Medical school is notoriously expensive. Many new doctors graduate with more than $200,000 in student loan debt. This huge financial burden can shape the rest of their careers, pushing some away from lower-paying specialties or from practicing in underserved areas.
But there is good news. A small but growing number of respected universities now offer tuition-free programs for medical students. If you are accepted, you could earn your MD without the crushing debt that weighs on most graduates.
Here are five well-known medical schools that offer full tuition coverage, plus a look at how their programs work.
1. NYU Grossman School of Medicine
New York University made headlines in 2018 when it became the first top-ranked medical school to offer full-tuition scholarships to all current and future students, regardless of need or merit.
What this means:
If you get accepted to NYU Grossman, you pay no tuition. You still have to cover living expenses and fees, but avoiding tuition can save more than $200,000 over four years.
Why they do it:
NYU hopes this program will encourage more students to choose fields they are passionate about, including primary care, rather than chasing higher salaries just to pay off debt.
2. Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine (CWRU)
This unique program, part of Case Western Reserve University, offers a full-tuition scholarship to every student in its five-year MD program, which is geared toward training physician-investigators.
Key features:
- Focus on research and innovation in medicine
- Tuition fully covered for all admitted students
- Students also complete a required research thesis
3. Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis
WashU recently launched a program to reduce medical student debt by offering full-tuition scholarships to more than half of each incoming class. Many others receive partial scholarships, lowering average borrowing significantly.
Why it matters:
This initiative helps keep WashU competitive for top applicants and eases the debt burden so students can pursue any specialty.
4. UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine
The David Geffen Medical Scholarships at UCLA provide full tuition plus living expenses to about 20% of each entering class, selected based on merit.
How it works:
- Covers all four years of tuition
- Also provides funding for fees, books, and living costs
- Awarded automatically to top applicants, so there is no separate application
5. Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine
This new medical school in California offers full tuition to its first several classes. Current plans extend through the incoming class of 2025. Kaiser’s goal is to create a new generation of community-focused physicians without the heavy burden of loans.
Added benefit:
The school also provides funding for fees, health insurance, and required equipment, further reducing out-of-pocket costs.
The Bottom Line
Getting into medical school is extremely competitive, and schools that offer free tuition are no exception. But if you do get accepted, these programs could save you hundreds of thousands of dollars and give you the freedom to choose your specialty based on passion, not paychecks.
It is always smart to explore multiple options. Even schools without blanket tuition-free programs often have generous merit or need-based aid. Applying broadly and learning about special scholarships can increase your chances of graduating with minimal debt.
