The expense of professional school begins well before you are admitted. The application process itself is a costly endeavor that includes entrance exam preparatory materials, entrance exam costs, primary application fees, secondary application fees, and interview costs such as professional attire, transportation, and accommodation. Below are resources for mitigating these costs.

Entrance exams: See our page on these exams for more information, including information about fee reductions and waivers.

Primary application: Most of the central application services offer a fee waiver or reduction program. These programs have strict income level eligibility requirements, and the precise amount of the benefit varies by program. 

• Dental programs (AADSAS)

• D.O. programs (AACOMAS)

• M.D. programs (AMCAS)

• Nursing programs (B.S.N. and M.S.N.) (NursingCAS)

• Occupational Therapy programs (OTCAS)

• Physician Assistant programs (CASPA)

• Physical Therapy programs (PTCAS)

• Public Health programs (SOPHAS)

• Pharmacy programs (PharmCAS)

• Veterinary programs (VMCAS)

The following central application services do not have a fee waiver/reduction program:

• Naturopathic medicine programs (NDCAS)

• Optometry programs (OptomCAS)

• Podiatry programs (AACPMAS)

• Texas public medical, dental, and veterinary schools (TMDSAS)

Secondary applications: Secondary applications are managed by individual schools and programs rather than through an application service. Some schools will automatically waive the secondary fee for an applicant who was granted a fee waiver through one of the application service programs. In other cases, you will need to request a secondary fee waiver.

• Current students may use MHC’s Suit Yourself program.

• Plan travel far in advance to take advantage of lower prices for flights.

• When possible, accept a program’s offer to stay overnight with a current student.

• Be strategic: If you are invited to interview at a program that is far away, it may be appropriate to contact nearby schools to which you have applied, to let them know that you will be in the area. Speak with your pre-health advisor if you find yourself in this situation.

While the sticker price of a professional school education can be overwhelming, educating yourself on the realities and resources for paying for your education should relieve some stress. Above all, careful financial preparation is key. 

1. If you have undergraduate loans, work with Mount Holyoke’s student financial services to understand the expectations and options in front of you for repaying those loans.

2. Build credit carefully. While it is never wise to max out your credit cards, using a card for modest spending and paying off the balance every month helps to build a solid credit score. This, in turn, will benefit you when applying for loans.

3. Research loan programs and tuition forgiveness programs (some links below).

4. Some schools have the resources to offer scholarships. This may be a part of your financial award package.

5. Live frugally and budget wisely. You may well have substantial loans to repay after professional school. However, most health professionals with graduate-level training earn comfortable salaries; wise financial planning should make loan repayment manageable. 

6. International students may face greater challenges in funding their education. International students are not eligible for federal loans and may be required to hold their full tuition in an escrow account.

For specific professions:

• Dentistry: 

  1. ADEA Money Matters

  2. Dentistry state and federal loan forgiveness programs

• Medicine: 

  1. AAMC FIRST

  2. AACOM Financial Aid & Scholarships

  3. Specialty Education Loan Repayment Program (SELRP)

• Nursing: AACN financial information

• Optometry: Financing an Optometric Education

• Pharmacy: Financial Literacy

• Physician Assistant: Paying For PA School

• Public health: 

  1. ASPPH: Financing your degree

  2. Cory L. Richards Memorial Scholarship

• Veterinary medicine: Funding a Veterinary Medical Education

For multiple professions:

• Navy, Army, and Air Force health profession scholarship programs

  1. Presentation about the Army dental HPSP

• National Health Services Corps (NHSC)

• Health Resources & Services Administration - Loans and scholarships

• Indian Health Service (IHS) Loan Repayment Program (LRP)

• State and Federal Repayment, Loan, and Scholarship database for medical and other health professions students

• Another state and federal loan forgiveness program list

• GoodRX Scholarships

• NextGen Scholarships

• Imana Scholarships

• A Continuous Charity

• AAUW list of fellowships and grants

• General scholarship database (not specific to the health professions)

• CDC resources on financing graduate school

• Scholarships that don't require proof of U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residency

There are several resources at Mount Holyoke for financial support for a variety of purposes:

• The Division of Student Life maintains a Safety Net Fund for personal emergencies. You can learn more here.

• The Dean of Students office has very limited funds available for conferences: please fill out this form to request funds.

• There is information regarding Graduate School Funding on the Mount Holyoke College Graduate School Advising Pages.

• Some people have also found it helpful to explore local scholarships - similar to what one may explore in high school... for example to contact a local high school guidance office for a current list (Masons, Lions Club, etc. etc.). Not all scholarships are for high school seniors; sometimes they are listed for "students" or those pursuing additional education. Depending on your funding goals, they may be helpful.

• There are additional resources on the Fellowships page in my.mtholyoke.

• The McCulloch Center for Global Initiatives website offers a list of outside resources that support global experiences.

• The  Alumnae Association offers Alumnae Association Fellowships.

• You can schedule an appointment with Student Financial Services here.