Graduate Tuition Waivers

The deadline to submit university tuition waiver forms for each term is:

• Fall semester by mid-July
• Spring semester by mid-November
• Summer semester by mid-April

For more information, please contact the Office of Student Accounts.

Download University Tuition Waiver Forms Here

Graduate Assistants & Fellows

Graduate assistantships and fellowships at WVU are accompanied by a waiver of tuition. These waivers cover the cost of coursework required by the students’ Plan of Study. Students covered by assistantships or fellowships during the academic year may also qualify for summer university tuition waivers through their departments.

Tuition Waivers at WVU

Academic programs at West Virginia University may grant university tuition waivers to graduate students who are not supported on other assistantships or fellowships. These university tuition waivers are termed “merit waivers” or “meritorious waivers.” Merit waivers are used by colleges/schools to recruit, retain, and graduate students in a timely manner.

Merit Waiver Guidelines

The following guidelines are followed when awarding merit waivers to students:

• Waivers must be awarded only to degree-seeking students.
• Generally, a minimum of 3 credit hours is set for all merit waiver awards.
• Merit waivers generally should be used to meet degree requirements.
• Merit hours can only be used for graduate/professional courses (>400 number).
• Hours to a particular student can be awarded from only one WVU college/department.
• The maximum length of time waivers may be received by a full-time student is set at 3 years for master’s students and 5 years for doctoral students continuing beyond the master’s.
• Merit waivers are not to be used for the processing of tuition waivers provided to Graduate Assistants and Fellows.

What is Waived?

Tuition is waived for all students receiving a graduate merit waiver up to the total number of hours awarded. A 9-h award, considered “full time”, is sufficient to waive all tuition for hours taken above 9 h. Special Fees, College or Department Non-waivable Specific Fees, and other Special Fee Assessments are not waived. This means that all students will be invoiced for the Special Fees and other fees as applicable.

How Many Credit Hours Can Be Waived?

The number of credit hours waived is determined by the department/college/ school awarding the waivers.

Students may register for more hours than the hours for which they have tuition waived. They will be invoiced for the additional hours.

How To Apply?

Students seeking merit waiver hours should contact their department to request such hours. The department will in turn complete and sign the appropriate Graduate Tuition Waiver Form.

Faculty and Staff Merit Waivers (Guidelines)

Full-time faculty and staff who have regular appointments and qualify for benefits and have been admitted to WVU as graduate or first professional (M.D., D.D.S., or J.D.) students are eligible for merit waivers.

The following guidelines should be adhered to when awarding faculty and staff merit waivers to students:

• Waivers must be awarded only to degree-seeking students, that is, students admitted to a graduate program.
• Generally, a minimum of 3 credit hours is set for all faculty and staff merit waiver awards with a maximum of 6 credit hours in any given semester.
• Faculty and staff merit waivers generally should be used to meet degree requirements.
• Faculty and staff merit university tuition waiver hours can be used to register for courses at any level (undergraduate, graduate, or professional). However, students may not use merit hours to work towards a second undergraduate degree.
• Hours to a particular student can be awarded from only one WVU college/department, including Extended Learning.
• Merit hours for a faculty/staff member are allocated from the Office of Graduate Education & Life. Download the Faculty and Staff waiver forms here.

Faculty and Staff must have the appropriate Graduate University Tuition Waiver Designee in their department or college complete and sign the appropriate Graduate University Tuition Waiver Form and send this to the Office of Graduate Education and Life, P.O. Box 6897, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506-6897.