Georgetown Experimental Medical Studies Program (GEMS) Financial Assistance

GUSOM offers need-based institutional scholarships funded by GUSOM’s General Fund and by contributions from alumni, foundations and friends of the School of Medicine.

Eligibility is based upon financial need as determined by the information provided on a student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the GEMS Program Financial Aid Application. The Office of Admissions & Financial Aid uses this information to evaluate both student/parental financial strength and historical economic access. 

• Awards are classified as Institutional Scholarships. 
• All funds represent scholarships supported by private donors with established guidelines for the selection of recipients. 
• Scholarships are considered financial assistance and do not have to be repaid. 
• Awards can be based upon a combination of the availability of funds, number of qualified students, donor guidelines, student financial need, student loan indebtedness, and/or academic merit. 
• Federal policy requires all institutional, state or private scholarship funds be considered in determining eligibility for federal assistance, including student loans. 
• GUSOM institutional scholarship aid is limited to application to tuition and fee charges.
• Recipients of scholarship funds after the awarding of federal aid may result in an adjustment of the recipient’s federal award and the return of federal aid funds.

Recipients of all institutional scholarships must maintain good academic standing status per GUSOM Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) guidelines for continued eligibility. If a student fails to meet SAP requirements, they are at risk of losing their scholarship aid.   

Need-based institutional student loans are extremely limited and awarded based upon the information provided on a student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the GEMS Program Financial Aid Application. 

All incoming students who have received funding through the GUSOM Institutional Student Loan Program (i.e. DeVictoria, Desmond, Sullivan, Medical Student Loan) are required to complete both a master promissory note (MPN) and Truth-In-Lending (TILA) documents before the funds can be disbursed.

The terms of the institutional student loan are as follows:

• No interest during the GEMS Program, grace or eligible deferment;
• 12-month grace period following graduation or when enrollment drops below half-time status;
• 24-month residency deferment;
• Fixed interest rate of 4.0% during repayment; and
• Repayment term of 10 years

All graduating students who have received funding through the GUSOM Institutional Student Loan Program must complete exit counseling prior to graduation.

NOTE: Once the Exit Interview is ready, students will receive an email from ECSI (webmaster@ecsi.net) with instructions on how to complete the Exit Interview process. If you do not have the email by the end of May prior to graduation, please check your SPAM folder.

If you have any questions about your GUSOM Institutional Student Loan or the Exit Interview process, please contact our wonderful colleagues who oversee these loans at finuloan@georgetown.edu. 

The unsubsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loan Program is the largest source of funding for students at the School of Medicine:

Eligibility: You must be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen enrolled full-time (note: no half/part-time student status in medical school) in a degree-seeking program in courses that apply towards your program’s completion requirements and maintain satisfactory academic progress. Because the unsubsidized loan is a non-need-based loan, you do not need to demonstrate financial need to be eligible.

Applying: For incoming GEMS students, please submit the (1) Free Application for Federal Student Aid and (2) GEMS Program Financial Aid Application as part of your financial aid application. 

If you have accepted your Federal Direct Loans in GU Experience and are a first-time borrower at Georgetown, you will need to complete the following loan requirements on StudentAid.gov (new window) before loan funds are disbursed:

• Master Promissory Note for a Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan (MPN) – select “Complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN)” under “Complete Aid Process” tab.
• Entrance Counseling – select the “Complete Entrance Counseling” under “Complete Aid Process” tab.

Exit Counseling: Students must complete exit counseling upon dropping below half-time status, taking a leave of absence, withdrawing, or graduating.

Maximum Loan Amounts: Eligible students may apply for up to $12,500 for the GEMS academic year. 

Loan Details:

• In-school fixed interest rate: 8.08% for loans disbursed between 7/01/24 – 6/30/25
• Origination fee: 1.057% for loans disbursed between 10/01/2020 to 10/01/2024
• Grace period: 6 months or enrollment below half-time
• Repayment period: Flexible
• Does interest accrue when enrolled?: Yes

Private education loans are offered by many lending institutions to assist students and their families with meeting college expenses. These programs are designed for undergraduate and graduate students, parents, and international students. Students considering a private education loan program should carefully consider the terms and conditions of the loan.

The maximum amount a student may borrow per academic period is the total cost of attendance budget minus all financial aid received. It is recommended that borrowers use their potential federal loan eligibility prior to exploring private education loans. In a typical academic year, private education loans are disbursed in two installments. When the academic period is for one semester, one disbursement is permitted at the beginning of the term. During the regular academic year (fall/spring semesters) funds cannot be disbursed more than 10 days prior to the first day of class.  Due to credit expiration timeframes, students should avoid applying more than 90 days prior to the start date of classes.

For your convenience, we have provided a list for you to compare and contrast different lenders.  ELM Select (new window) is a third party site that provides a neutral comprehensive list of private education loan lenders that Georgetown University students have borrowed from within the past three years, listed in random order.  Georgetown University does NOT endorse, recommend, or promote any of the listed lenders. You are not obligated to borrow only from the lenders listed. Georgetown University will process alternative loans from lenders who are not listed.