Many colleges and universities in the United States do not charge undergraduate application fees. In some cases, this applies to both domestic and international applicants, while other institutions limit fee waivers to certain applicant types, application methods, or programs.
If you are planning to study in the U.S. in the upcoming academic year, the following schools either offer no undergraduate application fee or, where noted, have important applicant-type limitations that students should confirm before applying.
Universities in the USA with No Application Fees
1. Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago is a private Jesuit Catholic university based in Chicago, Illinois. Established in 1870, the university offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs across a wide range of fields.
In addition to its Chicago campuses, the university operates the John Felice Rome Center and offers global study opportunities for students.
2. Mount Holyoke College
Established in 1837, Mount Holyoke College is a women’s liberal arts college in South Hadley, Massachusetts. It is the oldest member of the Seven Sisters network and a member of the Five College Consortium. Mount Holyoke has more than 2,000 students and offers a broad liberal arts curriculum, along with study abroad and exchange opportunities.
3. Carleton College
Carleton College is a private liberal arts college in Northfield, Minnesota. It enrolls about 2,000 students and offers more than 30 majors in the arts, humanities, natural sciences, mathematics, and social sciences. The college is known for its rigorous academics, close student-faculty interaction, and active campus community.
4. Smith College
Based in Northampton, Massachusetts, Smith College is a private women’s liberal arts college and a member of the Seven Sisters network. Established in 1871, it has grown into a prominent liberal arts institution. Smith is also known for its engineering program, which became the first ABET-accredited engineering program at an all-women’s college.
5. Reed College
Based in Portland, Oregon, Reed College is an independent liberal arts college known for its senior thesis requirement, required humanities program, and emphasis on independent inquiry. The college was founded in 1908 and enrolls more than 1,200 students.
Reed offers a wide range of majors, interdisciplinary study options, and dual-degree opportunities with partner institutions.
6. Union College
Union College is a private liberal arts college established in 1795 in Schenectady, New York. It was the first planned college campus in the United States and combines liberal arts study with engineering and interdisciplinary programs.
Union College has about 2,000 undergraduates who have access to a broad range of majors, minors, and study abroad opportunities. Students can apply to Union College without paying an application fee.
7. DePauw University
DePauw University is a private liberal arts university in Greencastle, Indiana. Founded in 1837, DePauw offers undergraduate study across the liberal arts and sciences, business, creative fields, and experiential honors and fellows programs.
8. Sewanee: The University of the South
Commonly known as Sewanee, the University of the South is a private liberal arts college located in Sewanee, Tennessee. With an undergraduate community of about 1,700 students, the university offers a range of liberal arts majors. It is also home to The Sewanee Review, America’s oldest continuously published literary quarterly.
9. St. Olaf College
Founded in 1874 by Norwegian-American immigrants and named after Olaf II, the patron saint of Norway, St. Olaf College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college located in Northfield, Minnesota. The college offers a broad liberal arts curriculum and a wide range of majors and programs of study.
Students complete general education requirements and major-specific coursework before graduation.
10. Denison University
Denison University is a private liberal arts college located in Granville, Ohio. Founded in 1831, it enrolls students from across the United States and many countries around the world.
Denison offers a wide range of majors and allows students to pursue interdisciplinary academic interests. The university also supports a large number of student organizations and campus activities.
Some of Denison’s famous alumni include Steve Carell and Jennifer Garner.
11. Rhodes College
Rhodes College is a private liberal arts college based in Memphis, Tennessee. The institution was established in 1848 and is known for its distinctive campus, small class sizes, and emphasis on writing and research.
It offers many academic programs, including interdisciplinary degrees, and is also known for internship and community engagement opportunities. Students can apply to Rhodes College without paying an application fee.
12. Lewis & Clark College
Lewis & Clark College is a private liberal arts college located in Portland, Oregon. The institution was founded in 1867 and enrolls students from the United States and many other countries.
It offers undergraduate study through the College of Arts and Sciences, along with graduate and professional education through its graduate school and law school. The college also offers multiple overseas and off-campus study programs.
13. St. John’s University
Located in New York City, St. John’s University is a private Catholic university founded in 1870. It has campuses and locations in Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, Rome, Paris, and Limerick.
The university offers more than 100 undergraduate programs and a wide range of graduate and professional programs. It has a diverse student community from across the United States and around the world.
14. Ursinus College
Ursinus College is a private liberal arts college that was founded in 1869. It is based in Collegeville, Pennsylvania, and offers undergraduate study across the liberal arts and sciences. Students can choose from many academic programs and participate in a broad range of student organizations.
15. Illinois Wesleyan University
Illinois Wesleyan University is a private undergraduate liberal arts university in Bloomington, Illinois. Founded in 1850, the university offers undergraduate programs across the liberal arts, fine arts, business, nursing, and related fields.
IWU does not charge an application fee, and international and domestic applicants can apply without requesting a separate fee waiver.
If you want to study at this excellent university, apply! You do not have to pay an application fee.
16. Kenyon College
Kenyon College is a private liberal arts college located in Gambier, Ohio. Founded in 1824, it enrolls more than 1,800 students and is committed to providing a well-rounded academic experience.
Students complete coursework across academic divisions, including the fine arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Kenyon does not charge an application fee for first-year applicants.
17. Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College is a private women’s liberal arts college located in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. It was established in 1885 and is a member of the Seven Sisters network.
Bryn Mawr was the first women’s college in the United States to offer graduate education culminating in a Ph.D. Undergraduate students complete work across the liberal arts and sciences, and the college does not charge an undergraduate application fee.
18. Lawrence University
Lawrence University is a private liberal arts college and conservatory of music located in Appleton, Wisconsin. Established in 1847, Lawrence offers undergraduate programs in the liberal arts and sciences as well as music through its conservatory.
Lawrence offers several free application options, including the Lawrence Application, Common Application, and Coalition Application.
19. Berea College
Berea College is a private liberal arts college located in Berea, Kentucky, founded in 1855. The institution is known for its commitment to access and affordability.
Berea does not charge tuition to admitted students, and international applicants can apply online without an application fee. The college offers more than 30 academic majors to its undergraduate students.
20. Grinnell College
Grinnell College, founded in 1846, is a private liberal arts college based in Grinnell, Iowa. The institution enrolls more than 1,700 students and is known for its academics, individualized advising, and commitment to social responsibility.
A vital feature of Grinnell’s academics is its open curriculum, which allows students significant freedom to shape their course of study. It also offers collaborative programs with other institutions, such as Columbia University, California Institute of Technology, and Dartmouth College.
21. Hillsdale College
Hillsdale College is a private liberal arts college located in Hillsdale, Michigan. Established in 1844, it is known for declining federal financial support and relying on private support, tuition, and endowment funding.
The college offers a range of undergraduate majors and requires students to complete a core curriculum. Hillsdale also offers graduate programs in government and classical education. Hillsdale does not charge a fee for online undergraduate applications.
22. Beloit College
Beloit College is a private liberal arts college that was established in 1846. It is located in Beloit, Wisconsin, and is among the oldest colleges in the state. The college emphasizes experiential learning and practical applications of the liberal arts.
The college’s academic strengths include fields such as geology and anthropology. Beloit is also known for small classes and close interaction between students and faculty.
23. Ohio Wesleyan University
Located in Delaware, Ohio, Ohio Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts university established in 1842. The university offers a broad liberal arts curriculum and welcomes students from many backgrounds.
Ohio Wesleyan offers more than 70 majors, and students complete unit-based degree requirements to earn their degrees.
24. Trinity University
Trinity University is a private university in San Antonio, Texas. Established in 1869, it is a liberal arts and sciences university with undergraduate programs across the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, business, and fine arts.
Trinity enrolls more than 2,000 undergraduate students and offers many majors, minors, and study abroad opportunities.
25. University of St. Thomas, Minnesota
The University of St. Thomas is a private Catholic university based in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota. It was founded in 1885 as a Catholic seminary and has grown into one of Minnesota’s largest private universities.
The university offers undergraduate majors and minors as well as graduate and professional programs through its academic colleges and schools. Students also have access to sports, student organizations, and campus activities.
In conclusion, applying to many institutions in the United States without an admission fee can help international students reduce the upfront cost of applying to college. However, application fee policies can change and may vary by applicant type, program, or application platform, so students should always confirm the current policy on the official admissions page before submitting an application.
We hope that this article on universities with no application fee will encourage you to submit an application. If you are interested in studying in the United States, check out the USA Scholarships Page and Available Courses for International Students!
