If you are planning to apply to graduate school in the United States for the Fall 2026 or Spring 2027 intake, one of the easiest ways to eliminate application fees without filing complex financial hardship petitions is attending official virtual information sessions.
Admissions offices across the US regularly host online open houses, departmental webinars, and virtual campus tours. Because these events require forty-five to sixty minutes of your time, universities view attendees as serious, high-intent candidates. To reward that demonstrated interest and encourage you to complete your application, many institutions automatically grant an application fee waiver code worth between $75 and $135.
By planning your calendar strategically during October, November, and December, you can easily save $500 to $1,000 across your graduate school shortlist.
In this guide, we break down verified US universities that offer fee waivers for webinar attendees, how the waiver distribution process works, and five essential rules to make sure your waiver code is never rejected.
Why US Universities Give Fee Waivers for Virtual Attendance
Graduate admissions committees care deeply about a metric known as "yield"—the percentage of admitted students who ultimately enroll. Students who actively attend online info sessions, ask questions in the chat, and learn about the faculty are statistically far more likely to accept an offer of admission than applicants who blindly submit a dossier.
Offering a fee waiver serves two purposes:
- It incentivizes qualified prospective scholars from around the world to show up and learn about degree concentrations, research labs, and funding packages.
- It eliminates the payment friction that causes many prospective students to abandon unfinished drafts inside Slate or CollegeNet.
For international applicants who face steep currency exchange rates, these virtual sessions are effectively forty-five minutes of your time in exchange for saving $100.
Verified US Universities Offering Info Session Fee Waivers
Below is a verified list of prominent US universities and specific graduate schools that regularly offer application fee waiver codes to attendees of their online admissions sessions.
1. University of Rochester (Simon Business School & AS&E)
The University of Rochester in New York is an elite private research university that actively supports prospective applicants through virtual engagement.
- Eligible Divisions: Simon Business School (MS in Business Analytics, Finance, Marketing, and MBA) as well as select divisions within Arts, Sciences and Engineering.
- How It Works: Register for and attend any scheduled Simon Virtual Information Session or Admissions Workshop. The waiver is typically applied directly to your application portal within 48 hours of attendance, or a single-use promo code is emailed to you.
- Estimated Savings: $90.
2. Northeastern University (Khoury College & Bouvé College)
Northeastern in Boston is globally recognized for experiential learning, co-op placements, and high-impact computing research.
- Eligible Divisions: Khoury College of Computer Sciences (MS in Computer Science, Align MSCS, Data Science) and Bouvé College of Health Sciences.
- How It Works: Khoury College hosts regular virtual open houses for international students. Prospective candidates who register and attend the full session receive a unique waiver code during or immediately following the event.
- Estimated Savings: $100.
3. Boston University (Metropolitan College & School of Public Health)
Boston University is a top-tier research powerhouse located along the Charles River in Massachusetts.
- Eligible Divisions: Metropolitan College (MET) offers applied degrees in Computer Information Systems, Project Management, and Applied Data Analytics. The School of Public Health also participates during selected recruitment windows.
- How It Works: BU MET hosts monthly live graduate webinars. All attendees who participate in the live Q&A receive an application fee waiver code valid for the upcoming academic cycle.
- Estimated Savings: $85.
4. Johns Hopkins University (Carey Business School & School of Education)
As America's first research university, Johns Hopkins in Baltimore holds a global reputation in healthcare, analytics, education, and international policy.
- Eligible Divisions: Carey Business School (MS in Information Systems, Business Analytics, Finance) and the School of Education.
- How It Works: Carey regularly hosts virtual admissions webinars covering curriculum and scholarship options. Attending an eligible webinar automatically qualifies you for a full application fee waiver.
- Estimated Savings: $100.
5. George Mason University (Costello College & Schar School)
Located just outside Washington, D.C., George Mason is a high-ranking public research university with strong industry and governmental connections.
- Eligible Divisions: Costello College of Business and the Schar School of Policy and Government.
- How It Works: Prospective graduate applicants who participate in a virtual information session receive an email confirming that their application fee has been waived when they submit before the stated priority deadline.
- Estimated Savings: $75.
6. Stevens Institute of Technology
Stevens is a premier private technical university in Hoboken, New Jersey, directly overlooking the Manhattan skyline.
- Eligible Divisions: School of Engineering and Science, School of Business, and School of Systems and Enterprises.
- How It Works: Stevens hosts regular virtual open houses and graduate webinars. Attendees who complete the full online presentation receive a waiver code to enter at checkout.
- Estimated Savings: $60.
7. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)
RPI in Troy, New York, is the oldest technological research university in the English-speaking world, renowned for computer engineering, aeronautics, and materials science.
- Eligible Divisions: School of Science, School of Engineering, and Lally School of Management.
- How It Works: Participating in designated virtual recruitment sessions or online graduate showcases frequently provides attendees with an institutional waiver code.
- Estimated Savings: $75.
8. Bentley University (McCallum Graduate School of Business)
Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts, is dedicated to business, accounting, data analytics, and digital technology.
- Eligible Divisions: All Master of Science degree programs in the McCallum Graduate School of Business.
- How It Works: Register for an online graduate info session on the Bentley events calendar. Attendance automatically waives the application fee upon submission.
- Estimated Savings: $75.
9. Fordham University (Gabelli School of Business & GSAS)
Fordham is a prestigious private research university located in New York City with campuses in Manhattan and the Bronx.
- Eligible Divisions: Gabelli School of Business and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
- How It Works: Gabelli hosts regular online spotlight webinars covering specific MS programs (such as Quantitative Finance and Business Analytics). A fee waiver code is provided to attendees.
- Estimated Savings: $100.
10. Drexel University
Drexel in Philadelphia is known for its cooperative education model and comprehensive graduate research programs in biomedical sciences, computing, and media arts.
- Eligible Divisions: Graduate College programs across participating colleges.
- How It Works: Attending a virtual graduate open house or designated online info session automatically waives the standard graduate application fee.
- Estimated Savings: $65.
Summary Table: US Graduate Info Session Fee Waivers
| University | Location | Participating Graduate Divisions | Typical Waiver Delivery | Estimated Savings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Rochester | Rochester, NY | Simon Business School, AS&E | Applied to portal or emailed within 48h | $90 |
| Northeastern University | Boston, MA | Khoury College, Bouvé College | Distributed in webinar chat or follow-up | $100 |
| Boston University | Boston, MA | Metropolitan College (MET), SPH | Code emailed post-event | $85 |
| Johns Hopkins University | Baltimore, MD | Carey Business School, Education | Applied automatically to applicant profile | $100 |
| George Mason University | Fairfax, VA | Costello Business, Schar School | Confirmation email with waiver voucher | $75 |
| Stevens Institute of Technology | Hoboken, NJ | Engineering, Business, Systems | Displayed at end of session or emailed | $60 |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute | Troy, NY | Science, Engineering, Management | Code shared with live attendees | $75 |
| Bentley University | Waltham, MA | McCallum Business School | System auto-waives fee at checkout | $75 |
| Fordham University | New York, NY | Gabelli School of Business, GSAS | Promo code provided to live attendees | $100 |
| Drexel University | Philadelphia, PA | Graduate College (Participating) | Automatic portal credit post-session | $65 |
5 Essential Rules to Guarantee Your Waiver Code Works
Attending a webinar is only half the battle. If you make any administrative mistakes during registration, the admissions system will fail to link your attendance to your application file. Follow these five rules:
1. Use the Exact Same Email Address Everywhere
This is the single most common reason applicants lose their fee waivers. Graduate admissions systems (like Slate) match your webinar attendance to your application file using your primary email address.
If you register for the Zoom webinar using one email account, but create your university application portal account with a different email, the automated match will fail, and you will be prompted to pay at checkout. Always use one dedicated, professional email address for all graduate admissions activities.
2. Stay for the Entire Presentation
Many universities use enterprise Zoom or Webex platforms that track attendee engagement down to the exact second. If a webinar is scheduled for sixty minutes and you leave after ten minutes, the software logs you as "Incomplete Attendance."
Admissions coordinators export attendance lists based on minimum watch thresholds (often 70% to 80% of the session length). Plan to stay through the end of the question-and-answer period.
3. Check How the Code is Delivered
Different universities handle distribution in three distinct ways:
- The Final Slide: The presenter displays a slide with a promo code and instructs attendees to copy it down.
- Follow-Up Email: An email is sent twenty-four to seventy-two hours after the event containing a personalized code or confirming that your fee has been waived.
- Backend Auto-Match: No code is required; the admissions CRM detects your matching email and sets your balance to $0 behind the scenes.
Always take notes during the presentation so you do not miss instructions given verbally by the admissions director.
4. Have Your Application Draft Started First
Some universities only apply webinar waivers if you already have an active application draft created in their system, or require you to submit within fourteen to thirty days of the event.
Starting your application draft before attending the session demonstrates strong organization. Prepare your core materials—such as your statement of purpose, updated resume, and unofficial transcripts—so that you can submit promptly once the waiver is issued.
If you are drafting your application essays, you can use the Abroaducate AI Statement of Purpose Assistant to generate tailored, university-aligned drafts that directly reflect the research focus and academic priorities highlighted during the info session.
5. Watch Out for Non-English Transcripts
While the info session eliminates your application fee, universities still require you to submit clear academic records. If your degree certificate, transcript, or course syllabi were issued in a language other than English (such as French, Spanish, or Arabic), you will need an official certified translation for admissions review.
To prevent delays and ensure your paperwork meets university standards, you can order university-accepted certified translations through ImmiTranslate Certified Translations.
How to Find Upcoming Info Sessions
Admissions webinars are not always advertised on social media. To track down upcoming events:
- Visit University Graduate Admissions Calendars: Search for "[University Name] graduate admissions virtual events" or check the "Connect With Us" page on department websites.
- Join University Mailing Lists: Submit a prospective student inquiry form on department pages. Once you are in their recruitment database, you will receive direct email invitations to upcoming virtual open houses.
- Compare Program Deadlines on Abroaducate: Use our European and US Program Finder to track program intakes and early priority deadlines, ensuring your webinar attendance is timed before priority cutoffs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can international students outside the US attend these virtual sessions?
Yes. Virtual information sessions are explicitly designed to reach a global audience. Whether you are tuning in from Lagos, Mumbai, London, or Nairobi, all international prospective students who attend live are eligible for the fee waiver unless the department explicitly specifies domestic residency.
What should I do if the fee waiver code is not applied at checkout?
Do not submit and pay with a credit card expecting a refund later; US universities rarely refund application fees once paid. Instead, contact the graduate admissions coordinator listed for your program. Send a polite email stating the date and title of the webinar you attended, the email address you used to register, and your application reference number. The coordinator will manually apply the waiver to your portal.
Do info session fee waivers expire?
Yes. Most webinar fee waivers come with an expiration date, commonly between thirty to ninety days after the event, or by the department's priority deadline (such as December 15 or January 15). Always check the validity window so your code does not expire before submission.
Start Booking Your Info Sessions Today
Taking an hour to attend an online admissions presentation is one of the highest-return activities in your graduate application journey. You learn firsthand what professors are looking for, understand department funding opportunities, and save $75 to $135 on every single application.
- Build your tailored academic essay using our AI Statement of Purpose Generator.
- Check program requirements and deadlines on the Abroaducate Program Finder.
- Find external funding and fellowships on the Abroaducate Scholarship Radar.
