Waiving application fees

[chicagosociology]

At the suggestion of a friend who is in the final stage of graduate school, I'm going to try to apply to at least 10 programs to improve my chances of getting in somewhere! (More application fees). I am currently unemployed, with limited income, has anyone ever heard of graduate schools waiving the application fee for people in my situation?

[EdPolicy]

At the suggestion of a friend who is in the final stage of graduate school, I'm going to try to apply to at least 10 programs to improve my chances of getting in somewhere! (More application fees). I am currently unemployed, with limited income, has anyone ever heard of graduate schools waiving the application fee for people in my situation?

Chicago,

I'm at the tail end of turning in 10 applications of my own. I feel your pain ($$). In doing my applications, I have definitely seen spaces on some (today, Columbia, although I remember there being others) that had a section where one could apply for an application fee waiver. I do not know the criteria that they use to approve this, but I think it is worth a try! If you tell me which schools you're applying to, I am happy to help you look into this for some of them.

Best of luck,

EdPolicy

[captiv8ed]

Check out this

http://www.cic.net/Home/Students/FreeApp/Introduction.aspx

I applied for it, and heard back from a few. Indiana said I am not an underrepresented minority and don't qualify. UIC called and asked what department I was applying to. I haven't gotten back in touch. Illinois-CU offered it to me, which is funny because I didn't ask for one from there.

So, it is worth a shot maybe. But it did seem to take a long time to go through. I think Washington had said that you could request a fee waiver.

[coyabean]

Check out this

http://www.cic.net/Home/Students/FreeApp/Introduction.aspx

I applied for it, and heard back from a few. Indiana said I am not an underrepresented minority and don't qualify. UIC called and asked what department I was applying to. I haven't gotten back in touch. Illinois-CU offered it to me, which is funny because I didn't ask for one from there.

So, it is worth a shot maybe. But it did seem to take a long time to go through. I think Washington had said that you could request a fee waiver.

ditto CIC. some schools flat out say none for anyone. others, particularly those with serious endowments who have some kind of of diversity initiative in place will consider doing so. i didn't meet Yale's GPA min -- 3.5 -- but i have had SOME luck. I think 3 of mine are waived. Ask by phone, not email, is my suggestion. if you're currently in school ask them for a "hardship letter" to bolster your case and good luck. there's a paper in here somewhere about the cost of applying to higher education as a stratifying mechanism, i'm sure.

[chicagosociology]

I just received an e-mail response from Emory University, and they are waiving the application fee if I apply before December 15, 2009. Yay!