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HSPH Catalog

Financial Aid

Estimated Student Expenses

The budget information below is intended to provide students with an estimate of how much it will cost to spend nine months at HSPH. These figures are for the 2009–10 academic year; applicants for subsequent years should anticipate increases.

2009–10 Student Expense Budget
 Per-credit tuition assessment = $850 42.5 credit master’s programs Doctoral and other master’s programs
Full-time tuition   $36,125 $34,000
University Health Services Fee1 $563 per semester $1,126 $1,126
BC/BS Health Insurance Fee2 $857 per semester $1,714 $1,714688
Registration Fee $125 per semester $250 $250
Books/Supplies $688 per semester $1,376 $1,376
Living Allowances
  Rent/Utilities $1,086 per month $9,774 $9,774
  Food $336 per month $3,020 $3,020
  Personal $395 per month $3,554 $3,554
  Local Transportation $78 per month $703 $703
SUBTOTAL3 $57,642 $55,517
Federal student loan fees4  1.5% $308 $308
TOTAL $57,950 $55,825
  1. Part-time students taking 10 credits or fewer may waive the University Health Services fee if a waiver form is completed prior to registration. Students with a spouse and/or children may request family coverage at a fee of $2,700 for a student and spouse; $1,820 for a student and child; $3,394 for a student, spouse, and child; and $3,742 for a student, spouse, and children.
  2. The BC/BS health insurance fee can be waived upon proof of comparable coverage. Students with a spouse and/or children may request family coverage at a fee of $3,866 for a student and spouse; $2,954 for a student and child; $5,106 for a student, spouse, and child; and $5,728 for a student, spouse, and children.
  3. International students in the 42.5-credit master’s programs must be able to demonstrate a ninemonth level of support of $57,642 prior to the issuance of an appropriate visa. Other master’s deg ree and doctoral candidates must demonstrate a twelve-month support level of at least $61,199. Stu - dents with additional family members must demonstrate the following levels of support:
      Student & spouse Student & child Student, spouse, & child * Student, spouse, & 2 children*
    Nine months
    (42.5-credit programs)    		 $65,849 $63,376 $68,973 $71,293
    Twelve months
    (42.5-credit programs)    		 $73,026 $70,318 $76,540 $79,310
    Twelve months
    (multiyear programs)    		 $70,901 $68,193 $74,415 $77,185
    *For each additional child, add $1,485 for the nine-month and $1,980 for the twelve-month budget.

  1. Loan fees are based on borrowing $20,500 in Federal Direct Loans, available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents only.

Matriculation in Summer Programs

Tuition for the Clinical Effectiveness Program and the Summer Session for Public Health Studies in 2009 is $850 per credit. HSPH offers a special program in English communication in advance of the regular orientation for entering students; tuition for the Professional English Communication Seminar is $850 for summer 2009. Living expenses, including rent, are about $1,895 a month.

Sources of Financial Aid

The Office of Student Financial Services and academic departments make every effort to assist students in finding resources to finance their education at HSPH. It should be noted that the school’s financial aid budget is extremely limited. Students are urged to investigate all sources of support, including employers, government agencies, and civil and religious organizations.

Financial aid is available in the form of grants, scholarships, loans, and work programs, as follows:

Grants and scholarships    The Office of Student Financial Services and some academic departments may have grants or depart mental scholarships that cover partial or full tuition; some grants also provide a stipend. Eligibility is generally based on career goals, academic merit, experience, and U.S. citizenship or permanent residency. Please contact the department to which you are applying for additional information.

The university offers a number of restricted scholarships to students who meet specific criteria. Please refer to the HSPH financial aid application for more information. An HSPH application for financial aid is required.

Federal student loans    The Office of Student Financial Services administers the Federal Direct Loan and Federal Perkins Loan programs. The maximum amount a student may receive under the direct loan program is $20,500 per academic year. Some full-time students may be eligible for an additional $12,500. Students with extreme financial need may also be eligible for a Perkins loan up to $6,000. To apply for these loan programs, a student must

  • be a U.S. citizen or eligible nonresident
  • not be in default on a prior federal loan or owe a refund on a federal student grant
  • be enrolled at least half-time (10 or more credits per semester)
  • complete the financial aid application process

Work programs    Some students may obtain part-time employment as research or teaching assistants in their academic departments. Additionally the school participates in the Federal Work-Study Program, which subsidizes between 50 percent and 75 percent of the on- or off-campus employer’s costs. Eligibility for this program is the same as for federal student loans.

Please refer to the student financial services website for additional and updated information about loan and work programs.

Contact Information

For more information about the financial aid application process, please contact:
HSPH Office of Student Financial Services
708 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
Phone: 617-432-1867
Fax: 617-432-5431
Email: osfs@hsph.harvard.edu