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Types of Aid Available for Medical Students

Institutional Aid for Medical Students

Through generous donations, Rush University is able to make available a variety of grants and scholarships to support your medical student educational journey.

Scholarships & Grants

  • Scholarships are available to students based on a variety of factors including financial need, academic merit, demographic characteristics, and donor-specific qualifications. The award amounts vary from as low as $500 up to full-tuition scholarships.
  • To be considered for scholarships and grants, students who are under the age of 30 at the time of starting the program are required to submit parental tax information in their first year. Please see additional information here.
  • Need based scholarships are automatically awarded at the time your financial aid package is created.
  • Other scholarships will be found online at rush.academicworks.com and additional information will be shared with you to provide you with the timelines to apply.
  • Students who are receiving scholarships from the Primary Care Scholarship, Health Services Professions or Armed Services are ineligible for institutional scholarships as those external scholarships already cover tuition and in some cases books and a living expenses stipend.

Need Based Institutional Loans

  • Need based institutional loans are automatically awarded at the time your financial aid package is created.
  • To be considered for need based institutional loans, students who are under the age of 30 at the time of starting the program are required to submit parental tax information in their first year. 
  • Additional information about the details of this loan can be found here.

Federal Student Loans

Student loans must be repaid upon graduation, leaving school, or falling below half-time enrollment. These loans cannot be canceled, even if you do not like your university experience, do not obtain a job in your field of study, or are facing financial hardship. Student borrowers should maintain contact with their loan servicers to ensure they are aware of their repayment options, cost of their monthly payment plan, and other responsibilities associated with student loan borrowing. Rush University encourages wise, cautious borrowing that is based on a sound financial budget. 

William D. Ford Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan

Medical students are eligible for the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan. This loan does accrue interest while you are enrolled. This loan has an annual maximum amount as well as an overall aggregate federally mandated limit that can be borrowed. The base amount each cohort year is $20,500 plus medical students are eligible for an additional $2,222 per each month of enrollment each cohort year. Please refer to the Cost of Attendance Sheets to ensure you know the # of months of additional unsubsidized that you may be eligible for each cohort year.

This loan has an interest rate is set by the federal government on an annual basis by July 1st of each year. In addition, there are origination fees that are also established by the federal government and those change on October 1st each year.

Additional information about the details of this loan can be found here.

William D. Ford Federal Graduate PLUS Loan

Medical students are eligible for the Federal Graduate PLUS loan. This loan does accrue interest while you are enrolled. This loan does not have a federal maximum but is institutionally defined by your cost of attendance minus all other forms of aid. The cost of attendance is the financial aid cost for tuition, books/supplies, and an annual living expense allocation. This loan may vary on an annual basis depending on the cost of attendance for your cohort. For additional information about your cost of attendance for this year, please refer to the cost of attendance/budget worksheet section of this page.

Additional information about the details of this loan can be found here.

Veterans Education Benefits 

For more information about veterans educational benefits, please visit here. 

Private Education Loans

Many private lenders offer credit-based student loans to cover educational expenses up to the cost of attendance. These loans are usually referred to as "private loans". Terms of the loans will vary depending on but not limited to a variety of factors including individual credit history and income. Rush University does not maintain a preferred lender list and students are able to select their own lender of choice. Student are encouraged to review and compare private loan terms and conditions to find the best option for individual circumstances. The Office of Student Financial Aid will assist with certifying student enrollment each term once approved for the private loan.