You may be eligible for an application fee waiver through the University of Minnesota or the PMB Graduate Program.
University of Minnesota
Submit a Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) FreeApp to determine your eligibility for a fee waiver through the University of Minnesota Graduate School Diversity Office.
Each university grants FreeApp waivers on a case-by-case basis according to local criteria. In addition to the local BTAA criteria, applicants requesting a FreeApp from the University of Minnesota must meet the following minimum criteria to receive consideration:
- Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
- Have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.2 (on a 4.0 scale).
- Must intend to pursue an academic or research career.
- Must not be a current graduate student or have already received a post bachelor's degree. (We want to give everyone an opportunity.)
- Have participated in a McNair, MARC, Howard Hughes, MBRS/RISE, LSAMP, Meyerhoff, North Star STEM Alliance, or COR program.
PMB Graduate Program
If you are not eligible for a fee waiver through the University of Minnesota Graduate School Diversity Office, you may be eligible for an application fee waiver from the PMB Graduate Program. Send an email to seliason@umn.edu with a brief statement explaining your situation. Attach to the email a transcript (an unofficial one suffices) and, if applicable, copies of recent financial aid awards or similar evidence for financial need. Send any questions about fee waivers to seliason@umn.edu.
Decisions on fee waivers are made based on:
Personal background
- Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher (on a 4.0 scale)
- U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- First-generation college student
- Financial need (Pell Grant recipient, Ronald E. McNair Scholar, etc.)
- Military service
Participation in
- Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs)
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP)
- Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs)
- Career Opportunities in Research (COR) program
- Life Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Program (LSSURP)
- Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP)
- Meyerhoff Scholarship Program
- Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC)
- Minority Biomedical Research Support-Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (MBRS-RISE) program
- Summer research program at another institution
- Summer research program at the University of Minnesota
- other
Questions
Who do I contact with questions?
Email Sara Eliason, PMB Graduate Program Coordinator, at seliason@umn.edu
Can I defer payment of the application fee until the department makes a decision on admission?
No, the application fee cannot be deferred. To be eligible for admission and financial support, you must submit your application and pay the application fee (or get a fee waiver) by December 1.
Can I have a friend or relative in the United States pay the application fee for me?
Yes. The payment must be made by credit card before you can submit your application.