What the official College Board rules say
- The official College Board rules state that SAT fee waivers are designed to assist low-income students with the cost of registration, sending score reports, applying to colleges, and so on.
- Eligibility is limited. In general, fee waiver eligibility only covers students in the United States who are in grades 11 or 12, or U.S. citizens living abroad.
- For foreign nationals (international students) living outside the United States, the College Board rules do not allow a general waiver of fees for the SAT in the following manner. This means in order to be eligible as a non-U.S. citizen, you must reside and test in the United States or U.S. territories (if located outside the U.S.).
Implications for international students
Due to the previously mentioned rules:
- International Students (non-US citizens) residing overseas and studying outside the US will not be eligible for the standard College Board SAT Fee Waiver.
- US citizens living overseas will qualify pursuant to regular fee waiver criteria.
Having official waivers is quite limited for most international students
However, here are some alternative options we have heard people trying:
- Scholarships in your home country-
Some local NGOs, schools, or test-prep companies provide scholarships or other support to cover the costs of preparing for the SAT or exams.
- College/University exemptions–
While applying to colleges/universities in the U.S (or other places), some institutions accept application fee exemption regardless of international status. This exemption would be different from the waiver from the SAT fee waiver. It may vary per institution policy.
- College Board may have programs or discounts or colleges or other higher education appropriate associations–
These Educators may offer special arrangements or exam fees (violation of the typical waiver structure).
- Talk to your school or counselor–
If your school has a school counselor or program that contracts with a stated expectation of being counted or receiving assistance based on the home country context, receipt of both exam waivers would be appropriate.
How can The Princeton Review help you?
While The Princeton Review does not issue official SAT fee waivers (only the College Board issues those), they definitely have a few ways to help international students:
1. Low-cost Preparation Options –
Although you may not have the SAT registration waived, if you effectively prepare for the test, you can make the best of the situation with your test attempts. Princeton Review provides:
- Online, self-paced SAT prep courses (lower cost)
- Tutoring packages (one-on-one)
- Group classes (cheaper for students abroad at times)
2. Scholarships and Discounts.
Although the funds are limited, they sometimes offer promotions, scholarships, or financial aid to help you pay for your courses. A fee waiver is not exactly the same thing as a scholarship; however, this will lessen the financial burden of your prep costs.
3. Free Resources
Although not directly related to cost, The Princeton Review frequently offers:
- Free practice tests (online)
- Sample questions and score reports
- Webinars (SAT strategies and admissions to college in the US)
This means you should still be able to gain access to prep material without any costs associated.
4. Advice on U.S. College Applications
As many international students cannot obtain SAT fee waivers, Princeton Review assists by:
- Demonstrating how to ask for fee waivers for college applications
- Advising colleges/universities that are test-optional (not required to take the SAT)
- Providing counseling on careers and building a stand-out application beyond test scores
5. Maximizing One Test Attempt
- If there is no waiver, then re-taking the SAT again (the college board may reset the number of test attempts you took) can get expensive.
- Princeton Review’s test prep will help you achieve your target score in fewer test attempts, thereby saving money in the long run, even if you don’t use the College Board waiver.
Princeton Review, however, has provided many helpful things to reduce your test prep costs, many free study resources, and prepared you to be successful (get your desired score) before taking the test much sooner than expected!