The application process is often the most stressful part of applying to college for students and their families. It can be a huge financial burden, too. A third of students apply to six or more colleges, and 15% of applicants submit 10 or more applications. With the average application fee costing around $50, plus schools like Stanford ($90) and the University of Southern California ($85), those fees add up fast! Luckily, there are ways that you can save money on college application fees — so you can focus on the fun part: picking your future alma mater!

1. Don't skip the FAFSA!

FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It’s the government application to determine how much financial aid you can get for college, and it’s usually due by January of your senior year. It’s free, easy to file, and it’s the easiest way to get free money for college. If you have a high financial need and have trouble paying for your education, you can apply for financial aid through this program. A completed FAFSA is necessary to qualify for certain application fee waivers.

2. Take advantage of application fee waivers for low-income students.

Applying for college is a lot of work, and it can be expensive if you don't know where to look for help. The University of California system, for example, waives the application fee for low-income students who are eligible for the Cal Grant. If you received the College Board’s SAT Fee Waiver, in the fall of your senior year the College Board will send you application fee waivers that you can use for any number of participating colleges. The ACT has a similar program where students who received an ACT Fee Waiver can request a Waiver or Deferral of College Admission Applications Fee. If you did not take the SAT or ACT, you can fill out the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)’s Request for Admission Application Fee Waiver, which you will then send directly to the university you are applying to. Finally, if you are using the Common App, you can request a fee waiver in the Common App profile section. 

Who is eligible for an application fee waiver?

Most application fee waiver programs have similar eligibility requirements, which include at least one of the following:

• The student is enrolled in or eligible to participate in the Federal Free or Reduced Price Lunch program (FRPL).   

• The student’s annual family income falls within the Income Eligibility Guidelines set by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.  

• The student is enrolled in a federal, state, or local program that aids students from low-income families (e.g., TRIO programs such as Upward Bound).  

• The student’s family receives public assistance.   

• The student lives in federally subsidized public housing, a foster home, or is homeless.   

• The student is a ward of the state or an orphan.

If none of these apply to you yet providing an application fee would be a hardship for you and your family, you have two options. You can ask your school counselor, principal, or community leader to certify your request on the NACAC request form, or you can reach out to the school’s admissions office directly, explain your situation, and ask for a waiver. 

3. APPLY EARLY — many schools offer fee waivers for early applications.

 If you don’t qualify for a fee waiver but are still interested in saving money on application fees, one strategy is to apply early. Many schools offer fee waivers for applications received before a certain date, so make sure you look at the admissions websites for all the schools you want to apply to as soon as possible! Some colleges will also offer online workshops or webinars that include an application fee waiver code as thanks for attending. Keep your eyes out for opportunities like these!  

4. Apply to schools with lower fees, or waive the application fee altogether!

There is a long list of colleges that have no application fees to begin with. Check out colleges like Colorado College, Whitworth University, Clark University, Centre College, University of Maine, Sarah Lawrence College, Tulane University, Westmont College, and Creighton University. You can also use the Common App’s College Search tab to filter for colleges with no application fees.

5. Are college application fees tax-deductible?

A common question is whether you can claim the fees you pay for your college applications on your family’s taxes. As of 2018, families cannot deduct application fees or exam registration fees from their taxes. However, once you are in college, your family may qualify for some educational tax credits like the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which will allow you to deduct tuition and other expenses. 

If you’re a low-income student or your family is facing financial hardships, you should definitely request an application fee waiver through one of the methods I’ve outlined above. If you need help determining your eligibility or finding a waiver, please contact me so I can help you!