Scholarships

We encourage students to apply for outside scholarships as a way to decrease student loan debt. The best advice you can follow when searching the web for scholarships is to allow yourself plenty of time.  Many sites will ask you detailed questions in order to match you up with potential scholarships.  Other times, it takes a bit of searching and exploration.  Don't give up!  The following are some scholarship websites that may help you with your search.

Office of Student Access and Completion

OSAC administers over 400 different scholarships.  All are listed on this site and application forms can be downloaded. Remember, the application deadline is a postmark deadline of March 1^st.

FastWeb!

FastWeb! is a national scholarship search service.  It's FREE!!  Over 600,000 scholarships are in their database.  It's easy to use, and they'll even email you as new scholarships become available.     

National Health Service Corp (NHSC)

The National Health Service Corp has scholarship programs available to students in medicine, nursing, dentistry and physician's assistant studies.   They typically cover tuition, fees, books and supplies, and provide a monthly living allowance.   Please check their website for availability of the application as well as the deadline for applying.

Federal and State Grants

Federal Pell Grants

Federal Pell Grants are available to financially needy undergraduate students who are working toward their first baccalaureate degree.  Eligibility for Pell Grants is determined by a federally mandated calculation.  Only financially needy students (as determined by the federal calculation) are eligible for the Pell Grant.  The size of the Pell Grant award is dependent on several factors, including the financial circumstances of the applicant, the level of federal appropriations, the cost of education and the number of credit hours taken each quarter.  To receive full payment of a Pell Grant, you must enroll in at least 12 credits, which is full-time for undergraduate programs.

Beginning 2012-13, all students may receive a Pell Grant (if they otherwise qualify) for a maximum period of 12 semesters or the equivalent. Federal Pell Grants are reported to the National Student Loan Database (NSLDS).  NSLDS is the U.S. Department of Education's (ED's) central database for student aid. NSLDS receives data from schools, guaranty agencies, the Direct Loan program, and other Department of ED programs. NSLDS Student Access provides a centralized, integrated view of Title IV loans and grants so that recipients of Title IV Aid can access and inquire about their Title IV loans and/or grant data.  Students can access this information at www.nslds.ed.gov.Other authorized users (as determined by the US Department of Education) are also able to access this information.  This system contains personal information protected by the Privacy Act of 1974 (as amended).  Authorized users are bound by the Act's requirements and acknowledge the possible criminal and civil penalties for violation of the Act.    

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG)

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) are provided by the federal government and are available to undergraduate students who are working toward their first baccalaureate degree.  Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants are awarded only to very needy students.

Oregon Opportunity Grant

The State of Oregon makes funds available to Oregon residents enrolled in an undergraduate program who are working toward their first baccalaureate degree.  Eligibility is determined by the Office of Student Access and Completion and is based on the information provided on the FAFSA.

Student Loans

Federal Student Loans

OHSU offers a variety of Federal Student Loans.  Individual eligibility will vary depending on program, enrollment, awarding criteria, and availability of funding.  Some of the more common Federal Student loans awarded by OHSU includes, but not limited to:  Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Stafford, Federal Perkins, Federal Parent PLUS, Federal Graduate PLUS, and Federal Nursing loan for undergraduate students.  Please see additional information regarding these loans as well as other loans awarded by OHSU on page 26 of the 2018-19 Student Financial Aid Explained.

Alternative Student Loans

As a general rule, students should only consider obtaining a private education loan if you have maxed out all federal student aid and still have remaining eligibility.  They should also file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which may qualify them for grants, loans, work-study, and other forms of student aid.

Federal Work Study

The Federal Work-Study program is a federal employment program available for students who wish to work on campus.  Students interested in being awarded Federal Work-Study should complete the Federal Work-Study Request form.

Federal Work-Study is claimed as it is earned.  After you verify you are eligible for work-study, you must apply for employment by examining the listing of vacant positions posted on the bulletin board outside the Financial Aid Office, student work-study positions listed on the OHSU HR website or by contacting departments for which you would like to work.  There are several different types of positions available including community service positions.  After determining the positions in which you are interested, you must obtain an employee referral form from the Financial Aid Office. 

When you are hired, you will need to come to our office to receive the necessary hiring paperwork.  Your employer will complete the referral form and other Human Resources documents and send them to the Financial Aid Office, which will process the forms and forward them to Human Resources, Payroll and Business Affairs.  Students report hours worked through the automated Time and Attendance Collection System (TACS) and payment is made bi-weekly through the University Payroll Office.  Hiring procedures must be completed each academic year, even for continuing student employees.

Federal Work-Study is employment, and earnings must be reported to the Internal Revenue Service in compliance with the same requirements as any job.  At the end of each calendar year, you will be sent a W‑2 form to be used when filing your tax return.

When reapplying for financial aid for the following year, Federal Work-Study income is excluded from the Expected Family Contribution calculation.  It must be appropriately reported on the additional Financial Information of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (Please see the appropriate section of the FAFSA or call the Financial Aid Office for additional information).