Colleges that don’t charge an application fee – How to Get a Fee Waiver for an Application

Because most application fees are non-refundable, students find it difficult to pay them. In most cases, students apply to 4-5 institutions, and paying the application cost for each of those colleges can seem a bit excessive. We understand the struggles that many students endure in America, which is why we’ve selected some of the best universities that don’t charge an application fee.

Continue reading to discover about some of the greatest schools in the US that don’t charge an application fee.

How Much Does It Cost To Apply To College?

According to US News research, the average cost of a college application fee is around $43-$50. In the most recent survey, Stanford University application costs topped $90, with at least 50 Ivy League institutions asking $75 for each application.

What it all comes down to is that you might be spending hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on your applications before you ever get in!

Colleges Waiving Application Fees

In this article, we looked at some of the best colleges that don’t charge an application fee. Some universities, however, waive application fees in certain circumstances. Students who can demonstrate financial hardship are frequently awarded application cost waivers. Some universities, on the other hand, will waive the application fee for students who meet certain requirements, such as attending an official on-campus visit.

Depending on the waiver mechanism employed by the student, the particular parameters to qualify for a fee waiver based on financial need will differ. Some schools, for example, have their own application process for fee relief. Students, on the other hand, can expect a fee waiver if they get government assistance as a result of their participation in low-income family programs.

How To Get Application Fee Waiver

As mentioned above, students with financial needs can get an application fee exemption. There are also other various ways for students to get college application cost exemptions.

1. The College Board’s SAT fee waiver

Students who qualify for the College Board’s SAT fee waiver are also eligible for four free college application applications. Fee waivers are also available for kids who are participating in the National School Lunch Program, have a family income that falls under the Income Eligibility Guidelines, are enrolled in a government program for low-income students, or are a member of a family that gets public assistance.

2. Submit an online application

If you apply online, many colleges will waive the application fee. For instance, colleges like the College of Southern Idaho, Wesleyan College; University of Hartford; Manchester University; Washington and Jefferson College, etc., waive application fees when students apply online.

3. Request application fee waiver from school based on financial necessity.

This has already been discussed above. Most colleges that charge application fees will allow students to seek fee waivers. Each school’s procedure will be different, but it usually requires filling out a separate form explaining the student’s financial position.

4. Legacy applicants

A few colleges will waive both tuition and application fees for students whose parents or grandparents attended and graduated from a specific school. For instance, Western New England University has such policies for legacy applicants.

5. Visit the school

Many institutions, like the University of Pittsburgh, waive application fees if you visit the campus. Applicants for this waiver are not required to show financial need. The school will establish the specific procedure to be followed. For example, a campus visit between June 15 and August 31 is required for the University of Pittsburgh application cost waiver. Other colleges may not make this type of fee waiver public, so you’ll have to contact the admissions office directly to find out more.

6. Have an ACT Cost Waiver

If you are qualified for a cost waiver for the ACT, you may also be eligible for a fee waiver or deferral for the college admission application fee. The ACT exam fee waiver criteria are quite similar to the SAT test fee waiver requirements.

7. Register As An International Student.

Some colleges will waive the application cost if you apply as an international student. Ithaca Institution is one example of a college that offers waived application fees for international students.

8. Fee waiver from the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)

Students can use the NACAC to apply to up to four institutions without paying an application fee. If a student meets the SAT or ACT testing cost waiver conditions, they will be eligible for a NACAC college application fee waiver. While the vast majority of schools and universities will accept a NACAC college application cost waiver, not all will.

Top Colleges With No Application Fee in The US

Below are some of the top colleges with no application fee in the US.

1. The United States Military Academy

The United States Military Academy, located in West Point, New York, is a public research institution. It is a university that has over 1,210 bachelor’s degree students enrolled. With a 9 percent acceptance rate, the entry criteria are relatively competitive. The United States Military Academy is one of the top colleges in the US that doesn’t require an application fee.

2. Wellesley College

Another Colleges With No Application Fee is Wellesley College. Wellesley College is a private, non-profit institution in Wellesley, Massachusetts. It is a university that has over 605 bachelor’s degree students enrolled. The entry conditions are quite competitive, with a 22 percent acceptance rate. Wellesley College’s tuition ranges from $58,448 to $69,034.

3. Colby College

Colby College is a private, non-profit college in Waterville, Maine. It is a college that has over 552 bachelor’s degree students enrolled. With a 15% acceptance rate, the entry criteria are highly competitive. Admission into Colby college doesn’t require an application fee.

4. Smith College

Smith College is a private, non-profit college in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is a university that has over 639 bachelor’s degree students enrolled. The admission conditions are relatively competitive, with a 31% acceptance rate. Just like other colleges highlighted above, students can apply for admission into this prestigious institution without being charged an application fee.

5. Grinnell College

Grinnell College is fifth on our list of colleges with no application fee in America. Grinnell college is situated in Iowa and has over 447 bachelor’s degree students enrolled. The admission conditions are rather competitive, with a 28 percent acceptance rate.

6. Kenyon College

Kenyon College is a private, non-profit college in Gambier, Ohio. It is a university with 453 bachelor’s degree students enrolled. With a 33% acceptance rate, the entry criteria are fairly competitive. Even though entry criteria into this institution are a bit competitive, applicants are assured that they won’t have to deal with the cost of application fees when seeking admission into Kenyon college.

7. Tulane University of Louisiana

The Tulane University of Louisiana is a non-profit private university in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is a university that has over 1,905 bachelor’s degree students enrolled. The admission conditions are highly competitive, with a 21% acceptance rate.

8. Reed College

Reed College is a private, non-profit college in Portland, Oregon. It is a university that has over 413 bachelor’s degree students enrolled. With a 35% acceptance rate, the entry criteria are fairly competitive.

9. Michigan Technological University

Michigan Technological university is a public university in Houghton, Michigan. It is a university that has over 1,323 bachelor’s degree students enrolled. The entry criteria are relatively undemanding, with a 74% acceptance rate.

10. St. Olaf College

St. Olaf College is a private, not-for-profit college in Northfield, Minnesota. It is a university with 786 bachelor’s degree applicants. St. Olaf College is another college with no application fee with also less stringent admission requirements.

How To Apply To Colleges

As the conclusion of your junior year approaches, you should have a comprehensive list of colleges to which you desire to apply. Your circumstances will influence the number of schools to which you will apply.

Although having a backup school is usually a good idea, if you’re confident that you have the required grades and test scores for your selected college, you may only need to apply to one. You might want to submit 8-10 applications if you’re only applying to extremely competitive academic schools.

Make sure you have all of the essential application paperwork when you prepare to apply to these institutions in the fall of your senior year. Every school requires a copy of your high school transcripts, which may be obtained through your high school’s records office. Here are a few more things to think about when you apply:

1. Test Results

Many colleges require a college admissions exam, while several schools have recently dropped this requirement. The ACT and SAT are two of the most well-known college entrance examinations, and they both aim to evaluate your high school studies. There are a few fundamental differences between them, despite their similarities. Almost every university that requires test scores will accept scores from either the ACT or the SAT, so you can take one or both.

2. Recommendation Letters

Grades and exam scores tell a college what you’ve learned, but they don’t tell them about your personal experiences. To combat this, several institutions ask students’ teachers for letters of recommendation, which provide a complete picture of the student. These letters provide the college a better idea of who you are as a person.

Most institutions want 1-2 letters of recommendation from teachers with whom you collaborated on an academic project in 11th or 12th grade. It’s best to acquire letters of recommendation from teachers near the end of 11th grade, as this gives them time to organize their thoughts over the summer.

3. Essays

In addition to letters of recommendation, most institutions will want to hear from you. They want to hear about your perspectives, interests, seminal experiences, points of view, challenges, and objectives.

Keep in mind what colleges want to know about you when writing your essay, and cooperate with an adult who can provide feedback and suggestions on your writing. This will require some effort, but it will be well worth the effort. Don’t forget to have your essay proofread by someone else before submitting it!

When To Apply For College

According to most admissions experts, a student should begin the application process at the start of their senior year of high school. While universities may have varying deadlines, most applications for normal autumn admission must be submitted by January.

How Many Colleges Can You Apply To?

A balanced list is recommended to boost your chances of admission to an elite school. A well-balanced list comprises at least three reach schools, two matches, and one safety school. They should all be colleges that you would like to attend.

Do All Colleges Require An Essay?

Most US schools and universities require applicants to submit a brief essay on themselves or a specific topic as part of the application process. These essays may be prepared in response to a specific prompt, such as “Who has been the most influential person in your life?” or “What event has had the greatest impact on who you are today?” Most applications, on the other hand, have open-ended questions that allow candidates to choose their own topic.

Admission essays not only demonstrate your writing skills, but they also help admissions committees get a sense of who you are as a person, something test results and GPA numbers do not provide. The essay gives you the opportunity to express yourself effectively about your goals and gives admissions officers a better idea of how well you might fit in at the school.

Colleges That Don’t Require essay

If the idea of writing a college essay makes you cringe, you may be wondering if there are any universities that do not need essays.

There are, in fact, a number of them! most of these colleges fall under these categories:

1. Public Universities in Your State

The vast majority of public colleges and universities do not require essays as part of the admissions process. Smaller campuses and smaller or more specialized state institutions (such as Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago State University, and so on) may not require essays for admission, even if your state’s big public universities (such as the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign or UCLA) do.

2. Small Private Liberal Arts Institutions

Another group of schools that may not require essays is smaller, private liberal arts colleges. These colleges usually serve a niche market and may not receive a big enough number of applications to require essays to separate applicants.

3. Community Colleges

Since most community colleges accept students from all walks of life, they do not require essays for admission. Some even have transfer agreements in place with local four-year universities. Assume, however, that you want to transfer to a four-year institution after graduating from a community college. You might be obliged to write an essay in that scenario, so you’re only postponing the inevitable!

Final Thought On Colleges With No Application Fee

In this post, we highlighted 10 colleges with no application fee. We also went further to look at ways you can apply for an application fee waiver. This information will be needed by most international students who are still grappling with the high cost of visa applications, airfare, and so on.

We hope the information provided in this post will make your admission journey a lot easier. Best Wishes!