College Application Fees and How to Get a Fee Waiver

How much colleges charge to apply

Application fees differ by school. Some public universities charge nothing at all, while others charge a fee you pay when you submit through the Common App, Coalition App, or a college's own portal. Check each college's admissions page for its current fee before you apply, since the amount and any automatic waivers vary school by school.

Who qualifies for a fee waiver

Common App bases its fee waiver eligibility on NACAC's fee waiver criteria , the standard most colleges and testing agencies use. You qualify if any of these apply to you.

• You are eligible for the federal free or reduced-price lunch (FRPL) program

• Your family's income falls within the USDA income eligibility guidelines used for school meal programs

• You are not eligible for a Pell Grant but your family income still falls within a range that lets you self-certify need

• Your school counselor, financial aid officer, clergy member, or community leader documents an extenuating financial circumstance

International students qualify too, by explaining their financial barrier to paying the fee. Transfer applicants and students applying outside a traditional high school use separate NACAC fee waiver forms built for their situation. You request a fee waiver at up to four colleges in a single application cycle through NACAC's process.

Requesting a Common App fee waiver

Log into My Common App , go to your profile, and find the Common App Fee Waiver section. Answer the eligibility questions there, and your counselor confirms your eligibility on their end. Once approved, the fee waiver applies automatically at any college on your list that accepts Common App fee waivers, so you do not request one separately at each school.

ACT fee waivers

The ACT fee waiver covers up to two test registrations for 11th and 12th graders testing in the US, US territories, or Puerto Rico. You qualify through similar financial indicators: FRPL eligibility, enrollment in a program like GEAR UP or Upward Bound, foster care or homelessness, or your family receiving public assistance or living in subsidized housing.

The waiver covers your test registration, including the optional writing section, plus free score reports to one high school and up to six colleges at the time you register, and unlimited free reports after that. It also gives you free access to the Official ACT Self-Paced Course, with practice questions and full-length practice tests. Ask your school counselor for your waiver code before you register.

SAT fee waivers

College Board issues SAT fee waiver codes through your school counselor or directly through your College Board account if you meet the eligibility criteria. Each fee waiver code works once per lifetime, so request one only when you are ready to test, and submit your request one to two weeks before the registration deadline so it processes in time. Reporting false eligibility information puts your account and scores at risk, so only request a waiver if you actually qualify.

Using your waiver at the college itself

A testing fee waiver and a college application fee waiver are not always the same thing. Many colleges honor an ACT or SAT fee waiver as proof of need and waive their own application fee automatically, but confirm this on each college's application instructions. If a school does not recognize your testing fee waiver, contact its admissions office directly and ask about its own fee waiver or fee deferral request.

Other ways to skip the fee

Some colleges waive their fee automatically if you apply by a certain date, visit campus, attend a recruiting event, or apply through a college access program like QuestBridge. Check each college's application fee page for these options even if you do not meet the standard NACAC criteria, since eligibility rules differ by school.