Skip to main content

Coronavirus (COVID-19): Latest Updates | Visitation PoliciesVisitation PoliciesVisitation PoliciesVisitation PoliciesVisitation Policies | COVID-19 Testing | Vaccine InformationVaccine InformationVaccine Information

menu

Financial Aid Office

Education / Financial Aid Office / Medical Students / Types of Aid

 

Types of Financial Aid

Financial Aid is money provided to a student to assist them in paying for their education. The major forms of financial aid include gift aid (grants and scholarships) and self-help aid (loans and work-study).

Gift Aid

Need-Based: The University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry has determined that the majority of its financial assistance will be awarded solely based on the student’s financial need. Funding is determined through the Need-Based application process and is dependent on the financial neediness of the applicant, the cumulative financial neediness of all applicants, and the available institutional financial aid resources.

University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry scholarship support is derived from many resources, but are primarily the results of donor gifts. Donations to financial aid are from individuals, foundations and organizations through the establishment of endowed funds, the giving to current use financial aid funds, or through annual gifts. University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry scholarship recipients may be asked the University of Rochester Advancement Office to write a brief thank you note(s) to their scholarship donors. Additionally, recipients of these funds may also be requested to provide information consisting of undergraduate accomplishments, residency preferences, personal and professional interests, and academic progress. Failure to comply with these requests may result in loss of your University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry financial support.

Merit-Based: The University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry has a small number of Merit-Based scholarships awarded solely on the academic strengths of the applicant. These Merit-Based scholarships are award at the time of admission and are guaranteed for all four years as long as the student maintains satisfactory academic progress. 

Loans

The array of loan options available to finance medical/graduate education is potentially confusing. The Financial Aid Office will work closely with you throughout your years of medical/graduate school to assure that you have the information necessary for making informed decisions.

FIRST...an Unsubsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loan

The primary source of aid for any medical student who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident is the Unsubsidized Direct Stafford Loan. Like the Perkins Loan, an Unsubsidized Stafford is federally guaranteed, however there is no interest subsidy while the borrower is in school or deferment. Generally, borrowers accrue rather than pay the accumulating interest during this period. For loans obtained through the Federal Direct Stafford Loan program, accrued interest is not capitalized until the end of the grace period. Currently the total unsubsidized Stafford loan amount available annually is $42,722 - $47,166, depending on your program and the length of your academic year.

THEN, If Necessary

Most students will find the Stafford loan, in combination with family support and/or other financial aid, sufficient to meet their needs. If this is not the case for you, please then consider a Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loan to meet the difference between your resources and the estimated cost of attendance. Like the Stafford Loan, a Grad PLUS Loan is federally guaranteed, and there is no interest subsidy while the borrower is in school or deferment. However, a credit check is required for a Direct Grad PLUS loan.

Additional Loan Information

Loan Chart

Comparison: Federal vs. Private Student Loans

Loan Forgiveness/Repayment Programs

Work Study/Research

Offering our students diverse year-out or summer research experiences locally, national, or internationally is at the cornerstone of University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry’s mission to create experiences that complement our student’s varied interests. The OMSEP Office works with students to identify their research interests, advise students on finding appropriate mentors, and review student research funding proposals.

Each spring, University of Rochester School of Medicine students can apply for and receive funding through the OMSEP Office. This funding comes from a variety of sources including institutional endowments, Federal work-study, and external grant programs.  In some cases, funding is shared between the OMSEP Office and the laboratories in which the students work.

Funding students receive from the OMSEP Office for research projects conducted during a summer of year-out experience must be disclosed to the Financial Aid Office and incorporated into the student’s financial aid package. In cases where the student has already been funded up to the total amount allowed in his/her current student budget, a dollar-for-dollar adjustment must be made to the aid package to prevent the student from being over-awarded.