The United States Of America is one of the most popular study-abroad destinations for international students with over 1 million international students enrolled every year.
Little wonder, as the USA offers some of the topmost qualities of education and there’s proof! In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, 59 U.S. universities proudly occupy positions among the top 200!
The USA is definitely one of the best places to consider pursuing a degree, either a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral due to its high quality of education, wide range of programs, and global opportunities.
However, pursuing a degree in the US is not a small financial feat! Aside from the high tuition fees, and cost of living expenses, applying to US universities alone could cost you anywhere between $50-$100.
Imagine when you have to apply to multiple schools at once, you could spend up to $1000 on application fees alone.
US universities charge application fees for processing and reviewing the application, transcripts, and test scores. The application fee is mostly non-refundable and does not guarantee that a student’s application will be accepted.
Quite a gamble, right?
That’s exactly why I’m writing this article. There’s a way you can avoid spending a dime on application fees, and that is by applying to universities that do not charge application fees.
In this post, we’ll explore the top 10 USA Universities With No Application Fees. It might also interest you to know that some of these universities do not require tests like SAT/ACT and IELTS/TOEFL (if your previous studies were done in English).
Sit tight, relax, and follow through to the end, I’m sure you’ll discover some hidden gems in this article.
Before we dive in, I feel it’s only right that we look at some of the benefits of studying in the USA, so in case you’re still having doubts about whether this is the right choice for you, these benefits will change your mind.
What Are The Benefits Of Studying In the USA?
As established earlier, the USA is one of the most popular study-abroad destinations due to its high-quality education but that’s just one benefit, there are a bunch of benefits that come from studying in the US of A. Let’s take a look at them:
- Career Opportunities: The USA has a buzzing job market filled with different opportunities including internships, part-time jobs, post-graduation employment, and so on. International students can stay back to further improve their skills, and enhance their career prospects by working in the USA.
- Flexible Educational System: US Universities give students the chance to tailor their education to suit their career goals. For instance, undergraduates are allowed to pursue different courses before picking a major at the end of the second year.
- Earn As You Study: International students are allowed to work part-time during their studies for up to 20 hours a week, and 40 hours during semester breaks. This is a perfect way to offset the cost of studying abroad.
- Financial aid: Studying in the US is very expensive, but there are numerous scholarships, grants, and financial aid schemes available to international students. International students in both public and private universities have access to these financial aid schemes.
- Experience Diversity: The USA is a very diverse and multicultural country, hence international students will have the opportunity to explore various cultures, try different cuisines, attend various cultural festivals, and so on. US universities make a good effort to organize events that promote diversity and inclusivity. You’re in for a rich cultural experience.
Now, let’s dive into the business of the day!
10 USA Universities With No Application Fees
Auburn University At Montgomery
Auburn University at Montgomery is located in Alabama’s capital city – Montgomery. This school was actually named the “Most Affordable University or College in Alabama”.
This university is well-known for its low tuition costs. They offer a total of 90 undergraduate and graduate programs along with a cool, diverse, green campus.
Of course, there are No Application fees at the moment, and they also have SAT/ACT and GMAT/GRE/MAT waivers.
Head over to the official website for more information on eligibility and application requirements.
The University Of Tennessee Southern
This is a public liberal arts university located in Pulaski, Tennessee. The University of Tennessee Southern offers a variety of certificate, diploma, and degree programs.
With over 30 academic programs of study offered in business, education, humanities, mathematics and sciences, nursing, and social sciences.
Marywood University
Marywood University is located in Northeastern Pennsylvania at the foothills of the Pocono Mountains. It is a comprehensive, independent, private, Catholic university.
Marywood offers many of the advantages that a large university provides, including more than 80 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees taught by outstanding faculty, along with 22 Division-III varsity athletics teams.
The application fee of $35 is waived for both undergraduate and graduate programs, so application is free at the moment
This university is also test-optional which means test scores from SAT/ACT are not required for admission into this school. Essays are also optional.
University Of Dayton
This is a Catholic-Marianist university located in Dayton, Ohio. It is a top-tier research university well-known as the number 1 Catholic university for engineering R&D and physical STEM R&D.
The University Of Dayton offers about 80 undergraduate and 50 graduate and doctoral programs. This university offers affordable tuition fees but on top of that, they also have a variety of scholarships, grants, loans, and part-time work-study.
In fact, up to 96% of the students receive financial assistance.
Texas Lutheran University
TLU is a small, private university located in Seguin, Texas focused on the liberal arts and professional programs. Despite the fact that this is a private institution, it is still very affordable.
If you have a high school core academic GPA of 4.0, you automatically receive $25,000 for four years once you’re admitted into TLU, plus no GRE or SAT test scores are needed.
Minnesota State College Southeast
Minnesota State College Southeast is an open-access, public, not-for-profit comprehensive technical and community college. This means that wherever you are in your educational journey, you are welcome here.
They have two campuses located in the historic river towns of Red Wing and Winona, set sixty miles apart along the Mississippi.
At MSC Southeast, you can select from almost 50 programs in eight career areas — a total of 100 different majors including:
Business & Management, Education and Human Services, Engineering, Manufacturing & Trades, Health Sciences, Information Technologies, Liberal Arts & Sciences, Musical Instrument Repair & Building, Transfer Pathways, and Transportation Careers.
Lander University
Lander University is a co-educational, state-assisted, comprehensive, regional, four-year university in Greenwood, South Carolina founded in 1872.
With approximately 4,300 students, Lander provides exceptional educational opportunities within its traditional liberal arts and science programs, and its professional programs in business, education, and nursing.
Wingate University
Wingate is a comprehensive, private university with its original campus located in Wingate, North Carolina, and two additional campuses located in the Ballantyne neighborhood of Charlotte and in Hendersonville, North Carolina. The university serves more than 3,400 students, including undergraduate and graduate students.
This university is also test and essay optional.
Dakota State University
Located in Madison, South Dakota, Dakota State University was founded in 1881 as a school for teacher education, in the Dakota Territory. Though we have since shifted our primary focus of education to the cyber world, Dakota State remains one of the few universities in the nation, that provides students with the technology needed to excel in any career.
The deadline for free applications is November 30th, so hurry over to the official website right now and apply.
Clemson University Graduate School
Located in South Carolina in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Clemson is the perfect environment for graduate students who are ready to dive into their studies, but also want a campus that feels lively, friendly, and fun.
Clemson offers 50 doctoral, 86 master’s, and two educational specialist degrees across more than 80 fields of study.
Conclusion
Studying in the USA as an international student has many benefits, you get to experience a rich and diverse culture as well as uplift your career prospects.
Application fees have always been a big hindrance to international students looking to study in the USA but hopefully, with this list of 10 USA universities with no application fee, nothing should stand in your way of achieving your study-abroad dreams.
If you enjoyed reading this article, let me know in the comment section below, also check out my other article on Top 10 Cheapest Universities In Canada For International Students. It’s a great read!
Until next time!