<p>Hi. I'm dual US citizen living in Europe. I'm applying to 15 schools (in which to 3 for free) and the cumulative cost of application to them is around 700$. I found out that there is a common app fee waiver available for students who must meet at least one of the following indicators of economic need:</p>
<p>You have received or are eligible to receive an ACT or SAT testing fee waiver.
You are enrolled in or eligible to participate in the Federal Free or Reduced Price Lunch program (FRPL).
Your annual family income falls within the Income Eligibility Guidelines set by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.
You are enrolled in a federal, state, or local program that aids students from low-income families (e.g., TRIO programs such as Upward Bound).
Your family receives public assistance.
You live in a federally subsidized public housing, a foster home or are homeless.
You are a ward of the state or an orphan.
You can provide a supporting statement from a school official, college access counselor, financial aid officer, or community leader.</p>
<p>My family meets this indicator: Your annual family income falls within the Income Eligibility Guidelines set by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.</p>
<p>I basically converted my parents' income to US$ and they income actually falls within those guidelines. How can I apply for that fee waiver. I can't find this option in the common app. Should I contact each school independently and how does the whole process work with this application for fee waiver? Do I have to inform my school counsellor or can my parents send some financial verification on their own? Is there a special form that they should fill out? Finally, does it mean anything if my father owns a business? He makes a decent money when compared to our country's average salaries but when compared to $ it is not so much at all. How much time does it take to get such a fee waiver? Deadlines are approaching and I don't have much time.</p>
<p>Thank you.</p>
<p>I’ve just called collegeboard and I was informed that I’m not eligible for their fee waiver because I didn’t use their fee waiver for the sat registration.</p>
<p>What happens if I write down in the common app that I want a fee waiver? Will my counsellor get any email regarding it? How does the process work? Is it enough for him to write a simple sentence that it’ll be a hardship for me to pay those fees or should he/she fill out some form?</p>
<p>Ok. I have figured it out and now the only thing that’s on my mind is:</p>
<p>Should my counsellor select </p>
<ol>
<li>Student’s annual family income falls within the Income Eligibility Guidelines set by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.</li>
</ol>
<p>or</p>
<ol>
<li>Other request from high school principal, high school counselor, financial aid officer, or community leader.</li>
</ol>
<p>When I convert our currency into $ my family turns out to fall within those income guidelines. Is counsellor required to send a request even if not asked by any school to do so? Which way will be faster?</p>
<p>Have you considered just contacting the schools that you want to apply to and asking them to waive the fee. </p>
<p>The main reason the college board said no to your fee waiver is because for a SAT fee waiver, you must be in the U.S. Or one of its territories which you are not. You don’t meet the USDA guidelines because you are not in the U.S. Don’t set your self up by doing something fraudulent (then it will be game over). You do realize that once the counselor confirms that you are eligible for a CB fee waiver, that they must mail in the actual CB fee waiver signed by the school with their CEEB #.</p>
<p>Yes, I’ve contacted several schools today. Actually, I was told that it is perfectly fine to convert my parents’ incomes to $US and check if they fall within those guidelines. I was also informed that I should fill out the NACAC request for a fee waiver. Still, there are a few schools I haven’t contacted yet. Do all common app schools use this NACAC form? That will save me a lot of time. Do you guys think I can send this NACAC form via e-mail or only by mail?</p>
<p>However, some admission officers told me that a simple letter stating that it will be a financial hardship for my family from my counsellor with a letterhead of my school on it would be ok as well. Can I take an original letter from my counsellor, scan it and then send to other colleges I’ll be applying to? Basically, does it make any difference if the official form with a stamp on it is send by counsellor or me?</p>