Available Types of Financial Aid

Grants and Scholarships

Federal Pell Grant

Created as the cornerstone of federal aid for needy undergraduate students, the Federal Pell grant program provides funding for undergraduates demonstrating high levels of need (students who already have their first degree of bachelors or higher are not eligible for Federal Pell). Individual student Federal Pell Grant awards are limited to the equivalent of six years of full time awards.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

Federal SEOG provides additional grant funding for undergraduates, primarily to supplement the grants of Federal Pell recipients.  LSUHSC generally uses limited available SEOG funds for Summer Term awards.

Louisiana's Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS)

Louisiana's TOPS is a comprehensive program of state scholarships with three levels: the Opportunity Award; the Performance Award; and the Honors Award. Each award has specific eligibility and selection criteria, including, ACT score, and completion of a specified high school college preparatory core curriculum, and grade point average of the core courses.  TOPS scholars must also meet certain GPA and continuous full-time enrollment requirements to retain TOPS eligibility.  TOPS awards are limited to four academic years (eight semesters).   Click here for more information.

Institutional Scholarships and Grants

LSUHSC schools award scholarships and grants funded through institutional sources, the LSUHSC Foundation, and generous donations. See the school specific sections of the LSUHSC-NO Catalog/Bulletin for details.

LSUHSC Hardship Waiver

This is a need based grant program meeting a State legislative mandate to set aside a portion of funds from tuition increases to alleviate the impact of those increases for needy students. Funds are awarded to Louisiana residents assessed full-time tuition and demonstrating significant financial need; this is defined as an official Expected Family Contribution (EFC) Free Application for Federal Student Aid result in the Federal Pell-Eligible range. Due to limited available funds, the school may consider for funding only applicants with Zero EFC and no other significant gift assistance. Awards are made on a first come first served basis. Award amounts vary.  Posted Hardship Waiver awards will be cancelled in the event the award recipient fails to register at a credit hour level requiring full tuition payment, and may be cancelled in the event the recipient receives other scholarship/grant support.

Louisiana Go Grant

Louisiana Go Grant is a state aid program designed to supplement grant assistance for Louisiana resident Federal Pell Grant recipients.

Eligibility

Only Louisiana residents, and in some cases students who may not be Louisiana residents but whose non-custodial parents are Louisiana residents, are eligible for consideration.  Go Grant is available only during semesters in which recipients are enrolled at least half time and concurrently receiving Federal Pell Grant funding.  Students 25 and older by the first calendar year of the award year receive priority consideration.  Due to limited funding some eligible students may not be funded.

Amounts

State regulations limit Go Grant funding to $1500 per semester, $3000 per academic year.  LSUHSC New Orleans awards funding based on the maximum level for recipients assessed the maximum Tuition for the semester, and half of the maximum level for students assessed less than the maximum Tuition for the semester (due to reduced course load).  Students taking less than six hours in a semester are ineligible for Go Grant funding for the semester.

Selected candidates receive the lesser of the amounts discussed above or an amount that brings total grant funding up to calculated financial need for the semester at the time the candidate is selected for funding.  Students already receiving  calculated financial need form other gift assistance (at the time of Go Grant award) do not receive Go Grant funding.

Award Procedure

LSUHSC New Orleans selects Go Grant Recipients on a semester by semester basis shortly after the 14th class day of each semester.  If available funding is insufficient to fund all eligible candidates for the semester, candidates are funded in Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process date order, with students meeting the age priority criteria discussed above receiving some additional priority consideration.  New and continuing students as well as first time and prior Go Grant recipients are considered on an equal basis.  Due to limited available funding, some students receiving Go Grants in the Fall semester may not be funded in the Spring semester.

Summer Term is a trailer (last Term of the academic year) for financial aid purposes for all LSUHSC New Orleans undergraduate students and programs.

For more information regarding Louisiana Go Grant please visit https://mylosfa.la.gov/students-parents/scholarships-grants/go-grant/.   

Fee Waivers and Stipends

Fee waivers and stipends are available to qualified students. Contact the program in which you are interested for further information on this type of aid.

Federal Loans

The Student Financial Aid Office offers assistance to students through the following Federal long-term loan programs. Repayment of these loans is deferred as long as the borrower is enrolled for at least a half-time course load. In school deferment for Nursing Student Loans and the Dental Health Professions Student Loans is limited to study in the respective heath care discipline. Specific qualifications for the loan programs are listed below.

Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan Program

These federal loans feature a subsidized need based component and an unsubsidized non-need based component. The government does not charge interest on the subsidized component during qualifying in-school, grace and deferment periods. The interest rate is fixed for loans borrowed each academic year based on a 10 year Treasury Note rate plus an add-on percentage (add on percentages are 2.05% for undergraduate, 3.6% for graduate/professional).

► Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan Academic Year Limits ◄

Medical and Dental students can generally borrow up to $40,500 for a nine month academic year, with some adjustment for longer and shorter academic years.  Public Health students can borrow up to $32,500 per nine month academic year, with some adjustment for longer and shorter borrowing periods.

Academic year loan limits for other students are as follows.

Dependent sophomore - $6,500   Independent sophomore - $10,500

Dependent junior/senior - $7,500   Independent junior/senior - $12,500

Graduate/professional (other than Medicine Dentistry and Public Health) - $20,500

These amounts may be reduced based on the applicable Student Standard Budget and other aid received. The Subsidized component is limited to the lesser of the Student Standard Budget minus the Expected Family Contribution and other aid received, or as follows.

Sophomore - $4,500 Junior/Senior - $5,500

Federal Direct Loans for graduate/professional students are all unsubsidized.  The availability and duration of subsidy for undergraduate students are limited based on academic program length and prior subsidized Federal Direct Loan borrowing.

Federal Direct PLUS Loans

Through the Federal Direct PLUS program, graduate level students and the parents of undergraduate dependent students can borrow additional funds for educational expenses. The interest rate is fixed for loans borrowed each academic year based on a 10 year Treasury Note rate plus 4.6%. Total funding including PLUS must not exceed the student budget established by the school.

Federal Direct Loan Origination Fees

The federal government retains origination fees form direct loans, reducing the net disbursements.  The standard origination fee for Federal Direct Stafford loans is 1%; the standard origination fee for PLUS loans is 4%.  Federal budget sequester has resulted in fractional  increases to these fees.

Nursing Student Loan

Graduate Nursing students demonstrating financial need are candidates for the Nursing Student Loan. The loans are interest free during qualifying in-school, grace and deferment periods, and 5% interest rate during repayment.

Health Professions Student Loan

Dental students demonstrating financial need after assessment of both student and parent resources may receive funding through this program. These loans are also interest free during qualifying in-school, grace and deferment periods, and 5% interest rate during repayment.

►►Note Eligibility for federal loans is determined based on the results of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); however, loan applicants must also file promissory notes and complete loan entrance counseling.

Private Loans

The LSU Health Science Center – New Orleans is providing you with information regarding private loans to assist you in making an informed decision about funding your education. Before you look at private loan funding, make sure you have researched and used all federal, state, and institutional financial aid funds that are available to you. Free or lower-cost Title IV federal, state, or school student financial aid may be available in place of, or in addition to, a private education loan by filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Also, we encourage you to explore internal and external scholarships opportunities that may be available to you.

As you explore private loan options, keep in mind what is most important to you and select the program that meets your personal financial situation. Choosing a private loan is a long-term decision — it will be with you long after you have graduated. Being informed now could save you time, difficulties, and money later.

If you would like to access a comprehensive comparison chart of all lenders used by LSU Health Science Center – New Orleans students within the last three years, please click on the Private Loan Comparison Chart. LSU Health New Orleans does not recommend one lender over another, nor do we participate in any agreements or arrangements with any lender. You are not limited to the lenders listed on the Comparison Chart and may borrow with any lender of your choice.

When applying for a private educational loan, the borrower must complete a Private Education Loan Self-Certification Form and submit it to the private educational lender. This form may be obtained directly from the private lender or by clicking this Private Education Loan Self-Certification Form link. The Private Education Loan Self-Certification Form includes the following information:

• The student's Cost of Attendance (COA) for the period of enrollment covered by the loan;
• Any estimated Financial Assistance (EFA) for the period covered by the loan; and
• The difference between the COA and EFA

Loan periods will be adjusted to reflect the current academic term or last term of enrollment within current academic year.

If you have questions concerning a specific private loan program, please contact the lender directly.

Veterans Benefits

The Veterans Administration officer for the Health Sciences Center is the Registrar, who certifies enrollment and academic load of veterans. The Veterans Administration determines the amount.

Other Aid Programs

The Health Sciences Center recognizes and administers other programs over which it has no authority to determine qualifications or amounts. Students are required to notify the Student Financial Aid Office promptly of any aid received from outside sources.

Scholarships offered by persons or organizations who determine the recipient and amount but require the funds to be handled through the Health Sciences Center are welcome.