Loans for Disadvantaged Students

Loans for Disadvantaged Students are out there and, if you qualify, you need to apply for them.

• Apply for this loan at the student financial aid office of the school where you are or intend to be enrolled

The Loans for Disadvantaged Student program provides long-term, low-interest rate loans to full-time, financially needy students from disadvantaged backgrounds, to pursue a degree in allopathic medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, optometry, podiatric medicine, pharmacy or veterinary medicine.

Participating schools are responsible for selecting qualified loan recipients, making reasonable determinations of need and providing loans which do not exceed the cost of attendance (tuition, reasonable educational expenses and reasonable living expenses

Eligible Disciplines

Under this program, funds are awarded to accredited schools of

• allopathic medicine
• osteopathic medicine
• dentistry
• optometry
• pharmacy
• podiatric medicine
• veterinary medicine

Eligible Applicants

You are eligible to apply for this loan at a school that participates in the Loans for Disadvantaged Students program if you are

• From a disadvantaged background as defined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

  An individual from a disadvantaged background is defined as one who comes from an environment that has inhibited the individual from obtaining the knowledge, skill, and abilities required to enroll in and graduate from a health professions school, or from a program providing education or training in an allied health profession; or comes from a family with an annual income below a level based on low income thresholds according to family size published by the U.S. Bureau of Census, adjusted annually for changes in the Consumer Price Index, and adjusted by the Secretary, HHS, for use in health professions and nursing programs.

• A citizen, national, or a lawful permanent resident of the United States or the District of Columbia, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico or the Marianas Islands, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the American Samoa, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Federated State of Micronesia.