Financial Information/Aid

Fees and Expenses

All students are required to register and pay tuition and fees each semester. Any financial aid a student might be awarded is disbursed after a student is registered for the fall and spring semesters, but not more than ten (10) days prior to the start of classes.

Fees and charges imposed by the University are subject to change by the Board of Trustees without notice. No degree will be conferred upon any candidate prior to the payment of all tuition, fees, and indebtedness to the University.

Academic Fees

Tuition and Course fees: The Schedule of Fees is maintained by the USC’s Office of the Bursar, and can be found at: www.sc.edu/bursar/schedule_columbiadeptfees.shtml

Supplementary Application Fee (nonrefundable): $95.00

Admission Deposit (applied toward first year tuition, nonrefundable after April 30): $250.00

Matriculation Fee (first year only): $80.00

Estimated expenditures for books, supplies, equipment, educational travel, insurance, and related educational expenses: These amounts will vary by year and can be found at: greenvillemed.sc.edu/financial_tuition.shtml

Books and Equipment

Most books will be provided as part of tuition and preloaded onto the student’s furnished mobile devices and laptop (see below); all other books are provided to students via the class syllabus, and an allowance is made in the student Cost of Attendance(COA) for the purchase of said books. USCSOMG will endeavor to keep the list of required books to a minimum.

The school will provide a list of required equipment to the student along with a suggested location to purchase the equipment. The student can use another vendor; however, the purchases will be subject to review by the faculty.

Computers and Required Electronic Devices

Students will be required to purchase a laptop, and Information Technology staff (IT) will provide the students with a list of minimum requirements for purchase along with a selection of preferred vendors. If it becomes possible, IT will offer laptops for purchase to the student population.

IT supports the hardware and software (e.g., wireless technology, learning management system) required for effective delivery of the curriculum and they support the development, delivery, assessment, and management of the educational program. They also provide technical assistance for students, faculty and staff encountering difficulties in accessing information resources. In addition, IT facilitates and supports appropriate access to clinical systems. Annually, all electronic devices are updated by IT. There are also public workstations available in the Information Commons.

Refund Policy

I. Policy

The University will refund a part of academic fees in certain cases:
 A. Changes in a student’s status, which may require a refund:
     1. Change in a full-time student’s schedule which results in reclassification to part- time(Less than 12 credit hours).
     2. Change in a part-time student’s schedule which results in fewer credit hours.
B. Situations which may require a refund:
     1. Course or courses dropped.
     2. Drop/Withdrawal from the University.
     3. Cancellation of a class by the University.

II. Refund Requests

For all refund questions and requests, contact USC’s Office of the Bursar or the Sr Asst. Director of Financial Aid and Student Records at the SOMG. The University has an appeals committee should you wish to challenge the decision of the Bursar. The University Withdrawals Refund Appeal Committee is authorized to consider appeals and approve extraordinary exceptions to the University’s published withdrawal refund schedule due to humanitarian (accident, illness, or injury) and due‐process considerations.

All student withdrawals must be made in accordance with University of South Carolina policies (listed below) if the student is to receive a tuition refund and have the proper grades recorded on the transcript. In most cases, the School of Medicine Greenville no refunds are given for any student who is dismissed, withdraws, or takes a leave of absence once classes begin.

III. Determining the Refundable Portion Procedure

The Bursar is responsible for determining if a student is eligible for a refund. In order to receive a refund of tuition payments, students who withdraw or are dismissed must do so in accordance with USC policies.

IV. Withdrawal Refund Policies

Refund policy for students who have received Title IV funds and withdraw from the University differs from that stated above. Federal financial aid funds are awarded with the expectation that students will complete the entire period of enrollment. Students “earn” a percentage of the funds that are disbursed with each day of class attendance. When a student who has received federal aid funds (Title IV Funds) leaves school before the end of the semester or a designated period of enrollment, federal regulations require the University of South Carolina to calculate the percentage and amount of “unearned” financial aid funds that must be returned. Once a student has completed more than 60 percent of the enrollment period, all funding received is considered to have been earned. This calculation may have the effect of requiring the student who withdraws before this time to repay funds that have already been disbursed or credited toward the current account for tuition, fees, housing and/or meals. Students are encouraged to contact their dean’s office, the Office of Student Affairs, or the appropriate office on their campus prior to making a decision to withdraw from school.

Title IV Refunds Distribution:

For fully withdrawn students receiving federal and/or state funds, the refund will be governed by the current Federal Title IV refund policy. The Office of the Bursar, together with the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships determine the amount of the refund that is distributed back to Title IV, HEA programs, or other financial aid sources. For students who have received student loans or other forms of financial aid, the University will provide refunds in the order prescribed by federal regulations. With the exception of the Federal Work-Study Program, the institution must return the refund to the appropriate financial aid program up to the amount of assistance that the student received from those programs. Refunds are to be distributed to the financial aid programs in the following order:

1. Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans
2. Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans
3. Federal Perkins Loans
4. Federal PLUS Loans
5. Federal Grants
6. Pharmacy, Nursing, and Health Professions Loans
7. State funds
8. Private or institutional scholarships and loans

Any remaining balance will first be used to repay any outstanding University charges and any subsequent balances will be refunded to the student.

Exit interviews are required before leaving the University of South Carolina for all students who withdraw and have received Stafford, Perkins, or Federal Nursing loans. Exit interviews can be completed on the Internet at www.sc.edu/financialaid.

V. University Withdrawal Refund Appeal Procedures

The University Withdrawals Refund Appeal Committee is authorized to consider appeals and approve extraordinary exceptions to the University’s published withdrawal refund schedule due to humanitarian and due-process considerations.

Guidelines for committee consideration of withdrawal appeals are:

1. The appeal must be submitted in writing to the Office of the University Registrar and will be considered only in written form. A standardized appeal form must be submitted.
2. All requests for appeal must be submitted directly by the student through the Office of the University Registrar and must meet one or more of the following criteria to be considered and approved by the appeals committee:
   1. Documentation of an accident, illness, injury, or incident which could not be influenced, predicted, planned for, or prevented by the student or the institution. This provision specifically excludes conditions or chronic illnesses known to the student at the time of enrollment.
   2. Demonstration that the application of the published refund policy would result in a specific and substantial personal hardship to the student. This provision specifically excludes circumstances or effects which would simply inconvenience the student or the student’s family.
   3. Documentation of substantiated circumstances where a student has in good faith relied upon the veracity of a University official’s advice, or the official’s interpretation of the text of a University document or publication, and was consequently misled or mistaken about the terms of the published refund policy.
3. The appeal must be initiated during the semester for which the refund is requested.
4. The appeal must involve a total withdrawal from the University. No partial withdrawals will be considered.
5. Appeals will only address whether or not a refund will be granted. No consideration will be given to grade assignment or other academic issues. Students must address such issues directly with the faculty members and the college. If applicable, requests for Extenuating Circumstances Withdrawals for grade change purposes must be resolved prior to deliberations by this committee.
6. Grounds for consideration of an appeal will be restricted to only those circumstances personally experienced by the enrolled individual with whom the University has a direct relationship. Loss or illness of a family member, close associate, or employee, and/or difficulty in family-operated businesses, are excluded from consideration.
7. Decisions will be made by a simple majority vote of the committee membership and documented in writing by the chair. The student will be informed of the outcome of the appeal by letter from the Office of the Associate Vice President for Student Life and Development.

The above rules are governed by the Office of the Registrar and are subject to change by that office without prior notice. It is recommended that students considering a withdrawal contact the office prior to taking further action should they will to pursue an appeal for refund.

Financial Aid

Students in the School of Medicine are individually responsible for tuition, fees, and living expenses. It is imperative that all students anticipating the need for financial assistance at any time during their medical educations undertake early long-term planning. Limited aid specifically oriented for medical students is available from the School of Medicine Greenville. However, financial aid programs of the University of South Carolina make it possible for many students to attend the University who could not do so if they were entirely dependent on their own resources. Eligibility for all aid, except for some academic scholarships, depends on applicants’ financial circumstances. Students must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually to determine the amount of assistance they are eligible to receive. Information and application forms for the various financial aid programs may be obtained from the School of Medicine Office of Student Affairs.

Policy for Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid Eligibility:

A student is considered to be making satisfactory academic progress if he/she completes 67% of attempted credit hours, and is allowed by the dean, after considering the recommendations of the Student Evaluation and Promotion Committee, to be enrolled in the regular curriculum.

Listed below are some of the financial aid programs available to students. For complete information, contact the School of Medicine Greenville Office of Student Services.

Federal Loan Programs:

Information about federal programs is subject to change based upon changes in federal legislation. Graduate and professional students are no longer eligible to receive Direct Subsidized loans due to the passage of the Deficit Reduction Act. Loan received by students prior to the passage of this law are subject to the terms accepted at the time of the loan disbursement.

A medical student may borrow up to $40,500 per year not to exceed $224,000 ($65,500 subsidized) aggregate, including any amount borrowed as an undergraduate, or through any other graduate/professional program. This amount will also be prorated based on the number of months a student attends class a particular year. If a student receives a Federal Direct Loan, they will not be required to begin repayment until six months after they cease to be enrolled on at least a half‐time basis. The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan Program is not based on financial need and interest payments are not subsidized by the federal government, but rather are the responsibility of the borrower. Medical students can borrow more per year than a standard graduate student. A student may choose to pay the interest or request that it be deferred while enrolled greater than half-time. This results in the deferred interest being capitalized and creating a greater expense during repayment.

Medical students are eligible to borrow under the Federal PLUS Loan Program up to their cost of attendance minus other estimated financial assistance. The terms and conditions applicable to the Parent PLUS loans also apply to Grad PLUS. These requirements include a determination that a student does not have an adverse credit history. Repayment begins on the date of the last disbursement of the loan, and a fixed interest rate of 7.9%. To apply for this loan students are required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and must also have applied for a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan.

Federal Programs with a Service Commitment:

Information about federal programs is subject to change based upon changes in federal legislation. National Health Service Corps Scholarships are offered by the federal government to students and physicians interested in pursuing careers in primary care and serving in health professional shortage areas in the United States.

Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship recipients are commissioned in the armed forces and their tuition, fees, books, and equipment, including microscope rental, are paid by their particular branch. In addition, a monthly stipend is paid directly to the student. Recipients are required to serve 45 days of training duty each year. Repayment is on a year-for-year basis. A deferment for postgraduate education is given only if a student is not chosen for a military residency program.

Scholarships:

Private Sources:

Students are encouraged to seek scholarships from all sources available. All SC Residents will be provided the opportunity to apply for scholarships through the South Carolina Medical Association in January.

School of Medicine Scholarships:

The application for USCSOM-G Scholarships is available on the website for the USCSOM-G. Policies regarding the selection of recipients are available for review upon request and are housed with the Sr. Asst. Director of Financial Aid and Student Records.

Veteran Benefits:

Veterans and children of deceased or disabled veterans who meet regular admission requirements may be eligible to receive educational assistance benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Application for benefits may be made through the campus University Office of Veterans Affairs. Students are urged to apply for benefits at least 45 days prior to the beginning of the semester.

All veterans and other eligible persons are responsible for informing the University veterans records clerk of any change in enrollment status or withdrawal from the University.

Other Sources of Financial Aid:

The School of Medicine Greenville Office of Financial Aid has current information on various financial aid opportunities. Additionally, the Office of Student Affairs has national directories listing sources of loans, fellowships, and scholarships. A number of city and county medical societies offer loans or scholarships for residents of their localities, as do churches, businesses, fraternities, and sororities.

Policy on Management of Financial Resources from External Entities:

It is the policy and practice of USCSOM Greenville to assist enrolled students in the identification of financial resources from external entities to aid them in the financial support of their educations. External entities providing such financial resources can be individuals, employers, professional organizations, hospitals, communities, foundations, and others. The School of Medicine is also required to follow federal and state laws and regulations and University of South Carolina policies, procedures, and guidelines in the processes associated with nominating students for, the awarding of, and the handling of financial resources from external entities for which enrolled students qualify.

For these reasons, and because (1) the School of Medicine usually does not have specific information about the external entities providing financial resources to students; (2) the School of Medicine usually has not been involved in the prior contractual arrangements associated with students’ receipt of financial resources from external entities; (3) the School of Medicine cannot provide legal advice about tax consequences, either for the external entity or for the student, of the award of financial resources to students by those external entities; and (4) all final decisions about the nomination of eligible medical students for awarding of financial resources from external entities are made by the School of Medicine, it is therefore the policy of the School of Medicine:

1. To refer external entities wishing to provide financial resources to enrolled students to the School of Medicine director of development for information about the creation of accounts in the University of South Carolina Educational Foundation from which scholarship monies can be awarded to students;
2. To refer external entities to the University of South Carolina Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships when those entities wish to underwrite any portion of a student’s tuition and/or fees at the School of Medicine;
3. To refer students to their legal and financial advisors when questions arise about the tax consequences of financial resources provided to them in support of their educations by external entities; and
4. To refer all requests for nominations of eligible enrolled students for awards of financial resources from external entities to the School of Medicine for final decisions about those nominations.

Employment

Employment must be discussed with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Admissions. The academic responsibilities of the first year of medical school preclude outside employment.