Other Aid/Alternative Loans

Health Career Opportunity Programs (HCOP)

The Health Career Opportunity Program or HCOP is managed through the Health Career Opportunity Programs Office. It is intended to recruit underrepresented medical and dental students and students of any racial group who have participated in the Health Professions Partnership Initiative or HPPI as well as to support those who are enrolled throughout the academic year. Recipients are determined by the HCOP Office. Students seeking to apply for HCOP must meet the following criteria:

  • Demonstrate financial need
  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP)
  • Be an underrepresented Dental or Medical student or HPPI student of any racial group
  • Be a full-time student

Students offered HCOP are not eligible for Tuition Remission and University Loan Program(s).

Primary Care Loan (PCL)

The Primary Care Loan (PCL) is a program that supports the aspirations of students at UConn Health School of Medicine seeking a career in primary care by providing a low interest loan of up to $40,000 at an interest rate of 1%. The maximum duration of the program is four years. The repayment term for this loan is 10 years. Students applying for the Primary Care Loan will also be eligible for a $10,000 scholarship. A maximum of 4 offers will be given per cohort, per year (16 total). The UConn School of Medicine manages this program and students may contact Medical Student Affairs at 860-679-7599 for further information.

Students seeking to apply for the Primary Care Loan must meet the following criteria:

  • Be a Connecticut resident
  • Maintain a good academic standing (SAP)
  • Demonstrate Financial Need as determined by the FAFSA and review of AMCAS application including E01 status
  • Under served background; residing in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) or a Medically Underserved Area (MUA) in the past
  • Prior experience with/participation in primary care activities
  • Participation in Urban Service Track (UST) or another primary care or community service based track
  • Performance during a face-to-face interview
  • Submit a personal statement that will articulate the basis for your interest in primary care and aspirations for providing care in the state of Connecticut.
  • Students will be required to sign a learning contract every six months until the time of graduation
  • Upon graduation from the medical school, participants will be expected to complete postgraduate training in one of the primary care disciplines
  • During residency, students will be required to submit a deferment form signed by the their program director annually
  • Upon completion of training, the deferment period will end. At this point, interest will begin to accrue and participants will be required to submit annual verification of employment in primary care practice for the duration of the service obligation (each year of loan support). For purposes of this loan, primary care obligation is limited to the disciplines of family medicine, general internal medicine, geriatrics and pediatrics.

Scholarship and Fellowship Opportunities

The Office of Student Financial Aid Services will process merit scholarships offered by the Department of Admissions. The School of Dental Medicine and the School of Medicine manage these scholarships. These scholarships are reflected on the student’s offer letter. Merit scholarships are issued from UCH Foundation accounts. Both schools know the criteria and eligibility requirements for each of these accounts and therefore, they determine which students meet eligibility criteria.

The Office of Student Financial Aid Services manages the request for disbursements once the School of Dental Medicine and The School of Medicine provide information about the Foundation account that will be paying student’s scholarship. In general, merit scholarships are paid on an annual basis. For instance, students offered a $20,000 scholarship will receive a disbursement of $5000 for the next four years.

Students are encouraged to seek out and apply for scholarships from outside agencies to assist with funding their education.  View a non-comprehensive list of External Scholarships. This list is updated frequently show check back for new opportunities.

Private Loans

Private loans or alternative loans are non-federal, credit-based loans. These loans will require a credit check. Therefore, some applicants may be required to have a cosigner in order to have a private or alternative loan approved. Interest rates are based on the credit history of the applicant, and interest may be fixed or variable depending on the applicant’s credit worthiness. In addition, the lender will establish repayment terms. UConn Health encourages students to exhaust all federal borrowing options before applying for a private loan.

Private education loans are non-federal loans offered by private lenders. Visit ElmSelect for a list of UConn’s suggested vendors.