667 US universities charge $0 to apply. Applying to 10 schools can cost $500-$900 in fees alone — or nothing at all if you build your list from these schools.
Find Your Matches FreeThe average college application fee is $50-$60, and selective schools charge up to $90. A balanced 10-school list can cost $600+ before you've written a single essay. The 667 schools below charge nothing — and they include nationally ranked universities, not just open-admission colleges.
You likely qualify for application fee waivers if any of these apply: you used an SAT or ACT fee waiver, you're enrolled in free or reduced-price lunch, your family receives public assistance, or you're a first-generation student meeting income guidelines. Ask your counselor to verify eligibility in the Common App — one form covers most member colleges.
Every university below reports a $0 application fee to the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS). Click any school for deadlines, admission stats, and a free chance estimate.
| University | Location | Acceptance Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Trinity University | San Antonio, TX | 28% |
| The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston | Houston, TX | 28% |
| University of Louisiana at Lafayette | Lafayette, LA | 11% |
| Minerva University | San Francisco, CA | 1% |
| Williams College | Williamstown, MA | 8% |
| Grinnell College | Grinnell, IA | 11% |
| Colby College | Waterville, ME | 8% |
| Smith College | Northampton, MA | 20% |
| United States Air Force Academy | USAF Academy, CO | 14% |
| United States Military Academy | West Point, NY | 14% |
| Hillsdale College | Hillsdale, MI | 21% |
| United States Naval Academy | Annapolis, MD | 9% |
| Denison University | Granville, OH | 17% |
| Webb Institute | Glen Cove, NY | 20% |
| Reed College | Portland, OR | 27% |
| Skidmore College | Saratoga Springs, NY | 23% |
| Macalester College | Saint Paul, MN | 28% |
| Kenyon College | Gambier, OH | 31% |
| Bryn Mawr College | Bryn Mawr, PA | 31% |
| United States Coast Guard Academy | New London, CT | 24% |
| Goddard College | Plainfield, VT | 20% |
| Rollins College | Winter Park, FL | 41% |
| United States Merchant Marine Academy | Kings Point, NY | 32% |
| Bard College | Annandale-On-Hudson, NY | 52% |
Data from IPEDS & College Scorecard. Browse all 3,500+ universities →
667 US universities report a $0 application fee to the federal IPEDS system, including well-known schools like Tulane, Case Western (with fast app), Colby, Grinnell, and most schools in the Common Black College Application network. Admit Coach lists the current fee for every school so you can build a zero-fee application list.
If you used an SAT/ACT fee waiver, receive free or reduced-price lunch, or your family income qualifies for federal assistance programs, you're eligible for fee waivers at nearly every US college. Request them directly inside the Common App's profile section — one eligibility confirmation covers all member schools — or ask your school counselor to submit a NACAC fee waiver form.
At the average fee of $55 per school, a 10-college list costs about $550 in application fees, plus $12-$14 per school for SAT score reports. Building your list around no-fee colleges and fee waivers can bring that to $0. Admit Coach's college list builder shows each school's fee so you can budget the whole list up front.
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