Financial Aid FAQs
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Financial FAQs

We've gathered a number of frequently asked questions from all parts of the financial aid process.

Applying

Everyone who is admitted to the University of Michigan Medical School is welcome to apply for financial aid, which includes scholarships, grants and loans.

Yes, newly admitted medical students should review their specific financial aid deadlines online.


Returning (current) students need to complete and submit their FAFSA and all other required materials to the Medical School Financial Aid Office by May 1st. Students who meet these deadlines will be eligible for full financial aid consideration (institutional and external funding) to the extent of their financial need.

To be considered for any type of financial aid, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the University of Michigan Medical School Application.

To get started, check out the How to Apply page.

Yes. Even though as a graduate student you are considered independent, we rely on parent information submitted on your UMMS Financial Aid Application to determine the need of each student.

If you want to be considered for all types of aid — federal as well as institutional loans and grants — you must provide parental information on the UMMS Financial Aid Application.

Continuing/current students will only be asked for parental information in their M2 year and beyond if they are interested in LDS loans. Parental data is mandatory for Department of Health and Human Services programs (such as Loans for Disadvantaged Students).

Parental information is not necessary if you are applying only for the William D. Ford Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan and/or the GradPLUS Loan.

Even though you need to submit this information for some types of aid, we don’t expect parents to provide financial support and this information won’t jeopardize your eligibility for the William D. Ford Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford or GradPLUS Loan Programs. This information is a tool to help us assess individual situations.

The Federal Methodology formula used to determine whether you are eligible for need-based aid is:

Budget – Family Contribution (Parental Contribution + Student Contribution) = Eligibility for Assistance.

Students are advised to provide parental income information on the UMMS Financial Aid Application for full consideration of all financial aid programs.

Several federal programs as well as institutional programs require parental information regardless of dependency status.

Notification to on-time applicants will begin in June.

You’ll be notified via email with instructions on how to accept, decline or change your aid through your Wolverine Access account. Wolverine Access is U-M’s student portal where you can manage your personal and account information, among other things.

It is important to notify us promptly if there is a change in your financial status, such as the receipt of additional aid or a change in your enrollment plans.

Students will need to reapply each academic year. Aid is awarded based on the new financial information you submit, as well as new financial aid packaging policies.

We’ve created a Guideline Budget that represents a modest but adequate cost of living for the typical med student.

If you have special budget needs you would like to have considered during the process of determining your level of available financial aid, please let us know!

University of Michigan Medical School applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States. Contact the Medical School Admissions Office with questions.

Yes. Students meet one-on-one with our registrar and a financial aid counselor to be guided through the process. Students who are enrolled in a degree program at U-M that is outside of the Medical School will be beholden to central campus financial aid policies and support.

Spouses are not covered in a student’s budget, and only in certain circumstances are maintenance expenses for dependents/children included. Contact us if you have any questions about available assistance.

Medical students with children are eligible to apply for a child care subsidy for assistance with licensed child care costs (daycare).

The U-M Veterans Certification Department assists students with applying for their veterans’ educational benefits.

The Veterans Certification Department is located in the Registrar’s Office:

1207 LSA Building
500 S. State St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1382
734-763-9066

The University of Michigan Medical School does not designate funds for a specific group based on race, color, national origin or sex.

Our office has extensive experience in helping students understand all of their financial aid options no matter their background, including need- or merit-based institutional and/or federal loans, scholarships and/or grants.

After Your Apply

You’ll receive notification of your financial aid package via email, with instructions on how to view the aid offer on Wolverine Access, U-M’s student portal.

Financial aid can include Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, institutional and/or other federal loans, scholarships and institutional grants to the extent of your eligibility, or a combination of any of these.

Beginning with the 24-25 year, parent data can no longer be collected on the FAFSA. In light of this, and with a goal to not overburden students with reporting requirements, we are moving to establish a parent contribution in a student’s entering year (via the UMMS Financial Aid Application). The same parent contribution will be used to determine a student’s grant eligibility from year to year, with a goal to stabilize the amount as much as possible with the funding we have available. Grant funding is limited and directed to students who demonstrate the highest need.

For students who matriculated prior to 24-25 and are receiving grant, we will refer to the parent information submitted on your last aid application and carry that information forward. Students who have not supplied parent financial data in the past will not automatically be considered for grant; they will need to apply and provide parent financial data to the UMMS Financial Aid Office to be considered. Students whose parents’ have experienced a financial hardship since their entering year may reach out to the UMMS Financial Aid Office for reconsideration as well.   

Medical students are able to view and print their financial aid award notices in Wolverine Access. You’ll get an email when you have an award notice available to view.

Disbursement dates are available on our timeline.

Yes, however we encourage you to share as much information as you can about your individual circumstances up front. Our team has over 90 years of combined experience in helping students find the financial aid solutions that work best for them.

If you have questions or concerns about a financial aid policy or decision, or you want to present special circumstances in your case, you may appeal to a financial aid officer in writing.

If the situation can’t be resolved, it will be referred to the Financial Aid Director.

If you are questioning a financial aid policy and there are no unusual circumstances, or you’re dissatisfied with a policy, the Director will consult with the Assistant Dean for Student Services to determine next steps.

Students may cancel (decline), or reduce, any loan in their financial aid package through Wolverine Access.

See the Fund Disbursement page for more details.

When you accept the offer of financial aid specified in your Financial Aid Notice, you agree to accept and fulfill all of the following responsibilities, including the terms and conditions set by the federal regulations for financial aid:

  1. Additional Assistance. If you received additional funds not listed on your Financial Aid Notice, report them immediately to the Medical School Financial Aid Office in writing, even if the office making the award will notify us directly.
  2. Previously Received Title IV Aid. You must not be in default on any federal educational loans, or owe any refunds on federal grants received at any post-secondary institution.
  3. Use of Funds. You may use funds listed on your Financial Aid Notice only for educationally related expenses incurred at the University of Michigan Medical School for the academic year in which the aid was provided.
  4. Enrollment Requirements. As a rule, you must be enrolled full-time to receive financial aid. Full-time for medical students is at least 12 credit hours per term. Students enrolled less than full-time but at least half-time will have their budget reduced accordingly. Students enrolled less than half-time are reviewed individually. If you withdraw or are asked to withdraw from medical school, you must inform the Financial Aid Office immediately. If you received a federal student loan, you must arrange for an exit interview by contacting the Financial Aid Office. Depending on when you withdraw, you may have to repay all or part of the aid you receive.

Financial aid is paid (disbursed) to you no sooner than the beginning of each semester. Students will get their aid approximately two weeks after they have:

  • Responded to all requests for additional information
  • Enrolled for a credit hour load that is at least half-time and started attending classes
  • Completed and signed all applicable promissory notes

Students whose financial aid exceeds the charges on their University Student Account will receive a refund to pay other educationally related expenses.

You may choose to have these excess funds deposited directly into your personal bank account or mailed to your local address on file in Wolverine Access.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is the term used to describe a student’s successful completion of coursework toward a degree or certificate.

All students receiving federal student financial aid must adhere to the Policies and Procedures for Medical Student Evaluation, Advancement and Graduation, approved by the University of Michigan Medical School Executive Committee yearly in order to maintain SAP.

The normal timeframe for completion of required coursework for the MD degree is four academic years. Due to academic or personal difficulties, a student may need more time. We evaluate these situations on a case-by-case basis.

To qualify for Satisfactory Academic Progress for financial aid eligibility, the student must complete the pre-clinical phase of the curriculum by the end of the third year after initial enrollment and clinical coursework within three years of beginning the clinical phase. The maximum time permitted for federal financial aid eligibility is six years.

We understand that students may experience unanticipated and unexpected financial emergencies.

If you find yourself in this situation, we encourage you to contact our financial aid counselor as soon as possible. Our office has limited funding available to help students in specific situations.

Medical students who withdraw or drop credits will have their tuition charges adjusted and may have to refund financial aid dollars to the appropriate Title IV student aid sources, as required by federal law.

Medical School policy dictates that all financial aid recipients must meet with a financial aid officer before leaving the school for an approved Leave of Absence, withdrawal or dismissal.

Students who know they may need to leave school should meet with a financial aid officer to determine the appropriate refund amount.