Sources of Funding
This section covers the resources used by our Health Sciences students and how to qualify for them.
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The majority of graduate and professional students borrow from a variety of loan programs to fund their education. However, you should consider your indebtedness from other academic programs when determining how much to borrow for your program at USC. We urge you to log into your Federal Student Aid (FSA) account to review your current indebtedness, manage your loans, and explore repayment options.
Medloans® Organizer and Calculator for Medical Students
Medloans is the only calculator of its kind, developed by the Financial Information, Resources, Services, Tools (FIRST) team of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). The MedLoans Organizer and Calculator is specifically designed for medical students and completely free to use.
This tool provides students with a safe, secure environment to organize and manage loan information and explore loan repayment options. It calculates detailed repayment scenarios while accurately accounting for residency and fellowship training periods.
The calculator is available at aamc.org/first. Log in with your AAMC username and password to get started.
USC Emergency Loans
Students may borrow up to $1,000, interest free, for up to 90 days. More information can be found on the Campus Support & Intervention website.
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Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan
Loans for Disadvantaged Students – see below
Primary Care Loan – see below
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Eligibility
Students pursuing certain degrees may be eligible for the Loans for Disadvantaged Students (LDS) program. Review the degrees eligible for this program at the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Primary Care Loan (PCL) FAQ page.
To be considered, apply for financial aid by the appropriate deadline. Please visit the Applying for Financial Aid page for details. Additionally, you will need to complete all student, spouse (if applicable) and parent sections of the FAFSA—regardless of your age. You will also be required to demonstrate that you meet the financial need criteria by providing federal tax returns. Tax returns will be required from the student, the spouse (if applicable) and the student’s parents.
You will be notified of the eligibility criteria in August. Eligibility is re-evaluated each year.
Receiving Your FundsIf you qualify, this loan will automatically appear on your financial aid summary. You will need to sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN).
Loan Features- These loans are repayable over a 10-year period.
- The 5 percent interest rate is subsidized until repayment begins, nine (9) months to one year after your USC enrollment ends.
- Repayment may be deferred during advanced professional training, such as an internship or residency.
Please note: Available funding for these loans is extremely limited.
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Eligibility
Students who are pursuing a doctoral degree in either allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine and meet certain criteria may be eligible for the Primary Care Loans (PCL) program.
To be considered, apply for financial aid by the appropriate deadline. For details, please visit the Applying for Financial Aid page.
Additionally, you will need to complete all student, spouse (if applicable) and parent sections of the FAFSA—regardless of your age. You will also be required to demonstrate that you meet the financial need criteria by providing federal tax returns. Tax returns will be required from the student, the spouse (if applicable) and the student’s parents.
Receiving Your Funds
If you qualify, this loan will appear automatically on your financial aid summary. You will need to sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN).
Loan Features- These loans are repayable over a 10-year period.
- The 5 percent interest rate is subsidized until repayment begins, one year after your USC enrollment ends.
- Repayment may be deferred during advanced professional training, such as an internship or residency.
Please note: Available funding for these loans is extremely limited.
Borrower Agreement
Borrowers agree to enter and complete a residency training program in primary health care no later than four years after graduation from USC.
Qualifying residencies need to be:
- Three-year programs, approved by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).
- Completed in family medicine, general internal medicine, general pediatrics, combined medicine/pediatrics, preventive medicine, or osteopathic general practice.
Additionally, borrowers agree to:
- Practice primary health care in one of the above fields until the date the loan is paid in full.
- Certify practice in primary health care on an annual basis until the loan is paid.
Non-compliance with the service obligation will result in significant penalty interest rate changes. More information can be found Health Resources and Services Administration’s Primary Care Loan (PCL) FAQ page.
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Please refer to the links below to learn more about programs administered by outside sources:
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Pay close attention to deadlines. We recommend that you submit all forms and supporting documents two (2) weeks before the deadline and respond to any additional requests from USC within 10 days.
You can track your status through your Financial Aid Summary and Tasks (FAST) portal.
Loan Application Alert: To have your loan funds deposited to your student account, you must complete some additional steps no later than 30 days before the start of your first semester. For more information, refer to the loan types below:
