Graduate Programs Financial Aid Process  top

How to Apply for Financial Aid  back to top

When a student determines that family and outside resources will be insufficient to meet the costs of education, he or she should then apply for MUSM and federal assistance. Financial aid must be applied for each year. It is the student's responsibility to complete all forms accurately and to submit those forms before the appropriate deadlines.

The following five documents are required of each financial aid recipient:

• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Renewal Application for Federal Student Aid (RAFSA) - All applicants for financial aid funds are required to complete a need analysis questionnaire approved by the U. S. Department of Education (DOE) which measures the applicant's financial resources. The DOE does not make financial awards or determine the type of aid for which the student is eligible. New students should submit the FAFSA after their first medical school interview. All returning students are required to submit a completed FAFSA/RAFSA to the MUSM Financial Aid Office by April 1 of the first year of the award period. After the analysis has been completed, the Department of Education forwards to the school an Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR), an analysis of the student and family resources (income and assets).
       
  MUSM requires that all students submit parental information on the Free Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA) in order to be considered for Department of Health and Human Services Title VII funding, and school-administered or institutional funds. If a student wishes to be considered for only non-school-administered funds such as the Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Loan, the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, alternative loan programs such as MedLoans, MEDCAP, MedAchievers, MedAccess, etc. parental information is not required.
      

• MUSM Financial Aid Form Packet - Every student should read and complete the MUSM Financial Aid Forms and return them to the MUSM Office of Financial Aid by the requested date.
     

• Financial Aid Transcript(s) - Transcript information will be received from the National Student Loan Database System (NSLDS).
     

• Verification of Income - Each student must submit a signed copy of his or her federal income tax return for the previous year and, if parental data was reported on the FAFSA/RAFSA, a signed copy of the parents' federal income tax return for the previous year.
        
  In the event a student or parent did not file taxes, the "Federal Income Tax Filing Information" form, which is a part of the MUSM Application for Financial Aid, should be signed and submitted to the MUSM Office of Financial Aid.

Student Independence  back to top

Any graduate or professional student is considered an independent applicant for federal student aid and is not required to provide parental financial information on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Applicants  back to top

All applicants for admission to MUSM are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid regardless of acceptance status. The applicant should indicate on the FAFSA that the information should be sent to all schools to which he or she is applying. If this information is available to the Financial Aid Office when the applicant is accepted, loan applications can be processed and awards made quickly.

Entering Students  back to top

Financial aid application packets are mailed each Fall and Spring to applicants who have been accepted and have confirmed that acceptance with a deposit.

Returning Students  back to top

All returning students are required to submit a FAFSA or a Renewal Application for Federal Student Aid (RAFSA) to the MUSM Financial Aid Office by April 1 of the first year of the relevant award period.

Transfer Students  back to top

The same application procedures apply as those required of entering students.

Married Students  back to top

The primary responsibility for financing an education lies with the student and the family of the student. The spouse of a married student is expected to contribute toward the married student's educational expenses a portion of earnings after tax deductions and a standard allowance for reasonable living expenses. If the spouse is enrolled as a full-time student, no spousal contribution will be expected. No need-based institutional funds are available in lieu of the spouse's expected contribution.

Foreign Students  back to top

A copy of the U. S. citizenship documents or permanent resident visa (both sides of the form) is required of all foreign students before government scholarships, loans, or institutional loans may be disbursed.

Student Personal Savings and Assets  back to top

A student requesting financial aid is expected to apply to the cost of education a certain portion (as calculated by the FAFSA) of all savings and assets before eligibility for institutional funds is considered.