Application Fee Waivers

Contents

Application Fee Waivers: Important Information and FAQs

*Applicable for prospective students applying 2023-2024 to start in autumn 2024.

  • Codes are individually generated and will only work for the specific applicant who requested it. If a fee waiver code is submitted but does not match the applicant’s email in the admissions database, it will not work.
  • Fee waiver applications require processing time- do not wait until the last minute to request one!
  • Some applicants will need to provide specific documentation to prove eligibility
    • In some cases, proof of eligibility such as your offer letter from your affiliated program like MARC or McNair etc. or your award letter for your financial aid package must be submitted with the fee waiver application.
    • Most students who receive any form of financial aid should be eligible for a fee waiver, including DACA students

Fee waiver eligibility by program

General information on application fee waivers can be found on the UChicago GRAD website, but eligibility criteria varies by program. Specific information for the BSD, PSD, PME, and psychology programs are listed below.

Biological Sciences Division

Full details available at: Application FAQs | UChicago Biosciences | The University of Chicago.

How to apply for a fee waiver 

In order to request an application fee waiver, you must first submit an application. Once an application is submitted, your application status portal will display the option to request a fee waiver by filling out a short form and providing documentation, if required. If you are applying to one of the schools or divisions which allows multiple applications, you will need to ensure you are on the status page of the correct application; a separate waiver request must be submitted for each application.

Application fees are non-refundable. If you intend to submit a fee waiver request, do not pay the application fee until you receive a decision about your request. If you pay the application fee, and later have your waiver request approved, the fee will not be refunded.

Fee Waiver Categories and General Eligibility Criteria 

  • University of Chicago degree program students and alumni
  • Current or recent participants in one of the qualifying programs
    • CIC Applicants
    • Fulbright/IIE Fellowship Recipient
    • Gates Millennium Scholars
    • Leadership Alliance Summer Research Early Identification Program
    • Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC)
    • McNair Scholars Program
    • Post-baccalaureate Research Education Program (PREP)
    • Project 1000
    • Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)
    • Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
  • U.S. armed forces or uniformed services: currently serving (active duty or reserves) or honorably discharged
  • Current undergraduates receiving need-based aid from a U.S. institution
  • Valid fee waiver codes received from an authorized representative of the University of Chicago
    • Codes will be reviewed to ensure that they are valid and were sent to you by an authorized representative. Programs may only accept their own codes, not those issued by other departments of the University. Do not contact faculty or staff to request codes.
  • Students who have graduated or plan to graduate from a post-secondary minority-serving institution (Historically Black College or University, Hispanic-Serving Institution, Tribal College or University, Asian American and Pacific Islander Serving Institution, etc.). 

Physical Sciences Division

Full details at Application Requirements | Physical Sciences Division

How to submit a fee waiver
In order to request an application fee waiver, you must first submit an application. Once an application is submitted, your application status portal will display the option to request a fee waiver by filling out a short form and providing documentation, if required. If you are applying to one of the schools or divisions which allows multiple applications, you will need to ensure you are on the status page of the correct application; a separate waiver request must be submitted for each application.

Application fees are non-refundable. If you intend to submit a fee waiver request, do not pay the application fee until you receive a decision about your request. If you pay the application fee, and later have your waiver request approved, the fee will not be refunded.

Fee Waiver Categories and General Eligibility Criteria

  • University of Chicago degree program students and alumni
  • Current or recent participants in the following  qualifying programs
    • AmeriCorps/Vista
    • Currently serving or honorably discharged members of the U.S. armed forces or uniformed services (active duty or reserves)
    • Fulbright Scholars
    • Gates Millennium Scholars
    • National GEM Consortium
    • Institute for the Recruitment of Teachers
    • Leadership Alliance
    • McNair Scholars
    • Mellon Mays
    • Peace Corps
    • Teach for America
  • Participants in Physical Sciences Division summer programs and REUs
    • Center for Data and Computing Summer Lab
    • Computer Science Summer Research Fellowship Program
    • Mathematics REU
    • MRSEC REU
    • PKU-UChicago Chemistry Summer Research Program
    • Summer Undergraduate Mathematics and Statistics Accelerator (SUMSA)
  • Current undergraduates receiving need-based aid from a U.S. institution
  • Valid fee waiver codes received from an authorized representative of the University of Chicago.
  • Financial Hardship
    • The Physical Sciences Division provides fee waivers for Ph.D. program applicants (including international students) and domestic students with financial hardship applying to M.S. programs. 
    • You must upload a brief statement which explains the financial hardship and explains how you plan to fund your graduate studies. If you are applying for or hold external funding, you may submit a copy of your award letter, or include in your statement the name(s) of the funds you are applying for and the date(s) on which you expect to receive notification.
    • Please note: Financial hardship application fee waivers are not available to international students applying to M.S. programs.
  • Students who have graduated or plan to graduate from a post-secondary minority-serving institutions (Historically Black College or University, Hispanic-Serving Institution, Tribal College or University, Asian American and Pacific Islander Serving Institution, etc.). 

Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering

Full details on PME fee waivers available at How to Apply | Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering

How to apply for a fee waiver

Applicants for admission can request a fee waiver by completing the fee waiver form found on the instructions page of the application for admission. The waiver form requires a concise and complete reason for the request. Current UChicago students seeking a waiver must provide their current student ID number.

Fee Waiver Categories and General Eligibility Criteria

All applicants meeting the following criteria and providing appropriate supporting documentation will be considered for a fee waiver:

  • Past/current participants with the Peace Corps, Teach for America, U.S. military veterans and personnel, and alumni of a variety of academic preparatory and service programs, as detailed in the application instructions.
  • Applicants meeting eligibility requirements may also qualify through Big Ten Academic Alliance. BTAA FreeApp recipients must then follow emailed instructions from UChicagoGrad Admissions.

 

Psychology Department

Full details on social sciences fee waivers available at Application Fee | The University of Chicago Division of the Social Sciences

How to apply for a fee waiver

Applicants requesting a fee waiver must first submit their application and then submit the fee waiver request form located on the application status page. Applicants requesting a waiver must not submit an application fee; application fees are non-refundable once paid even if the applicant is qualified for a waiver.

Fee Waiver Categories and General Eligibility Criteria

Application fee waivers are available under the following categories.

  • University of Chicago degree program students or alumnus
  • Current/recent participants in a qualifying program. Documentation certifying participation is required. Acceptable forms of documentation include award or acceptance letters, letters from program directors, program completion certificates, etc.:
    • AmeriCorps/Vista
    • Bill and Melinda Gates Millennium Scholars
    • Institute for the Recruitment of Teachers (IRT)
    • Leadership Alliance
    • Fulbright/IIE Fellowship recipient
    • Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship
    • Peace Corps
    • Public Policy and International Affairs Program (PPIA)
    • Ronald McNair Scholars and/or Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program
    • Summer Institute for Social Science Research Methods
    • Teach for America
    • U.S. Armed Forces or uniformed services: Currently serving (active duty or reserve) or honorably discharged
  • Current undergraduates receiving need-based financial aid from a U.S. institution
  • Valid fee waiver codes received from an authorized representative
    • Application fee waiver codes may be distributed on a limited basis at in-person University of Chicago events or in connection with membership in a partner organization. Please do not contact admissions offices or faculty to request a code. Not all codes issued by all programs at the University of Chicago are valid for a Social Sciences Division application; questions about code validity should be emailed to gradadmissions@uchicago.edu.
  • Individuals experiencing financial hardship
    • Applicants who are experiencing financial hardship may be considered for a fee waiver by providing a written statement explaining their financial hardship and their plans to fund their program. Eligibility criteria are:
    • Doctoral applicants: Applicants must submit an explanation of their hardship and include information on how they intend to support the expenses involved in beginning a graduate program which will not provide funding until the start of Autumn Quarter.
    • Master’s applicants who will not need visa sponsorship by the University of Chicago: Applicants must provide a statement detailing their hardship and include information about their plans to fund their education.
    • Master’s applicants who will need visa sponsorship by the University of Chicago: Applicants will not be considered for a fee waiver unless they have an already been awarded, or already applied, for a source of funding that will cover the cost of their graduate study. Applicants must provide a statement that includes information about their plans to fund their education.
  • Individuals who received a post-secondary degree from a Historically Black College or University (HBCU), Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), or Minority-Serving Institution (MSI)