Face Off: Should universities get rid of applications fees?

As a secondary school student applying to university in about a year, I believe higher educational institutions should not charge application fees.

Many universities and colleges ask aspiring students to pay a fee when they apply. In Europe, application fees range from €50 (HK$419) to €150 (HK$1,258). In Asia, the costs vary significantly by country, region, and even individual institutions. In Hong Kong, many universities charge around HK$450 to apply.

These application fees are meant to cover critical elements of courses, academic life, and other campus costs. However, there are alternative ways to pay for these expenses.

Instead of charging students to submit their applications, universities could charge them once they have been admitted. For some families, school fees are not a financial concern. However, application fees can be a significant burden for those who don’t have as much disposable income.

Most students apply for more than one university, and those fees add up. A CNBC article from October 2023 found that between application fees and the cost of submitting reports for exams like the ACT and SAT, students could spend between US$1,200 to US$2,000 (around HK$9,347 to HK$15,579) just applying to schools. This could discourage lower-income pupils from applying to more than one university.

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Registration fees create a barrier to higher education, as they may put off students who cannot afford the payments, especially since applying does not guarantee entry into the university.

This disadvantage means that students from less affluent backgrounds have fewer options when choosing what to study, which discourages exploration.

There are other ways for these institutions to increase their revenue. In the US, for example, universities receive funds from many sources, including tuition, federal funds, state funds, and endowments.

Educational institutions can waive application fees because there are other ways to make money.

All in all, application fees may mean that the door to university remains closed for people who, like me, are looking forward to studying. We should get rid of them and balance the playing field.

Requiring a fee when applying to university ensures that all applicants are serious about going to the institution and less likely to withdraw their application. It also helps schools cover expenses like its administrative staff.

According to data from the Common Application, application volume jumped 30 per cent in 2023 compared to pre-pandemic levels from 2019 to 2020.

Results from a survey by educational marketing firm Spark451 also showed that about 40 per cent of students applied to 10 or more schools.

This rise in applications, often fuelled by a “scattershot” approach to applying to school, poses a challenge for universities.

Every year on YouTube, students worldwide post videos with thumbnails such as “How I got into 20+ colleges” and “How I got accepted into all the Ivies”. These videos highlight the trend of applying to many universities, which may dilute the applicant pool.

In addition, a surge in the number of applications could require hiring more admissions staff, increasing the need for fees to support these costs.

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Application fees discourage students from taking the scattershot approach while serving as a natural deterrent from applying to any schools they aren’t seriously considering. This helps the schools, too, since students applying to many universities and withdrawing or not accepting offers can lower the university’s yield rate.

Fees encourage students to build a robust application rather than apply to as many schools as possible. This fosters a principle of quality over quantity, encouraging prospective pupils to engage in a more deliberate and thoughtful process and reflect on their commitment to each institution.

It’s true that application fees make it more difficult for students from lower-developed countries and financial backgrounds to pursue their desired schools.

However, many universities, including prestigious schools such as Harvard, Yale and New York University, offer fee waivers based on financial need.

The availability of fee waivers underscores the commitment of universities to fostering an inclusive student body and mitigating economic barriers.