Alternative Financial Aid resources
It’s never too early to start planning for your future. Beyond the financial assistance and scholarships the University can provide, there are plenty of alternative financial aid resources you can explore to close the gap, including external scholarships; grants; and parent, grad-plus and other loans.
External Scholarships
From your high school to local businesses to state or national grants and other programs, there are a number of local and regional scholarship opportunities that you may qualify for. These are great places to start:
- Collegescholarships.org
- Sfstl.org (Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis)
- MyScholarshipCentral.org (Missouri residents only)
- Fastweb.com
- Finaid.org
- Scholarships.com
Grants
Grants are awarded based on financial need, as determined by your FAFSA, and do not have to be repaid. The federal government is the largest source of need-based grants in addition to funding through the state of Missouri and UHSP. These can include:
- Federal Pell Grant
- Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant
- Access Missouri Grant
- Missouri Bright Flight
Parent and Grad Plus Loans
Direct PLUS loans are available through the U.S. Department of Education and allow parents of dependent students to borrow funds to pay for their student’s college. These loans can be used to pay for tuition and fees, as well as housing and dining for on-campus students.
Graduate and professional students can also receive Direct PLUS loans.
Other Loan Options
Should additional funding be needed, students and families can pursue private loan options.
The UHSP Office of Financial Aid maintains a list of private lenders who offer loan programs specific to undergraduate and graduate health program degrees. These were selected for their favorable terms and conditions regarding interests rates, fees, repayment options and more, as well as those who have been historically popular among our existing students.
FEDERAL STUDENT AID
In addition to being the home of the FAFSA, studentaid.gov is a great resource to learn more about the financial aid process and what to expect.