Skip to main content

Scholarships & grants

Researching and applying for scholarships can be time-consuming, but is well worth the effort simply because the more scholarships or grants a student receives, the less he or she will have to borrow.

Scholarships at Geisinger Commonwealth

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine scholarships are based solely on verified financial need as documented through the FAFSA form. Students who wish to be considered for Geisinger Commonwealth scholarships must include parental/spouse data on their FAFSA. Financial need is determined by subtracting the student‘s, spouse’s and parent’s contribution from the annual cost of attendance. The amount of these awards is determined by a variety of factors including approved funding levels and the number of qualified applicants.

External scholarships and grants

There are a variety of external scholarships available to graduate and medical students. Some scholarships are easily obtained, while others are more competitive. If students receive any type of aid or benefit from an outside source, the Geisinger Commonwealth financial aid office should be notified promptly. The total amount of financial aid a student may receive from all sources cannot exceed the student’s cost of attendance. In addition to the external scholarship sources listed, students may consider:

  • Asking a parent’s employer about scholarship or low interest loan programs for children of employees
  • Contacting county or regional medical societies for potential scholarship assistance for medical students
  • Contacting religious and fraternal organizations, as well as service clubs such as the local Rotary or Lions Club
  • Talking with a family doctor to become a mentor and assist in the search for funds

Scholarship search

Additional scholarship resources can be found by entering “medical school scholarships” into a search engine or by contacting the financial aid office. Be on the lookout for scholarship scams. Find advice and reliability information at FinAid.

Search tip: Keep a journal of scholarships for which you are eligible. If a scholarship requires the applicant to be a second- or third-year medical student or the deadline has passed, write down all important information about the scholarship including who is offering it, how to contact them, application process, deadline and requirements. Refer to the journal each year for future opportunities.

Helpful links


Military scholarship and fellowship information


Scholarship recipients

Read about past and current scholarship recipients in our Journal magazines.