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How to Apply for Financial Aid

Medical students who wish to receive financial aid must apply each year.

While the dates below are priority targets (not deadlines), meeting them ensures timely processing.

1. Submit the FAFSA

To apply for federal, state, or institutional aid, submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) starting October 1. IU’s priority date is May 1.

What You'll Need for FAFSA:

Apply for scholarships

For more information on applying for scholarships and financial aid, please email medaid@iu.edu.

Create (if a first-time applicant) or use your existing Federal Student Aid ID to access and sign your FAFSA.

Use 001818 as the Federal School Code (also known as the Title IV Code) for IU Indianapolis/IU School of Medicine.

Include savings, investments and business assets for yourself, your spouse (if applicable) and your parents.

Parental information must be submitted to be considered for IU School of Medicine scholarships and fellowships (based partly or solely on financial need), Loans and Scholarships to Disadvantaged Students (LDS and SDS) and Federal Primary Care Loans, regardless of the student’s age or independency status.

If both parents are deceased, submit copies of their death certificates to the school in order to waive the parental information requirement.

If a student is only applying for federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans and Direct PLUS Loan, parental information is not required.

Include Social Security numbers (or Alien Registration numbers if not a U.S. citizen) for yourself, spouse (if applicable) and parents. Students need their social security number, their spouse’s social security number, and their parents’ social security numbers to complete the FASFA.

Students who are not US citizens need their alien registration number (also known as USCIS#) as well as the alien registration number for their spouse and parents, if applicable.

Use tax returns from two years prior to the academic year you're seeking aid for. For 2025-2026 academic year for example, include your 2023 return. Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to import tax information directly into FAFSA.

To complete the Tax Information fields, students need their federal tax return and W-2 form for the year before (if FAFSA is filed by December 31) or for two years before (if FAFSA is filed after January 1). You'll also need the tax return and W-2 form for your parents and spouse (if applicable).

2. Review and Awards

After submitting your FAFSA, you’ll receive a Financial Aid Notification (FAN). Log into the Financial Aid Portal on One.IU to accept, reduce or decline awards and view disbursement dates.

3. Complete Entrance Counseling

First-time federal loan borrowers must complete entrance counseling to understand loan responsibilities.

4. Sign the Master Promissory Note

To receive federal loans, complete the Direct Loan MPN—a legal agreement to repay your loans. This is also completed once during medical school. You’ll be notified when it’s ready, typically in June.

FAQ

Answers to frequently asked questions about medical school financial aid are available.

Federal Loans

Students exploring financial assistance benefit from understanding the types of loans that are available to them before borrowing money.