden Sydney College

Ranked #171 in Forbes Top Colleges
No online application fees via Common App

35. Beloit College

Ranked #165 in Forbes Top Colleges
No online application fees via Common App

36. Hills Dale College

Ranked #178 in Forbes Top Colleges
No online application fees via Common App

37. SLU – Saint Louis University

Ranked #191 in Forbes Top Colleges
No online application fees via Common App

38. The Transylvania University

Ranked #184 in Forbes Top Colleges
There is no online application fees in Transylvania University via Common App

39. South-Western University

Ranked #19 in Forbes Top Colleges
No online application fees via Common App

40. Ursinus College

Ranked #193 in Forbes Top Colleges
No online application fees via Common App

41. Gustavus Adolphus College
42. Illinois Wesleyan University
43. Lawrence University
44. Luther College
45. Michigan Technological University
46. New Mexico Military Institute
47. Oberlin College
48. The University of St. Thomas – Minnesota
49. Tulane University
50. United States Merchant Marine Academy
51. United States Military Academy at West Point
52. University of Dayton