These awards do not need to be repaid.
Institutional scholarships are highly competitive and limited to admitted DDS students. Students are considered based on their admission application. No separate application is required. For more information, please contact the Admissions Office at 415.929.6491.
Private foundations, civic organizations and community agencies provide scholarships. In our experience, most students who are awarded outside scholarships receive them from organizations within their local community. For this reason, we encourage you to check local civic organizations and religious institutions to discover what scholarships are available. Also, military and veterans associations provide many scholarships and tuition assistance programs. Continuing students should also check the scholarship bulletin board located outside the Financial Aid Office for more scholarship information.
The following Web sites may be useful in identifying scholarship opportunities:
Commitment service scholarships provide support for educational and living expenses while enrolled in dental school. In exchange, recipients are required to serve in the military or in areas with health care shortages after graduation. For specific information, please contact:
Federal loans are the primary source of financial aid for dental students. Loans must be repaid by the recipient. Most dental students use one or more of the following loan programs to finance their dental education:
The HPSL is a limited federal loan program administered through the Dugoni School. Awards are made to students who show great financial need and are awarded based on available funds. Health Professions Student Loan (HPSL) Program applicants have to provide parental financial information on the FAFSA prior to the April 30 deadline.
Federal Stafford loans are low-cost loans that are guaranteed by the federal government. Commercial lenders such as banks, credit unions and organizations provide loans as part of the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). Federal Stafford loans are available in two types: subsidized and unsubsidized.
Please note: Depending on the school(s) you have attended, you may have previously borrowed through the Federal Direct Loan Program (FDL). The FDL Program is funded directly by the U.S. government. The terms and conditions for the FDL and FFEL programs are very similar. However, the dental school does not participate in the Federal Direct Loan program.
A subsidized Stafford Loan is a need-based, low-interest loan. The federal government subsidizes the interest while the borrower is enrolled in school.
An unsubsidized Stafford Loan is not based on need. The student is responsible for the payment of interest. Interest begins to accrue upon disbursement of the loan funds.
The Graduate/PLUS loan is not based on need. Students are responsible for the interest payment. Interest begins to accrue upon disbursements of the loan funds.
Alternative loans are private, credit-based loans offered to students at variable interest rates by banks and education lenders to fund educational expenses. All alternative lenders approve loan applications using report(s) provided by national credit reporting agencies.
Credit Criteria for Private/Alternative Loans
Students with too many open credit cards, large outstanding balances on credit cards/other consumer debt and delinquent payments run a risk of being denied access to these private loans. A credit-worthy co-borrower might be required in these situations.
The following are general credit guidelines used by most private loan lenders; however, each institution will have its own approval policies:
If you have questions about your credit report or potential eligibility to receive money from a private loan agency, please contact the Financial Aid Office or your chosen private loan lender. Again, it is imperative to maintain a good credit history so that you can borrow the necessary funds to complete your education.
To obtain a free copy of your credit report, use the following Web site:
You are entitled to receive one free credit report every 12 months from each of national consumer credit reporting agencies listed below. It is your choice to order all three credit reports at the same time, or one at a time. The advantage of ordering all three at the same time is that you can compare them. However, you will not be eligible for another free credit report from the central source for 12 months. On the other hand, the advantage of ordering one now and others later (for example, one credit report every four months) is that you can keep track of any changes or new information that may appear on your credit report.
Additional credit reports can be requested directly from the following agencies:
Trans Union Corporation
800.888.4213
www.transunion.com
Equifax
800.685.1111
www.equifax.com
Experian
800.311.4769
www.experian.com
After education is completed, a borrower who works in a health care shortage area providing care to underserved populations may be eligible for a federal or state loan repayment program such as the Indian Health Service, National Health Service Corp, Faculty Loan Repayment program or National Institutes of Health. The Armed Forces offers a loan repayment to eligible military personnel.
