Scholarship Search

In addition to Web sites like FastWeb and the U.S. Department of Education, you may be able to find scholarships within your own community or through national organizations (like Shriners). Below are some suggestions for places to look for funds.

You may also come up with some scholarship ideas by using the Scholarship Checklist from the Department of Education.

Contact local hospitals and ask to speak to a staff member in the human resources department about scholarship opportunities. Some hospitals and their foundations offer scholarships to medical students or financial aid in the form of tuition assistance in exchange for a specific number of years of employment after completion of residency.

Many religious institutions, through personal endowments, have funds available for members to further their education. Contact your church’s business office to inquire about such resources and any eligibility requirements.

Check out organizations such as the Optimists, Lions Clubs or Shriners because they may have scholarships or funding for students with your interests. Consider contacting local businesses as well.

Check with the medical schools that you are applying to, including the school’s office of minority affairs, for scholarship possibilities. Request a financial aid packet from the medical school’s financial aid office and ask about scholarship opportunities that are unique to that school. Many medical schools, for example, offer financial assistance to academically competitive medical students who demonstrate severe financial hardship. Make arrangements for you and your family to speak directly to one of the school's financial aid officers about your situation and the options available to you.

National Medical Fellowships (NMF) provides scholarships based on need, primarily to first and second-year medical students. NMF also provides merit-based awards.

Herbert W. Nickens Medical Student Scholarships are awarded to students entering their third-year of medical school. According to the AAMC Web site, these scholarships are given to those "who assist medical schools achieve their diversity objectives and eliminate health care disparities."