Attending health profession school is expensive and the majority of students rely on loans to pay for tuition, fees, and living expenses. Most graduates have high debt burdens; the average debt for medical school graduates is $200,000. Scholarships are not as prevalent in health profession schools. According to a recent report from Association of American Medical Colleges, Physician Education Debt and the Cost to Attend Medical School: 2020 Update, “four-year scholarship totals of at least $100,000 – or $25,000 per year – were uncommon; just 12% of public school graduates and 27% of private school graduates reported receiving such amounts, and even among these recipients, the median education debt amounts were six figures.” While it’s true that you’ll ultimately earn a salary that will make it very possible to pay off debt and live a comfortable lifestyle, it’s important to be aware of the debt burden associated with pursuing education in a health profession field.

Things to consider when paying for your Health Profession degree:

• Paying for Med School
• Paying for Dental School
• Paying for other Health Professions
• NAAHP Funding Opportunities for Students

Audiology/Speech Language Pathology: https://www.asha.org/students/financial-aid/

Dental: https://www.adea.org/GoDental/Money_Matters/Financing_Options.aspx

Medical

• MD: https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/preparing-med-school/paying-medical-school/
• DO: https://www.aacom.org/become-a-doctor/financial-aid-and-scholarships

Occupational Therapy: https://www.aota.org/Education-Careers/Find-School/Aid.aspx

Optometry: https://optometriceducation.org/financing-an-optometric-education/

Pharmacy: https://pharmacyforme.org/financial-support/

Physical Therapy: https://www.apta.org/your-career/financial-management

Physician Assistant: http://pafocus.org/applying-to-pa-programs/paying-for-pa-school/

Podiatry: https://aacpm.org/becoming-a-podiatric-physician/financial-aid/

Veterinary: https://myvetlife.avma.org/new-veterinarian/your-financial-health

Most graduate students qualify for federally funded loans which offer flexible repayment plans, loan forgiveness opportunities, and lower interest rates than private loans.

• Federal Financial Aid: https://studentaid.gov/ 

Individual schools offer scholarships to applicants and it’s important to check with the schools you plan to apply to.

• Outside scholarships: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/scholarship-search
• Scholarships for DACA students: https://www.phdreamers.org/
• Perisie Medical School Scholarship: https://williamsburgcommunityfoundation.org/2023/11/01/perisie-medical-school-scholarship/

By agreeing to work in a community in need after graduation, you’ll be eligible for loan forgiveness.

• Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service: https://www.usphs.gov/
• National Health Service Corps: https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/
• Indian Health Services Scholarship Program: https://www.ihs.gov/scholarship/
• Loan Forgiveness programs: https://services.aamc.org/fed_loan_pub/index.cfm?fuseaction=public.welcome
• Rural Health Forgiveness programs: https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/funding/types/loan-repayment-programs

The military offers pathways for current health profession students and graduates to serve.

• Health Professions Scholarship Program: https://www.vacareers.va.gov/Benefits/EducationSupport/#scholarships
• Navy: https://www.navy.com/what-to-expect/education-opportunities/graduate-professional-degree-opportunities
• Army: https://www.goarmy.com/amedd/education.html
• Air Force: https://www.airforce.com/careers/specialty-careers/healthcare/overview
• National Guard: https://www.nationalguard.com/healthcare-bonuses-and-loan

• https://www.f1doctor.com/
• https://www.internationalstudentloan.com/
• https://www.salliemae.com/
• Scholarships for DACA students: https://www.phdreamers.org/
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