Need-Based Application Fee Waiver

Waivers of the application fee are available for students who who meet all the following criteria:

  • U.S. citizens or current permanent residents
  • Currently enrolled in a college or university and receiving need-based financial aid. Submit a statement from your Financial Aid officer confirming this status and stating that payment of the $100 application fee would be a financial hardship.
  • A grade point average of at least 3.0 (or the equivalent) in undergraduate course work and in all postgraduate-level or graduate course work. Exceptions are possible based on ability or potential for graduate work demonstrated by other means. If your GPA does not meet this minimum, please include a short (<1 page) statement addressing this topic.  If you are below this minimum GPA and do not include a statement, you are not eligible to apply for a fee waiver.

The waiver application deadline is November 18, 2022. Please send a brief email confirming that you meet the eligibility criteria along with the aforementioned statement to our Graduate Chair at grad-chair AT ifa.hawaii.edu.

You must apply for and receive a fee waiver before you submit your online application for graduate study. If your request for a fee waiver is denied, you will be notified and instructed to pay the fee.

Please note that a limited number of application fee waivers are available.

Acceptance or denial of your application for a fee waiver does not affect your application during the review process.