The LSAC Fee Waiver Program is incremental to helping lower-income students venture into the legal field. If approved for an LSAC Fee Waiver, candidates recieve a slew of benefits, including waived LSAT and law school application fees.

LSAC redesigned its fee waiver program for the 2021-2022 cycle. Applicants will now be considered for two package tiers based on income and other qualifiers.

LSAC Fee Waiver Tier 1

Who qualifies?
A financially independent candidate earning up to 250% of the federal poverty guidelines or financially dependent candidate earning up to 150% of the poverty guidelines; if dependent candidates’ income exceeds the 150% benchmark, they can still apply if their combined family income does not exceed 300% of the poverty guidelines. Candidates must also meet LSAC’s other fee waiver criteria.

What’s included in the Tier 1 package?
• Fees waived for two official LSAT exams and one LSAT Writing
• Fees waived for one CAS registration, which includes the Letter of Recommendation Service and access to electronic applications for all LSAC member law schools. Some law schools will even waive their application fees for fee waiver recipients.
• Fees waived for three CAS Law School Reports
• Fee wiaved for a one-year subscription to LSAC’s Official LSAT Prep Plus
• Fee waived for the Score Preview for first-time test takers; Score Preview allows test-takers to see their score before deciding whether or not to cancel it.
• Discount on a Blueprint LSAT Live Course or Self-Paced Package.

LSAC Fee Waiver Tier 2

Who qualifies?
A financially independent candidate earning 250-300% of the federal poverty guidelines.

What’s included in the Tier 2 package?
• Fees waived for one official LSAT exam and one LSAT Writing
• Fees waived for one CAS registration, which includes the Letter of Recommendation Service and access to electronic applications for all LSAC member law schools. Some law schools will even waive their application fees for fee waiver recipients.
• Fees waived for six CAS Law School Reports
• Fee wiaved for a one-year subscription to LSAC’s Official LSAT Prep Plus
• Fee waived for the Score Preview for first-time test takers; Score Preview allows test-takers to see their score before deciding whether or not to cancel it.
• Discount on a Blueprint LSAT Live Course or Self-Paced Package.

How to Apply for an LSAC Fee Waiver

Step 1: Make sure you qualify for an LSAC Fee Waiver.

Aside from the income and asset requirements for Tier 1 and Tier 2, there are also more qualifications you need to meet before applying for a fee waiver. You must:
Be a U.S., Canadian, or Australian citizen, or
Be a U.S. national, or
Be a permanent resident alien of the U.S. with an Alien Registration Receipt Card (I–151 or I–551), or
Have been granted deferred action under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), or
Have applied for deferred action under DACA, or
Be a permanent resident of Canada or Australia, or
Be a Protected Person/Convention Refugee in Canada or Australia

Step 2: Apply for an LSAC Fee Waiver.

1. Find out when should you apply for an LSAC Fee Waiver. When you’ve decided on an LSAT date(s), make sure you apply for a fee waiver at least six weeks before the registration deadline of your testing date.
2. Log into your LSAC account and complete the fee waiver application.
3. You will also need to upload supporting documents within 45 days of submitting your application, including all federal income tax schedules filed with the Form 1040, a Verification of Nonfiling Letter from the IRS, and/or DACA documentation.

Step 3: Wait for a decision.

The LSAC website states they process tax documents within one week, so you might not have to wait too long unless your application needs further consideration.

If you’re denied, you can appeal their decision. However, if your appeal is denied, that decision is final and you will need to wait until the next fee waiver cycle.

Step 4: Enjoy your benefits!

Once you have your fee waiver approval, it’s time to reap those rewards! Reach out to us to inquire about your Blueprint LSAT prep discount and if you need help choosing an LSAT prep style!

Good luck!