Tuition, Financial Aid and Scholarships

    Attending medical school is a substantial financial investment. The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health provides an outstanding medical education, and with some of the most cost-effective tuition rates in the United States, we ensure that all accepted medical students who are eligible for federal financial aid can afford the MD Program and have awareness of additional financial wellness resource available.

    Tuition, fees, estimated cost of living

    Please visit the Office of Student Financial Aid Cost of Attendance page for a breakdown of current tuition and fees, estimated living expenses and additional costs. To obtain accurate tuition information, make sure to select “Medicine” on this page

    Financial wellness

    The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health  is committed to the financial wellness of our students. We know that financing medical school can be challenging and we have robust financial support programs to assist you. Whether it's through one-on-one appointments or personal finance webinars, our Financial Aid and Wellness Advisors want to make sure that you feel financially supported and knowledgeable.

    Our Financial Aid and Wellness services include:

    • One-on-one phone and virtual appointments
    • Small group financial wellness advising sessions during your M1 year
    • Year-round financial wellness webinars that highlight topics such as budgeting, building credit, student loan management and repayment, and investing for retirement
    • Opportunities to meet with UW's partner bank, UW Credit Union, to review your credit reports one-on-one with a professional
    • Frequent email communication regarding personal finance events, updates, and advice
    • Physician Financial Wellness elective for M4 students,  a one-week, one-credit course in the spring of the M4 year. Topics include: money and happiness; insurance; negotiations; student loan repayment; financial road-mapping; budgeting; and investing for retirement. Guest speakers from different industries are featured, and it is consistently rated very highly by students.

    Loans

    Student loans are administered through the Office of Student Financial Aid. All financial aid applicants must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This application should be filed by March 1. 

    Scholarships

    UW School of Medicine and Public Health scholarships

    The school awards scholarships through a separate process from the UW-Madison Office of Student Financial Aid, which focuses on federal financial aid, such as federal grants and loans. All applicants for the regular MD and WARM programs are automatically considered for these scholarships after admission. There is no separate scholarship application to complete. The Admissions Scholarship Subcommittee meets throughout the admissions cycle, and most scholarships are awarded in late winter and early spring. Students who are awarded one of these scholarships will receive a notification letter from MD Admissions. Please note that these scholarships will not be included in financial aid packages from the UW-Madison Office of Student Financial Aid.

    Students are eligible to apply for additional scholarships beginning in the spring semester of their first year of medical school.  These are funded by the generous donations of University of Wisconsin medical alumni, friends and family. Scholarship applications are reviewed and selected by the school’s Scholarship Committee based on donor intent. Some departments offer awards beyond those selected by the Scholarship Committee and may include a separate selection process specific to each department.

    Additionally, the Wisconsin Medical Society Foundation make loans and scholarships available to students after the first year. Unlike federal loans, the loans from these groups are interest-free during medical school.

    Research scholarships

    Admitted MD-PhD students are provided with full tuition scholarships and living expenses stipends. To learn more about the MD-PhD Program, please visit the Medical Scientist Training Program page.

    Regular MD students may take advantage of other research opportunities after matriculation. The Shapiro Summer Research Program funds student research completed during the summer after the M1 year. Students who wish to conduct a full year of research may qualify for UW-Madison funding or external funding.

    Other financial aid opportunities

    Military and service scholarships

    The U.S. military and the National Health Service Corps offer scholarships to students willing to serve in the military or provide care in underserved areas, respectively. These scholarships often cover the full cost of tuition and require recipients to provide several years of service after completing medical training.

    Applicants who have served in the U.S. military may be eligible for funding from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, including funding up to the full amount of tuition. Wisconsin residents who are veterans may be eligible for funding from the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs. All veterans should become familiar with their benefits.

    Loan repayment programs

    Some programs will pay all or part of the loans incurred for medical training. Eligible students apply for these programs after completing residency. Below are some loan repayment programs to consider: