Consumer Information
The consumer information page contains important resources for prospective and current GW students and to assist the GW community in finding important institutional information.
There are two separate types of appeals for need-based aid consideration for GW SMHS MD Program applicants.
Type 1 addresses the absence of parental financial information and Type 2 concerns a change in the family's financial circumstances not reflected in any of the current documents provided.
Students are encouraged to carefully read the information and submit the necessary documentation promptly and no later than August 5, 2025.
Type 1
In order to be considered for GW institutional aid, it is a standard requirement for ALL medical students to provide financial information from BOTH natural or adoptive parents and submit federal tax documents (including all schedules) to the SMHS Office of Financial Aid.
For cases in which the student is unable to provide financial information for one or both parents (assuming both parents are living), he/she must use the following procedures to prepare an APPEAL to the Director of Financial Aid and the Financial Aid Advisory Committee (FAAC). An appealing applicant must provide ALL of the information requested in the procedures below. Failure to do so will result in a substantial delay in reviewing the appeal:
- If a natural/adoptive parent's information* cannot be provided, the student must:
- Provide a detailed personal letter describing the situation (i.e., why the parent(s) cannot supply the financial information). If the situation involves a "break" in relationship between student and parent, the student should be very clear about the timeframe and reason(s) for the change in relationship.
- Provide two supporting letters and/or documentation from appropriate professionals (professional counselor [not lawyer], social worker, clergy, etc.), on organization letterhead, describing the situation (i.e., why the parent cannot provide financial information).
- Once all of the documentation listed above is available, the student must submit a completed appeal request containing all required documentation to the SMHS MD Program Office of Financial Aid by the deadline via the secure link: https://gwu.app.box.com/f/3a87da6d669f4663bc7a5fb35234511f .
*Step-parent information CANNOT be substituted for a natural/adoptive parent's financial information.
- Once the appeal has been submitted, your personal information (name, etc.) will be deleted and the director will present it anonymously to the members of the Financial Aid Advisory Committee for review. The appeal will be reviewed and a decision will be made as soon as possible (but no later than September). If the Committee approves the appeal, the director will review the student's file and calculate eligibility for institutional aid. Notification of eligibility or denial will be sent to the student. The appeal decision will be carried over for all years of enrollment in the SMHS MD Program.
Type 2
The standard screening process requires the director to review the financial information from all students equally using base year information. (This is where information from the prior prior year tax filing is used to determine institutional aid eligibility.) If a student feels that changes in the family's financial circumstances do not reflect an accurate assessment, the following procedure should be followed:
- Complete and submit the Need Based Aid Appeal form, including all supporting documents required for your change in circumtances. The student should document completely thier reasoning why an appeal should be considered. The student is encouraged to be thorough in thier letter to the appeal committee. Likewise, any documentation that supports the student’s change in circumstance should be included. Appeals must be submitted to the SMHS Office of Financial Aid by the deadline listed above.
- Once the appeal has been submitted, your personal information (name, etc.) will be deleted and the director will present it anonymously to the members of the Financial Aid Advisory Committee for review. The appeal will be reviewed and a decision will be made as soon as possible (but no later than September). If the Committee approves the appeal, the director will review the student's file based upon the committee’s recommendation and calculate eligibility for institutional aid. Notification of eligibility or denial will be sent via email to the student.