How to Get a Fee Waiver for College Applications

When you apply to college, most schools charge a processing fee—typically between $45 and $90 per application. If you are applying to six schools, that is roughly $270 to $540 out of pocket before you even know if you have been accepted. For families already worried about tuition, that upfront cost can feel like a barrier. A college application fee waiver is a formal request that eliminates this cost. You submit it alongside your application, and the college processes your materials without charging you. Fee waivers do not affect your admissions decision. Colleges want talented students regardless of financial circumstances, and admissions offices review fee-waiver applications with the same rigor and consideration as paid applications.

There are four primary fee waiver programs you should know about: the Common App fee waiver, the Coalition for College Access fee waiver, the College Board (SAT) application fee waivers, and the NACAC fee waiver form. Each has slightly different processes, but they share similar eligibility criteria rooted in financial need. You may also request a fee waiver directly from individual colleges, which many schools grant even outside of these formal programs.

Most fee waiver programs use the same core eligibility criteria. You typically qualify if you meet at least one of the following conditions: you are enrolled in or eligible for the Federal Free or Reduced Price Lunch program (FRPL); your annual family income falls within the USDA Income Eligibility Guidelines (for 2025–2026, a family of four qualifies for free meals at $41,795 or below, and reduced-price meals at $59,478 or below); you have received or are eligible for an SAT or ACT testing fee waiver; your family receives public assistance; you are enrolled in a federal, state, or local program that aids students from low-income families, such as TRIO programs like Upward Bound or GEAR UP; you live in federally subsidized public housing, a foster home, or are experiencing homelessness; you are a ward of the state or an orphan; or you have received or are eligible for a Pell Grant. If you already received a fee waiver to take the SAT or ACT, you almost certainly qualify for application fee waivers as well. Even if you do not clearly fit the criteria above, extenuating circumstances can qualify you. A school counselor, community leader, or financial aid officer can provide a supporting statement on your behalf.

The Common App is one of the easiest paths to a fee waiver because the process is integrated directly into your application. You do not need a separate form or mailing. When you fill out the “Profile” section of your Common App account, you will see a question asking whether you meet the eligibility criteria for a fee waiver. If you answer “Yes,” you will enter your electronic signature to certify your request. Your school counselor will then receive a notification to confirm your eligibility, but you can submit your applications immediately—you do not need to wait for counselor verification.

The Common App fee waiver applies to every Common App member school you apply to, with no limit on the number of applications. This is a significant advantage over some other fee waiver programs. Nearly half of all Common App member colleges do not charge an application fee in the first place, so you may find that many of your target schools are already free. Keep in mind that if your school participates in a universal free lunch program, that alone does not automatically qualify you—your individual family circumstances must meet the eligibility criteria.

The Coalition for College Access offers one of the simplest fee waiver processes available. When you create or update your profile on Scoir (the platform that hosts the Coalition application), you will find a “Fee Waiver” section with a checklist of eligibility criteria. Simply select any boxes that apply to your situation. The Coalition does not require additional documentation or verification, making it an accessible option if gathering paperwork is difficult. All Coalition member schools accept fee waivers for students who qualify for the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program, have received a College Board, ACT, or NACAC fee waiver, are eligible for a Pell Grant, or participate in TRIO programs.

Many Coalition member schools extend fee waivers even further, including for veterans and active military members, first-generation college students, students receiving public assistance, students in foster care or experiencing homelessness, and students assisted by any college access program. After you check the applicable boxes, you will see a list of schools where you can apply for free. This real-time feedback helps you build a college list without worrying about fees.

If you used a fee waiver to take the SAT, the College Board provides additional benefits that extend beyond test day—including college application fee waivers at over 2,000 participating colleges and universities. These application fee waivers appear automatically in your My SAT account once you are a high school senior and have taken the SAT with a fee waiver. You do not need to apply separately. Along with application fee waivers, you also receive unlimited free score reports to send to colleges and free CSS Profile applications to apply for financial aid at participating schools. These bundled benefits can save you hundreds of dollars across the admissions process.

To use a College Board application fee waiver at a school that is not on the Common App or Coalition App, you will typically enter a personalized code from your account or upload documentation through the school’s application portal. If you are unsure whether a school participates, search the College Board’s tool on BigFuture to find schools that accept their fee waivers. Talk to your school counselor if you believe you are eligible but have not yet received a fee waiver code.

The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) offers a downloadable fee waiver form that you can submit directly to any college’s admissions office. This is especially useful when you are applying to schools that do not use the Common App or Coalition App. NACAC recommends limiting the use of the form to four schools. The process requires three steps: you complete the student section, a school counselor or authorized official verifies your economic eligibility and signs the form, and you send the completed form directly to each college’s admissions office.

International students can also use the NACAC form by checking the “Other Request” box and explaining their financial circumstances. NACAC does not maintain a directory of schools that accept its form, so you should contact each school’s admissions office in advance to confirm they accept it and ask about their preferred delivery method (mail, email, or fax). Follow up two to four weeks after submission to check your approval status. The NACAC form and College Board fee waivers are mutually exclusive programs, meaning you can use both—up to four NACAC waivers at four schools plus College Board waivers at additional schools.

Beyond the four major fee waiver programs, many colleges offer their own institutional fee waivers. Some schools waive fees automatically based on information in your application or FAFSA. Others waive fees during specific periods, such as College Application Month campaigns or campus visit events. Some schools offer fee waivers to students who attend their virtual or in-person recruitment events, alumni-sponsored waivers, or military service waivers.

If you do not qualify through formal programs but still face financial hardship, contact the admissions office directly. A brief, honest email explaining your situation is often enough. Admissions offices would rather waive a $50 fee than lose a strong applicant. You can also look for colleges that charge no application fee at all. Over 100 U.S. colleges and universities process applications without any fee, including many respected public universities and liberal arts colleges. When researching schools, check each institution’s admissions page for fee waiver policies before assuming you must pay.

If you are a current college student looking to transfer, or an adult returning to school after time away, you may feel like fee waivers are only for high school seniors. That is not the case. NACAC offers a specific Request for Transfer Admission Application Fee Waiver Form designed for students transferring between institutions. Transfer students who are eligible for a Federal Pell Grant can use this form when applying to new colleges.

The form requires either a FAFSA Submission Summary showing Pell eligibility or verification from a financial aid officer at your current institution. If you are not Pell-eligible, you can self-certify eligibility if your family income falls within the USDA Income Eligibility Guidelines. For adults who have been out of school for a while, NACAC’s first-time applicant form is also available—you will need a professional who can certify your economic eligibility, such as a community-based organization staff member, social services representative, or religious leader. Many colleges also grant institutional fee waivers to transfer students and nontraditional applicants on request, so always check directly with each school’s admissions office.