For most incoming students, financial aid is a serious consideration, and almost all interested students receive some form of aid during the course of their studies. This financial aid comes from a variety of sources - the department, the University, outside organizations - and in a variety of forms: fellowships, scholarships, traineeships, graduate teaching and research assistantships, graduate Work-Study assistantships, and loans. The terms of this aid and the amounts available vary considerably. Some programs are administered by the University, while others are handled routinely by the department. In all cases we try to help the student in every way that we can.

International Students

In order to meet U.S. Immigration requirements for entry into the United States, international students must have proof of sufficient financial resources to cover educational and living expenses for the duration of their program in place before visa documents can be issued. A completed Financial Certificate outlining available financial support, along with original evidence to support the amounts indicated (bank statements, scholarship letters, etc.), must be submitted along with the application for admission. This means that it is virtually impossible for international students to claim financial need as a criterion for department assistantship awards; in that case, assistantships will be awarded solely on the match between a faculty member's needs and the student's skills and experience.

Executive Master's Students

Students in the Executive Master's Program are considered by the University to be part-time students. Normally, financial aid is not available through the University for part-time students. However, professional associations, fraternal organizations, tribal councils, and community groups have all been sources of sponsorship and scholarship funding for students. In addition, many students have obtained low-interest loans through their local lending institutions. We recommend that you discuss these options with your employer or Human Resource Director to determine the most efficient funding source and opportunity for yourself.

Sources of Funds

Because the sources of funds change from time to time without advance notice, the following list is probably neither complete nor totally up-to-date. However, it should provide a good start in identifying opportunities for financial assistance. These opportunities include:

University Student Aid

The financial needs of most graduate and professional students are met through a combination of awards, loans, and jobs. The UNC Office of Scholarships and Student Aid advises, assesses, and approves students for a variety of financial aid opportunities. These include scholarships and grants, part-time jobs, and loans. The Student Aid Office should be contacted directly, prior to your arrival in Chapel Hill, especially if you are interested in federal or state loans. Completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is essential and can be done on-line at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.

The department nominates students for Federal Work-Study Graduate Assistantships (FWSAS), with final selection made by the Graduate School. An additional tuition award is not allowed, nor is any additional work appointment. Eligibility includes a submitted FAFSA; the recipient must be a U.S. citizen or resident alien. In any academic year, 0 to 3 HPM graduate students have received a FWSAS.

Graduate School Awards

Departments are allowed limited nominations for competitive fellowships/merit assistantships, and an unlimited number of nominations for North Carolina Minority Presence Grants and North Carolina Native American Incentive Grants-the latter two limited to doctoral applicants who are North Carolina residents (as legislatively defined for tuition purposes). Stipend levels vary, as do the terms of the awards. Admission applications must be submitted by January 1 in order to be eligible for nomination.

Department Graduate Student Financial Aid

The department makes nominations for Graduate School awards and federal Work-Study assistantships (see immediately above), and directly awards or names students for department teaching and research assistantships, and federal traineeships.

Master's students must submit an HPM Financial Aid Form to be considered for any form of financial aid; updated forms are available late in the spring and are automatically sent to all incoming students. Please read the accompanying memo before filling out and submitting the form.

Doctoral students who need financial support are usually supported for their first two years through research or teaching assistantships, and do not need to submit a financial aid form.

Department Graduate Teaching and Research Assistantships

A graduate assistantship is a limited service award made for the performance of specific teaching or research tasks. Appointments are made on the basis of suitability for the position, academic excellence, and financial need. Awards are made on a semester-by-semester basis. Student health insurance is provided to eligible TAs and RAs. No application is required for doctoral students; however, for master's students, only those who have submitted the HPM Financial Aid Form are considered. Selection of TAs and RAs is made through the Chair's Office, in consultation with the faculty who will supervise the students. Most appointments are announced after the department budget is finalized and approved, which can range in time from mid-summer to the opening of the fall semester. Additional awards may continue to be made during the year, depending on department needs and the availability of funds.

The number of department-funded assistantships awarded each year varies depending on the availability of funds in the department's core budget.

Additional research assistantships, funded from research contracts and grants made to individual department faculty members, are also awarded. The faculty principal investigators make final selections for grant-supported assistantships, usually with some consultation with the Chair's Office. A high level of statistical analysis and writing skills is usually required.

Tuition Awards

Assistantship awards are made independently of tuition awards, and students who receive an assistantship should not expect an automatic tuition award. Out-of-state students holding graduate assistantships are eligible for tuition awards, but funds are limited and usually are not sufficient for awards to all eligible students. Doctoral students have departmental priority for out-of-state support. North Carolina students holding graduate assistantships usually qualify for, and receive, a tuition award. If you receive a departmental or other assistantship, you will automatically be considered for tuition; decisions are generally made on the basis of need.

Public Health Service Traineeships

The department receives limited funds each year for federal traineeships from the Public Health Service of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. These are nonservice tuition and/or fees awards for graduate students, usually in the amount of $1000 to $2000, made by the Chair's Office in recognition of superior academic and professional achievements. Recipients must be US citizens. No application is required; however, only students who have submitted the HPM Financial Aid Form are considered.

Other University Sources of Financial Support

The University has nineteen specialized institutes and centers, many of which offer fellowships, assistantships, and/or employment opportunities in their area of interest.

• The Carolina Population Center has a predoctoral traineeship program and dissertation awards for those interested in the population field. There is an application process, which requires a department recommendation and ranking of all applicants.
• The Carolina Program in Healthcare and Aging Research, in the UNC Institute on Aging, also offers a predoctoral training program through an application process, as does the Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.

• The Odum Institute for Research in Social Science
  
• Highway Safety Research Center
• Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research
  
• Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Carolina Population Center 
• Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center
• Institute for the Study of the Americas, and
  
• Dental Research Center 
  

A number of positions as residence hall assistants and assistant residence directors are filled by upperclass and graduate students. Applications should be made to the Department of University Housing, Carr Building, CB# 5500, UNC Campus, by mid-December. Personal interviews are required.

Financial Aid for Minority Students

The department and the University have a strong commitment to Affirmative Action. Therefore, serious effort is made to address the financial needs of minority students.

The University has two awards specifically available to minority students:

North Carolina Minority Presence Doctoral Fellowships and Native American Incentive Grants are nonservice awards which provide stipends of $12,000 for 9 months to qualified Black and Native American students who are residents of North Carolina. Nominations are made by the department; preference in selection is given to entering students. Service (less than 10 hours/week) may be required.

See "Some Other Sources of Financial Assistance," immediately below, for additional information on financial support for minority students.

Some Other Sources of Financial Assistance

National, Regional, and Foundation Fellowships, Scholarships and Grants

Many awards are made to qualified applicants on the basis of direct applications, with the recipient chosen on a competitive basis. There is a wide variation in criteria for, as well as in the size of, these awards. Three examples of such awards are:

American Association of University Women Fellowships are administered through local chapters. (Consult appropriate directories on this subject for further information.)

The Federation of American Health Systems Foundations Grant awards scholarship grants to four of the nation's most promising graduate students in health and hospital administration. To be eligible, a student must demonstrate financial need and high academic standing. The recommendation of one student is made by the department to the FAHS Foundation.

The Foster G. McGaw Scholarship Fund is administered by the Foundation of the American College of Healthcare Executives. These $3,500 scholarships are awarded on a competitive basis only to Student Associates of the ACHE who are enrolled in graduate programs accredited by ACEHSA. Promising scholastic attainment and/or a commendable record of experience are the requisites. Applications are available through, and must be endorsed by, the department.

The Albert W. Dent Scholarship is offered annually under the Foundation of the American College of Healthcare Executive Scholarship Loan Fund Program. Applications are accepted between April 1 and June 1, and candidates are selected by the Foundation's Scholarship Committee shortly after the deadline date. The address for the Foundation of the American College of Healthcare Executives is 1 N. Franklin St., Ste. 1700, Chicago, IL 60606-3491

The Indian Health Services Scholarship Program, Section 104, is available for up to four calendar years of health professional education. Each scholarship grant is awarded for a one year period, with reapplication for each continuation. Those students who meet specific continued eligibility requirements and have been reviewed and recommended for continuation will be given priority consideration for the additional period of support. The level of scholarship benefits, i.e., stipend, travel reimbursement, cost of books, etc., is contingent upon the availability of funds appropriated each fiscal year by the Congress of the United States and is, therefore, subject to change each year.

For further information on this program, contact:
Indian Health Service
Scholarship Program
12300 Twinbrook Parkway, Suite 100
Rockville, Maryland 20852

Listed below are some organizations that provide noninstitutional funds to minority students enrolling in graduate management schools:

• Association on American Indian Affairs American Indian Scholarships

• Consortium for Graduate Study in Management

• League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)

• National Black MBA Association Scholarships

Further information regarding these programs can be obtained from:

Graduate Management Admission Council
1600 Tysons Blvd., Ste. 1400
McLean, VA 22102  USA

A Word of Advice

After having read the above, it should be apparent that there is a variety of sources of financial aid. Each source provides aid in different amounts, has different requirements and eligibility qualifications, and imposes a different award and/or repayment schedule. The following advice is not intended to be a mandatory code of behavior, but a list of observations you may find useful:

• Assess your financial needs as well as your academic qualifications. For the latter, your GPA and GRE are particularly important.
• Develop a realistic strategy for financing your education. In this connection you should consider a realistic mix of your own resources; assistance from parents, relatives, and friends; federal/state loans; part-time income potential; income of your spouse; and traineeship/assistantship/other awards.
• If you plan to seek financial aid from or through the university, start as early as possible and follow up periodically. There is great competition for funds, and often the process of application is cumbersome and time consuming.
• Many forms of financial aid require completion of the FAFSA, usually by a March deadline. Be sure to check into this early. In addition, completion of the HPM Financial Aid Form facilitates our nomination process for external awards and is mandatory for consideration for department awards.
• Many of the loans and awards have citizenship and residency restrictions. Therefore, international students should pay special attention to eligibility requirements.

Specific questions regarding financial support should be directed to Dr. Laurel Files, Associate Chair: laurel_files@unc.edu, 919-966-7353.