Eligibility

Stanford Institutional Aid

Stanford institutional grant and loan resources are limited and as such, must be rationed, and awarded soley based on student need.  Merit based schoalrship is not offered. The School's policy is that students, (including spouses, if married), and parents, have the primary responsibility for financing the cost of a medical education. Our financial aid program attempts to help students and their families meet the shortfall of funds after family financial resources are assessed.

Parental financial data is required for all students requesting institutional aid*. Students are considered financially dependent upon both biological parents, even if they no longer claim you as a dependent. Your marital status, and/or the fact that you may have been self-supporting for a number of years, is irrelevant.

* Students age 30 by the start of the academic year are considered independent and parental information is waived.

The Need Access Application and your parents’ federal income tax returns are used to determine the parental contribution. The formula takes into consideration your parents':

• Taxable income (wages or salaries, interest and dividends)
  
• Untaxed income (social security benefits, veteran benefits, voluntary annual contributions to tax deferred savings, workers compensations)
• Assets (savings, investments of all kind, stocks and bonds, stock options)
• Their Age
• Number of dependents
• Number of dependents in college*
• Federal and state income taxes paid
• An allowance, which varies by family size.

* The number of children enrolled in college (excluding parents in college) may affect the calculation of parental contribution each year.  As a result, the amount of the expected parental contribution may vary from student to student and change year to year.

Separated or Divorced Parents

For the purposes of determining Stanford need-based financial aid only, each natural parent must submit financial information and the required tax forms.

Estrangement from Parents

If parent information due to absolute estrangement cannot be secured, applicant may request an estrangement waiver;  professional third-party verification of circumstances is required.  Upon approval, the estrangement waiver will granted for all subsequent financial aid years.

Verification of Sibling/Spouse Enrollment in College

1. Only siblings under the age of 26 that are attending college at least half time for a minimum of one semester or two quarters in the current academic year may be counted as dependents on the CSS Profile.
   
   
2. Verification will be required during the winter quarter of the academic year. Failure to provide certification of enrollment by the specified deadline may result in a recalculatiion of Stanford need-based grant and/or loan eligibility.
   
   
3. Verification may be obtained through the National Student Clearing House  (this option is only available if the sibling/spouse's school participates in this program) for a nominal fee or by compelting a enrollment verification form provided by the Financial Aid Office.

Graduate and professional students, regardless of age, are considered financially independent of parents for the  Federal  loan programs. 

The FAFSA, with required federal income tax returns using IRS Data Retreival (IDR) tool, are used to determine the expected student contribution (EFC). The formula takes into consideration:

• Taxable income (wages or salaries, interest, and dividends)
  
• Untaxed income (social security benefits, veteran benefits, voluntary annual contributions to tax deferred savings, workers compensations)
  
• Assets (checking and savings account balances, investments, stocks and bonds, stock options)
  
• Age of Student
  
• Number of dependents
  
• Number of dependents in college
  
• Federal and state income taxes paid
  
• Income Protection Allowance, varies according to family size
  

Selection for Federal Verification

The Department of Education requires colleges and universities awarding federal aid to verify the information that students submit during the financial aid application process. Students are selected at random by the Department of Education. If you are selected for verification, the Financial Aid Office will send you a verification worksheet to complete and return.

Items which may be verified include, but are not limited to: 

1. Adjusted gross income (AGI). 
2. U.S. income tax paid. 
3. Number of family members in the household. 
   
4. Number of family members attending accredited post-secondary education on at least a half-time basis. 
   
5. Certain untaxed income and benefits.

Failure to provide required documentation by the required deadline may result in lose of further federal aid. The verification process is complete when the Financial Aid Office has received documentation and any inconsistencies in the reported data have been corrected.

Donor Acknowledgement

• If awarded these funds, you may be required to write the donor(s) a thank-you letter. Your cooperation is needed and expected to maintain their good will.
• Aid recipients who fail to comply by the specified date will lose eligibility for Stanford grants or loans — or both.