Financial Aid

Students in our Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences program are considered Undergraduate students whose college grade level on the FAFSA will be dependent on the amount of credits transferred over to the Mass General Brigham University. 

View Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan eligibility based on college grade level. 

As first-time Bachelor’s degree students, you will also be considered for the Federal Pell Grant and the Mass Grant (Massachusetts residents). Both are examples of need-based financial aid awarded based on a student’s Student Aid Index (SAI) calculated on their FAFSA. To cover your remaining balance and/or borrow for living expenses, parents of dependent students can apply for a ParentPLUS Loan or students can apply for a private student loan (may require a cosigner).

• Enrollment in a college's or university's eligible academic program at least half-time. Halftime is considered 4.5 credits in the fall and spring and 3 credits in the summer.
• US citizenship or eligible residency
• Satisfactory academic progress
• No unresolved defaults on federal education loans or unresolved overpayments on federal grants
• For complete eligibility requirements, see Guide to Federal Financial Aid or LendEdu.

• Federal financial aid awards offered through Mass General Brigham University are Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans. These are awarded up to either the annual loan limit, the aggregate loan limit, or the student's remaining eligibility. Need-based eligibility (for ABSN students only) is determined by using the student's Family Contribution (FC) and the student's total Cost of Attendance (COA). 
• The federal FC is derived from information reported on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). 
• The student's COA is determined annually and may be found on the main financial aid Web page for your program. Only the subsidized portion of a Federal Direct Loan is based on a student's family contribution.
• See Federal Guide for Federal Direct Loan information.
• A student’s financial need is determined as follows:
  1. Cost of Attendance
  2. Less Family Contribution (FC)
  3. Equals Student's Financial Need
• Your need may be met in full or in part with a combination of scholarships and loans, depending on available funding levels. Please note that graduate students are not eligible for need-based, subsidized loans.

Graduate Credit Enrollment

Fall & Spring Semesters:

• Full-Time: 9+ credits
• Three-Quarter Time: 6.75-8.75 credits
• Half-Time: 4.5-6.5 credits
• Less Than Half-Time: Below 4.5 credits

Summer Semester:

• Full-Time: 6+ credits
• Three-Quarter Time: 4.5-5.75 credits
• Half-Time: 3-4.25 credits
• Less Than Half-Time: Below 3 credits

Undergraduate Credit Enrollment

• Full-Time: 12+ credits
• Three-Quarter Time: 9-11 credits
• Half-Time: 6-8 credits
• Less Than Half-Time: Below 6 credits

• Occasionally students applying for financial aid are randomly selected by the federal government to provide documentation to substantiate the information that they provided on the FAFSA. Requested documentation may be for income, to verify high-school completion, to verify identity, or to verify other information reported on the FAFSA.
• Should a student be selected during the academic year, the Financial Aid Office will contact him/her and request the necessary information.
• If you are selected for verification, please respond promptly. Financial Aid for students selected for verification cannot be finalized until the verification process has been completed.

International Student Loans and Scholarships

The US Department of Education provides information specifically geared to international students on its Federal Student Aid website. The International Scholarship Search has more information regarding international student scholarships. You may also find information on IEFA - a database of scholarships for international students.

U.S. Military Scholarship and Student Loan Repayment Programs

Several scholarship and student loan repayment programs are offered through the five branches of the United States armed forces. Military scholarship and student loan repayment programs vary substantially. Students interested in pursuing these programs should be in contact with the armed forces branches directly.

U.S. Air Force

U.S. Army

U.S. Coastguard

U.S. Navy

U.S. Marine Corps

For information about the Yellow Ribbon Program and other Veterans Benefits for Education, please visit our Veterans Benefits Information page.

All students who are accepted into one of Mass General Brigham University's direct entry degree programs are considered for an University scholarship. There is no separate application and students are notified in their acceptance letter if they are a scholarship recipient.

In order to be eligible to borrow Federal loans students need to be enrolled at least halftime. For graduate students this is 4.5 credits in the fall and spring and 3 credits in the summer. For undergraduate students halftime enrollment is 6 credits every semester. If a student drops below halftime they would not be eligible to borrow Federal loans that semester.

After you graduate, leave school, or drop below half-time enrollment, you have one six-month period before you must begin repaying your loans. This is called the “grace period.” Your repayment period begins the day after your grace period ends. Your loan servicer will notify you of the date your payment is due and send a billing notice to the address on file. However, you must make payments even if you do not receive a bill or repayment notice.

If you think you might have a problem making a scheduled repayment, contact your loan servicer immediately. They’ll work with you to help you avoid the costs and consequences of delinquency or default. There are several options available to help you avoid default, including changing repayment plans, deferment, or forbearance. You may be eligible for a deferment if you are:

• Pursuing at least half-time study at an eligible school
• In a graduate fellowship program approved by the U.S. Department of Education
• In a rehabilitation training program for individuals with disabilities, approved by the U.S. Department of Education
• Conscientiously seeking but unable to find full-time employment (for up to three years)
• Experiencing economic hardship (for up to three years)
• Get more information on deferment and forbearance from your loan servicer

Yes, help is available from a variety of sources. Although you alone are responsible for making sure your loans are repaid, you may qualify for repayment assistance from other federal agencies, a state or local agency, your employer, private organizations, or the military. Many state and local education agencies provide assistance if you are employed in certain fields within their jurisdiction—teaching, medicine, and social services, for example.

See our loan repayment assistance programs.

The first disbursement for the semester begins around the first week of classes.

When a student has more financial aid on their account than their bill, the remainder is processed as a refund to the student. Refunds can be used for living expenses and we encourage students to only borrow what they need to reduce their overall borrowing.

Refunds are processed after the disbursement and are generally received within a week of disbursement. Students expecting to receive a refund should enter their bank account information in IONLINE so this can be processed as soon as possible.

Students taking prerequisites are considered non-degree and are not eligible to borrow Federal loans. Students taking prerequisites can apply for a private student loan with a private lender but will need to register for the courses upfront.

Matriculated students in Certificate of Advanced Study programs can apply for Federal loans to finance their program. Students need to be enrolled at least halftime (4.5 credits in the fall and spring and 3 credits in the summer) in order to be eligible for Federal loans. Students completing a Certificate of Completion are not eligible for Federal loans.

Yes, as long as you receive a Federal loans disbursement in your new program prior to July 1st, you can apply for the Federal GradPLUS loan.  This means all requirements must be received by 7 days prior, including promissory notes and entrance interviews.

No, a student must have a federal loan disbursed by July 1. The earliest a student loan can be disbursed is 10 days before the semester starts. This prevents these students from borrowing Grad PLUS loans, but private educational loans are still available. See our loan section for more info.

Yes, if you have already borrowed a Federal Unsubsidized Loan while here, you are grandfathered into being able to apply Graduate PLUS loan for the remainder of the published length of your program, 3 years, or whichever is less.  Please note that in order to stay eligible, there cannot be any lapse in enrollment.