How to Apply to College For Free With Fee Waivers

Curb college application costs by requesting fee waivers for admissions applications and entrance exams, like the SAT and ACT.

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Updated · 3 min read
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Written by Eliza Haverstock
Lead Writer
Profile photo of Karen Gaudette Brewer
Head of Content, Core Personal Finance
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Co-written by Teddy Nykiel
Nerdy takeaways
  • The average college application fee is about $50 to $80, but you may qualify for a fee waiver if you can’t afford it.

  • Ask your high school counselor about taking the SAT and ACT exams for free.

  • Submit the FAFSA to qualify for more financial aid.

The price of applying to colleges can add up fast, but getting waivers for entrance exam and application fees can help.

College application fees typically range from about $50 to $80. Registering for the SAT test costs $68, and the ACT costs up to $94.

And that’s the minimum families may spend. Many students travel to visit campuses, enroll in pricey college admissions test prep services and take the ACT and SAT multiple times in pursuit of stellar scores.

In many cases, you must pay up front in order to apply to colleges. But if you can prove that you have a financial need, there are ways to avoid these costs. Here’s how.

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1. Ask for SAT and ACT fee waivers

Costs related to college applications start with standardized testing fees.

You can get up to two SAT fee waivers and four ACT fee waivers, allowing you to take each test multiple times for free. To get either, reach out to your high school guidance counselor.

There are several ways to qualify. In addition to being in 11th or 12th grade, you may be eligible for these waivers if you:

  • Live in a foster home or public housing or are homeless.

  • Are in a free or reduced-price lunch program or qualify for one based on your family’s income.

  • Receive public assistance, including Medicaid or food stamps, or are in a government program for low-income families, such as Upward Bound.

  • Are an orphan or ward of the state.

2. Request official college application fee waivers

In addition to letting you take the tests for free, SAT and ACT fee waivers may also let you skip the application costs at participating colleges.

If you get an SAT waiver, College Board will send you application fee waivers in the fall of your senior year or when you get your SAT test scores. If you get an ACT waiver, you and your guidance counselor can fill out a form you can send to colleges.

If you didn’t get a testing waiver, or it’s not accepted by a school you’re applying to, there may be other ways to get application fees waived. You can request some waivers directly through a college’s application, or you can apply for a fee waiver from the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC).

In both cases, you need to qualify based on your financial situation — the requirements may be similar to the SAT and ACT waiver requirements. Your high school counselor may also need to verify that you have financial need, either electronically or with a signature.

There’s no guarantee you’ll get a fee waiver or that a college will honor it if you do; each campus can use its own discretion.

3. Find colleges with no application fee

Not all hope is lost if you can’t get a fee waiver. Some colleges give out codes for a free application to students who attend certain college fairs or visit the school’s campus. And many colleges simply don’t charge application fees at all. For example, it’s free to apply to Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota; Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio; and Reed College in Portland, Oregon. College Board has a list of colleges with no application fee and colleges that accept fee waivers.

Many schools accept the Common App, a standard application that can be used to apply to more than 1,000 colleges. About half of all Common App schools don’t require an application fee, according to a 2025 NerdWallet analysis. The Common App also allows you to be considered for a fee waiver.

4. Ask the college directly to waive the fee

If all else fails, it doesn’t hurt to directly ask the college to waive an application fee. Call the admissions office yourself or ask your high school counselor to help advocate in your favor.

In your request, explain that paying the application fee would create a financial hardship for you or your family.

Next steps

As you’re thinking about your college applications, start thinking about financial aid, too. Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as the FAFSA, to open the door to grants, scholarships, work-study opportunities and federal student loans. You can access this form on FAFSA.gov.

Only after maximizing all federal student aid options, including federal student loans, should you consider private student loans.

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