Physician Assistant Program Financial Information
It is an important investment for your future career as a PA and we appreciate that affording graduate studies can be daunting. Our Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid will help you in identifying appropriate financial aid resources and provide guidance with the application process. The following provides an overview of important information specific to tuition, fees, and financial aid.
Cost of attendance
The cost of attendance (COA) is the cost of your graduate education for an academic year, as calculated by our Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. It takes into account tuition and fees, as well as estimated costs relating to books, supplies, food and housing, personal expenses and transportation costs. The COA covers expenses for only the period of enrollment when you are an active student. Periods of continuous non-enrollment are not included and are not funded.
Financial aid
Your financial aid is based on the cost of education, a standard allowance, and not on your preferences and spending habits. Please be advised, given that most first-year students are enrolled for 15 months, a supplemental summer application for financial aid will be required. Please be advised that the cost of education does not include consumer debts (such as car payments, bank loans, or credit card obligations) which you may have established prior to entering the PA program graduate studies. You should try to eliminate previous debts before beginning your PA program studies.
Married students and/or students with dependents should note that federal regulations stipulate that your budget for the year only includes living expenses solely for you. The expectation is that the living expenses of your spouse and dependents will be met through your spouse’s earnings. (In exceptional circumstances, you may apply to receive additional funds for child daycare costs and for certain other expenses. You will be required to provide documentation for any exceptional circumstances.)
Scholarships
We offer various scholarships and awards for PA graduate students. Many are endowments created by individuals and organizations to support our students pursuing advanced degrees in medicine. You can view our available scholarships and awards in Scholarship Universe. Listed below are other national, regional, and state scholarships available for PA students.
National Health Service Corps (NHSC) scholarship program
This program provides tuition, educational expenses, and a monthly stipend on an annual basis to students who will serve not less than one year for every year of scholarship support, or two years whichever is greater. Students must be full-time and maintain satisfactory academic progress. For more information, visit the National Health Service Corps website or call 1-800-221-9393.
Armed Forces health professions scholarship programs
Information is available on Navy, Air Force, and Army health professions scholarships in the Division of Student Affairs. These scholarships provide educational expenses and a monthly stipend. Students who apply and are accepted accrue active military duty on a year-to-year basis, with a minimum of two-year service obligation.
Lapeer county medical scholarship
This fund was established to promote various medical-related purposes, including scholarship. Applicants must be residents of Lapeer County, at least a second-year-enrolled college student in a pre-science medical professional career such as medical, dental, nursing, or physician assistant program; and maintain a 3.2 GPA. Preference is given to applicants based on financial need. For more information visit the Lapeer County website or call 810-664-0691.
Muskegon County Medical Society Alliance (MCMSA) scholarship
The MCMSA scholarships are available to students enrolled in one of the medical/health science fields such as pre-PA/PA, pre-med/medicine, nursing, physical therapy, dietetics, bio-medical engineering, medical technology, radiology, etc. The student must be a resident of Muskegon County and have a cumulative GPA of 3.2. They must be a sophomore and currently enrolled in a medical/health science field. Visit the MCMSA website for more information.
Other Physician Assistant scholarships
The American Academy of Physician Assistants Veterans Caucus, Association of Family Practice Physician Assistants, and many other programs offer financial aid and scholarships. View this full list of PA scholarship opportunities.
Michigan state loan repayment program
The Michigan state loan repayment program (MSLRP) helps employers recruit and retain primary medical, dental, and mental healthcare providers by providing loan repayment to those entering into MSLRP service obligations. MSLRP service obligations require participants to provide full-time primary health care services in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) at not-for-profit health clinics for two years.