This US university is waiving their international student application fee

Here’s some welcome news for international students who wish to study abroad in the US — the University of Cincinnati (UC) is waiving its application fee for a two-week period starting Nov. 2 through Nov. 15, 2020, said the university in a statement.

The move aims to lighten the financial load of students who wish to pursue their higher education during the pandemic.

The 50 American dollars application fee is being waived for all prospective undergraduate students, all campuses and all programmes, while the US$100 application fee is being waived for international students as well.

“Although there is a great deal of uncertainty still in our world, one thing we want students to be certain about is that the University of Cincinnati has their best interest in mind,” said interim Assistant Vice Provost of Admissions Linden Pechette. “We are committed to access for students, and we want them to feel confident in taking this next step toward their future.”

Pechette said UC’s admissions team has been doing outreach to better understand student concerns and working towards addressing these barriers.

“The application fee is another barrier that may be keeping students from applying,” she said.

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— Study International (@Study_INTNL) October 30, 2020

Previously, the university waived fees leading up to the fall 2020 application deadline, but that was limited to transfer applicants. 

“We heard from many students that this was a relief to them because it was one less thing for them to worry about when considering UC as their future academic home,” said Pechette. 

“By removing this barrier, our hope is that we give many students who are still uncertain the opportunity to keep UC on their list of options for next year. By submitting an application, students have the flexibility to choose later what’s the right fit for them.”

Application fees can be a financial strain for international students who wish to apply to multiple institutions.

Not all universities have waived their application fees, but some institutions offer international students affordable application fees, including Jackson State University (US$25) and Alcorn State University (US$10).