Top Medical School Scholarships with Upcoming Deadlines

The study of medicine is integral to society, yet it's one of the least affordable education programs. Despite the already-high tuition prices, medical school becomes about 2.5% more expensive each year. Students will need savings, student loans, and medical school scholarships to even consider applying for medical school.

Here's a snapshot of how expensive medical school has become, according to the Education Data Initiative's research on undergrad degrees, master's degrees, and medical school:

1. Average annual cost of a 4-year undergraduate degree in 2025: $38,270
2. Average annual cost of a 2-year master's degree in 2024: $38,270
3. Average annual cost of medical school in 2024: $59,605
4. Average total cost of medical school in 2024: $238,420

At Bold.org, with our extensive background in student finances, we understand the financial challenges faced by medical students. We offer exclusive medical school scholarships and help students create actionable plans to pay for advanced degrees.

In this guide, we'll review how to pay for medical school using:

1. Exclusive medical school scholarships
2. Loan repayment programs (ex, Indian Health Service Repayment Program)
3. Full tuition medical schools (ex, NYU Langone)
4. How to apply for and win scholarships

Read on to find and apply for medical school scholarships that'll help fund your tuition, fees, and other expenses while pursuing your medical degree.

Sign up for an account with Bold.org today and access a network of resources for medical students. Choose from hundreds of exclusive scholarships and apply to the opportunities that work for you!

Best Medical School Scholarships

1. Public Health Scholarships

Healthcare workers are a necessary part of any functioning society. These general scholarships are for nurses, doctors, physician assistants, and anyone associated with healthcare.

2. Biology Scholarships

A vast chunk of premed students choose to study biology for the obvious correlation to medicine. As a result, many medical students will be eligible for these scholarships.

3. Healthcare Scholarships

These financial aid packages can help fund your medical education, whether your dream is cancer research, helping underserved patients like those with DACA status, or becoming a primary care physician in your hometown.

Full Scholarships from Universities

1. NYU Grossman School of Medicine

One of the most well-known programs providing free medical education is NYU's Grossman School of Medicine. Thanks to generous donations and the administration's commitment to decreasing medical school tuition costs, all students who are accepted receive full-tuition scholarships.

The Grossman School of Medicine awards full-tuition scholarships regardless of students' financial need. Any student who is accepted can take advantage of the school's tuition-free initiative!

2. Columbia University Vagelos Scholarship Program

Columbia University's Vagelos Scholarship Program promises to meet 100% of students' demonstrated financial need. Unlike NYU, not all students will be given financial assistance with their tuition. Only students who show that they need help paying for med school can take advantage of this program.

Scholarships for Medical Professions

1. Medical Assistant Scholarships

This flexible line of work is invaluable in ensuring patients receive timely care. Students interested in becoming medical assistants can apply for these scholarships to finance their training at an accredited school or program.

2. Nursing Scholarships

Nursing is one of the most popular areas of healthcare. One good nurse can make a patient's day by providing quality care. If you have medical school aspirations, experience as a nurse can also show your commitment to health care and help you stand out in the competitive selection process.

3. Physical Therapy Scholarships

Physical therapy is an important part of healthcare that helps maintain muscle health and aids in recovery after injuries. While you may not need to attend medical school to work in this field, med students with experience in PT should apply for these scholarships.

4. Dental School Scholarships

The medical field is incredibly broad and diverse. There are several professions med students might be interested in after college, including oral health. Apply for these scholarships if you're attending medical school to become a dentist!

Regardless of what niche you're aiming for in the healthcare community, your intended profession will likely have many scholarship programs available to you. Make sure to look for scholarships specific to the occupation you want to end up in.

Loan Repayment Programs for Med Students

1. Indian Health Service

The Indian Health Service Loan Repayment Program offers up to $40,000 to help medical students repay their student loans in exchange for two years of service in health facilities that serve American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

2. National Health Service Corps

The NHSC offers up to $50,000 for medical students' loans. Approved students will need to provide at least two years of service at an NHSC-approved site.

3. Health Resources & Services Administration Faculty Loan Repayment Program

This loan repayment program is only open to faculty members. HRSA will pay up to $40,000 over two years for health professionals willing to serve at an approved healthcare education facility.

Financial Aid for Popular Med School Majors

1. Chemistry Scholarships

Chemistry is a popular area of concentration and might translate well to pharmaceutical concentrations in particular. Sometimes, a more diverse education is viewed as more helpful, depending on the field of medicine you choose to study!

2. Psychology Scholarships

Psychology can help set students up to work in mental health fields and provide care for those diagnosed with mental illnesses. It's also a good foundation for medical students who want to emphasize holistic care.

3. Computer Science Scholarships

Besides working in the patient-facing side of healthcare, research is also an important facet of the medical community. A degree in computer science is often viewed as an added bonus for students intending to pursue medical research alongside other medical concentrations. As research involves data analysis and statistical tools, a computer science degree can be incredibly helpful in the lab.

Check out the full list of scholarships on Bold.org today to see if your major offers special opportunities for you!

Scholarships for Minority Students Pursuing Careers in Medicine

1. Scholarships for Minority Students

Unconscious or implicit biases in medicine continue to exist despite the best intentions of healthcare providers. Supporting medical students of racial and ethnic minorities helps combat this issue by improving the diversity of the professional medical community overall.

Some scholarships may only be open to permanent residents, so international students should read the eligibility requirements carefully.

1. Scholarships for Black Students
2. Asian American Student Scholarships
3. Native American Student Scholarships

Minority students attending medical school will eventually graduate and lend their voices and experiences to conversations in hospital board rooms, patient consultations, and more. Their presence in the medical field brings diversity to the experiences and ideas that shape the medical community.

If you don't feel represented by the categories above, view our full list of demographic-specific scholarships and apply.

Medical Scholarships for Outstanding Students

1. Essay Scholarships

Essay scholarships ask medical students to write about their personal goals and ambitions. The essay is the best chance you have of convincing the donor you should win money over other students, so if writing is your strong suit, definitely apply for any medical-related essay scholarships.

2. Merit-Based Scholarships

Merit scholarships award money to medical students with exceptionally good grades or test scores. Check each scholarship to see what percentile of scores will be considered, and apply if you're confident in your academic prowess.

Scholarships to Meet Financial Need

1. Gap Year Scholarships

Many med students opt to take gap years in order to build their resumes, gain lab experience, and work on personal projects. These scholarships help make returning to school more financially plausible.

2. Grants to Pay Off Student Loans

Pursuing a degree in medicine will usually take much longer than acquiring a degree in other fields. These general grants will be especially helpful for medical school students, as the extra years in school may result in more student loans.

3. Scholarships for Returning Students

Similar to taking a gap year, students may need to take a break for personal or financial reasons before continuing their medical school education. If that's the case, check out these scholarships for returning medical students and pick up where you left off.

Why Medical School Scholarships Matter

The medical field is constantly evolving as new research and practices shape modern healthcare. That's one of the many reasons the medical field is so exciting— the accepted approach to healthcare is under constant reevaluation.

That also means it's imperative medical school students get the best education possible and, consequently, require more years in school than other disciplines. Unfortunately, that means a higher tuition cost for medical school.

Because of the rise in prices and the competitiveness involved with medical school, it can be easy for students to get discouraged. As the volume of applicants also increases, medical schools have become even more competitive in the past few years.

However, from 2022 to 2024, the rate of first-time applicants has returned to a similar rate as in 2020. This signals a recent spike in applicants to med school.

Here's how much medical school and other educational expenses might cost you, according to the Education Data Initiative:

Tuition Costs for Medical School

1. Each year, the average cost of medical school increases by $1,224.
2. The average in-state resident pays $208,428 for medical school.
3. The average out-of-state resident pays $269,392 for medical school.

Other Educational Expenses for Medical Students

1. The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) costs $335 per test.
2. On average, a medical school applicant spends $957 sending out applications.
3. The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) ranges from $600 to $1,200 per section.

Taking the MCAT, applying for medical schools, and passing the USMLE are other costs students will need to consider as they prepare for medical school.

How to Apply for Scholarships for Medical School Students

1. Finding Available Scholarships

Here's how to find scholarships you can apply for and win:

1. Education Level Scholarships: Undergraduate students should search for undergrad scholarships, while graduate students can look for graduate research grants, and so on.
2. Major or Research Area Scholarships: If you're involved in a niche research project or have a strong interest in a particular field, search for available scholarships that relate to that interest. Find organic chemistry or family medicine scholarships to reduce your competition.
3. Local Scholarships: Ask your university, local organizations, or extracurricular clubs if they directly fund any scholarship awards. Students enrolled in a university will always have access to certain financial aid that non-students do not. The same goes for participants of various societies and associations.
4. Student Background Scholarships: Check for scholarships based on your economic background, ethnic background, and personal experiences. For example, certain foundations fund scholarships for DACA recipients, while others award tuition money to cancer survivors.
5. Education Experience Scholarships: Students entering residency may be able to apply for residency scholarships. Researchers working in graduate-level labs may also be able to apply for more sophisticated or selective research grants. Medical students in their final year of school can apply for entry-level medical professional grants, not just student aid.

2. Scholarship Form & Eligibility Requirements

Some scholarships only require applicants to have a complete profile, but many require an additional essay or submission to apply. Remember to prepare documents such as:

1. Letters of recommendation
2. Personal statement
3. Transcripts

Once you have all your papers in order, filling out the form and submitting the application should be easy.

4. Write a Heartfelt Essay

Consider the prompt of the essay portion of the application. Do some research and align your essay with the values of the donors or scholarship panelists. Here are some quick tips on how to write a good essay:

1. Show why you're interested in medicine. Include anecdotes highlighting your experiences with patients and healthcare workers, as well as what inspired you to pursue this field.
2. Demonstrate your worth. Show donors how you're going to help members of your community and make a positive impact on the healthcare system.
3. Write a strong conclusion. In your final thoughts, remind donors how your values align with theirs and how you're going to put the scholarship money to good use.

Always be sure to proofread written work before submitting your application!

Tips for the Scholarship Application Process

Scholarships will always require a little bit of luck— these opportunities are, like medical school, very competitive. However, there are certain things you can do to minimize student debt in medical school.

1. Apply for Service Commitment Programs. Some schools offer tuition breaks or funding in exchange for up to four years of student service in underserved areas or university-affiliated healthcare facilities. These commitment programs also demonstrate your resolve and can help convince scholarship committees you're serious about medicine.
2. Apply for Specific, Niche Scholarships. The more requirements a scholarship has, the fewer applicants it will get. If you can find scholarships that are very specific to your field of interest or path to higher education, you'll likely have a better chance of winning those. Current students should always apply for aid at their university.
3. Apply for a Diverse Range of Scholarships. Don't just apply for one type of financial aid! Applying for a variety of scholarships helps increase your chances of winning. Apply for merit-based, need-based, essay, and no-essay scholarships.

Additional Resources for Medical Higher Education

1. Association of American Medical Colleges

The AAMC provides a variety of resources for medical students, from med school application guides to standardized test resources. There are also opportunities for students to connect with mentors and explore employment opportunities.

2. Summer Health Professions Education Program

The SHPEP is a summer program for students looking to explore different fields of professional medicine. Applicants can apply to the program for medicine, dentistry, nursing, optometry, pharmacy, physical therapy, public health, and more.

Twelve partnering institutions will offer placements for accepted students, where they can receive hands-on training and gain experience in their chosen fields through clinical exposure and networking opportunities.

3. Osmosis

This online learning platform features concise and informative video lectures, flashcards, and more resources to help aspiring doctors study. Board-style questions help students prepare for medical exams and standardized tests, while decision-making trees foster clinical reasoning.

Bold.org users can also access a wealth of student how-to guides on finances, standardized tests, and more, all available on our scholarship blog.