Graduate Information
PhD Applications for Fall 2023 are now closed.
It is no longer possible to submit a PhD application fee waiver request for Fall 2023.
PhD applications for Fall 2024 will open on September 1, 2023.
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In an effort to reduce financial barriers to attending graduate school, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GRS) offers application fee waivers to qualifying GRS applicants. To apply for a fee waiver for a PhD or MFA program offered by GRS, please review your eligibility and fill out the form below. Once the submitted information is reviewed and verified (which may take up to five business days), we will provide a fee waiver code via email. All requests will be reviewed during regular office office hours (9am-5pm local time, Monday-Friday), except on holidays and during intersession.
Please note:
- All requests must be received at least five business days prior to the application deadline.
- Do not submit your application with a payment, as paid application fees cannot be refunded.
- Non-degree applicants and those applying to programs not offered by GRS are ineligible for GRS application fee waivers.
- If the application fee waiver request is for a GRS Master’s (MA or MS) program, please visit the Master’s Application Fee Waiver page instead.
- If you are applying to a program at Boston University not offered by GRS, please reach out to the respective schools directly, for example:
Application Fee Waiver Eligibility
Special Programs, Events, and Fellowships
U.S Citizens and Permanent Residents only
We are pleased to offer application fee waivers to those who have participated in the following qualified programs, events, and fellowships as a current participant or recent alumni (within the last two years). You will need to provide documentation of your participation or affiliation with your request.
- Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS)
- Gates Millennium Scholars Program
- Education Pioneers
- Federal TRIO/McNair Scholars program
- National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science (GEM)
- Institute for Recruitment of Teachers (IRT)
- Jackie Robinson Foundation
- Leadership Brainery
- Laureates & Leaders Program
- National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE)
- National service organizations, including Alpha Phi Omega (APO), AmeriCorps, City Year, Peace Corps, Teach for America
- Posse Foundation scholars
- Project 1000
- Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (RISE)
- Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS)
Participation in a program not listed above may still qualify you for an application fee waiver, provided it meets the following criteria:
- Mission explicitly aligns with the Graduate School’s Statement on Diversity
- Demonstrates a clear directive for students to enter a doctoral or research program
- Is represented or has chapters at more than one U.S. university campus
First-Generation Applicants
U.S Citizens and Permanent Residents only
Included in this group are first-generation students where neither parent(s) nor grandparent(s) have obtained a four-year degree.
You will need to provide a current copy of your resume and a brief statement supporting your request.
Female* applicants applying to STEM programs in which women are significantly underrepresented
*Included in this group are woman-identified individuals and/or persons assigned female at birth (AFAB).
Applicants who are applying to a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) program, which includes Astronomy, Biostatistics, Chemistry, Computer Science, Earth & Environment, Economics, Mathematics, Physics, and Statistics.
You will need to provide a current copy of your resume and a brief statement supporting your request.
Documented financial hardship
U.S Citizens and Permanent Residents only
Applicants with documented financial hardship will be required to provide supporting documentation for at least one of the following, along with a brief 100-250 words explanation:
- Undergraduate Pell Grant recipients
- An official statement of need, which includes your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) or Student Aid Index (SAI), from a financial aid officer at your current institution
- A copy of your FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR), with your Social Security Number obscured
- An official verification of current participation in a U.S. government low-income aid program, such as Unemployment, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Welfare, Medicaid, etc.
- A copy of a waiver granted by ETS for GRE fee within the past year
Do not send copies of tax returns, bank statements, or any document that contains your social security number.
Sponsorship by an outside organization
International Applicants only
If you are applying through an outside organization that will sponsor your student visa and provide funding for your studies, you will need to provide documentation of sponsorship with your request.
Eligible outside organizations include:
- Amid East
- DAAD-German American Exchange
- Fulbright
- LASPAU – Academic and Professional Programs for the Americas
- IIE – Institute of International Education
University affiliations
U.S Citizens and Permanent Residents only
Current students and alumni of:
- Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions
- Historically Black Colleges
- Hispanic Serving Institutions
- Minority Serving Institution
- Native American-Serving Non-Tribal Institutions
- Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions
- Tribal Colleges and Universities
Military service
U.S Citizens and Permanent Residents only
Included in this group are U.S. military veterans with Honorable Discharges or those who are on active duty in U.S. Armed Forces. You will need to provide proof of service or discharge.
Extenuating circumstances
U.S Citizens and Permanent Residents only
If you do not meet the criteria to request a standard fee waiver above, you may request a fee waiver under extenuating circumstances.
The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences will consider a waiver of the application fee for applicants who are currently experiencing a personal hardship, or other circumstances that make paying the application fee unduly onerous. You will need to provide a brief statement supporting your request, and upload additional documentation, such as letters from your university or other financial documents to support your petition.
Do not send copies of tax returns, bank statements, or any document that contains your social security number or other sensitive data.
Recommendation by the department
Applicants who would like to request an application fee waiver but do not meet any of the criteria listed on this page should email the department directly (see the list below). Do not submit the form below, as it cannot be forwarded to the departments. Please contact your respective program accordingly and include your CAS ID, resume, personal statement, research summary, and a copy of your transcript(s) in your email to the department. If the department determines that the applicant is eligible, the department will provide an application fee waiver.
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