Avoid the UC Berkeley Application Fee With DoNotPay

iEditorial Note: These blog posts represent the opinion of DoNotPay’s Writers, but each person’s situation and circumstances vary greatly. As a result, you should make sure to do your own independent research. Because everyone is unique, our self-help tools are never guaranteed to help with any specific situation. DoNotPay is not a law firm and is not licensed to practice law. DoNotPay provides a platform for legal information and self-help.

Get a UC Berkeley Application Fee Waiver Fast With DoNotPay

The University of California, Berkeley is one of the best public universities in the U.S., with 35,000 students studying across 184 academic departments. It ranks seventh in the world on the list of best universities and is a sought-after school for many. There are currently 9 Nobel laureates teaching at UC Berkeley. It’s also the alma mater of famous names like Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple.

When you apply to the university, you will pay an application fee to be considered. The school is serious about helping students who show great potential but come from low-income households. This article will show you how you can get a UC Berkeley application fee waiver within minutes.

About the UC Berkeley Application Fee

Most colleges ask for an application fee that’s between $20 and $100. When you apply to the University of California Berkeley, you will pay an application fee of $70. You will pay this fee once when you apply to the University of California, and the application will be valid for all nine campuses, including Berkeley.

The fee waiver can only be used for four campuses, and you’ll have to pay an additional $70 for every other campus you’re applying to.

Why Do You Have To Pay an Application Fee for UC Berkeley?

With college fees as high as they are, many students question the reasoning behind this expense. The fees are in place to cover the cost of the application and admission process. They finance the payment of the people who read your essay and evaluate your interview.

Some universities use the application fee as a soft barrier, with the idea that only the serious students will pay to apply to the school. If they have no intention of attending the school, they won’t pay the application fee.

Some schools have a window period when the application fee isn’t necessary to help students who can’t afford to pay the fee. Berkeley doesn’t have such a window but allows you to apply for a fee waiver.

What if You Can’t Afford the Berkeley Application Fee?

Almost 65% of students studying at UC Berkeley receive financial aid of some sort. You can apply for a UC Berkeley fee waiver if you can’t afford the application fee. Since many prospective students apply to various schools, it often happens that the application fees become unmanageable.

Who Qualifies for the UC Application Fee Waiver?

Students who qualify for a fee waiver won’t automatically get one upon their application. You will always have to ask for the application fee to be waived, regardless of where you apply to study.

If you qualify for a free lunch or reduced-price lunch program, you’ll be eligible for a UC Berkeley application fee waiver. In case you don’t qualify for the fee waiver based on the lunch program eligibility, you can still be eligible by:

  • Having the SAT or ACT fee waiver
  • Being a U.S. Military veteran or on active duty
  • Showing that your family receives state assistance, such as housing or food

If your family receives state assistance, you should select the Pay by Check (Mail) option in your admission application and send your fee waiver paperwork in the mail.

You can also select the Pay By Check (Mail) option if you don’t qualify for a fee waiver, but your financial situation has recently changed drastically—for instance, you or the primary income earner has lost a job, or the primary income earner has passed away.

How To Get the UC Berkeley Application Fee Waiver by Yourself

You can get the application fee waiver using the following methods:

MethodWorks/Doesn’t Work
DoNotPayYes
Coalition for CollegeNo
Common AppNo
University WebsiteYes

To apply for a fee waiver on the UC Berkeley website, you need to:

  1. Set up an account on the official university website to start the application process
  2. Fill in the financial aid forms
  3. Indicate that you need the application fee waived.

While filling out your application, you need to state your eligibility in the Your Family section. You’ll be prompted to accept or deny the fee waiver, in which case you should click on Yes.

Even though the University of California, Berkeley only allows you to apply on its website, DoNotPay can help you send a fee waiver request directly to the admissions office of this university or other schools. Our app is a great resource if you’re applying to more than one school and need to get fee waivers for all of them.

Let DoNotPay Help You With Application Fee Waivers

DoNotPay has streamlined the process of obtaining fee waivers for any school that offers this benefit. It’s the easiest and most trusted way to have application fees waived for all colleges you’re interested in.

If the college allows you to apply on its website or the Common App, DoNotPay can help. To speed up the process, follow these easy steps:

  1. Log on to DoNotPay in your
  2. Select College Application Fee Waiver from the menu
  3. Choose which fee you would like waived
  4. Choose the schools that you’re applying to
  5. Answer a few questions regarding your financial status

If you need your guidance counselor to sign the application, DoNotPay will send the forms for signing before submitting them to the admissions office. You need to indicate that you need the signature when prompted.

DoNotPay will automatically fill in the application forms on your behalf and then send them to each of the schools you chose. The schools will contact you directly regarding the status of your application.

How Does an Application Fee Waiver Help?

An application fee waiver will help you apply to any school that offers this benefit without paying the fee, which significantly decreases application costs. The application fee waiver doesn’t include:

  • Tuition fees
  • Housing fees
  • Matriculation fees
  • General living expenses
  • Books and other study materials

What Else Can DoNotPay Do?

DoNotPay has tons of tips and tricks to save you time and money and make your life easier. Our platform is a great resource if you wish to apply to other schools, such as Northeastern or Harvard Law.

If you’re worried about tuition and other student-life expenses, DoNotPay can help with managing student loan bills or saving money on utilities like electricity.

You can save money by canceling distracting subscriptions you won’t need when you go to college, such as Hulu or Netflix. We can also help you cancel your subscription to Pearson or get rid of Mathway.

If you need to protect yourself from scammy student loan robocalls, you can count on us.

Log on to the DoNotPay site in your to access features like:

Want your issue solved now?