This section contains a list of frequently asked questions with concise answers. Should you require additional information, please email the School of Medicine Student Financial Services Office at fao@mednet.ucla.edu.
QUESTIONS
- How can I get answers to my financial aid questions?
- Where can I get information about Federal student financial aid?
- How much does it cost to attend the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA?
- Can I work to help pay for the cost of my medical education?
- How much debt will I accumulate by graduation?
- As a non-US Citizen or Resident, can I qualify for financial aid?
- Must I be accepted before I can apply for financial aid?
- How do I apply for financial aid at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA?
- What is the deadline for applying for financial aid?
- What types of financial aid are covered by this Financial Aid Application?
- Are my parents required to submit their financial information?
- What if my parents are separated or divorced. Which parent fills out the Financial Aid Application?
- Who has access to the information on the forms filed as part of the Financial Aid Application?
- I am not sure my family will demonstrate financial need. Should I complete the Financial Aid Application?
- How do I become an independent student for Federal aid purposes?
- What is the title IV FAFSA code?
- What is the Stafford Institutional code?
- How do I know if my application is complete?
- What kind of financial aid can I expect to receive?
- What do I do with the Student Aid Report (SAR)?
- What is my calculated need?
- Why is the family contribution on the Student Aid Report (SAR) sometimes different from the family contribution that the School of Medicine expects?
- How do I find out about awards made to me?
- Who gets Perkins Loans?
- Are scholarships I receive considered taxable income by the IRS?
- What other sources of aid are available?
- How do I receive my financial aid?
- How do I pay my tuition/fees from my financial aid award?
- How are Stafford Loan proceeds paid?
- What if my financial aid is delayed?
- Do I have to apply for financial aid each year?
- If my parents or I have experienced an extraordinary drop in income or significant increase in expenses since I filed my Financial Aid Application, do I submit this information to your office and when do you need it?
- If I take a leave of absence, do I have to begin repayment of my student loans?
- Must I report outside scholarships that I receive to the Student Financial Services Office?
- How do I find out where all my loans are?
ANSWERS
How can I get answers to my financial aid questions?
- You can email the office at fao@mednet.ucla.edu,
or - You can visit us at 12-109 Center for the Health Sciences,
or - You can call us at (310) 825-4181.
Where can I get information about Federal student financial aid?
How much does it cost to attend the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA?
Can I work to help pay for the cost of my medical education?
How much debt will I accumulate by graduation?
-
As a non-US Citizen or Resident, can I qualify for financial aid?
- be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen (Permanent Resident I-151 or I-551 card),
- be registered with Selective Service (if required),
- attend a participating school,
- be working toward a degree,
- be making satisfactory academic progress,
- not have been convicted of possession or sale of illegal drugs,
- not owe a refund on a Federal grant or be in default on a Federal Education loan, and have
- financial need (except for Unsubsidized Stafford Loans).
Must I be accepted before I can apply for financial aid?
How do I apply for financial aid at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA?
- Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA Renewal)
- Need Access Student Application on the Web, which requires the Need Access Student Application processing fee of $15.00
- The School of Medicine's Institutional Application on the Web
- The School of Medicine's Tax Certification and Tax Related Forms on the Web, which include:
- The Tax Certification Report
- Copy of the student's 2003 Federal Income Tax Return (1040, 1040a, or 1040ez)
- Copy of the parents' 2003 Federal Income Tax Return (1040, 1040a, or 1040ez)
- The Parents' Statement of Expenses and Resources (only if parents are non-tax filers)
- Student's IRS 4506 Form requesting verification of student's filing status
- Parents' IRS 4506 Form requesting parents' verification of filing status
- Divorced/Separated Parent's Forms
What is the deadline for applying for financial aid?
What types of financial aid are covered by this Financial Aid Application?
Are my parents required to submit their financial information?
What if my parents are separated or divorced. Which parent fills out the Financial Aid Application?
Who has access to the information on the forms filed as part of the Financial Aid Application?
I am not sure my family will demonstrate financial need. Should I complete the Financial Aid Application?
How do I become an independent student for Federal aid purposes?
What is the Title IV FAFSA College Code?
What is the Stafford Institutional Code?
How do I know if my application is complete?
What kind of financial aid can I expect to receive?
What do I do with the Student Aid Report (SAR)?
What is my calculated need?
Why is the family contribution on the Student Aid Report (SAR) sometimes different from the family contribution that the School of Medicine expects?
How do I find out about awards made to me?
Who gets Perkins Loans?
Are scholarships I receive considered taxable income by the IRS?
What other sources of aid are available?
How do I receive my financial aid award?
How do I pay my tuition/fees from my financial aid award?
How are Stafford Loan proceeds paid?
What if my financial aid is delayed?
Do I have to apply for financial aid each year?
If my parents or I have experienced an extraordinary drop in income or significant increase in expenses since I filed my financial aid application, do I submit this information to your office and when do you need it?
If I take a leave of absence, do I have to begin repayment of my student loans?
Must I report outside scholarships that I receive during the school year to the financial aid office?
How do I find out where all my loans are?
Call 1-800-4-FED-AID and ask for a free copy of "The Student Guide: Financial Aid from the US Department of Education". You can write them at:
Federal Student Aid Information Center
P.O. Box 84
Washington, D.C. 20044
The Student Financial Services Office establishes annual cost of living budgets covering educational expenses.Of course, the amount anyone spends depends greatly upon their personal situation and choices. Students have choices about where they live while attending UCLA: at home with parents or relatives, or off campus. Each of these living arrangements has a different cost. For information on fees, you can visit the Registrar's web site at http://www.registrar.ucla.edu/Fees/.
Students do not have the time for employment during medical school. The commitment to class instruction and to studies does not leave time. For this reason, employment is discouraged at UCLA during the academic year. There are, however, numerous Fellowship Programs and research opportunities available.
The average medical school indebtedness for graduating medical students (Class of 1999) was $56,000. Given the general rise of educational cost, you should expect a debt level of about $70,000 (or about $80,000 including pre-matriculation debt). Your own debt is a function of your ability to budget and of your, your spouse's, and your parents', relative financial strength and willingness to contribute to your education.
To be eligible for financial aid you must...
Yes, you have to be admitted before you can apply. To actually receive funds, however, you must be admitted and enrolled.
Once you have been admitted to the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, you will receive in the mail our Financial Aid Application Instructions. Below is a list of the Financial Aid Application's main components to be completed and submitted to the Student Financial Services Office to apply for aid:
The deadline for continuing students for 2004-2005 is April 20, 2004. For entering students (Class of 2008) there are no deadlines.
All forms of Federal aid including Stafford Loans, Perkins Loans, and Primary Care Loans along with non-federal aid such as University grants, scholarships and loans.
At UCLA, as with many other medical schools, students are considered "dependent" for receipt of School of Medicine funds and are required to report parental information from both parents even if divorced or separated. Students who as undergraduates were treated as "independent" are now deemed dependent for consideration of School of Medicine's scholarships, grants, and loans. Parental support for the student is expected. We require income/asset data about your parents for analysis and we use this information to assess the comparative financial strength or weakness of our applicants and their need for School of Medicine's funding. Many students are eligible for financial assistance, but the assistance given relates to availability of funding and the awarding policies established by the Financial Aid Committee.
At UCLA, as with many other medical schools, students who wish to apply for University based grants, scholarships and loans are required to report on their financial aid forms parental information from both parents even if divorced or separated. The student should provide the custodial parent's information on the "Parents' Section" and the non custodial parent's information on the "Divorced/Separated Parent's Section" of the Need Access Application and throughout the Financial Aid Application. A parent contribution will be calculated from both sets of parent information and these contributions will be added together to yield the total parent contribution.
Only Financial Aid Officers at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA have access to confidential information.
Yes. Many families mistakenly think they don't qualify for aid and prevent themselves from receiving financial aid by failing to apply for it. In addition, there are a few sources of aid such as Unsubsidized Stafford Loans that are available regardless of need.
Graduate students by federal definition are considered independent and, therefore, are eligible for Federal Stafford Loans. However, even if you meet the Federal guidelines for filing as an independent applicant, UCLA requires financial information from your parents prior to giving you consideration for David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA's private scholarship, grant or loan funds. You can apply for "bank loans only", or for Stafford Loans only, without providing your parental information on the Financial Aid Application.
The college code for the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA is E00374
The code is 001315
Missing Information Letters (MILs) are produced periodically to notify applicants of missing forms, documents or data. These letters also verify the forms/documents which have been received. You can also check the status of you Financial Aid Application on the Web. All you have to do is link to University Records System Access (URSA) on line and follow the directions.
Students who provide parental information and demonstrate financial need have their need met with a package of aid which consists of scholarships/grants, university based loan and Federal Subsidized and Unsubsidized Stafford Loan. If your combined parent and student contributions equal or exceed the student budget, you will be ineligible for university based grant, scholarship and loan funds. If you are in this situation, the counselor may treat you as an independent student (the parental contribution will not be used) and a Federal Stafford Loan will be awarded to meet your new increased need.
Make any corrections and return your SAR to the Federal processor. You will later receive a revised SAR in the mail which will reflect your corrections. Retain this new SAR for your records. The Student Financial Services Office may request that you turn in your SAR to them if needed for verification.
The process of calculating the parent and student contributions and determining need is called "need analysis" and has been standardized by Congress. Quantifying a family's need for financial assistance was developed in the 1950s, before most of the federal student aid programs were established. Eligibility for most of the federal student aid programs is based on financial need rather than academic achievement.
At the simplest level, a student's financial need is the difference between the student's cost of attendance at the school (standard student budget) and the amount the family is expected to contribute to the student's education, the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The need analysis formula utilizes parents' income, savings, assets, and other resources to determine the parents' contribution. The student contribution is derived by analyzing the income and asset information of the student (and your spouse). The EFC figure is not an actual amount that you (or your parents) have to pay, but is an approximation of how much you and your parents could reasonably be able to contribute toward your educational expenses. For a more detailed explanation of need analysis, check our publication "Understanding Need Analysis".
The family contribution calculated for School of Medicine's funding includes the parent and student contributions combined. The family contribution displayed on the SAR includes only the student contribution and does not include the parent contribution. This is because graduate students are automatically federally independent and, therefore, the family contribution will be calculated only on the student information (not the parent information) provided on the FAFSA.
The School of Medicine collects the parent information on the Need Access Application on the Web and calculates a parent contribution using Institutional Methodology. This parent contribution combined with the student contribution (calculated from the student information provided on the FAFSA) makes up the School of Medicine's expected family contribution. For a more detailed explanation of need analysis, check our publication "Understanding Need Analysis".
After the Student Financial Services Office (SFS) has awarded you a package of aid to meet your financial need, a Financial Aid Notification (FAN) letter is mailed to you. This FAN details the student budget, the parental and student contributions, the need, and the different funds awarded to meet that need. Your must accept or decline each award, sign and date the FAN, and return it to SFS as soon as possible. Approximately five working days after we receive the FAN (and other required documents such as a university loan promissory note), but no earlier than the first day of fall or spring semester disbursement, financial aid refunds will be available. A refund is is the result of your financial aid after is has disbursed into your Billing and Receivable account (BAR) and paid all debts to the school, including tuition and fees. Refunds are held for pick-up, mailed to your address, or deposited into your personal bank account via BRUIN DIRECT.
Availability of outside loan or scholarship checks will depend upon the lender's and/or donor's date of disbursement. University loans require a separate promissory note and a co-signer. The co-signer's signature must be notarized by a notary public. Call the Hospital Administration Office (17-253 CHS) at (310) 825-7271 for notary service hours.
The Federal government requires that Perkins Loan awards go to its neediest students first, any remaining loan funds can then be given to less needy students. The Perkins Loan program has an annual award limit of $5,000.
Yes. Grants and scholarships in excess of tuition and fees, books and supplies are taxable. You are required to document your expenses and retain proof of the cost of tuition and fees paid in case you are audited. Refer to IRS publication 520, "Scholarships and Fellowships" and/or Publication 4, "Student Guide to Federal Income Tax". For more information on filing taxes, consult a tax accountant or the IRS at 1-800-829-1040.
There are many local, state and national organizations which grant scholarship and loan funds. The School of Medicine Student Financial Services Office has prepared a compendium of sources called Pennies From Heaven. There are over 70 scholarships and 60 loans listed. Good luck!
University based financial aid awards (such as Perkins, University loans, grants, and scholarships) and Stafford Loans disbursed via EFT are automatically disbursed into your BAR account crediting a portion or all of your debts owed to UCLA. If there is aid remaining after all debts are paid, a refund is produced for the balance. This refund can be electronically transfered into your personal bank account via BRUIN DIRECT.
University based financial aid awards (such as Perkins, university loans, grants and scholarships) and Stafford Loans disbursed via EFT will automatically disburse into your BAR account. Your awards will credit a portion or all of the debts owed to the campus including your tuition and fees. After all debts are paid the remaining balance is produced as a refund. Refunds are electronically transferred to your personal bank account (BRUIN DIRECT).
A Stafford Student Loan, although borrowed through a specific lender, is usually electronically transferred to your student account (BAR) by Sallie Mae. After all of your bills in your student account are paid, a refund will be electronically transferred to your personal bank account (BRUIN DIRECT).
A financial aid recipient may be eligible for and emergency loan ( E-loans). These are short-term interest-free loans for those students who have a delay in receiving their financial aid. Repayment is required within 30 days from receipt of the loan. To apply you must have a completed financial aid application and photo identification (driver's license, UCLA ID, or passport). Emergency loans are not available for periods of non-enrollment.
Yes. UCLA and the Federal government require that you reapply for funds each year. After you receive aid for the first time, the following year you will receive a PIN number to access your Renewal FAFSA on the Web. The Renewal FAFSA on the Web will contain information from the previous year's FAFSA. In addition to the FAFSA, you will be mailed instructions to complete a financial aid application for the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA so that you can be considered for University grants, scholarships, and loans.
You should know that from one year to another your financial need may change significantly especially if the number of family members in the household and/or the number of family members in college varies. Renewal of your financial aid package also depends upon your making satisfactory academic progress.
If there is a change in circumstances since you applied for financial aid, or you wish to amend your application, you are encouraged to petition for re-evaluation of your financial aid. You must petition for re-evaluation in writing. Your parents should provide a detailed account of the changes and their effects on the family's ability to contribute to your educational expenses. All changes must be supported by appropriate documentation before they are ever considered for possible revision. Be sure that all communications include your name, exactly as originally submitted, and your UCLA ID number or your Social Security number.
Not immediately. The Federal Stafford Loan has a grace period of 6 months and the Perkins Loan has a grace period of 9 months before the student must begin repayment. When you take a leave of absence you will not have to repay your loan until the grace period has exhausted. However, once you use your grace period during a leave then return to school and later graduate, you will immediately begin repayment.
If you receive a scholarship from an outside agency or from government sources, you must report the scholarship to the Student Financial Services Office. We will adjust your financial aid package to compensate for this new outside award. An outside scholarship has a beneficial effect in that it reduces the amount of loan debt borrowed for the school year.
Call 1-800-4FEDAID
