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Financial Aid & Scholarships

Financial Aid

The Rutgers School of Public Health realizes that many students need financial aid to help them complete their education. Financial aid is usually provided by or through federal and state agencies, foundations, corporations and/or the University. 

Financial aid is awarded based on financial “need,” which is the difference between the cost of attending school and the student’s ability to contribute to his or her education, as determined on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Once a student has matriculated, financial aid funding is also contingent on the student making satisfactory academic progress.

    Office of Financial Aid

    The Rutgers Biomedical Health Sciences (RBHS) Office of Financial Aid provides counseling and financial aid funding for students enrolled in Rutgers School of Public Health. They are responsible for processing all loans, scholarships, and financial aid options at the school.

    Important things to note about RBHS Financial Aid:

    • To apply, you must complete both the FAFSA AND the RBHS Financial Aid Application.
    • You must be registered for at least 4.5 credits for fall and spring, and at least 3.0 credits for summer, to receive federal financial aid from the school.
    • Before a federal loan can be applied to your account, you must complete both a master promissory note AND entrance counseling.
    • Rutgers University School Code for Financial Aid is 002629

    Learn more about the RBHS Office of Financial Aid by visiting their website here. 

    Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

    The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be completed BEFORE any financial aid can be awarded. 

    It is recommended that students complete the application at fafsa.ed.gov.

    We understand that there may be plenty of questions surrounding your financial aid options. Please refer questions regarding your specific financial aid status to the respective Financial Aid office dependent on your primary location. We recommend emailing over calling the respective offices:

    For students in programs based out of Newark
    rbhs_nwk@ofa.rutgers.edu or (973) 972-4376

    For students in programs based out of Piscataway
    rbhs_pisc@ofa.rutgers.edu  or (732) 235-4689

    Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

    The myGuest dashboard in myRutgers allows you to give parents, guardians, and third parties access to view content and services related to your experience at the university, such as your class schedule, financial aid awards, and term bill. While the university is offering this service, access will not be granted without your permission due to the protection of student rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). 

    Visit the myGuest dashboard FAQ for information on signing up an authorized user.

    Scholarships

    At the Rutgers School of Public Health, we are committed to supporting students in their learning and growth as much outside of the classroom, as we do inside of the classroom. Explore the Rutgers School of Public Health’s various scholarship opportunities below.

    21st Century Scholarship

    This highly competitive partial tuition scholarship is awarded to a select group of incoming MPH students. 21st Century Scholars are assigned a mentor, with whom they will meet bi-weekly in order to receive guidance and support in navigating the MPH program. Mentors will include Scholars in a research project outside of their required academic program in order to expose Scholars to in-depth research and boost the breadth of experience. Scholars will also be expected to be active members of the student community. 

    There is an application for this merit-based scholarship, and if you have any questions about the process, please feel free to email the Office of Admissions at admissions@sph.rutgers.edu or call us at 732-235-4646.

    Professional Development Scholarship

    The Professional Development Scholarship is designated to support current students in their pursuits of presenting or participating in conferences, poster sessions, continuing education classes, or other professional development opportunities that include travel, registration, or other costs. Each semester, enrolled students in good academic standing may apply for the scholarship and if selected, the award will be attributed to their student account to offset professional development costs that may have been incurred by providing tuition relief. The application becomes available to students each July to be attributed to the Fall semester and November to be attributed to the Spring semester. 

    For more information, please email the Office for Student Experiences and Alumni Affairs at studentaffairs@sph.rutgers.edu.

    Jennifer Elliot Population Aging Scholarship

    The Rutgers School of Public Health’s Master of Public Health in Population Aging degree is designed to train researchers, clinicians, and community leaders who can develop and implement creative public health programs and policy solutions to align with the nation’s changing demographics. 

    One full scholarship is available for a student enrolled in this program.  All applicants who apply for the program are automatically considered for this scholarship. Applicants must apply by March 15 to be considered and will be notified by April 1 if they have been selected. 

    HRSA Public Health Scholarship 

    The HRSA Public Health Scholarship Program at the Rutgers School of Public Health is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Grant No. T52 HP46773. This HRSA Public Health Scholarship Program recognizes high achieving individuals by offering partial tuition scholarships. This competitive partial tuition scholarship program seeks to increase the capacity of public health systems to meet the core public health functions, the Ten Essential Public Health Services, and decrease public health inequities and health disparities.

    If you have any questions about the HRSA Public Health Scholarship Program, please feel free to email the Office of Admissions at admissions@sph.rutgers.edu or call us at 732-235-4646.

    • An applicant must be:

      • a resident of New Jersey (for in-state tuition purposes);
      • a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen (e.g., hold a green card);
      • pursuing an MPH degree or Population Health Certificate at the Rutgers School of Public Health;
      • either be working in a state and local public health organization in New Jersey or be from an underrepresented group or disadvantaged background; and
      • be in a non-default status on a student loan made under any New Jersey or federal education loan program or on the repayment of any award.

      Are continuing students eligible for the HRSA Public Health Scholarship?
      Students who are currently attending the Rutgers School of Public Health are eligible to receive the scholarship provided they started their MPH degree or Population Health Certificate no earlier than Fall 2022.

      How do I maintain my eligibility?
      Scholarship recipients will continue to receive the HRSA Public Health Scholarship provided that they maintain an active student status and remain in good academic standing each semester. Students who are put on academic probation will either lose their scholarship or their scholarship will be put on hold.

      How long can I receive the HRSA Public Health Scholarship?
      Scholarship recipients are eligible to receive the HRSA Public Health Scholarship through September 29, 2025.

    • I am receiving other federal grants and awards that cover the cost of tuition. Can I still receive the HRSA Public Health Scholarship?
      Students whose tuition is covered at least partially by federal awards are not eligible for the HRSA Public Health Scholarship.

    • How much can I receive from the HRSA Public Health Scholarship?
      A HRSA Public Health Scholarship recipient can receive up to 50% tuition support from the Scholarship. For the MPH, the scholarship will support 50% tuition support up to a maximum of 45-credits, and for the Population Health Certificate, the scholarship will support 50% tuition support up to a maximum of 15-credits. The scholarship will provide the 50% tuition support for coursework taken between January 17, 2023 and September 29, 2025. The HRSA Public Health Scholarship will end on September 29, 2025.

      How will the HRSA Public Health Scholarship be awarded?
      A HRSA Public Health Scholarship will be automatically awarded to each recipient’s student account after the Add/Drop period for each semester the recipient is enrolled and taking coursework for MPH degree or Population Health Certificate at the Rutgers School of Public Health. Adjustments will be made to a recipient’s student account if they drop a course(s) during the semester. The scholarship will not support tuition for any course that is intended to be repeated or substituted for a course that was previously attempted but not successfully completed (e.g., received a grade of Incomplete, Withdraw, or F).

      What expenses does the HRSA Public Health Scholarship cover?
      The scholarship covers tuition only for students pursuing an MPH degree or Population Health Certificate at the Rutgers School of Public Health and does not cover other costs of their graduate study such as room and board, books, fees, health insurance, parking, transportation, etc.

      Will the HRSA Public Health Scholarship pay for my tuition for the summer term?
      Yes. The scholarship will cover tuition (50%) for courses taken in the summer as long as the courses are taken for the MPH degree or Population Health Certificate.

    • What are the credit requirements of the HRSA Public Health Scholarship?
      There are no minimum credit requirements. Students who receive a HRSA Public Health Scholarship must maintain an active student status and remain in good academic standing each semester. Students who are put on academic probation will either lose their scholarship or their scholarship will be put on hold.

      Are there any other requirements that I must meet while I complete my degree or certificate?
      Yes. Scholarship recipients are required to complete an Applied Practice Experience in a medically underserved area of NJ as part of their MPH degree or Population Health Certificate and are required to complete skills-based training courses (2 per semester) to augment their studies (8 trainings total for MPH students and 4 trainings total for certificate students). Scholarship recipients will also be encouraged, but not required, to participate in annual job fairs and/or career panels hosted by the School of Public Health.

      Are there any other requirements that I must meet after I complete my degree or certificate?
      Yes. You are required to complete surveys each year you are enrolled in your graduate studies and post-training surveys up to one year after graduation.

      Do I need a certain grade point average to get or keep the HRSA Public Health Scholarship?
      Scholarship recipients must remain in good academic standing each semester, including but not limited to maintaining a 3.0 GPA. (The School’s Academic Standing Policy may be accessed here: https://sph.rutgers.edu/academics/policies.html.)

      If I no longer meet the requirements can I regain my eligibility?
      Generally, no. If a recipient became a non-New Jersey resident, they would become ineligible for the scholarship.

    • How do I apply for the HRSA Public Health Scholarship and when will it be available?
      Students must submit an HRSA Public Health Scholarship application. You can access the HRSA Public Health Scholarship application here.

      • For scholarship consideration for Spring 2024: Apply by December 5, 2023, 11:59pm ET
      • For scholarship consideration for Summer 2024: Apply by March 24, 2024, 11:59pm ET
      • For scholarship consideration for Fall 2024: Apply by July 15, 2024 11:59pm ET