FreeApp Eligibility

Waiver Submission

To be eligible to submit a FreeApp form, you must meet all of the following criteria:

• Have completed a bachelor's degree by the August preceding enrollment in the graduate program
• Seeking admission to a Ph.D. program or a terminal Master of Fine Arts (MFA) program
• Be a citizen or a permanent resident of the U.S.
• Have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher (4.0 scale)
• Intend to pursue an academic and/or research career

Waiver Approval

The criteria listed above are the minimum requirements for consideration. The FreeApp waiver program is very competitive, and a limited number of waivers are available. FreeApp waivers are granted by each university on a case-by-case basis. 

The FreeApp program will end during the 2026-27 application cycle. Participating universities have each chosen their own date to stop processing FreeApp request forms, and students may continue to submit request forms through FreeApp until that institution's deadline. Click here to see FreeApp Deadlines.