An application form collects the information you need to decide who gets a job, a place in a program, a membership, or funding, in the same format for every applicant.

Our free application form templates help you get started, whether you’re hiring employees, recruiting volunteers, accepting new students, or approving vendors. Customize any template in the Cognito Forms form builder with repeating sections for work and education history, file uploads for resumes and transcripts, and signature fields for applicant certifications.

Start with the template closest to your process:

• Employment applications: The employment application with a connected job openings list lets applicants choose from the open positions your team maintains, so every application is tied to a specific role.
• Volunteer applications: The volunteer application collects availability, interests, and references. For a screening process, start from the version with a background check or an interview built into the workflow.
• School and program admissions: Use the college application form or school admission form for enrollment at any level.
• Scholarships, grants, and fellowships: The scholarship application, grant application template, and fellowship application collect essays, budgets, and supporting documents in one submission.
• Memberships, vendors, and sponsors: Vet new members, market vendors, and event partners with the membership application, vendor application form, and sponsor application.
• Adoptions and care roles: Screen adopters and caregivers with the pet adoption application form and caregiver application.

If people can join without a review step, like signing up for an event or a newsletter, a sign-up form is the better fit.

Why Use Online Application Forms

Paper and PDF applications create extra work on both sides of the process. Online application forms fix the most common problems:

• Applications scattered across inboxes: Collect every application as an entry you can sort, filter, and export from one place.
• Missing information: Make key fields required so you never have to chase down a phone number, start date, or signature.
• Histories that don’t fit the boxes: Let applicants add one item per previous job, school, or reference, as many as they need.
• Questions that don’t apply: Use conditional logic to show follow-up questions only to the applicants they’re meant for.
• Slow handoffs: Send each application to the right staff member, hiring manager, or department head with email notifications, and track its status with Workflow automation.

Who Uses Application Forms

HR teams and hiring managers use application forms to collect the same candidate information for every open role, and our human resources templates cover the steps that come after the hire. Nonprofits and churches use them to screen volunteers before they work with the public. Schools, colleges, and training programs use them for admissions, while foundations and scholarship committees use them to compare candidates against the same criteria. Clubs, associations, animal rescues, and event organizers use them to vet members, adopters, vendors, and sponsors.

If you need to make a yes or no decision about a person or an organization, an application form gives you the information to make that call.

How to Create an Application Form

Use a template

Save an application form template to your Cognito Forms account, then use our form builder to customize the questions, branding, and email notifications for your business or organization.

Describe what you want with AI

Tell the AI Form Generator what you’re accepting applications for, like “a summer internship application with education history and a resume upload,” then review and adjust the form before you publish it.

Start from scratch with drag-and-drop

Build your form field by field in the drag-and-drop form builder, and add repeating sections, file uploads, and signature fields where you need them.

Application Form FAQs

What is an application form?

An application form is a standard set of questions an organization uses to collect and compare information from people applying for a job, program, membership, grant, or service. Online application forms replace paper and fillable PDFs, so applicants can finish them on a phone and you can review every response in one list.

What should be included in an application form?

Most application forms include contact information, eligibility questions, relevant history (like work, education, or volunteer experience), supporting documents, and references. End with a certification statement and signature confirming the information is accurate, plus consent for any background check you plan to run.

How do I create an online application form?

Sign up for a free Cognito Forms account and start from a template, the AI Form Generator, or a blank form. Submit a test application to check your required fields and notifications, then share the form link or embed the form on your website.

How do I create an online job application form?

Start from the employment application template and connect it to your list of open positions with a Lookup field. Add a file upload field for resumes, then use conditional email notifications so the hiring manager for each position receives only the applications for their role.

How do I create a scholarship application form?

Start with the scholarship application template. eligibility questions first and use conditional logic to stop ineligible applicants early. Then add essay prompts and file upload fields for transcripts and recommendation letters. With Workflow, your committee can review each entry and record a decision without emailing files back and forth.

What should be included in a volunteer application form?

Include availability, areas of interest, relevant skills, an emergency contact, and at least two references. If volunteers will work with children or vulnerable people, add consent for a background check and a signed liability waiver.

Can applicants upload documents to an application form?

Yes. Add a file upload field for resumes, transcripts, portfolios, or ID, and choose which file types you’ll accept.

Can applicants save an application and finish it later?

Yes. Allow Save & Resume on longer applications so applicants can save their progress and return to it from a link.

Can I charge an application fee?

Yes. Add a price to your form and set up Payments to collect the fee when the applicant submits.