Application Fee Policies

The Graduate School requires a non-refundable application fee paid online by credit card at the time of application submission.

  • If you are applying to more than one graduate degree program, the fee is required for each program to which you apply.
  • If you are applying to a dual-degree program, you need to pay only the application fee for the first graduate degree program and may request a waiver for the second.

Check with the appropriate Program Director before applying to make sure the program is still accepting students for a given term. Application fees cannot be refunded to applicants who are denied admission for any reason. 


Application Fee Waivers

New applicants to degree programs who are U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents may be eligible for application fee waivers. International applicants may contact their respective Program for fee waiver consideration; otherwise, the Graduate School does not supply application fee waivers.

Eligibility and Required Documentation

FEE WAIVER TYPEELIGIBILITYDOCUMENTATION
Financial HardshipU.S. citizens, permanent residents, or undocumented applicants with demonstrated financial need. Eligible recipients are either:

Current recipients of unemployment benefits OR State of Rhode Island or U.S. Public Assistance (food stamps, cash, and medical assistance)

Currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate students with demonstrated need
A copy of part one of your FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR) or a letter indicating your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) from a financial aid representative at the institution where you are currently enrolled

OR

Unemployment benefits statement dated within the previous three months or a signed and dated statement from caseworker verifying receipt of benefits within the previous three months
Program Affiliation (see below for a list of eligible programs)Participant in undergraduate research programs or service-based organizationsNo additional documentation required
URI Graduate StudentCurrently enrolled URI graduate student applying for an additional degree or certificate programNo additional documentation required
Dual Degree applicantApplying to an approved dual degree program No additional documentation required
ABM applicantCurrently enrolled URI undergraduate applying to an approved Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s degree programNo additional documentation required

Program Affiliation Waivers

Fees may be waived for applicants in the following programs who provide an official verification letter in the “Other” documents section of the Program Materials quadrant:

  • AmeriCorps (service within the past 12 months)
  • Teach for America (service within the past 12 months)
  • Peace Corps (service within the past 12 months)
  • Gates Millennium Scholars
  • Fulbright Scholars
  • Leadership Alliance
  • Mellon Mays Minority Undergraduate Fellowship Program (MMUF)
  • Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program (McNair)
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH): BP-ENDURE, MARC, RISE, Bridges to the Doctorate, PREP, IMSD
  • National Science Foundation (NSF): LSAMP, GEOPATHS
  • National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science (GEM) Fellow
  • PhD Project: Business Doctoral Programs for Minorities
  • URI Science and Engineering Fellows
  • URI Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship [RI-INBRE or RI C-AIM/NSF EPSCoR] (SURF)
  • URI Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Oceanography (SURFO)
  • Woods Hole Partnership Education Program

Financial Hardship Fee Waivers

Applicants requesting a fee waiver based on financial hardship should note that the approval process is not automated. All requests are reviewed by Graduate School staff and are processed in the order received.

Please request a financial hardship-based waiver at least TEN BUSINESS DAYS before application deadlines. If your request is approved, you will receive an email with the coupon code and further instructions. If you submit payment before receiving a coupon code, waiver or reimbursement is no longer an option.

Submit a Waiver Request

Answer a series of questions on the initial application screening to initiate the process of applying for a fee waiver in GradCAS, EngineeringCAS, or BusinessCAS. Email all supporting documentation to GradProcessing@etal.uri.edu with the subject line “Fee Waiver Documentation.”