Everything You Need To Know About the AAMC Fee Assistance Program
Everyone knows that medical school is expensive. But the expenses begin long before your first day of classes. Just applying to medical school can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Fortunately, the AAMC is aware of this and has created a fee assistance program. Below is everything you need to know about the program.
What are the benefits of the fee assistance program?
Reduced registration fee, from $315 to $125, for MCAT exams until December 31, 2018
The Official Guide to the MCAT® Exam, Fourth Edition, the AAMC MCAT® Practice Exam 1, the AAMC MCAT® Practice Exam 2, the AAMC MCAT® Section Bank, and the Official MCAT® Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills Question Pack, Volume 1 ($170 value). You will receive more details about these benefits if you are awarded fee assistance. Regardless of how many times you are awarded fee assistance, you will receive MCAT prep product benefits only once.
Up to $800 towards an updated psycho-educational or medical evaluation if it is required to support your MCAT accommodations application.
Complimentary access to the Medical School Admission Requirements website ($54 value).
Waiver for all AMCAS fees for one (1) application submission with up to 16 medical school designations ($730 value), submitted by December 31, 2018
How long can I use these benefits for?
Regardless of when in the year your benefits are awarded, they last until December 31st of the next calendar year. So for example someone who receives benefits in June 2016 will have her benefits until December 31st, 2017.
Am I eligible?
You are eligible if all households reported on your application have an income of 300% or less than the national poverty level for that family size. You can find the poverty levels by family size and location here: https://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty-guidelines
What information do I need to submit?
The Fee Assistance Program application asks for general information and financial information about you, your spouse (if applicable), and all of your living parents. Unless they are deceased, parental information is required regardless of your age, tax filing status (dependent or independent), marital status, parent(s) country of residence, or your parent’s unwillingness to provide financial information. If your application meets the eligibility requirements, you will be asked to submit supporting documentation. You can find a list of all the documents here: https://students-residents.aamc.org/applying-medical-school/article/what-you-need-apply/
Do I need to be a US citizen?
To be eligible for the AAMC's Fee Assistance Program, you must (1) be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national; (2) be a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) of the United States ("Green Card" holder); or (3) have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), refugee, or asylum status by the U.S. government. If you do not fit into one of these categories, you will not be eligible for fee assistance.