Your Guide to Online Public Health Degrees with Financial Aid

Comparing Online Public Health Programs With Financial Aid

Public health degrees — such as a Bachelor of Science or the popular Master of Public Health — offer online or hybrid programs to students that are often attached to financial aid. Many colleges and universities offer their own scholarships, grants, and support resources for students in public health. Even if a school doesn’t have its own financial aid offerings, it will typically accept other programs that students can utilize to pay costs, including federal sources or organizational/business scholarships and grants.

Whatever options you’re considering to fund your studies, this guide was created to help you navigate financing your public health degree. Choosing the right program is vital, especially when financial aid is a key factor. Below, we’ve highlighted several high-quality online or hybrid programs that are known for either accepting or offering a robust program for scholarships, grants, and fellowships.

Financial Aid Eligibility & Application Checklist

Securing financial aid opportunities requires careful preparation and attention to detail. It’s also a process that needs to start well in advance of starting those first classes for your public health degree. While every school will have its own requirements, the checklist below is a good starting point for most financial aid applications.

Complete the FAFSA Early

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid determines your eligibility for federal financial aid, including a variety of need-based grants, loans, and work-study opportunities. Public health students should gather the necessary information and submit their online FAFSA applications as soon as possible to ensure they’re considered for all available aid.

Review Eligibility Criteria and Requirements

Review all of this information on your university’s or aid-granting institution’s website, or contact your financial aid offices to ensure you meet all qualifications before applying. Understand the specific requirements and details for each potential opportunity, especially what’s needed for a public-health-based award, to identify the best matches for your needs.

Check Deadlines and Apply Early

Whether it’s for the public health program itself or a university or organization in general, every financial aid opportunity will have a different application deadline. Failing to meet these deadlines will result in your application being thrown out. Create a timeline or calendar of all deadlines and submit applications well in advance.

Gather All Necessary Documents

Tax returns, formal identification, and academic records — especially as they relate to public health education — are all part of the financial aid process. Create a checklist of required documents for each form of aid and gather them ahead of time. This way if an application requires extra documents, you’ll have sufficient time to gather those.

Receive Feedback on Supplemental Materials

Essays and statements of purpose are critical to many applications, especially public-health-centered scholarships and grants. Seek feedback on these documents from mentors and peers, especially those in your network who are also in the public health field. Use their feedback to refine the materials and ensure your answers are clear and concise.

Review Award Letters

This correspondence details your actual financial aid package. Fully understanding these offers helps you make an informed decision on the best ones to choose. Review each letter, considering the amount and type of aid and any stipulations. A financial aid advisor can assist you in understanding any terms and conditions.

Common Funding Options for Public Health Students

As you research options to fund your public health degree or certificate, you will see some common forms — and each one of them has different benefits and drawbacks. Here’s a look at what’s regularly available from schools.

Federal Student Aid

Here’s that FAFSA acronym again — it’s the crucial form for any college student who is seeking aid based on need, and it’s just as important to understand what the FAFSA is. And, some schools still want you to fill out the FAFSA if you’re pursuing merit-based or institutional aid, as its information gives a clear picture of what you can and cannot afford. Federal aid includes awards that are “free money” you never pay back and loans that you will need to return, often with interest, at some point.

Institutional Aid

Financial programs based at the college or university you choose can include a full range of possibilities, including grants, scholarships, work-study, and sometimes loans. Most of these options are need-based, but there are also ones that are based on academic merit or if you are specifically in a public health program. The usual method is to go through the school’s financial aid department to fill out forms and get direction on what’s available.

Payment Plans

You can break payment plans up into two categories: installment plans and loan repayment. Some schools offer the chance to schedule smaller payments over time to meet the costs of your public health education. There are also specific state and federal programs that can help with education loan payments, if you work in certain health professions and if you qualify for this type of aid. These include programs such as the NHSC or the PSLF.

Scholarships & Grants

Scholarships are awarded based on academic merit, leadership, or specific public health interests. They come from private organizations, public health institutions, or directly from colleges and universities. As a public health student, look for scholarships tailored to your focus area. Grants are need-based-only financial awards that students receive from the federal or state government, universities, or private organizations. Public health students might be eligible for grants that specifically support health-related studies.

Examples:

Society for Public Health Education Financial Aid

• Amount: Between $1,500 and $2,500
• This national organization gives scholarships, internship opportunities, fellowships, and awards to students pursuing health promotion or health education careers. They include the 21st Century Student Scholarship, offered multiple times a year.

Tylenol Future Care Scholarship

• Amount: $5,000 or $10,000
• Any type of healthcare student, including public health, is eligible for this annual program. There are 35 students that receive the awards, which are based on academic merit and community involvement.

Find more scholarships for Public Health students.