Financial Aid

Attending college and how to pay for your education are very important decisions. At The University of Mississippi Medical Center's School of Health Related Professions, our purpose is to help you achieve your education goals. A quality education may not be as expensive as you might think. There are several federal, state, institutional and private resources available to help you meet your educational expenses.

In the new millennium, a college education is the first step in reaching your goals. As you read the information contained on this Web page, remember the door to a better future and more opportunities is right before you.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center uses the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Participants in the Free Application subscribe to the principle that the amount of financial aid granted a student should be based on financial need. To apply for financial aid, students must complete the following application forms and return the forms to the place designated:

• Institutional application, to be returned to the Student Financial Aid Office;
• Free Application, to be returned to central processor; and
• Stafford Student Loan application, to be returned to the Student Financial Aid Office.

Applications and information are forwarded to all students accepted by the School of Health Related Professions. A student should not apply for loans until an official letter of acceptance has been received.

Applications for financial assistance and a packet containing the Student Financial Aid Handbook and other information will be sent to applicants accepted for admission upon receipt of other required deposit and letter of acceptance. A student should not apply for loans until an official letter of acceptance has been received. Applicants who will need financial assistance should contact the Office of Student Financial Aid at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Students wishing to apply for aid at UMMC must: apply for a Personal Identification Number (PIN) online at www.pin.ed.gov , complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) online at www.fafsa.ed.gov, using University of Mississippi Medical Center Federal School Code number 004688, and complete Entrance Counseling online at www.nelliemae.com. This must be done prior to 31 March in order to be eligible for priority consideration for financial aid.

All first time students must go to www.nelliemae.com or www.wellsfargo.com and complete this on-line form, preferably by March 31 of the year of intended enrollment at this medical school. If a completed entrance interview is not on file for the academic year, no aid can be processed. The Office of Student Financial Aid will be notified when the on-line interview is complete.

Federal Income Tax (FIT) forms- A students must complete FIT forms for the previous calendar year (for example, tax forms for 2004 are required for students enrolling in 2005) and submit them to the Internal Revenue Service before completing a FAFSA because information from your tax return is needed to complete the FAFSA. Parents of students applying for Scholarships/Loans for Disadvantaged Students (see below) must also complete and submit FIT forms for the same year. To be considered for priority financial packaging, FIT forms must be completed by March 31.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)- Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov/ to complete this on-line form; be sure to list the University of Mississippi Medical Center's school code (004688) on the FAFSA. Medical students are considered independent, thus parental income need not be reported except for those applying for federal Scholarships/Loans for Disadvantaged Students (see below). Federal income tax forms for the previous calendar year must be prepared for the Internal Revenue Service before completing a FAFSA (for example, tax forms for 2004 are required for students enrolling in 2005) because information from your tax return is needed to complete the FAFSA. To be considered for priority financial packaging, a FAFSA must be completed by March 31.

Federal Scholarships/Loans for Disadvantaged Students- The University of Mississipppi School of Health Related Professions annually applies to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Bureau of Health Profession's (BHP) Division of Health Careers Diversity and Development (DHCDD ) for funds to assist needy students finance their education. The amount of funds awarded to the institution varies each year based on: availability; the proportion of graduated students going into primary care; the proportion of underrepresented minority students; and the proportion of graduated students going into medically underserved communities. The Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS) program provides scholarships to full-time, financially needy students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

 

The Loans for Disadvantaged Students (LDS) program provides long-term, low-interest rate loans to full-time, financially needy students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

An individual from a disadvantaged background is defined as someone who meets either environmental or economic criteria: (a) A person who comes from an environment that has inhibited the individual from obtaining the knowledge, skill, and abilities required for enrollment in and graduation from a school is environmentally disadvantaged.

Specific criteria for an environmentally disadvantaged background include:

The individual graduated from (or last attended) a high school with low ACT or SAT score based on most recent data available:

The individual graduated from (or last attended) a high school from which, based on most recent data available: (i) a low percentage of seniors receive a high school diploma or (ii) a low percentage of graduates go to college during the first year after graduation.

The individual graduated from (or last attended) a high school with low per capita funding.

The individual graduated from (or last attended) a high school at which, based on most recent data available, many of the enrolled students are eligible for free or reduced price lunches.

The individual comes from a family that receives public assistance (e.g. Aid to Families with Dependent Children, food stamps, Medicaid, public housing).

The individual comes from a family that lives in an area that is designated under section 332 of the Act as a health professional shortage area.

(b) A person who comes from a family with an annual income below a level which is based on low-income thresholds according to family size published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, adjusted annually for changes in the Consumer Price Index, and adjusted by the Secretary HHS for adaptation to this program is economically disadvantaged.

Note that "family" refers only to parents' income and parents' size of family. It does NOT refer to the student's income and student's family size, regardless of whether a student is independent or dependent.

You are eligible to apply for SDS and LDS funds if you:

(a) have been accepted to or are currently enrolled in this medical school;

(b) are 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; and (c) are from an environmentally or economically disadvantaged background.

Outlined below are the steps involved and approximate timeline for applying for and awarding of SDS funds.

• Complete an SDS Eligibility Form and submit to the Alice Faye Johnson, Assistant to the Dean for Multicultural Affairs by March 31. Do not submit federal income tax forms at this time.
• As described in Financial Aid (above), complete an entrance interview (first time students only), acquire a PIN, complete and submit Federal Income Tax forms and complete an on-line FAFSA as soon as possible but not later than March 31.
• Based on the Eligibility Form and verification of data that qualifies an applicant as environmentally disadvantaged, the School of Medicine's Admissions Office will submit a list of candidates for SDS funds to Student Financial Aid in April.
• Student Financial Aid will review the candidate list and verify data for economically disadvantaged status via the on-line FAFSA. If a FAFSA is not on file, this data cannot be verified and funds will not be awarded.
• Candidates who clear the verification processes mentioned above will be sent UMC Financial Aid and UMC SDS Application forms by the Office of Student Financial Aid. These forms will be accompanied by instructions, a deadline for their submission and, if needed, a request for student and parental federal income tax forms.
• UMC will be notified in May as to whether or not the federal government will award SDS funds to the School of Health Related Professions. If funds are awarded, based on i) the amount of the award to the School of Health Related Professions, ii) how many applicants qualify for funds and iii) federally mandated criteria for disbursement priorities, the Director of Student Financial Aid will determine the amount of SDS funds that will be awarded to each student and notify them of this amount.

For further information on SDS or LDS funds, contact Steve Watson, Director of Student Affairs/Recruitment, University of Mississippi Medical Center, School of Health Related Professions, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39216.

 

FINANCIAL AID INTERNET RESOURCES:

 

1. College Board's Financial Aid and Scholarship Service
http://collegeboard.org

2. Department of Education Financial Aid and Scholarships
http://collegenet.com/mach25

3. Fastweb Scholarship Search
http://fastweb.com

4. Finaid Scholarship and Fellowship Search
http://finaid.com

5. Peterson's College Quest
http://www.collegequest.com

6. Science Wise
http://www.sciencewise.com

7. Grant Search
http://www.freegrantsearch.com

8. College Connection Scholarships
http://www.collegescholarships.com