ACT Fee Waiver: Who Qualifies?
Updated: 4th November, 2026
TL;DR
An ACT fee waiver gives eligible 11th and 12th graders up to 2 free ACT tests, if you test in the US and meet at least one economic-need indicator, like free or reduced-price lunch. It covers the $70 base fee and the optional science and writing add-ons, and it comes with a free prep course. Your school counselor gives you the code, not ACT. If you want an application that stands out beyond test scores, look at the Lumiere Research Scholar Program. It pairs you 1:1 with a PhD mentor for an independent research project.
What are the key ACT fee waiver numbers for 2026-27?
A waiver covers up to 2 tests, and each test can cost up to $100 without one. A single ACT with science and writing costs $100 on ACT's current fees page, and a retake doubles it. The table shows the numbers that matter most.
Key number | Amount | Cycle | Source |
Fee waivers per student | Up to 2 | 2026-27 | |
Grades that qualify | 11th or 12th only | 2026-27 | |
Base ACT fee covered | $70 | Current fees | |
Science and writing add-ons covered | $5 and $25 | Current fees | |
Free score reports at registration | 1 to your high school, up to 6 to colleges | 2026-27 | |
Last day to submit a waiver online | August 31, 2027 | 2026-27 | |
Change fee if you switch dates | $49, not covered | Current fees |
Who is eligible for the ACT fee waiver?
You qualify if you're a current 11th or 12th grader who meets at least one economic-need indicator. You also have to test in the US, US territories or Puerto Rico. Those rules come from ACT's 2026-27 fee waiver sheet and its fee waiver page as of November 2026.
ACT lists these indicators. You need just one:
Your family's total annual income is at or below the USDA levels for free or reduced-price lunch.
Your family receives low-income public assistance or lives in federally subsidized public housing.
You're enrolled in a federally funded program for economically disadvantaged students, such as GEAR UP or Upward Bound.
You live in a foster home, are a ward of the state, or are homeless.
There's one catch that trips people up. ACT says a student in one of those programs who is not economically disadvantaged is not eligible. The program is a signal, not a pass.
Grade level matters too. Sophomores and freshmen can't use a waiver, even if they meet every income rule. The waiver kicks in junior year.
What does the ACT fee waiver cover?
Each waiver covers the regular registration fee for one ACT plus the optional science and writing add-ons. ACT's current fees page lists the base test at $70 as of November 2026. Science adds $5 and writing adds $25, so that's up to $100 per test.
The waiver also comes with extras, per ACT's fee waiver page:
Score reports: 1 to your high school and up to 6 to colleges when you register. After scores come out, ACT's fee waiver program page says you may request unlimited score reports at no cost.
Prep course: free access to The Official ACT Self-Paced Course, Powered by Kaplan, for 1 year.
ACT My Answer Key: free on the 4 test dates a year when it's offered. Paying students pay $36 for it if they order before the test.
College application fee waivers: you can ask colleges to waive their fees.
The free prep course is easy to overlook, and it may be the most useful part of the package. For extra reading and grammar practice, Lumiere's list of free SAT prep courses covers skills that overlap with the ACT.
What does the ACT fee waiver not cover?
A waiver pays for the test and its listed extras, nothing else. ACT's fee waiver sheet says students cannot use a waiver to pay for additional fees, products or services. Any fee it doesn't cover must be paid by credit card before you submit your registration.
Here's where that bites:
Changing your date. A waiver counts as used once you register, even if you don't show up. Moving to a later date means paying the change fee, which is $49 on ACT's fees page.
Registering late. The fees page lists a $42 late registration fee. Register before the regular deadline so you don't need to pay it.
Refunds. You can't use a waiver to get money back for a test you already paid for.
A third test. ACT caps you at 2 waivers and says it will deny any more.
Treat your test date as fixed once you register. A missed date can cost you one of your 2 free tests.
How do you get an ACT fee waiver code?
Ask your school counselor. ACT's fee waiver page tells students to check with their counselor about eligibility. The fee waiver sheet says waivers go to high schools, active Upward Bound projects and qualifying not-for-profit assistance organizations.
Check the list above. Make sure you're in 11th or 12th grade and meet at least one indicator.
Talk to your counselor early. ACT warns that once funds run out, waivers become unavailable to order. Asking in the fall beats asking in the spring.
Get your code. Each waiver has a serial number in the top-right corner. That's what you'll type in.
Register in MyACT before the regular deadline. Enter the code during registration. The waiver covers one national test date.
Pick your 6 colleges while you register. Those reports are free at that point, so don't skip the step.
Use it by the deadline. The 2026-27 sheet says waivers must be submitted online by August 31, 2027.
If your school has a college access adviser instead of a counselor, ask them. Upward Bound staff can also help, since their projects receive waivers directly.
How much does a fee waiver save you?
For a student who tests twice and sends extra score reports, a waiver can save a few hundred dollars. Here's a worked example using prices from ACT's fees page as of November 2026, where extra score reports cost $20 each.
Maya is a junior who qualifies through free lunch. She takes the ACT twice with science and writing. After her scores come out, she sends 4 more reports.
Item | Price without a waiver | With a waiver |
Test 1 with science and writing | $100 | $0 |
Test 2 with science and writing | $100 | $0 |
4 more score reports later | $80 | $0 |
Total | $280 | $0 |
Then add college application fees, which the waiver can help with too. With a waiver, Maya doesn't have to choose between a retake and a bill. Not sure you should test at all? Lumiere's guide to test-optional and test-blind admissions explains how colleges treat scores. To set a target, see what counts as a good ACT score.
Can an ACT fee waiver get your college application fees waived?
Yes, it helps a lot, but you still have to ask. ACT's fee waiver sheet says you can use ACT's Request for Waiver or Deferral of College Admission Application Fee form as many times as you need. You send it with your applications.
Colleges are not obligated to waive their fees, so the form is a request, not a guarantee. Your ACT waiver still counts as evidence of need. The Common App counts it directly. One of its listed indicators is having received or being eligible for an SAT or ACT fee waiver, per the 2025-26 Common App criteria shared by Northwestern. Dartmouth's application fee waiver page lists the same indicator. You select "yes" in the Common App's fee waiver section, and your counselor approves it.
The same idea applies beyond applications. Some summer programs cost nothing too. Lumiere keeps a list of free pre-college programs worth checking before you pay for one.
Fees, rules and deadlines here are as of November 2026 and apply to the 2026-27 fee waiver cycle. ACT updates its waiver sheet each year, so check the official pages before you register.
Is the ACT fee waiver worth using?
Yes, if you qualify, because it removes the cost of up to 2 tests and adds free prep. The limits are real, though, so weigh both sides.
Pros -
It covers the $70 base fee plus the $5 science and $25 writing add-ons on up to 2 tests.
It includes a year of free access to The Official ACT Self-Paced Course, Powered by Kaplan.
It lets you send 1 free score report to your high school and up to 6 to colleges when you register.
It counts as an indicator for college application fee waivers on the Common App and at schools like Dartmouth.
Cons -
It's only open to 11th and 12th graders who test in the US, US territories or Puerto Rico.
It's capped at 2 waivers, and a missed test date still uses one up.
It doesn't cover the $42 late registration fee or the $49 change fee.
You can't order it yourself, and ACT says requests become unavailable once funds run out.
Frequently asked questions: ACT fee waiver for high school students
Do ACT fee waivers expire?
Yes. The 2026-27 waiver must be submitted online by August 31, 2027. Each one works for a single national test date. ACT also says a waiver counts as used once you register, even if you don't test.
Can international students receive ACT fee waivers?
No, not if they test outside the US. ACT requires you to test in the United States, US territories or Puerto Rico. International testers pay the full fee.
Can you use a fee waiver for late ACT registration?
The waiver still covers the test, but not the late fee. ACT's waiver sheet says it can't pay for additional fees. The late fee is $42 on ACT's fees page. Register before the regular deadline to keep the test free.
Are homeschooled students eligible to receive ACT fee waivers?
ACT's waiver page and 2026-27 sheet don't address homeschooling directly. The rules say you must be enrolled in high school in 11th or 12th grade. Waivers go out through high schools, Upward Bound projects and qualifying nonprofits. Contact ACT or a local college access nonprofit to ask about your case.
How many ACT fee waivers can you get?
You can use up to 2 ACT fee waivers. Each one covers one national test date. A waiver counts as used once you register, even if you skip the test. ACT says it will deny a third request.
Can 10th graders get an ACT fee waiver?
No. ACT requires you to be in 11th or 12th grade to use a waiver. That's true even if you meet every income rule. You can ask your counselor about it at the start of junior year.
Want a stronger application than test scores alone, with a research project you can finish from home? Look at the Lumiere Research Scholar Program. It pairs you 1-on-1 with a PhD mentor for an independent research project, done online, with no travel or in-person requirement. Apply here. If cost is the main barrier, also look at the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students.
Stephen Turban is the co-founder of Lumiere Education and a graduate of Harvard College, where he earned an A.B. in Statistics before beginning a PhD at Harvard Business School. A former McKinsey & Company consultant and former researcher, his research has been covered by the Harvard Business Review, The Economist, BBC News, Freakonomics Radio, and the Washington Post. In his articles for Forbes, he writes on what students and professionals can learn from high school research, high school passion projects, critical thinking, and mentorship. At Lumiere, he leads a selective research program where students work one-on-one with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper. Connect with him on LinkedIn.