Wash U Announces Free Tuition For Up To Half Of New Med Students

The Washington University School of Medicine will more than double the number of students receiving full tuition each year thanks to $100 million in scholarship funding.

Officials from the medical program on Tuesday announced the boost in scholarships, which will be provided throughout the next 10 years. The scholarships are aimed at recruiting more low-income students and people of color and reducing the massive amount of medical school debt students incur.

“They look at our tuition and they don’t even consider applying because of concern they would accumulate very large amounts of debt,” said Eva Aagaard, the school’s senior associate dean for education. “This might change their mind, and we might see a really different population applying and being accepted into Wash U.”

The money will make it possible for up to half of the school’s approximately 100 incoming students pursuing an M.D. degree each year to receive full-tuition scholarships to the medical school, ranked among the nation's best. Others will receive partial support. About 20 current students per class have a full scholarship, and another 40 receive some kind of scholarship. Students pursuing a combined medical and doctoral degree already get a full ride, Aagaard said.

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