For graduate and professional degree programs affiliated with the Cornell Graduate School (please refer to our Fields of Study Catalog), a nonrefundable application fee of $105 is required at the time you submit your online application. This fee covers the cost of processing your application for admission.

Payment

• You may pay using a credit or debit card.
• Payment must be made through the online application form at the time you submit your application.

Application Fee Waivers

You must request a fee waiver through the payment page of the online Application for Graduate Admission. We do not preapprove fee waivers through email.

Waiver requests are reviewed, and notifications are sent within one to three business days. Whenever possible, please submit your application with the fee waiver request at least three days before your application deadline. If your request is approved, you will receive an email confirming that your Cornell graduate application has been received. If your request is denied, you will receive an email notification asking you to revisit your application and pay the fee. 

Fee waivers may be granted for the following reasons:

1. Financial Hardship: In exceptional cases, applicants may be approved for a financial hardship waiver. Requests are only approved for applicants to fully funded doctoral or research master’s programs or those who will submit a FAFSA to apply for federal student aid to pay for their program. If you apply for a financial hardship waiver, you will need to provide a brief but well-reasoned explanation of how the application fee presents a financial hardship for you. Relevant factors include unemployment or underemployment, the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) from a recent FAFSA, economic conditions in your home country, etc. You can type your explanation on the fee waiver request page of the application form.
2. Participation in a Graduate School Pathways Program: Applicants to eligible degree programs who participated in one or more qualified Graduate School Pathways Programs may be granted a fee waiver. Not all degree programs qualify applicants for a fee waiver.