Financial aid is used to pay school tuition and related education costs such as textbooks, course fees, room and board, etc. Typically, financial aid can be split into two forms: merit-based and need-based.

Merit-based financial can take the form of school-based scholarships and scholarships from public/private organizations. For healthcare students, additional scholarships may be available depending on your specialization from related professional groups in the healthcare and medical field. Merit-based scholarships are usually given as recognition for excellent academic performance, leadership ability, special talents, and other personal characteristics. Merit-based scholarships are usually not based on financial aid, and can thus be received by any student; most admitted students are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships.

Need-based scholarships, however, are awarded according to the student’s financial need. In the United States, federal need-based aid is available, known as Federal Student Financial Aid. The program is composed of multiple financial aid options (grants, scholarships, loans, etc.) and require that students fill out a FAFSA form to apply for these funds. At the state-level, state governments also provide need and non-need scholarships.

To learn more about financial aid and the options available to healthcare students, consider visiting our partner site, Guide To Online Schools educational resources section.