Application fees shouldn’t prevent aspiring doctors from pursuing their dreams.
Applying to med school isn’t cheap (see our breakdown of costs here), and the AAMC understands that not all applicants will be able to cover these costs.
AAMC’s Fee Assistance Program was created with the conviction that application fees shouldn’t prevent serious aspiring doctors from pursuing their dreams because of financial obstacles.
Let’s take a look at some of the program details…
Subscribing to the Fee Assistance Program
To apply for financial assistance, applicants must fill out the Fee Assistance Program application BEFORE they register for the MCAT, submit the AMCAS application, and subscribe to Pivio.
Note: The award from this program MAY NOT be used retroactively. If applicants already paid for certain application components, they will not be reimbursed.
You can use the application guide to help you with your Fee Assistance Program application.
You will receive an answer from AAMC within 15 business days after submitting your application.
Fee Assistance Program Eligibility
To be eligible for assistance from the AAMC, you must:
• Be a United States citizen, U.S. National, a lawful permanent resident (LPR) of the U.S (“Green Card” holder), or have been granted refugee/asylum or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status by the U.S. government.
• Have a reported household income 300% or less than the 2014 national poverty level for the equivalent family size.
• Submit parental financial information and supporting tax documentation.
• Not have already been awarded fee assistance five times (the lifetime maximum).
Note: Awards expire December 31st of the calendar year after you were granted assistance (for example, if your application is approved January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015, then your fee assistance will expire on December 31, 2016). If you reapply for benefits the following year, your current award will expire as soon as you’re new award is granted.
2015 Fee Assistance Program Benefits
MCAT benefits you will receive include:
• Reduced registration fees from $300 to $115 in MCAT testing year 2015 (for exams taken through December 31, 2016).
• Copies of The Official Guide to the MCAT® (MCAT2015) Exam and other official MCAT practice products ($125 value).
• Up to $500 towards the psycho-educational or medical evaluation (sometimes required for your MCAT accommodations application).
Medical school admission benefits include:
• Free access to the Medical School Admission Requirements website through December 31, 2016.
• Waiver of AMCAS application fees (for one application with up to 15 med schools). Must be submitted by December 31, 2016.
Pivio benefits include:
• $25 yearly subscription to Pivio for up to two years ($100 value).
• The New MCAT: What’s Hype, What’s Real and What You Can Do Today
• How Much Does Applying to Med School Cost?
• How to Write the Statement of Disadvantage
