Who qualifies
The Common App lists the situations that make you eligible for its fee waiver. Most are tied to US programs: free or reduced-price school lunch, an SAT or ACT fee waiver, US public assistance, a Pell Grant. The one most international students can use is the last on the list: a supporting statement from a school official, a college access counselor, a financial aid officer or a community leader confirming that the fee would be a hardship for your family.
Source: Common App, "What do I need to know about the Common App fee waiver?".
How to request it
- In the Common App, the Profile section asks whether you meet the fee waiver requirements. Answer yes and choose the indicator that applies to you.
- Tell your counselor before you submit: they confirm your eligibility from their side.
- Check each university on your list. The waiver only applies where it's accepted for international applicants: see the 436 universities that accept it from international students.
Where it works, where it doesn't
| Common App fee waiver | Universities that charge internationals a fee |
|---|---|
| Accepted from international applicants | 436 |
| US students only | 86 |
| Not accepted | 17 |
Each university's page on Edlume shows its policy, and your plan flags any university on your list whose waiver is for US students only.
Free anyway: no application fee
544 US universities charge international applicants no application fee for 2026–27: see the full list. On the other hand, 152 charge international applicants more than Americans: the list.
If a university doesn't accept it
- Some universities have their own fee waiver request, or waive the fee if your counselor writes to the admissions office. Ask before you pay.
- Sending official SAT/ACT and English test scores is paid separately to the testing organizations.
Questions
Can international students use the Common App fee waiver?
Yes, at 436 US universities that charge a fee for 2026–27. 86 keep it for US students only and 17 don't accept it.
Who confirms an international student's fee waiver?
Usually your school counselor or another school official, who confirms in their own Common App account that the fee would be a hardship for your family.
Which US universities are free to apply to for international students?
544 for 2026–27: they charge international applicants no application fee at all.