Physician Assistant Studies Financial Aid
We are committed to helping you navigate the financial aid process for your PA education, providing guidance and information you need—including types of aid, how to apply for aid, debt management counseling, and more.
Our staff will work with you to review your individual needs. We’ll help you explore financial aid options in order to maximize your funding sources and minimize your debt.
PA applicants can also refer to the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) web page on “Paying for PA School” for information about applying for CASPA Fee Assistance, scholarships and other resources.
Below is a list of some possible external scholarships available to students exploring Physician Assistant Studies.
- American Association of Surgical Physician Assistants (AASPA) Scholarships
- Association of PAs in Oncology (APAO) Student Scholarship
- F.A. Davis Nursing & Health Science Scholarships
- Georgia Associate of PA (GAPA) Scholarships
- Indian Health Service (IHS) Health Professions Scholarship
- National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Scholarships
- PA Foundation Scholarships
- Paul S. Robinson Award from the Society of Emergency Medicine PAs (SEMPA)
- Physician Associates for Latino Health (PALH), a caucus of the AAPA, Scholarship
- Susan Lindahl Memorial Scholarship - Physician Assistants in Orthopaedic Surgery
There are several external programs that offer special loan repayment incentives for students who are pursuing a physician assistant studies degree, with a sample list of programs below. Students who are planning to apply for federal or private loans to fund their PA studies program should review to determine their eligibility.
Federal Education Loan Application and Options:
Physician Assistant Studies graduate students at Agnes Scott may be eligible for federal education loans.
Below is the process to apply:
- Students who are starting their program in the fall 2025 will complete the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at studentaid.gov, which will be available to start from the Department of Education by early spring 2025.
- List your level in college as “1st year graduate” and the degree/certificate as "Graduate/Professional Degree."
- As a graduate student, you are considered as an independent student and you are not required to provide parental information on your FAFSA.
- The Agnes Scott College FAFSA school code is 001542.
- Your completed FAFSA will indicate which federal education loans you may be eligible to receive and the amount.
- The PA program takes place over 24 consecutive months; however, the program spans three years for the purposes of FAFSA.
Types of Federal Education Loan Options:
Federal loans that might be available to graduate students who complete the FAFSA include Direct Unsubsidized Loans and Grad PLUS Loans.Repayment begins:
- 6 months after student graduates
- 6 months after student drops below part-time enrollment
- 6 months after student is no longer enrolled
No penalty for pre-payment
Current interest rates for these loans can be found at www.studentaid.gov.
Direct Unsubsidized Loan Limits:
If you started or completed a graduate degree previously and used federal education loans, those amounts will be considered when you file a new FAFSA form for your degree at Agnes Scott College. The limits for independent graduate and professional school students are as follows:
- Annual amount of combined unsubsidized loans is $20,500
- Aggregate limit of all Federal Stafford loans (including subsidized loans received for undergraduate study) cannot exceed $138,500
Graduate students may be eligible for a Grad PLUS Loan if there are remaining costs associated with your graduate study that are not covered by Direct Unsubsidized Loans once a FAFSA is completed. There is a separate application to complete for this federal education loan. The maximum amount that can be borrowed for a PLUS loan is the cost of attendance (determined by Agnes Scott) minus any other financial assistance you receive in graduate grants, outside scholarships, federal education loans, and/or private loans.
- This is a credit-based loan that can cover up to the cost of attendance minus any aid you have already received. Students must be enrolled at least part-time (6 credit hours).
- Repayment begins 60 days after the loan is fully disbursed.
- Current interest rates for these loans can be found at www.studentaid.gov.
Private Loans
A private, credit-based alternative loan may be available to graduate students who need funding for remaining educational costs. There are various lenders for student borrowers that require no payments while the student remains in school. Private loans have various options for repayment and may offer forbearance and deferral options. In addition, interest rates for private loans are based on credit and are set by the lender.
To view and compare alternative loans available to Agnes Scott students, please go to Sparrow. On Sparrow, you can search and compare real, personalized private student loan offers from over 15 lenders through a simple, three-minute application. Sparrow allows you to easily compare loans and is free. Using Sparrow does not impact your credit score when searching for loan options; your credit score will not be impacted until you choose a loan and begin the application process.