Frequently Asked Questions about Financial Aid

Students must apply for financial aid each year. Annually, you will complete the FAFSA and other required documents to determine your loan eligibility based on your financial situation.

Yes, graduate students can apply for Direct Loans with the FAFSA.

Returning students who have already borrowed a graduate PLUS loan before July 1, 2026, at TUSDM will be considered for a Graduate PLUS loan based on their FAFSA application. New students entering the D2030 class and later will not be eligible for a graduate plus loan. 

Only required for institutional aid—used to determine their ability to contribute financially to your education. For federal aid, you are considered independent, so only your (and your spouse's) information is needed.

Unfortunately, DACA students are not eligible for federal student loans. Private loan options may be available.

The TUSDM Financial Aid Office uses the FAFSA form and other documentation to determine eligibility and notifies students of their awards and amounts.

The U.S. Department of Education serves as the lender for federal student loans.

Late applicants are eligible only for Federal Direct Loans and may be waitlisted for institutional aid if funds remain after all on-time applicants are awarded. Awards for late applications are not guaranteed and may not be processed before fall billing. All on-time applications are reviewed first, with awards finalized by early June. Late applications are reviewed afterward in the order they were completed.

Exception: Students accepted after March 1st will be contacted individually regarding their financial aid deadline; however, institutional and Title VII funds are not guaranteed.

Financial need is calculated by subtracting your Student Aid Index (SAI)—found on your FAFSA Submission Summary—from your school’s annual cost of attendance. The SAI is determined by the U.S. Department of Education using your (and your spouse’s, if applicable) tax and asset information through a formula called Federal Methodology.

For institutional aid (Tufts Loan, Tufts Grant, HPSL, and LDS), both your FAFSA and your CSS Profile—which includes your parents’ financial information—are used to determine eligibility through Institutional Methodology. Parental data is required to assess and compare financial needs among all applicants for these limited funds.

Verification is a federal process in which the Financial Aid Office confirms the accuracy of information on your FAFSA. If selected, you may be asked to provide tax transcripts, W-2s, or other financial documents before aid can be disbursed. Please see Federal Student Aid for more information.

If your Grad PLUS loan is credit denied, you have options such as appealing the denial, applying with an endorser, or seeking a private loan. Visit the FSA website. 

Interest rates vary based on the loan type and change annually. Check the Student Aid website  for current rates.

A student loan origination fee is a charge assessed by the federal government when your loan is disbursed. It is a percentage of the total loan amount, is automatically deducted before the funds are sent to the school, and you are still required to repay the full borrowed amount, including the fee.

• Direct Unsubsidized Loan 1.057%
• Direct PLUS Loan: 4.228%

You can return loans that you do not need. Please contact our office for assistance in the return process. Fill out the Loan Return Form.  

Repayment typically begins six months after you graduate, leave school, or drop below half-time enrollment. Visit our Loan Repayment website.

The U.S Department of Education has contracted with multiple loan servicers to manage their loan portfolio. You can find your loan servicer by logging into your Federal Student Aid account.

Contact the Registrar’s office for assistance with deferment forms: Dental_Registrar@Tufts.edu.

When you graduate, withdraw, or drop below half-time enrollment, you must complete exit counseling for federal loans. This process reviews your repayment responsibilities, loan terms, and repayment options with a presentation from the financial aid office and online exit counseling forms on Federal Student Aid ( federal loans)  and University Accounting Services ( institutional loans) .

Students can choose the lender that best fits their needs. A list of commonly used lenders can be found on our website.

Private education loans are credit-based and available to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and international students with a qualified U.S. co-signer. Approval and rates depend on credit history. Terms vary, and private loans often have stricter credit standards and fewer repayment options than federal loans. Once you apply on the lender’s site, they will send the approval to our office to be certified. 

Review our Student Loan Handbook and contact your Financial Aid counselor with questions.

Federal regulations require that your total financial aid—including loans—cannot exceed the school’s published Cost of Attendance (COA). The COA includes a standard allowance for living expenses (housing, food, transportation, etc.), and we cannot award funds beyond that amount.
However, if you have documented expenses that exceed the standard budget and are directly related to your education (such as dependent care), you may submit a Budget Increase Request to the Financial Aid Office. If approved, your cost of attendance may be adjusted to allow additional borrowing.

Please contact the TUSDM Financial Aid Office for guidance, required documentation, and processing timelines. See below.

This is included in the Cost of Attendance for third-year students. Request a loan increase by contacting our office with proof of exam failure.

Visit the Financial Aid Office and/or https://dental.tufts.edu/academics-admissions/financial-aid  and the Student Aid website.

All federal student financial aid (HPSL, LDS, Federal Direct Loans and Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loans) and most institutional grants and scholarships are split evenly with one half of the loan or grant amount being credited toward the Fall term and the other half being credited towards the Spring term.

Congrats! Please let your financial aid counselor know the details of the scholarship so it can be added to your financial aid package. Your loans may need to be adjusted to keep you within the cost of attendance.

To determine if you are eligible for additional funding, we would need to review your current financial aid package. Please contact our office for review.

The cost of attendance can be found in our Student Loan Handbook and on our website. The current borrowing limits for the 25-26 Academic year are as follows: 

A leave of absence may impact your eligibility for federal and institutional aid. Aid may be reduced or canceled depending on your enrollment status. Always notify the Financial Aid Office before taking a leave to understand the consequences and any required steps for reinstatement.

Federal Work-Study allows eligible students to earn money through part-time on-campus employment. Earnings help reduce student borrowing and are paid weekly, funded by both the federal government and the university. To qualify, students must complete the FAFSA and show financial need. Funding is limited at TUSDM. Students interested in FWS should contact the Financial Aid Office to request it be added to their aid package. Before FWS can be awarded, the supervisor must provide the Financial Aid Office with the position title, start date, hourly rate, and expected average hours per week.

To include health insurance costs in your financial aid budget, complete the Budget Increase Request Form.

Complete the health insurance waiver form through your Student Portal. Direct questions to the Student Advisory & Health Administration office.

The Bursar's Office processes refunds typically within the first two weeks of the semester.

The refund amount is the difference between your semester direct costs and net financial aid. Page 18 of the Student Loan Handbook has the cost broken down by semester, which can be used to calculate your refund. Consult your Financial Aid Counselor for specifics.

The Bursar’s office processes all eRefunds through BankMobile. Please contact the Health Sciences Bursar’s Office for more information.

All billing questions should be directed to the Health Sciences Bursar's Office.

Track application and award materials on your SIS portal. Under the financial aid tab click on “awards and documents” to see a full list and status. If incomplete, contact your financial aid counselor. Please allow 3-5 business days for status to be updated as it is a manual process.

Update all relevant application materials, including FAFSA and school records, by submitting your updated information to our BOX. 

Send an email to your financial aid counselor with the amount you wish to increase your loans by.

If your family’s financial circumstances have changed significantly, you can request a review of your financial aid package. To appeal, complete the Financial Aid Appeal Form with supporting documentation. 

• Cost of Attendance (COA) / Budget Appeals – You may request more aid to cover indirect or special expenses, such as:
  • Health insurance, Laptop purchase,
  • Living expenses (for documented dependent care, loan origination fees, or other allowable costs) and Other indirect costs (replacement instruments, books, exam fees, or licensure exams with proper documentation) Please contact your Financial Aid Counselor for details.
• Deadlines are typically: Financial Aid Award Appeals in September and Living expense and COA-related budget appeals February. 
   

Use forums and online groups for TUSDM students to connect. Check TUSDM's Student Experience page for resources.