School-Based Waivers

If you do not qualify for the GRE Fee Reduction Waiver or the Program Participation Waiver, you may apply for a School-Based Waiver.

Click on the link below that corresponds to the school to which you are applying:

• Graduate School of Education
• School of Engineering
• School of Humanities and Sciences
• School of Medicine*
• Doerr School of Sustainability

*This school offers fee waivers to doctoral applicants only. Master’s applicants are not eligible.

Not sure which school your intended graduate program is in? Visit the Explore Graduate Programs page to find out.

If your graduate program is in multiple schools, refer to the guidance below:

Graduate School of Education Waiver

Overview

The Stanford Graduate School of Education is able to offer a limited number of fee waivers to applicants experiencing financial hardship. Preference is given to low-income, first-generation domestic applicants.

• You should only request a School-Based Waiver if you do not qualify for the GRE Fee Reduction Waiver or Program Participation Waiver.
• As we are paying for each request that we approve, please only submit a request if you are sure you are applying this application season.
• Note that a limited number of application fee waivers are available and applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Your request for a fee waiver, whether approved or denied, does not affect the likelihood of your admission into a graduate program.

Timeline

GSE Admissions reviews and releases our School-Based Waiver decisions in rounds. Rounds for Fall 2025-26 cycle will be open for applications starting in September 2024 and are scheduled as follows:

How to Apply for a Waiver

1. Start your graduate application and complete the following pages.* Save but do not submit your application.

   • Personal Background
   • Program Selection
   • Experience
   • Academic History
   • Test Scores (if applicable)

   *Note: You will continue to have access to make changes to these pages after you submit your fee waiver request.

2. Open the Fee Waiver Request Form.
3. Select the School-Based Waiver option. You are asked to respond to the following supplemental question:
   • Please describe (in 250 words or less) your financial need for an application fee waiver and how your life experiences, identity, research interests, perspectives, and character have shaped your past and potential contributions to the program to which you are applying.

You are notified via email when your request is approved or denied. If your request is approved, the fee waiver is automatically applied to your account and you are not prompted to pay the application fee to submit your graduate application.

Questions?

If you have questions about the Graduate School of Education Waiver, contact the GSE Admissions Office at gseadmissions@stanford.edu.

School of Engineering Waiver

Overview

Priority for fee waivers in the School of Engineering is given to students applying to doctoral programs who are: first-generation, low-income, U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and domestic undocumented or DACAmented students. International and master's program applicants who are first-generation or low-income are also eligible to apply.

• You should only request a School-Based Waiver if you do not qualify for the GRE Fee Reduction Waiver or Program Participation Waiver.
• As we are paying for each request that we approve, please only submit a request if you are sure you are applying this application season.
• Note that a limited number of application fee waivers are available and applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Your request for a fee waiver, whether approved or denied, does not affect the likelihood of your admission into a graduate program.

Timeline

The deadline to receive your fee waiver request is 10 business days (two weeks) before your intended graduate program’s application deadline. We do our best to review and respond to your application within two weeks of receipt.

How to Apply for a Waiver

1. Start your graduate application and complete the following pages.* Save but do not submit your application.

   • Personal Background
   • Program Selection
   • Experience
   • Academic History
   • Test Scores (if applicable)

   *Note: You will continue to have access to make changes to these pages after you submit your fee waiver request.

2. Open the Fee Waiver Request Form.
3. Select the School-Based Waiver option. You are asked to respond to the following supplemental question:
   • Please describe (in 250 words or less) your financial need for an application fee waiver and how your life experiences, identity, research interests, perspectives, and character have shaped your past and potential contributions to the program to which you are applying.

You are notified via email when your request is approved or denied. If your request is approved, the fee waiver is automatically applied to your account and you are not prompted to pay the application fee to submit your graduate application.

Questions?

If you have questions about the School of Engineering Waiver, contact futuregradengineer@stanford.edu.

School of Humanities and Sciences Waiver

Overview

Priority for fee waivers in the School of Humanities and Sciences is given to students who are applying to doctoral (PhD, DMA) and MFA programs, and who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or domestic undocumented or DACAmented students. International applicants are eligible to apply, but will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

• You should only request a School-Based Waiver if you do not qualify for the GRE Fee Reduction Waiver or Program Participation Waiver.
• A limited number of school-based application fee waivers are available for applicants to doctoral and MFA programs. Fee waiver applicants are reviewed on a rolling basis.
• Your request for a fee waiver, whether approved or denied, does not affect the likelihood of your admission to a graduate program.
• Fee waivers are not available to applicants to other master’s programs (MA, MS, MPP or MIP).

Timeline

To ensure timely review of your fee waiver request, please submit the fee waiver request at least two full weeks (10 business days) prior to the graduate program’s application deadline.

How to Apply for a Waiver

1. Start your graduate application and complete the following pages.* Save but do not submit your application.

   • Personal Background
   • Program Selection
   • Experience
   • Academic History
   • Test Scores (if applicable)

   *Note: You will continue to have access to make changes to these pages after you submit your fee waiver request.

2. Open the Fee Waiver Request Form.
3. Select School-Based Waiver and provide a short response to the following supplemental question:
   • Please describe (in 250 words or less) your financial need for an application fee waiver and how your life experiences, identity, research interests, perspectives, and character have shaped your past and potential contributions to the program to which you are applying.

You are notified via email when your request is approved or denied. If your request is approved, the fee waiver is automatically applied to your account and you are not prompted to pay the application fee to submit your graduate application.

Questions?

If you have questions about the School of Humanities and Sciences Waiver, email recruit_hs@stanford.edu.

School of Medicine Waiver

Overview

The School of Medicine prioritizes fee waivers for applicants to doctoral programs who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or domestic undocumented or DACAmented students. International applicants are eligible to apply, but will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Fee waivers are only available for students applying to doctoral programs; master's applicants are not eligible.

• You should only request a School-Based Waiver if you do not qualify for the GRE Fee Reduction Waiver or Program Participation Waiver.
• As we are paying for each request that we approve, please only submit a request if you are sure you are applying this application season.
• Note that a limited number of application fee waivers are available and applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Your request for a fee waiver, whether approved or denied, does not affect the likelihood of your admission into a graduate program.

Timeline

We begin reviewing fee waiver requests for autumn 2025 entry on October 14, 2024. The deadline to receive your fee waiver request is Tuesday, November 19, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. We do our best to review and respond to your request within two weeks of receipt.

How to Apply for a Waiver

1. Start your graduate application and complete the following pages.* Save but do not submit your application.

   • Personal Background
   • Program Selection
   • Experience
   • Academic History
   • Test Scores (if applicable)

   *Note: You will continue to have access to make changes to these pages after you submit your fee waiver request.

2. Open the Fee Waiver Request Form.
3. Select the School-Based Waiver option. You are asked to respond to the following supplemental question:
   • Please describe (in 250 words or less) your financial need for an application fee waiver and how your life experiences, identity, research interests, perspectives, and character have shaped your past and potential contributions to the program to which you are applying.

You are notified via email when your request is approved or denied. If your request is approved, the fee waiver is automatically applied to your account and you are not prompted to pay the application fee to submit your graduate application.

Questions?

If you have questions about the School of Medicine Waiver, contact oge-helpme@stanford.edu.

Doerr School of Sustainability Waiver

Overview

The Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability (SDSS) is providing a set number of fee waivers to students who would like to apply to graduate programs in the SDSS and are in financial need.

• You should only request a School-Based Waiver if you do not qualify for the GRE Fee Reduction Waiver or Program Participation Waiver.
• As we are paying for each request that we approve, please only submit a request if you are sure you are applying this application season.
• Note that a limited number of application fee waivers are available and applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Your request for a fee waiver, whether approved or denied, does not affect the likelihood of your admission into a graduate program.

Timeline

The deadline to receive your fee waiver request is 10 business days (two weeks) before your intended graduate program’s application deadline. We do our best to review and respond to your application within 10 business days (two weeks) before the graduate application deadline.

How to Apply for a Waiver

1. Start your graduate application and complete the following pages.* Save but do not submit your application.

   • Personal Background
   • Program Selection
   • Experience
   • Academic History
   • Test Scores (if applicable)

   *Note: You will continue to have access to make changes to these pages after you submit your fee waiver request.

2. Open the Fee Waiver Request Form.
3. Select the School-Based Waiver option. You are asked to respond to the following supplemental question:
   • Please describe (in 250 words or less) your financial need for an application fee waiver and how your life experiences, identity, research interests, perspectives, and character have shaped your past and potential contributions to the program to which you are applying.

You are notified via email when your request is approved or denied. If your request is approved, the fee waiver is automatically applied to your account and you are not prompted to pay the application fee to submit your graduate application.

Questions?

If you have questions about the Doerr School of Sustainability Waiver, contact sustainability_students@stanford.edu.