List of graduate physics PhD programs w/lowest application fees

[bjnartowt]

Hi all, the title I think says it all! Is there a list "out there" of PhD physics departments with the lowest application fees?

 

[Dickfore]

most of the application fees are determined by the graduate schools, not the physics departments.

 

[gretun]

Doesn't it depend on whether you are an international student or not?

 

[eri]

A $60 application fee is nothing compared to 6+ years of your life. Don't base your grad school decision off that. If you want to apply to somewhere but can't afford to, ask them for a fee waiver - if you're serious about the school (and not just calling all of them) and a good candidate, they'll certainly consider it.

 

[fasterthanjoao]

Hi all, the title I think says it all! Is there a list "out there" of PhD physics departments with the lowest application fees?

I don't think a list exists, I don't see why anyone would ever make one (but the internet is a strange place...)

What is the reason that this is important to you?

 

[bjnartowt]

Goodness...I thought the benefit of finding the cheapest ways to keep your options open was clear. There are only so many application fees you can pay, and if sending out a large number of applications can increase my chances of getting into at least ONE PhD program (besides the ones I really want to get into), I ought to do it.

Granted: plenty more factors than a department's application fee enter into which schools I pick to apply to, but I don't have a very strong application, so I figured the best course of action is to keep my options as wide as possible.

 

[Mathnomalous]

Here you go:

http://www.gc.cuny.edu/current_students/tuition_curnt_stdnts.htm

 

[twofish-quant]

Goodness...I thought the benefit of finding the cheapest ways to keep your options open was clear. There are only so many application fees you can pay, and if sending out a large number of applications can increase my chances of getting into at least ONE PhD program (besides the ones I really want to get into), I ought to do it.

It won't. The main limit in the number of graduate schools that you can apply to is the number of recommendation letters you can get and the time it takes to fill out the application. I don't think that you can apply to more than eight graduate schools, and at least two of them should be ones that you are absolutely sure you can get into.

 

[eri]

I applied to 13 grad schools in all; it definitely cost me about $1000 and I still didn't have many choices in the end. But I applied to too many high-end schools based on grades, research, and letters while my GRE scores were holding me back (got some bad advice from advisers); I should have applied to a lot more mid-range schools because my safeties were much lower ranked. If you can get good advice about where to apply, you can save yourself the trouble of applying to many.

 

[diazona]

I agree that the fee shouldn't be a huge factor, but just to throw something out there, Penn State doesn't make you pay a fee unless you get accepted. (At least that was true when I applied ~2.5 years ago) I'm sure there are others like that out there.