1. Submit an application (available in the main office) for the Federal Free or Reduced Lunch Program. Even if you have no intention to use the the free or reduced lunch benefit, filing this application can qualify you to have many of your college-related fees waived. 

2. Notify your counselor that you were approved for the Federal Free or Reduced Lunch Program or ACT/SAT fee waiver or if your family is experiencing a financial hardship. 

3. Indicate in SchooLinks and/or in Common App that you are requesting a fee waiver.

4. File for financial aid to help you pay for college. Submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) between October 1 and Thanksgiving of your senior year in order to qualify for the maximum amount of federal, state and college money for which you may be eligible. The student must be a citizen or permanent resident to submit a FAFSA but can file the Alternate Application for Illinois Financial Aid if ineligible to submit a FAFSA. 

Before registering for an ACT, SAT or AP test, contact the JHHS Assessment Coordinator to obtain a fee waiver card/code in order to waive fees for test registration, sending scores to colleges or to submit the CSS Profile in the future.  Even though you do not to pay to register for the state SAT (class of 2025) or ACT (Class of 2026 and later) that all juniors take in school, you should obtain an SAT/ACT fee waiver card/code to waive the cost should you take additional tests. 

• For the SAT, you can obtain a waiver code to send your scores for free.

• For the ACT, a waiver code can only be used to take a national test and then all score sends, but not if you only took the School Day ACT.

Applying via Common App

• If you are applying via the Common App, and meet the criteria to be eligible for an application fee waiver, you will select that option in the Common App tab. This will notify your counselor, who will approve your waiver once verifying your eligibility.

  • If you accidentally indicate you qualify for a fee waiver but do not, update this question in your Common App tab. If you have already submitted the application, go to the college in the "My Colleges Tab," click on "Review and Submit-Common App" and then follow the steps to remove the waiver request.

Applying outside the Common App (4-year schools)

Indicate your fee waiver request in SchooLinks.

Applying to Harper College

Please see Mr. Chiakulas for a fee waiver code to Harper College.