The College of Medicine has designated 9 broad scholarship categories in which students can be awarded scholarship funding:
Within these categories the college has developed scholarship programs to reward certain characteristics, encourage participation, or assist those with financial difficulties. Although some scholarships might have more specific criteria, at minimum all scholarships require the student to maintain good academic standing (page 7 and 8) and all professionalism standards.
Academic Merit
Recipients of these scholarships are determined by the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee. This category encourages academic achievement while a student is enrolled at the college. The recipients of these scholarships are chosen each year between March and August. Students will be notified via their financial aid award letter. If a scholarship is awarded after the original award letter, students will be sent a revised award letter.
These scholarship programs listed below are for returning students only and do NOT require an application.
Endowed Academic Merit Scholarships
This program is funded by various donors who have given to the College of Medicine. These scholarships are awarded to students who have achieved a high level of academic achievement. These scholarships vary from $1000 to $5000 and are mostly one-year, non-renewable. There is no application as the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee determines the recipients.
Excellence Awards
This program recognizes those students who have received the highest marks in certain coursework during their first and second year of the curriculum. These one-time, non-renewable scholarships range in value up to $2000. There is no application as the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee determines the recipients.
Outstanding Academic Merit Scholarships
Each year, this program rewards those students who achieve a cumulative academic standing in the top quartile of their respective class. The amount of this scholarship is based on available funding and therefore could fluctuate each year. These scholarships range in value up to $7000. Students who receive a scholarship from the MD/PhD scholarship program or certain Admission* scholarship programs are not eligible to receive this scholarship. There is no application as the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee determines the recipients.
*Includes the Dean's, Achievement, Schmidlapp, Maves, and College Merit scholarship recipients.
Admissions
The Admissions scholarship program awards merit based scholarships to incoming students. No aapplication is required as recipients are selected by the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee. Scholarship awards from this committee are made starting in December and continue through the admission cycle. To be considered for an admission scholarship, you must be accepted to the College of Medicine M.D. program.
This committee comprehensively reviews a student's undergraduate academic performance, Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) results, as well as experiences, activities, and leadership roles that the student was involved in before applying for admission. Students selected for an Admissions scholarship are initially notified by telephone followed by a formal award letter sent by mail.
About 1 in every 15 incoming students receives an admission merit scholarship. These scholarships range in value up to full in-state tuition with many of the scholarships renewable for all four years of medical school.
Incoming students are also eligible for financial need scholarships. Last year, these financial need scholarships ranged in value of up to $8000. About 1 in every 5 incoming students receives a financial need scholarship.
Students need to read the information that accompanies their award letter to determine the renewal eligibility and criteria of their scholarships. Students that receive these scholarships after they receive their original award letter will be sent a revised award letter.
There is no application form for any of the Admission scholarship programs. All accepted applicants are considered for incoming merit scholarships.
Endowed Admissions Scholarship
This program is funded by various donors who have given to the College of Medicine. These scholarships are awarded to students based on criteria established by the donor.
Dean's Scholarship
This program awards up to full in-state tuition scholarships to those students who show a commitment to academic excellence. This is a four-year scholarship renewable for a maximum of 14 quarters of enrollment in the College of Medicine as long as the student remains in the top half of the class.
Dual Degree
The college has coordinated efforts with certain graduate schools to offer a variety of dual degree programs. While enrolled in graduate coursework, students are no longer eligible for College of Medicine scholarships.
When participating in the graduate portion of the dual degree program, which usually occurs between the second and third year of medical school, you are still eligible to apply for loan funding. To do so, you will need to file the FAFSA form by the date suggested by your graduate program. Most graduate students can receive up to $20,500 in federal loans by filing the FAFSA form.
Students will need to speak with their graduate program to determine specific information regarding applications and deadlines for scholarship consideration. In general, all graduate programs award graduate associateships and fellowships to a select number of their students.
Financial Need
For both incoming and returning students, these scholarships are determined by the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee. These scholarships help to reduce the cost of attending for those students who show a need for financial assistance. To be considered for these financial need scholarships, students are required to file the FAFSA form by February 15th and include parent information each year. The amount of funding awarded to students can fluctuate each year due to the financial make-up of the applicant pool and available resources.
OSU College of Medicine Scholarship
For incoming and returning students who show significant financial need, this program offers financial assistance of up to $6000.
Endowed Financial Need Scholarship
This program is funded by various donors who have given to the College of Medicine. These scholarships are awarded to returning students who show a significant financial need.
Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students Scholarship
For students who are deemed to be disadvantaged based on economic or educational reasons, this Federal program offers financial assistance to returning students.
Global Health
Since 2002, nearly 250 fourth-year OSU medical students have received onsite global health training in medical centers, clinics, hospitals and health care facilities in 39 countries around the world, from Guatemala to Gabon, Mexico to Mozambique and Samoa to South Africa. Each year, students have the opportunity to earn credit and funding for an international rotation that is customized for each student.
To learn more about global health opportunities, please visit us at https://colmed.osumc.edu/orgs/globalhealth/Pages/index.aspx.
Leadership
Each year, this scholarship will be awarded to those returning students who recognize leadership that benefits the College of Medicine family, the Wexner Medical Center and the communities we serve. No application is required as recipients are selected by the College of Medicine Scholarship Committee.
Dean's Student Leadership Award
For returning students who have served in leadership roles that called upon their abilities to lead an organization in innovative ways, propelling the organization to excellence. The student's record will reflect a personal commitment to the medical profession, to valuing the leadership abilities of others and to the core values of medical professionalism. These scholarships are mainly awarded to third or fourth year medical students who are in good academic standing. No application is necessary as recommendations will be obtained from members of the College of Medicine faculty.
These scholarships range in value up to $7000. These scholarships are non-renewable and can only be received once while enrolled in the College of Medicine.
This program is funded by various donors who have given to the College of Medicine.
Professionalism
Each year, this scholarship will be awarded to recognize those returning students who demonstrate professionalism as defined as the pursuit of professional excellence.
OSU College of Medicine Professionalism Award
For returning students who show exemplary behavior in the areas of altruism, compassion, integrity, honesty, service, respect for the medical team, responsibility and accountability. The recipient(s) will have been chosen for a leadership role in the professionalism initiatives in the College of Medicine and/or has been identified by their peers/faculty as demonstrating the above qualities. These scholarships are mainly awarded to third or fourth year medical students who are in good academic standing. No application is necessary as recommendations will be obtained from members of the College of Medicine faculty.
These scholarships range in value up to $7000. These scholarships are non-renewable and can only be received once while enrolled at the College of Medicine.
This program is funded by various donors who have given to the College of Medicine.
Research
Research scholarships will be awarded to those returning students who have participated in research while attending the College of Medicine.
Watts Mount Community Research Scholarship
To encourage exploration of health related problems in Ohio's communities in order to bring awareness of and offer solutions to those problems through community research. The purpose of the research speaks directly to patient access to care, healthy behaviors, preventive medicine, and patient care delivery. This scholarship is available during the first year of medical school and information will be made available during the first few weeks of each fall quarter.
Patient Centered Research Education (PCRE) Scholarship
To reward scholarly work demonstrating an understanding and application of the ethical principles guiding patient centered research. This scholarship is available during the first year of medical school and information will be made available during the first few weeks of each fall quarter.
MD/PhD Leadership and Academic Achievement Scholarship
To recognize MD/PhD students who have performed exceptionally well academically and/or excelled with regard to leadership and service to their research education programs. One scholarship will be awarded to a student at each level of the MD/PhD program.
Specific Criteria Endowments
The College of Medicine has many scholarship endowments which list unique criteria that a student must possess in order to be awarded the scholarship. For example, one of our specific criteria endowments calls for a student who is a descendant of a veteran of war. In order to be considered for these various specific criteria scholarships, returning students are required to complete the College of Medicine Scholarship Application each year. This scholarship application becomes available early January and is due early March of each school year. Incoming students are not eligible for these scholarships.
