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Colleges with no application fee

Updated IPEDS, 2024-25

The short answer

415 four-year colleges where at least half of students finish within six years choose among applicants and charge no application fee. The highest graduation rates among them are at Minerva University (93%), Wellesley (91%) and Macalester College (91%).

These colleges reported no undergraduate application fee to IPEDS for 2024-25. Many colleges that do charge a fee waive it for students who qualify, for example with a College Board or NACAC fee waiver, so ask the admissions office if a fee is in your way. Each row also shows the acceptance rate and the share of students who finish within six years.

The list (100 of 415)

Four-year colleges with 500 or more undergraduates that are not open admission, charge no undergraduate application fee (IPEDS, 2024-25), where at least 50% of students finish within six years, not counting the federal service academies, highest graduation rate first, 100 of 415 shown. Graduation rates: College Scorecard.

  1. Minerva University No application fee San Francisco, CA · Admitted 3% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 93% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  2. Wellesley College No application fee Wellesley, MA · Admitted 15% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 91% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  3. Macalester College No application fee Saint Paul, MN · Admitted 28% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 91% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  4. Worcester Polytechnic Institute No application fee Worcester, MA · Admitted 60% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 90% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  5. Hillsdale College No application fee Hillsdale, MI · Admitted 21% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 89% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  6. Carleton College No application fee Northfield, MN · Admitted 22% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 89% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  7. Colby College No application fee Waterville, ME · Admitted 7.1% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 87% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  8. Tulane University No application fee New Orleans, LA · Admitted 14% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 87% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  9. Grinnell College No application fee Grinnell, IA · Admitted 14% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 87% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  10. Colorado College No application fee Colorado Springs, CO · Admitted 22% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 86% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  11. Smith College No application fee Northampton, MA · Admitted 22% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 86% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  12. Kenyon College No application fee Gambier, OH · Admitted 30% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 86% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  13. Thomas Aquinas College No application fee Santa Paula, CA · Admitted 83% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 84% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  14. Creighton University No application fee Omaha, NE · Admitted 80% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 83% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  15. St Olaf College No application fee Northfield, MN · Admitted 43% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 83% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  16. Bryn Mawr College No application fee Bryn Mawr, PA · Admitted 29% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 83% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  17. College of Saint Benedict No application fee Saint Joseph, MN · Admitted 92% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 83% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  18. Baylor University No application fee Waco, TX · Admitted 52% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 82% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  19. Trinity University No application fee San Antonio, TX · Admitted 25% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 82% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  20. University of Scranton No application fee Scranton, PA · Admitted 81% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 82% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  21. Connecticut College No application fee New London, CT · Admitted 39% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 82% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  22. Elizabethtown College No application fee Elizabethtown, PA · Admitted 78% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 82% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  23. Rhodes College No application fee Memphis, TN · Admitted 52% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 81% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  24. Saint Joseph's University – Philadelphia No application fee Philadelphia, PA · Admitted 89% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 81% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  25. Oberlin College No application fee Oberlin, OH · Admitted 33% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 81% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  26. Grove City College No application fee Grove City, PA · Admitted 72% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 81% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  27. University of Portland No application fee Portland, OR · Admitted 89% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 81% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  28. University of Dayton No application fee Dayton, OH · Admitted 65% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 80% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  29. Wofford College No application fee Spartanburg, SC · Admitted 52% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 80% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  30. Marquette University No application fee Milwaukee, WI · Admitted 81% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 79% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  31. Centre College No application fee Danville, KY · Admitted 48% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 79% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  32. Saint Louis University No application fee Saint Louis, MO · Admitted 75% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 79% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  33. Lawrence University No application fee Appleton, WI · Admitted 64% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 79% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  34. Susquehanna University No application fee Selinsgrove, PA · Admitted 81% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 79% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  35. St Lawrence University No application fee Canton, NY · Admitted 56% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 79% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  36. The University of the South No application fee Sewanee, TN · Admitted 56% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 79% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  37. Denison University No application fee Granville, OH · Admitted 20% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 78% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  38. DePauw University No application fee Greencastle, IN · Admitted 56% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 78% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  39. Rollins College No application fee Winter Park, FL · Admitted 53% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 78% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  40. Taylor University No application fee Upland, IN · Admitted 74% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 78% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  41. Hope College No application fee Holland, MI · Admitted 79% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 78% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  42. Gustavus Adolphus College No application fee Saint Peter, MN · Admitted 61% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 77% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  43. Simmons University No application fee Boston, MA · Admitted 70% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 77% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  44. Saint Francis University No application fee Loretto, PA · Admitted 77% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 77% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  45. Clark University No application fee Worcester, MA · Admitted 40% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 77% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  46. Duquesne University No application fee Pittsburgh, PA · Admitted 84% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 76% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  47. Franciscan University of Steubenville No application fee Steubenville, OH · Admitted 58% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 76% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  48. The Catholic University of America No application fee Washington, DC · Admitted 83% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 76% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  49. Southern California Institute of Technology No application fee Anaheim, CA · Admitted 74% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 76% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  50. Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing & Allied Health No application fee Omaha, NE · Admitted 73% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 76% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  51. Earlham College No application fee Richmond, IN · Admitted 73% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 75% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  52. Beloit College No application fee Beloit, WI · Admitted 63% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 75% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  53. Saint Mary's College No application fee Notre Dame, IN · Admitted 76% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 75% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  54. University of Northwestern-St Paul No application fee Saint Paul, MN · Admitted 94% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 75% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  55. Kalamazoo College No application fee Kalamazoo, MI · Admitted 75% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 74% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  56. John Carroll University No application fee University Heights, OH · Admitted 81% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 74% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  57. Randolph-Macon College No application fee Ashland, VA · Admitted 87% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 74% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  58. St. John Fisher University No application fee Rochester, NY · Admitted 66% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 74% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  59. Moravian University No application fee Bethlehem, PA · Admitted 54% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 74% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  60. Truman State University No application fee Kirksville, MO · Admitted 84% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 74% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  61. Furman University No application fee Greenville, SC · Admitted 49% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 74% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  62. Lewis & Clark College No application fee Portland, OR · Admitted 71% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 74% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  63. Kettering University No application fee Flint, MI · Admitted 79% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 74% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  64. Southwestern University No application fee Georgetown, TX · Admitted 44% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 74% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  65. University of St Thomas No application fee Saint Paul, MN · Admitted 85% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 74% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  66. University of Detroit Mercy No application fee Detroit, MI · Admitted 75% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 74% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  67. Dickinson College No application fee Carlisle, PA · Admitted 42% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 74% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  68. Bradley University No application fee Peoria, IL · Admitted 77% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 74% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  69. Augustana University No application fee Sioux Falls, SD · Admitted 68% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 74% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  70. Reed College No application fee Portland, OR · Admitted 29% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 74% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  71. Freed-Hardeman University No application fee Henderson, TN · Admitted 60% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 73% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  72. Knox College No application fee Galesburg, IL · Admitted 71% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 73% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  73. Misericordia University No application fee Dallas, PA · Admitted 71% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 73% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  74. Lake Forest College No application fee Lake Forest, IL · Admitted 54% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 73% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  75. Nazareth University No application fee Rochester, NY · Admitted 75% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 73% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  76. Wabash College No application fee Crawfordsville, IN · Admitted 63% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 73% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  77. Augustana College No application fee Rock Island, IL · Admitted 63% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 73% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  78. Illinois Wesleyan University No application fee Bloomington, IL · Admitted 39% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 73% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  79. Ursinus College No application fee Collegeville, PA · Admitted 92% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 73% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  80. Dordt University No application fee Sioux Center, IA · Admitted 69% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 73% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  81. Wheaton College (Massachusetts) No application fee Norton, MA · Admitted 68% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 72% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  82. Saint Norbert College No application fee De Pere, WI · Admitted 86% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 72% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  83. Holy Cross College No application fee Notre Dame, IN · Admitted 75% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 72% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  84. Loyola University Chicago No application fee Chicago, IL · Admitted 75% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 72% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  85. Bethel University No application fee Saint Paul, MN · Admitted 88% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 72% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  86. Rockhurst University No application fee Kansas City, MO · Admitted 70% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 72% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  87. Virginia Military Institute No application fee Lexington, VA · Admitted 71% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 72% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  88. Hendrix College No application fee Conway, AR · Admitted 56% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 72% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  89. Maryland Institute College of Art No application fee Baltimore, MD · Admitted 77% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 71% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  90. Berry College No application fee Mount Berry, GA · Admitted 64% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 71% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  91. Xavier University No application fee Cincinnati, OH · Admitted 86% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 71% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  92. Ohio Northern University No application fee Ada, OH · Admitted 74% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 71% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  93. Bellarmine University No application fee Louisville, KY · Admitted 86% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 71% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  94. Hobart William Smith Colleges No application fee Geneva, NY · Admitted 64% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 71% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  95. Illinois Institute of Technology No application fee Chicago, IL · Admitted 55% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 71% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  96. Willamette University No application fee Salem, OR · Admitted 77% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 71% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  97. Regis College No application fee Weston, MA · Admitted 70% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 71% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  98. Gannon University No application fee Erie, PA · Admitted 74% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 71% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  99. The College of Wooster No application fee Wooster, OH · Admitted 64% of fall 2025 applicants (Common Data Set) · 71% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
  100. Springfield College No application fee Springfield, MA · Admitted 72% of fall 2024 applicants (IPEDS) · 71% finish within six years Source: IPEDS, 2024-25
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Which colleges have no application fee?

415 four-year colleges where at least half of students finish within six years choose among applicants and charge no application fee. The highest graduation rates among them are at Minerva University (93%), Wellesley (91%) and Macalester College (91%).

Are colleges with no application fee easy to get into?

Not always. On this list, acceptance rates run from 3% at Minerva University to 94% at University of Northwestern-St Paul, and 24 of the 100 admitted fewer than half of their applicants.

Can I get an application fee waived?

Often, yes. Students who qualify for a free or reduced-price lunch, an SAT or ACT fee waiver, or a NACAC fee waiver can usually apply without paying. The Common App and most colleges have a box to ask for one.

Numbers change each year when colleges and the Department of Education publish new data. Confirm costs and admission rules with the college before you apply.

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