Applying to a US university usually costs money before you even know whether you will be admitted. Most colleges charge about $50 per school, some charge $80 or more [1], and applying to five to eight schools can cost $600 or more [2]. For many families around the world, that is a lot to pay for applications alone.
The good news is that many schools charge nothing, and many others will waive the fee if you ask. This guide lists 40 of them and explains how to avoid paying for the ones that do charge. It also covers the fine print that matters most if you are applying from outside the US.
Quick answer
- Yes. Hundreds of US colleges charge no application fee, and many that do charge will waive it if you show financial need [1, 2].
- The exact number depends on who is counting. One November 2026 list has 302 colleges that charge US first-year applicants nothing [1], another says more than 500 [2], and the Common App says almost half of its member colleges charge no fee [3].
- “No fee” often applies to US applicants only. Some schools on the lists still charge international applicants, usually $15 to $75 [1].
- Harvard and MIT say they accept fee waiver requests from international applicants [5, 7]. UMass Amherst says international undergraduate applicants are not eligible [8].
- Asking for a waiver does not hurt your chances of admission [3, 5, 7].
What an application fee is and how much it costs
An application fee is a payment you make when you submit your application, and you do not get it back if you are rejected. Fees are usually around $50, and Ivy League schools tend to charge around $75 to $80 [2]. The University of Connecticut, for example, charges $80 [1].
Free applications come in three forms, and you can combine them [1].
- Fee waivers: the college drops the fee because you meet a requirement, such as low family income [1].
- Free application weeks: some US states waive fees at public colleges for a set week or month, usually in the autumn [1].
- No-fee colleges: schools that never charge US first-year applicants a fee [1].
The 40 schools
The first 30 come from a list of colleges that charge no application fee to US first-year applicants applying for fall 2027. The College Investor checked that list against the Common App’s 2026-27 fee list and the colleges’ own admissions pages [1]. We picked schools from 20 states so you can see the range, from small liberal arts colleges to large universities.
Remember that “free” here means free for US first-year applicants. International applicants must confirm the fee on each school’s own admissions page.
Part 1: 30 schools with no application fee
| # | University | State | Fee status for US first-year applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auburn University at Montgomery | Alabama | No fee [1] |
| 2 | Grand Canyon University | Arizona | No fee [1] |
| 3 | Occidental College | California | No fee [1] |
| 4 | Colorado College | Colorado | No fee [1] |
| 5 | Rollins College | Florida | No fee [1] |
| 6 | Stetson University | Florida | No fee [1] |
| 7 | Agnes Scott College | Georgia | No fee [1] |
| 8 | Berry College | Georgia | No fee [1] |
| 9 | Illinois Institute of Technology | Illinois | No fee [1] |
| 10 | Loyola University Chicago | Illinois | No fee [1] |
| 11 | DePauw University | Indiana | No fee [1] |
| 12 | Earlham College | Indiana | No fee [1] |
| 13 | Drake University | Iowa | No fee [1] |
| 14 | Grinnell College | Iowa | No fee [1] |
| 15 | Berea College | Kentucky | No fee [1] |
| 16 | Centre College | Kentucky | No fee [1] |
| 17 | Bates College | Maine | No fee [1] |
| 18 | Colby College | Maine | No fee [1] |
| 19 | Smith College | Massachusetts | No fee [1] |
| 20 | Wellesley College | Massachusetts | No fee [1] |
| 21 | Mount Holyoke College | Massachusetts | No fee [1] |
| 22 | Michigan Technological University | Michigan | No fee [1] |
| 23 | Carleton College | Minnesota | No fee [1] |
| 24 | St. Olaf College | Minnesota | No fee [1] |
| 25 | Saint Louis University | Missouri | No fee [1] |
| 26 | Creighton University | Nebraska | No fee [1] |
| 27 | Davidson College | North Carolina | No fee [1] |
| 28 | Reed College | Oregon | No fee [1] |
| 29 | Furman University | South Carolina | No fee [1] |
| 30 | Baylor University | Texas | No fee [1] |
Part 2: 10 schools that waive the fee in some way
These schools charge a fee in general, but you can avoid it through a hardship waiver, a deadline, a code or a special programme. Dates below are as published on November 1, 2026 [1], so check for new dates before you apply.
| # | University | State | How the fee is waived |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Harvard College | Massachusetts | Fee is waived if it is a hardship for you or your family. Request it through the Common App if you meet its indicators of need, or follow Harvard’s own instructions. Requesting a waiver does not disadvantage your application [5]. |
| 32 | Yale University | Connecticut | Yale does not issue its own waivers, but you can apply free if you meet the criteria on the Common App or Coalition App. The QuestBridge application is always free [6]. |
| 33 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | Massachusetts | The first-year fee is $75. Waivers are available for both domestic and international applicants through the Fee Waiver Request section of the application [7]. |
| 34 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | New York | $70 fee waived for applications submitted by December 1 [1]. |
| 35 | Johns Hopkins University | Maryland | Fee waived on Private College Application Day, November 9, 2026, which has already passed this year. Ask about future dates [1]. |
| 36 | Oglethorpe University | Georgia | $50 fee waived for Early Action I and II applicants [1]. |
| 37 | Ripon College | Wisconsin | $30 fee waived if you apply by January 15 [1]. |
| 38 | Oral Roberts University | Oklahoma | $35 fee waived when you apply online [1]. |
| 39 | Ohio State regional campuses (Lima, Mansfield, Marion, Newark and ATI) | Ohio | $60 fee waived from October 1 to December 1, 2026 with the code RCW2027 [1]. |
| 40 | University of Delaware | Delaware | Free for Delaware high school seniors from August 1 to December 31, 2026, if they select Launch Into Your Future Month on the Common App. This is for residents only [1]. |
What international applicants must check first
Many guides repeat “no application fee” without saying who it applies to. Check these four things before you rely on any list, including this one.
- Who the free rule covers. The College Investor list itself marks some schools, such as the University of Texas at El Paso, as free for US applicants only [1]. It also warns that some listed schools still charge international applicants, usually $15 to $75 [1].
- Which format is free. Some free applications are online only. Oberlin College’s Conservatory of Music charges $100 even though its main college does not charge [1].
- Whether your waiver will be accepted. The Common App says international students may be eligible for its fee waiver, but each college has its own policy. If a college does not accept your waiver, it may ask you to pay the fee after you submit [3]. UMass Amherst states plainly that international undergraduate applicants are not eligible for a fee waiver [8].
- Whether the deadline or code is still valid. Codes, windows and dates change every year [1].
How to request a fee waiver step by step
- Open the college’s own admissions or fee page and look for its waiver policy, because each school decides for itself [3, 4].
- If you apply through the Common App (a single online form that many US colleges accept), find the fee waiver question in your profile, answer Yes if you qualify, and sign. The listed criteria include family income within US government guidelines, public assistance, a low-income support programme, a Pell Grant (a US government grant for low-income students) or a supporting statement from a school official or community leader [2, 3]. Your school counsellor may be asked to confirm, but you can submit while that is pending [2]. More than 550,000 applicants used a Common App waiver in 2025-26 [1].
- If a college does not use the Common App, or you do not meet its criteria, use the NACAC form. NACAC is a large US association of admissions and school counselling professionals. International students should tick the “Other Request” box and explain what makes the fee hard to pay [4].
- Send the NACAC form directly to the college’s admissions office, not through any third party. NACAC recommends using it at no more than four schools and following up after 2 to 4 weeks [4].
- Know what happens if you are refused. If a college declines your waiver, it will ask you to pay the fee before it reviews your application [4].
- Ask for local help. NACAC points students to EducationUSA advising centres, which are supported by the US government. Its Opportunity Funds programme can help highly qualified students who are likely to get full financial aid but cannot pay upfront costs such as application fees [4].
Free application weeks are mostly for residents
Several US states waive fees at public colleges for a set window, but most of these programmes are limited to state residents or high school seniors [1]. Georgia’s window runs through November 30 for high school seniors at more than 60 colleges, and all six public universities in South Dakota are free through November 30 for students from South Dakota and nearby states [1]. Utah, Idaho, Montana and Hawaii keep their public college applications free all year, but for their own residents [1].
For most international applicants, these programmes will not apply. They are still worth checking if you already live in the US or attend a US high school.
Myths vs facts
| Claim | Verdict | What the evidence says |
|---|---|---|
| A school with no application fee is easier to get into | Myth | Carleton, Grinnell, Smith and Wellesley charge no fee, and each admits a small share of applicants [1]. |
| Asking for a fee waiver lowers your chances | Myth | The Common App says it does not look bad on your application [3], Harvard says it will not disadvantage you [5], and MIT says it has no negative impact [7]. |
| Every no-fee college is free for international applicants too | Myth | Some listed schools still charge international applicants, usually $15 to $75 [1]. |
| Every college accepts a Common App waiver from every applicant | Myth | Colleges set their own policies and may ask you to pay after you submit [3]. |
| Harvard and MIT accept fee waiver requests from international applicants | True | Both say so on their official pages [5, 7]. |
| UMass Amherst waives fees for international undergraduates | Myth | UMass says international undergraduate applicants are not eligible [8]. |
| Almost half of Common App colleges charge no application fee | True | This is stated in the Common App help centre [3]. |
| More than 500 US colleges charge no application fee | Unproven | One source says more than 500 [2], while a stricter list of first-year no-fee colleges has 302 [1]. Counts differ by method and date. |
| Free application weeks are open to everyone | Myth | Many are limited to state residents or high school seniors [1]. |
| A free application means free tuition | Myth | The application fee is a separate cost, so compare each school’s net price before applying [1]. |
Bottom line
You do not have to pay for every US application. Dozens of good schools charge nothing to US applicants, and top schools such as Harvard and MIT will waive the fee for international applicants who show hardship [5, 7]. The catch is that every school sets its own rules, so a free application for a US student can still cost an international student money [1, 3, 8].
Start by checking each school’s own fee page, then request a Common App or NACAC waiver where you qualify, and keep an eye on codes and deadlines. A waived fee will not hurt your chances, so never skip a school you like just because of a $50 or $80 application fee.
Disclaimer: This article is for general education only and does not replace advice from a school counsellor, an EducationUSA adviser or the admissions office of the university you plan to apply to. Fee rules, codes and dates change every year, so confirm them on each school’s official page before you apply. If you notice an error or would like to send feedback or corrections, please contact us.
References
- [1] Free College Applications: Colleges With No Fees Or Fee Waivers, The College Investor
- [2] 100 Popular Colleges With No Application Fee, BestColleges
- [3] Common App Fee Waiver, Common App Help Center (Liaison)
- [4] Application Fee Waivers & Other Resources, NACAC
- [5] Does Harvard offer admission application fee waivers to international students?, Harvard College
- [6] Instructions and requirements for first-year applications, Yale Undergraduate Admissions
- [7] How much is the application fee?, MIT Admissions
- [8] Application Fee Waivers, UMass Amherst Undergraduate Admissions
