Navigating Tuition and Financial Aid at the Medical College of Wisconsin

Attending medical school represents a significant financial commitment. The Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) is dedicated to providing financial assistance and resources to ensure that capable and deserving students have access to medical education. This article provides a comprehensive overview of MCW tuition fees, available financial aid options, and resources to help students manage their educational expenses.

Understanding the Cost of Attendance

A comprehensive breakdown of current tuition and fees, estimated living expenses, and additional costs is available on the Office of Student Financial Aid’s Cost of Attendance (COA) web page. Understanding these costs is the first step in planning your finances for medical school.

Tuition and Fees

For the academic year, the tuition and fees at the Medical College of Wisconsin are:

In-state: \$73,607
Out-of-state: \$77,077

Additional expenses

Beyond tuition and fees, students should also budget for living expenses, books, health insurance, and other miscellaneous costs. The COA web page provides a detailed estimate of these expenses.

Financial Aid Opportunities

MCW offers a variety of financial aid options, including scholarships, loans, and need-based assistance. The Financial Aid Office administers MCW’s financial aid programs and provides guidance and resources regarding financial literacy.

Scholarships

MCW offers various scholarships to help students finance their education. These scholarships are generally divided into merit-based and need-based categories.

Merit-Based Scholarships

MCW has a limited number of merit-based scholarships available to qualifying students in the School of Medicine and/or School of Pharmacy. All students offered admission are eligible for merit-based scholarships if they meet the criteria of a specific scholarship. Students who are offered merit-based scholarships will be contacted directly by the Scholarship Committee. The Graduate School currently does not have any merit-based scholarships. The Scholarship Committee will continuously evaluate students following matriculation during their course of study for eligibility for institutional merit-based scholarship opportunities.

Need-Based Scholarships

Students who are eligible to participate in the federal financial aid program (Title IV) are eligible to apply for need-based scholarships through the Financial Aid Office. All students who complete all forms for need-based aid are automatically considered for the available scholarships. The federal eligibility requirements are located on the Federal Student Aid site. Institutional aid is divided among students with the greatest financial need, who meet the deadline. Included in the financial need calculation is total debt (undergraduate and MCW debt) and total resources. Students must have a completed FAFSA including parental information, Financial Aid Application and Parental Assistance Worksheet on or before the deadline. The Parental Assistance Worksheet must be completed and signed by your parents.

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).

Federal Loans

Qualified students can borrow up to an annual maximum, determined by how many months are in their school year. You can borrow up to the total cost of attendance at MCW minus any other financial aid you receive. The Grad Plus loan will not be an option for incoming students or continuing first time borrowers starting in 2026-27 as Congress has eliminated the program. There are legacy provisions written in to protect current borrowers. There is no requirement regarding the amount of Grad PLUS loan borrowed. To view your federal loans online, visit StudentAid.gov.

Private Loans

Private Educational loan programs have various interest rates, loan amounts, fees, etc. based on the lender. To view a list of historical lenders, please review MCW's FAST Choice site. You are free to use any lender of your choice.

Wisconsin Medical Society Student Loan Program

The Wisconsin Medical Society Student Loan program is available to rising M-2, M-3 and M-4 medical students who are Wisconsin residents. These loans are given out to the students with the most need, on a first come first serve basis. These loans are interest free while enrolled, during grace and through periods of deferment (such as residency).

Emergency Loans

MCW offers emergency loans to approved, registered students in need of temporary funds. Students meeting the criteria noted above may apply for emergency loans by contacting the Office of Student Accounts. Students are eligible for one emergency loan per term. A term is defined as July 1-December 31 and January 1-June 30 each academic year. The graduate school also has a summer term, defined as mid May-mid July of each year. If students have applied for other financial aid (federal or institutional) through the Financial Aid Office, the emergency loan will come due within fourteen days of these aforementioned funds disbursing or after 90 days, whichever is first. If the student has not applied for other financial aid funds, the loan will come due after 90 days. Any outstanding emergency loans must be paid back upon leave/withdrawal. Students who become delinquent on an emergency loan will have a hold placed on their account. If they have not yet done so, they will not be able to register for the next academic term until the loan and accrued interest are paid.

Service-Based Programs

Several programs offer financial assistance in exchange for a service commitment.

National Health Service Corps

The National Health Service Corps is a competitive federal program offering the scholarship recipient tuition, fees, health insurance premium, books and a monthly stipend. In return for each year of award, scholarships recipients incur a one-year service obligation providing full-time clinic services at sites in federally designated Health Manpower Shortage Areas of the United States. Application deadline is usually late March for the following academic year.

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Military Programs

The Army, Navy and Air Force offer programs that pay tuition, fees, health insurance premium, books and a monthly living allowance. For each year of scholarship you receive a year of military service is expected, for a minimum of three years.

Health Services Scholarship Program (HSSP)

The Health Services Scholarship Program (HSSP) was created to encourage health services professionals to practice in Health Shortage Areas in the State of Wisconsin. A student is eligible to apply if they are a resident of the state and in the second year or higher of a graduate dental, psychiatry or medical (including primary care physicians, physician’s assistants and nurse practitioners) training program (Health Care Training Program) in the State of Wisconsin.

Residency for Tuition Purposes

Each year, MCW admits approximately one-half of its entering class from its Wisconsin applicant pool. The College admits a significant number of its entering class from its Wisconsin applicant pool. To apply for Wisconsin residency for tuition purposes, you will need to complete the Wisconsin Residency Determination Form (PDF). The state of Wisconsin will provide Wisconsin residents a credit which will be applied toward tuition for the academic year. The Higher Education Aids Board makes all decisions regarding becoming a Wisconsin resident.

How to Apply for Financial Aid

To apply for financial aid at MCW, students must complete several steps:

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid): All financial aid applicants must file a FAFSA. The Financial Aid Office receives your results electronically. If the FAFSA is completed prior to December 1, document status will be updated in MCWconnect on or after December 1. It can take up to 72 hours for the FAFSA to process. Did you add our school code - 015611?
Financial Aid Application (FAA): This Financial Aid Application (FAA) will be accessible through MCWconnect. Form link is specific to continuing MSA, Pharmacy and Medical students only. Parent(s) will need to create a Dynamic Forms account to complete their portion of this form, if they have not done so already in the current/previous academic year.
Parental Assistance Worksheet: Students must have a completed FAFSA including parental information, Financial Aid Application and Parental Assistance Worksheet on or before the deadline. The Parental Assistance Worksheet must be completed and signed by your parents.
Citizenship Verification form: To be eligible for file review and receive a financial aid offer, complete the Citizenship Verification form. You will need to upload an image of your citizenship documentation before submission. To be eligible to receive a disbursement, you are required to bring that same citizenship document you uploaded to the Financial Aid Office in person.
Identity Verification (V4/5) Worksheet: Complete the Identity Verification (V4/5) Worksheet. You will need to upload images of the front and back of your government issued ID (i.e. You are required to bring your government issued ID to the Financial Aid Office in person. The Financial Aid Office will send you a link to schedule a time to provide this documentation in person.
Authorization for Non Directory Information form: If you want any financial aid information to be disclosed to any other person (i.e. parent, spouse, landlord, etc.), you will be required to fill out a Authorization for Non Directory Information form.

Additional Financial Aid Information

HEAB form processing: HEAB form processing can take several months. Processing will begin in September.
Away Elective and Rotation Expenses: applicable to required away electives only.
Childcare Expenses: Student will initiate form.
Direct Student Loan Master Promissory Note: All students new to MCW must complete a Direct Student Loan Master Promissory Note to borrow from that program and a Direct Grad PLUS Master Promissory Note to borrow a Grad PLUS loan.
Budget Information: The Financial Aid Office is under Federal regulations when it comes to developing a student budget. We obtain budget information from surrounding colleges, check with the bookstore and faculty regarding required books as well as rent charged by landlords in the area.
Enrollment Status: The Office of the Registrar submits each student’s enrollment status to the National Student Clearinghouse approximately every 30 days. Lenders retrieve the enrollment data directly from the National Student Clearinghouse. The Office of the Registrar will verify enrollment for new students only after the start of classes.
Independent Student Status: At this level, you are considered an independent student, regardless of whether your parents claim you as a dependent for tax purposes.
Funds for Living Expenses: Funds for living expenses will be delivered via direct deposit within two weeks of your classes starting each semester.
Student Contribution: The student contribution is calculated based on the results of your FAFSA. If you do not have part or all of the contribution listed, you can replace the student contribution with loan funds. You are allowed to replace it with either funds from Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan or Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loan (if you qualify).

PharmD Program Financial Aid

If you are accepted into the PharmD program, you must have a complete financial aid file to be considered for scholarships based on financial need. MCW is one of the few pharmacy schools in the country offering a three-year Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree. Our innovative program will provide you with early and extensive exposure to a variety of clinical settings and world-class research in specialties such as precision medicine, pharmacogenomics, cancer and psychiatry. The MCW Pharmacy School accepts the PharmCAS application, which becomes available in July of each year. The final application deadline is June 1, 2026. All prerequisite classes must be completed by June 30. Qualified applicants will be offered the opportunity to interview at the MCW Pharmacy School on a rolling basis.

External Scholarship Resources

During your scholarship search, be sure to apply to only reputable companies and organizations. You should never pay to apply for a scholarship. If you are a resident of a state other than Wisconsin, please visit the FinAid!

Contact Information

The Financial Aid Office is committed to assisting students with their financial needs. For questions or assistance, contact the MCW Financial Aid Office directly. The philosophy of the Office of Student Accounts is to provide courteous and professional service to students, parents, alumni and the entire MCW community during the billing and collecting of tuition.

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