Eligible applicants will be able to submit a fee waiver request after completing the certification page of their application. A link to the fee waiver form will be made available after certifying your application. Eligible applicants to EECS can fill out an application fee waiver at the link provided in the FAQ section of the EECS admissions website.

Application fee waivers are only available for existing applications. Applicants must submit a fee waiver request for each application they plan to submit. The Office of Graduate Education will grant up to three (3) fee waivers per applicant.

NOTE: The typical fee waiver form is not supported for applicants to the System Design Management (SDM) program. If you are applying to one of these programs, please contact the department to which you are applying directly to request a fee waiver. 

When submitting the application fee waiver form: 

You will need to include valid documentation to support your request where indicated.

You may submit your application prior to receiving a decision on your fee waiver request; doing so will take you to the payment page of your application status portal. If you submit your application prior to receiving a decision on your fee waiver request, do not make a payment until you receive an email regarding your waiver status from the Office of Graduate Education.

If you are approved for a fee waiver after submitting your application, your payment page will automatically disappear and your application will be considered complete.

Please allow 5 business days to receive a decision on your fee waiver request. Due to the high volume of requests we receive, we cannot guarantee a response sooner. When a decision is made on your fee waiver request, the Office of Graduate Education will notify you by email. 

NOTE: The Office of Graduate Education will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday on Wednesday, November 26 through Friday, November 28, 2025. These dates are not considered business days. Waiver requests submitted immediately prior to the Thanksgiving closure may require additional time to review.

Graduate program application deadlines vary; please follow instructions for the specific program(s) to which you will apply. Information on all program deadlines can be found at our Degree Programs directory.

Fee waiver deadlines are determined by the application deadline of the department to which you are applying. Please read the fee waiver deadlines below carefully.

• Fee waiver requests are due by November 17 for all programs with a December 1 application deadline
• Fee waiver requests are due by December 1 for all programs with an application deadline between December 15–23
• Fee waiver requests are due by December 15 for all programs with an application deadline in January or later

The Office of Graduate Education will not consider application fee waiver requests for an application if its fee waiver deadline has passed. We are not accepting appeals to this policy. 

Once a decision has been made on your fee waiver request, you will receive an email notifying you of the decision. 

Approved fee waivers

Approved fee waivers are applied automatically to the application through which you requested the waiver. After being notified of your fee waiver approval, you will not be prompted to submit a payment. If you submit your application prior to receiving an application fee waiver, your payment requirement will be automatically removed.

Once you are notified of your fee waiver approval, please check your application status page to make sure that you are no longer prompted for a payment.

Denied fee waivers

If you are denied a fee waiver, you will be required to submit a payment to complete your application. Applications are not considered complete until a payment has been received. 

NOTE: Incomplete applications will not be considered for admission, regardless of submission status.

When submitting an application fee waiver request form, you certify that the information provided is accurate and truthful to the best of your knowledge. Should any information or documentation provided within your request be found to be knowingly inaccurate or falsified at any point, you understand that MIT reserves the right to deny your waiver request, rescind any waivers that may have been granted, and/or require a written explanation of any misrepresentation of information, which may become part of your application record and considered in connection with any admissions decisions.

US citizens and US permanent residents may request a graduate application fee waiver if they meet one of the criteria below:

• Demonstrated financial hardship in the past year
  • NOTE: “Past year” is defined as the 12 months prior to the date of the fee waiver request.
• Participated in select graduate research preparation programs in the past 3 years (see “Graduate research preparation programs” section for more information)
• Served as a current or former member of the United States Armed Forces

International applicants may request a graduate application fee waiver if they meet both criteria below:

• Attending a college or university in the U.S. at the time of the waiver request
• Participated in select graduate research preparation programs

Applicants with U.S. citizenship or U.S. permanent resident status must demonstrate proof of financial hardship in the last twelve (12) months. This may take the form of receiving significant need-based financial aid, earning an income that meets the federal or local standard for low-income households, or enrolling in public assistance programs.

Eligible applicants must upload at least one of the following options of documentation:

• FAFSA Student Aid Report that includes your Student Aid Index (SAI)
• Verification letter from financial aid officer at your most recent institution​
• Financial aid billing statement of need-based aid​
• Recent income statements
• Income verification letter from current employer​
• Letter or email from ETS approving a GRE Fee Reduction waiver

NOTE: Please redact any sensitive information, such as your address, Social Security Number, or tax ID, from personal documents.

International applicants with financial hardship

Unfortunately, the Office of Graduate Education cannot consider fee waiver requests solely on the basis of financial hardship for our international applicants. Because the Institute is located in the U.S., MIT relies on evidence from applicants of their use of economic intervention policies, based on the American federal poverty level, to assess financial hardship.

While we understand and are sensitive to global economic hardships, we cannot assess the measure for financial hardship for countries other than the U.S. At this time, we will not consider international applicants’ requests for fee waivers on the basis of financial hardship.

Applicants may qualify for a fee waiver if they have participated in a program designed to prepare students for graduate-level research and study. These programs typically:

• Include a required research experience or project
• Provide structured guidance on navigating the “hidden curriculum” of graduate education—for example, how to apply to graduate school, work with faculty mentors, or prepare for advanced coursework and research

Such programs may include institutionally sponsored or national/federal initiatives.

Eligible applicants must upload at least one of the following options of documentation:

• Copy of a certificate of award or completion from the program
• Documentation from the program illustrating your participation or membership
• Program schedule or course information displaying your name

Current or former service members in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, or Space Force of the United States may receive a fee waiver on this basis. Please be advised that falsely claiming to be a U.S. service member is a federal offense under 10 USC 906: Art. 106. Impersonation of officer, noncommissioned or petty officer, or agent or official.