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Resources for paying for PA school


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Since financial aid is a topic of such stress, I thought we ought to create a sticky directing PA students to resources for for tuition & living expenses. If you have a website to post, please include a brief summary of what can be found there.

If you have questions, please post them in the appropriate place:

  • questions about financial aid at a specific program should be posted in that school's forum
  • questions about financial aid in general should be posted in the Financial aid forum

I'll start this thread off with a website that I think is very helpful:

FinAid.org's web page on private student loans.

This site contains a short description of what to look for in a private loan and a comparison chart of the loans offered by many major lenders. There are also links to each lender's website, and to the individual loans in most cases. Not healthcare-specific, but healthcare loans are listed.

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Guest quilterski

Looking for people with actual experience with the National Health Service Corp - if you or someone you know has used the NHSC to pay for PA school, would you please let me know:

1. Was it worth it?

2. Would you do it again?

3. Would you recommend it and why/why not?

 

Thanks!

jeann

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  • 2 years later...

hi i am nhk.. i am a certified respiratory therapist from india. i am interested in masters in pa program.

 

could any please tell me about the financial aid aspect?

like.. do the schools offer financial aid to international students??

if they offer the financial aid then what are the pre reqs do i need to show??

 

please kindly let me know.. thank you..

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This is a great post and very informative, thanks LA!!

 

Here is the bottom line: If you don't win the NHSC Scholarship (very hard to get and capricous in its selection process) while in PA school, and if you don't or can't do the NHSC post graduation repayment work scheme (not so hard to get but you most likely will have to relocate and it takes some fair degree of effort) and if you don't or can't afford to not take out student loans or have money saved up, or someone pays for your schooling (rich parents, etc), or military option. Then you will have to take out massive federal and private loans. Bottom line.

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Guest dadiki

I am from Nepal and currently in the clinical year of PA program. Regarding your question, unfortunately, unless you are a US citizen or have green card, you are not eligible for getting financial aid. But, you can always apply for private scholarship and grants.

Hope this was helpful

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  • 4 months later...

Thank you for this primer...I had posted a question on loan forgiveness prior to reading your post and I felt like the person who replied was yelling at me! There are so many new things to think about and since I am still on Cloud 9 from being accepted, I just wanted to get the jump on things like loans, books, equipment, etc.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I also have recently been accepted and I am trying to find a list of resources. There are options in the navy health plan, but I am married so that isn't going to work for me. Fastweb has options, but they are limited and often bizarre essays or contests.

 

Anybody find a really good source besides FASFA with federal aid?

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  • 10 months later...

Don't forget the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps:http://www.usphs.gov/student/

 

You get all the benefits of being in the military, including getting your school paid for. For every year the PHS pays for your school, you owe them 2 years. I've worked with several members of the Corps, and they are all very happy. They don't get transferred around like the military, and they more or less choose where they want to work. Plus, you get money for housing, PX privileges, and free health care for you and your family.

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I am a 24 years old and am in the process of filing out my fafsa form. Does anyone know if I should include my parents information on my fafsa form? I haven't filed as a dependent on their taxes for a couple of years, so I know that I will be considered and independent student, but I'm just not sure if it will help or hurt my case if I include their information?? Any suggestion??

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Hello everyone!

 

I'm still in the process of finishing up pre-reqs before applying to PA school, but honestly I'm considering dumping the dream and doing something else with my life because I have NO idea how I'll be able to pay for school and pay my rent and bills for that length of time. It seems freaking IMPOSSIBLE. I'm 25 years old, have been independent from my parents for years (honestly, they can't help me financially anyway). I currently work as an EMT in NYC, which is great HCE but it also means I'm poor :)

 

Does anyone have any advice? I think it'd be helpful to hear what other people have done to make it through. I'd REALLY appreciate your stories. Thanks!

 

Amanda

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  • 2 months later...

With regular student loans plus the grad plus loans, you should be able to swing anything. You obviously may have to trade down as far as apartments an current level of living, and you will have a sizable debt upon graduation. But with the quantity of loan forgiveness/loan repayment jobs available that can be whittled down very quickly. You also may consider working weekends while in school, I know it is often frowned upon but I know people who have done it successfully as well. I plan to work weekends still if/when I get in this year. Good luck!

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  • 7 months later...

Hey lgurney, I actually work part-time in a Financial Aid office. Whether or not you were listed as a dependent on your parent taxes in the years before doesn't determine if you are considered Independent. Independent status is granted to persons 24 and older (double check), Married individuals, or persons with children. There are more circumstances where a person under 24 would be considered Independent, Ward of the State or estranged from parents. I would double check all the circumstances for being considered Independent on the FAFSA website. But if I were you I would always file my FAFSA application as an Independent student if I could. You'll have a lower EFC #, this determines how much PELL Grant you will be awarded. So the lower the better.

 

Also, I would also bypass listing my parents information if I had the choice. The school has a budget for each student for the Cost of Attendance at that school. This determines is the maximum amount of money you can receive in Financial Aid (PELL, Stafford Loans, Scholarships, etc). The EFC amount is deducted from the total Cost of Attendance, thus lowering the amount you can receive from any source for financial aid (Pell, Loans, Scholarships). This normally isn't an issue, but I've seen students who have a few scholarships and grants and reach their maximum CoA pretty easily when the EFC number is substantial because of the parents income.

 

I would recommend going to visit with a Financial Aid advisor to understand your specific situation.

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  • 2 weeks later...

For those who live in AK, AZ, NV, WY, there is a program called WICHE, they offer a 'Professional Student Exchange Program'. If you are going out of state for school to one of the approved schools for PA, then you may qualify for funding (up to $12,000 per year). The only condition is that you return to your 'home' state after school and work (no special place, just anywhere in the state). Its a great opportunity to get some help with school! The deadline is October, so those interested, you may have to apply before you are actually 'accepted' to a PA program. http://www.wiche.edu/psep

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