Applying to college or graduate school is expensive. Testing fees, application fees, score reports and financial aid forms add up quickly, especially for students applying to many schools. The good news: there are well-established programs designed to reduce or eliminate those costs. Here’s what’s available.

For college applicants

Testing fee waivers

Both the SAT (through the College Board) and the ACT offer fee waivers for eligible lower-income students in the U.S. Waivers typically cover registration for a set number of tests and include free score reports. Your school counselor can confirm eligibility and provide a waiver.

An SAT fee waiver can also unlock other benefits from the College Board, including college application fee waivers at many participating colleges. Ask your counselor about the full package.

Application fee waivers

  • Common App: you can indicate fee waiver eligibility directly in your application, using criteria such as eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch or receipt of an SAT or ACT fee waiver. Your counselor confirms it.
  • Individual colleges: many colleges waive fees for first-generation students, veterans, students who attend a campus visit or anyone who asks. It’s always worth checking.
  • Counselor requests: a counselor can often request a waiver on your behalf, such as through NACAC’s fee waiver form.

Financial aid forms

The FAFSA is always free. For colleges that also require the CSS Profile, fee waivers are available to eligible students and are often granted automatically based on the information you provide.

Free programs worth knowing

  • QuestBridge connects high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds with partner colleges, including through its National College Match.
  • College access nonprofits in many cities offer free advising, essay help and application support.
  • Your school counselor: even with a heavy caseload, counselors can unlock waivers, write letters and point you to local resources.

For law school applicants

LSAC fee waivers are available to applicants who demonstrate financial need. They can cover LSAT registration, the Credential Assembly Service and a set number of law school reports. Many law schools also waive application fees for applicants who receive an LSAC waiver, and some waive fees on request. Apply for the waiver before registering for the LSAT, since waivers generally aren’t retroactive.

For medical school applicants

The AAMC Fee Assistance Program (FAP) supports applicants with financial need. Benefits have included a reduced MCAT registration fee, a waiver of AMCAS application fees for a set number of schools and free access to the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) database. Check the AAMC’s site for the current terms, and apply before registering for the MCAT so you benefit from the reduced fee. Many medical schools also waive secondary application fees for FAP recipients.

For MBA applicants

Many business schools waive application fees for specific groups, such as military veterans, participants in certain diversity or nonprofit programs, or attendees of admissions events. Check each program’s admissions site or ask the admissions office directly.

Ask. Every time. Admissions offices generally don’t want cost to stop a qualified applicant. A polite email asking whether a fee waiver is available often works, even when it isn’t advertised.

How Admit Path fits in

As an initiative of the Rouben Malian Memorial Foundation Inc., we believe cost shouldn’t determine who gets expert guidance. Our Lite assessment is free for everyone, and our paid services follow a sliding scale: free for households below the federal poverty line, with steep discounts up to four times that level. We verify with simple proxies like free or reduced-price lunch or Pell Grant eligibility, never tax returns.