In Spring 2020 UNM Graduate Studies announced a new initiative that will waive fees for active military personnel and veterans on applications to graduate school.

The cost to submit an application to a graduate program at UNM is $50, excluding any other fees an individual department or program might add on, but Graduate Studies is now extending fee waiver requests to active military personnel and qualifying veterans to waive the cost of general application fee. For information on the various programs, application requirements and deadlines please visit the Graduate Studies website.

According to Julie Coonrod, the dean of Graduate Studies, “Veterans bring a unique perspective to our classrooms and research areas. We believe that they will be enriched by our graduate programs while contributing ideas based on their distinctive experiences.”

A fee waiver is not automatic. “Active duty applicants must fill out the fee waiver request form, along with other required documentation, including a copy of their valid military ID, copy of orders, or a memo from their unit commander on official letterhead, and veterans must fill out the form and submit it with a copy of their DD214,” explained Robben Brown, academic affairs specialist in Graduate Studies. In either case, the form and supporting documentation must be sent to Graduate Studies, and Brown suggested sending everything at least four weeks before the posted application deadline of the graduate program to which the student is applying. 

Military personnel and veterans are not the only ones who can request a fee waiver. Applicants who are affiliated with select programs, such as the GEM Fellowship, McNair Scholars, Mellon-Mays Undergraduate Fellowship, the Minority Access to Research Careers,  or the Post Baccalaureate Research and Education Program are also eligible to apply for a fee waiver, and in limited cases, waivers can be granted to applicants who can demonstrate financial hardship. Waivers do not cover other fees that departments or programs may require. 

“Graduate Studies is deeply committed to making graduate education accessible and attainable to our populations, and we are especially grateful for our students who have served our country. This is a small gesture to express our thanks,” Coonrod said. 

For more information about Graduate Studies and specific details about the fee waiver request, go to the Graduate Studies website.