Fee Excemption for Low Income Students

Sept. 2, 2019

Attending a post-secondary institution presents many problems for people from low-income backgrounds who struggle to access opportunities available to the general population. Although attending post-secondary is expensive, the opportunity that it provides to propel low-income students to the middle class is well documented. Many institutions and programs are set in place to lighten the financial burden associated with post-secondary education, however many programs such as study abroad continue to remain out of reach for many people. We believe that travel and learning firsthand about other cultures offers a valuable opportunity for growth that can not be met in the classroom. Therefore, it is our goal to help make such opportunities accessible to the broadest range of students possible.

Although studying abroad inevitably increases the financial burden associated with post-secondary education, we think the opportunity should be as accessible as possible for students coming from low-income households. Financial burdens should not be a factor that prevent somebody access to an experience that may play a pivotal role in their education. In pursuit of this goal, we offer our service to people who meet certain requirements, free of charge.

To be eligible for the fee exemption, the student must be enrolled full-time at an accredited post-secondary institution, actively pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree. In addition, the student’s combined, federal adjusted income must be no greater than 200% of the federal poverty level. For students with a federal adjusted income that ranges between 200% and 400% of the federal poverty level, we offer our service at or below cost. For more information on the financial requirements for your state, please visit aspe.hhs.gov.

Eligible students must provide sufficient documentation to prove that they meet the aforementioned requirements, as well as a personal essay that describes their specific situation and how they intend to benefit from studying abroad. Please submit all documentation via email to [email protected] with the heading “Student visa appointment fee exemption”.