MD Frequently Asked Questions

MD Program Only FAFSA E00197 or Private Loans 001444-03

MD Program CSS Profile Code is 5089

Starting July 1, 2026: Graduate PLUS Loans will no longer be available to new borrowers.  The Direct Unsubsidized annual loan limit for professional students is now $50,000. The lifetime aggregate maximum limit is $257,500 ($200,000 graduate program and in undergraduate, $57,500). The cost of attendance exceeds these limits, so you may need to explore other resources, including external scholarships, institutional aid, or private loans. 

Continuing MD students with a federal loan during the MD program prior to July 1, 2026, will be considered legacy borrowers for 3 additional years. You will remain eligible for the current annual Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan limits (M2 $44,944, M3 $47,167 and M4 $44,944) and Federal Graduate PLUS Loans if credit is approved up to the cost of attendance. The impact on loans when returning from a LOA are to be determined.

An FSA ID is a username and password that you must use to log in to certain U.S. Department of Education (ED) websites. Your FSA ID identifies you as someone who has the right to access your own personal information on ED websites such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). With an FSA ID you may perform the following tasks: electronically sign the FAFSA on the Web, Renewal FAFSA on the Web, or make FAFSA Corrections on the Web; view the status and results of a processed FAFSA application on the FAFSA website; electronically sign your Federal Direct Loan Master Promissory Note(s); access your Federal Student Financial Assistance Information.

Students interested in institutional need-based aid should complete all required application materials by the priority deadlines: March 1, 2026, for new incoming students and May 1, 2026, for returning students. Students interested in obtaining federal student aid must apply no later than April 15, 2027. However, we recommend applying at least a month prior to the start of the semester if needed for tuition.

The term Financial Aid is an overall term. It includes federal, private, and institutional loans, as well as institutional need-based grants and scholarships. At the GW MD Program, students may apply for all types of financial aid, although scholarships through the Office of Admissions do not require an additional application.

Students must be registered for classes, maintain academic satisfactory progress in a degree-granting program, and be either a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen to qualify for financial aid. The student has not defaulted on a Federal loan and does not owe a refund on any federal or state grant program. The student has a valid social security number. Canadian students may receive a small loan in their fourth year to help cover the costs of residency interviews.

Office of Financial Aid, GW SMHS, Ross Hall Room 106, 2300 I St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20037. Email: medfinan [at] gwu [dot] edu (medfinan[at]gwu[dot]edu) Phone: 202.994.2960 (press 1)

No. Every student needs to reapply for aid every Academic Year. Please review the Application Procedures. This includes federal and institutional aid. 

A grant is a gift and may be referred to as a scholarship on your eBill. It does not have to be repaid. A scholarship is an achievement award which is usually based on academic grades, abilities, skills, class rank, etc. and sometimes need. Loans are funds borrowed by the student. Loans must be repaid with an interest charge and have a time limit for repayment.

The packaging formula is a technique used to identify and assess the components of an applicant's total family resources in order to determine, and then help meet, the calculated need. The CSS Profile application is required to calculate the family's total contribution used in the packaging formula.

Merit scholarships for incoming students are awarded by the MD Program Office of Admissions. Questions about merit scholarships should be directed to the Office of Admissions at medadmit [at] gwu [dot] edu (medadmit[at]gwu[dot]edu). In addition, our office administers Endowed Scholarships, which requires a separate application by logging into GWay each year. This opens in July and the priority deadline is August.

We are required to review any outside aid a student receives to determine if the total amount of aid combined exceeds the maximum assigned financial aid cost of attendance (budget). If this occurs, we are required to return the over-award amount to the highest interest-bearing loan first, if applicable. If you are receiving aid from a source such as the HPSP or NHSC, you will need to set up the payment information with the Third Party Billing Office, through Student Accounts (thirdparty [at] gwu [dot] edu (thirdparty[at]gwu[dot]edu)).

If you are applying for the GW MD Program Need-Based Aid, then yes. We require natural/adoptive parental information from everyone applying for institutional need-based aid, regardless of your age or dependency status. If you are only applying for loans, then you do not need to provide parental information. Additionally, if you are married, you will also need to provide your spouse’s information. You may submit a Type 1 Appeal if you have special circumstances preventing you from obtaining either parents' information.

You may submit a Type 2 Appeal to have your need-based aid calculation reevaluated based on a reduction, in your or your parents' financial circumstances, from the reported base year. 

We recommend accepting scholarships and grants before considering any loans. If you decide to borrow, choose the lowest-cost option, which typically means loans with lower interest rates and fees. Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans have an interest rate 1% lower than Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans and feature a lower origination fee (1.057% vs. 4.228%). For more information about your loan options, please click here.