Boston University Medical Campus
Student Financial Services

DETERMINING FINANCIAL NEED

PURPOSE OF FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: The purpose of financial assistance is to help those students who could not otherwise afford to attend school. If you think you cannot afford the cost of attending, you may be eligible for assistance. When you apply for assistance, the Office of Student Financial Services makes a determination of your ability to contribute toward the cost of your education. The contribution is not necessarily the amount you can afford to pay out-of-pocket, but is rather the amount you should be able to afford out of your personal financial resources. Personal resources can include real estate value, investment(s), spousal income, trust income, and other assets. The difference between the cost of attendance and your contribution is your “need.” Your need represents the maximum amount of assistance for which you are eligible.

Expenses deemed acceptable in building a budget (cost of attendance) are only those directly related to the cost of attending Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH). Tuition and fees are set by the Board of Trustees of Boston University. The other components are derived from Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates of annual living costs in the Boston area.

The figures are based on the following assumptions:

• Students live at a ratio of two students per bedroom.
• Consumer and/or credit card debt is not a direct educational expense.
• Purchasing, maintaining, or insuring a car is not a direct educational expense.
• Some entertainment and recreation costs are included.
• Students will keep to a modest or moderate living standard.
• Living expenses for periods of enrollment of less than half time are not included.

NEED ANALYSIS METHODOLOGIES: There are two methods used to determine your eligibility for financial assistance. Federal Methodology (FM) is the process used for determining need for Federal Direct Loans. The information submitted on the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) will be used to determine need for the Federal Direct Loan Program.

Institutional Methodology (IM) is used to determine your eligibility for institutional financial assistance. To be considered for these funds, you are required to provide additional information on the FAFSA, and complete the PROFILE form and the BUSPH Application for Financial Assistance. Financial information on which federal eligibility is based is not sufficiently comprehensive to allow BUSPH to award its limited institutional funds in an equitable and reasonable manner. Use of the PROFILE data will permit for more timely processing of institutional applications and less need to return to students for more information.

MARRIED STUDENTS: Federal law prohibits the inclusion of any costs other than those directly related to the cost of attendance of the student. However, a modest allowance for the cost of maintaining a family is built into federal and institutional methodology. Student expense budgets used to determine financial need for independent students with dependents may not include expenses related to the living costs of other family members. Adjustments to the standard student budget may be made for costs of unreimbursed health care, costs of child care depending upon the ages and number of children, or costs associated with a handicap if proper documentation is provided.

A married student’s spouse is expected to contribute to the support of him/herself, the student, and any children. In the case of a student’s spouse who is able to contribute and does not, the student applicant will still be evaluated as if a contribution were being made.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: There are no institutional funds or federal funds available to international students. International students may be eligible to apply for certain credit-based loans with a creditworthy US citizen or permanent resident (without conditions) as a co-signer. For additional information please visit our credit-based loan section.