Applying to Grad School: How to Get a Fee Waiver

Applying to grad school can be expensive! Fortunately, some schools offer application fee waivers. They can be hard to get, but every $60 or $70 less helps. Here's how I got fee waivers from 3 of the 8 schools I applied to. The best advice is: always ask! Call or email the admissions office, even if you don't think the school offers a fee waiver.

Note: When it comes to fee waivers, being in certain groups is a bonus. If your group is underrepresented in academia, waivers easier to get (well, something's got to make up for centuries of oppression!) If you got a fee waiver for the GRE (and do ask about a waiver for the GRE), it's much easier to get them from schools, even the fancy ones.

Schools 1-5: No Waivers

The main role of application fees (in my mind) is to make sure only determined people will apply. So some very prestigious schools will have high fees with little chance of waivers. Oh, well. Additionally, the schools I applied to that had fees of $50 or less didn't offer waivers at all. Two listed this on their websites, while I had to email an admissions rep to find out at another school.

School 6: Letter from Financial Aid Officer

One school listed very specifically the process for getting a fee waiver. You had to meet certain qualifications and have a letter from a financial aid officer saying you met those qualifications. At first, my financial aid office wavered because of their policy of not releasing information on students. Once I explained that the letter only had to say I met the qualifications, the rest was easy. She sent the letter to me and I forwarded it to the school with a cover letter. I'm applying to [program] and am requesting a fee waiver. Enclosed is a letter stating I meet the qualifications. The school emailed me the next week.Note: make sure you do this in advance of deadlines to provide enough time for all these letters to go around.

School 7: Mystery Waivers