Financial Aid
Are federal funds available to students at UCF College of Medicine?
Yes. Title IV financial aid is available in the form of the Federal Stafford and GradPLUS loans. We encourage students to limit their borrowing and live as frugally as possible while a student. Students cannot receive financial aid above the cost of attendance.
How is financial aid disbursed?
Office of Student Financial Services must verify attendance in the M.D. program before disbursing aid. Please allow two to three weeks after the first day of class. Financial aid will be divided up into two equal payments to match the division of billed expenses. The first disbursements begin in August and the second in January.
What are the steps to receiving financial aid at UCF College of Medicine?
- File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after October 1st. Please use the Title IV code 003954, which is the UCF Main Campus code.
- Submit any additional documents requested from the Office of Student Financial Services.
- If borrowing from the federal loan programs, submit the UCF COM Loan Request Form.
- Complete any supplemental requirements associated with your financial aid awards. These items may include Master Promissory Notes and Entrance Counseling if you decide to borrow on the federal loan programs.
- Complete the Direct Deposit information on myUCF so that any credit balance can be refunded to the bank account of your choice quickly and efficiently.
What type of institutional scholarships will be available to the incoming class of students?
UCF College of Medicine’s fundraising team is hard at work on a scholarship drive for new students. We are dedicated to the goal of providing scholarship dollars to our students, thus reducing their debt burden upon graduation.
When are payments due?
Annual costs will be divided into two equal payments. One-half of the balance will be due on the Friday of the second week of classes in August for M1s and M2s, and the Friday of the second week of classes in May/June for the M3s and M4s. The other half will be due on the Friday of the second week of classes in January for all students. Students with financial aid will be responsible for the balance after subtracting the anticipated financial aid. Students can see their tuition and fees and what they owe on the MD Billing Statement on my.ucf.edu.
Who do I contact if I have more questions regarding student financial services?
John Gracey, Director, Student Financial Services- UCF College of Medicine. john.gracey@ucf.edu
Yee Lui, Assistant Director, Student Financial Services- UCF College of Medicine. ylui@ucf.edu
Registrar
Can someone else pick up my transcript order?
Official transcripts can be released to an authorized third party only if designated upon submission of transcript request form. Designee must present photo ID.
How long does it take to get a transcript?
Requests require two (2) business days to process unless you have asked for a hold.
How much does each transcript cost?
Currently, there is no cost to medical students for official M.D. transcripts. However, the transcript cost for other UCF undergraduate or graduate programs is $10.00 per copy effective January 1, 2008.
If I discover I had a financial or student health services hold, once I clear up my hold, how long will it be before my transcript is released?
Within 24 hours of the time the hold is released in the University’s system, the M.D. Registrar verifies the release, and the ability to request a transcript is made available. A transcript can be produced within 24 hours thereafter.
Can I apply as a visiting medical student to UCF College of Medicine?
Currently, we are not accepting visiting students but will in the near future.
I have changed my name since graduation? Who should I notify at UCF College of Medicine?
Once you have graduated, your name on your academic record remains the same.
Where do I turn in student loan deferment forms?
College of Medicine Registrar’s Office, 6850 Lake Nona Bldg., Suite 115, Orlando, FL 32827-7408
Admissions
Does the UCF M.D. Program plan to accept international students?
This is a state-supported program and therefore we will accept only U.S. Citizens and Permanent Resident Aliens with a “Final” resident alien card in their possession. At the discretion of the admissions office, asylees and those pending a permanent resident alien card may be sent a secondary application if they communicate with the admissions office that they will have a permanent resident alien card in-hand by November 1 of the application cycle. It will be up to the applicant to determine if they want to submit their secondary application and fee prior to receiving their permanent resident alien card. Fees will not be refunded if the deadline is not met. We will not be allowed to process any application that does not meet these requirements.
Does the UCF M.D. Program plan to accept transfer students into their program?
Because of the innovative integration of our curriculum and clinical content, the University of Central Florida College of Medicine does not accept transfer request. Students with advanced standing must apply as a traditional incoming M1 applicant. If a transfer policy is implemented in the future, then it will most likely mirror transfer programs that accept students entering the M3 year of the medical curriculum.
How can I prepare myself to become a competitive applicant for a seat in the M.D. Program?
This really begins during your freshman year of college, and sometimes earlier. It is important to work closely with your undergraduate advisors and Premed Advising Office. These resources will help you to understand academic requirements and also provide suggestions for constructing your academic program. Taking the proper courses in the proper sequence should allow you to be prepared to take the MCAT at the earliest possible time. Optimally, students will prepare to take the MCAT during the spring of their junior year in college.
How selective is the UCF M.D. Program?
UCF receives nearly 5,000+ applications annually. Of that applicant pool approximately 440 will be interviewed. The final matriculating class will be 120. Nearly 11 percent of those applying to medical schools nationwide have applied to UCF, based on data reported through the Association of American Medical Colleges.
I know that at least a bachelor's degree is required, but is there specific course work that is also required?
Yes, the UCF M.D. Program requires specific course work as requirements to enter the program. The required course work is consistent with course work required by other M.D. Programs which are:
- Biology with lab – 2 semesters/3 quarters
- Chemistry with lab – 2 semesters/3 quarters
- Physics with lab- 2 semesters/3 quarters
- Organic Chemistry with lab – 2 semesters/3 quarters
- College English – 2 semesters/3 quarters
- College Math – 2 semesters/3 quarters
Is there any way that an applicant can enter the M.D. Program without taking the MCAT?
Unfortunately, no. All applicants for this program are required to take the MCAT exam within 3 years prior to acceptance into the program. For example, an applicant would have to take the MCAT in 2018, 2019, or 2020, to be eligible for consideration for the class beginning in July 2021.
What are the minimum academic requirements for the UCF M.D. Program?
By the time of enrollment all applicants must have a bachelor’s degree. To be competitive for an interview applicants should have an MCAT of at least a 500 and both overall and science (BPCM) GPA’s of 3.00 or higher.
What is the initial step to apply to admission to the UCF M.D. Program?
The primary application is via the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) at www.aamc.org. Completing the AMCAS application will be the first step toward being considered as an applicant to the UCF M.D. Program.
When does the application process for medical school begin?
Most M.D. Programs which are accredited by the LCME use AMCAS as the initial application to the M.D. Program. AMCAS provides applicants with a single-source application for all participating M.D. Programs. The AMCAS application is usually available in May each year for completion and submission by the end of that calendar year. The AMCAS application must be submitted in the calendar year prior to the year that an applicant desires to attend an M.D. Program. For example, an applicant that desires to begin medical school in July 2021 may begin their AMCAS application as early as May 2020. AMCAS Applications must be submitted by November 16, 2020, at the very latest for a Fall 2021 enrollment.
Which bachelor's degree is required to enter the M.D. Program?
The UCF M.D. Program will not require any specific bachelor’s degree major. We suggest that you major in an area that is of interest to you. If it is not a science related major, we strongly suggest that you use your non-major electives to take as many science-related courses as possible. This will help to show an admissions committee that you do have an aptitude for the sciences, and may help to prepare you for academic success in the M.D. program.
Will online course work be considered in the application process for the UCF M.D. Program?
Yes. Online courses taken at a regionally accredited institution located in the United States will be considered in the admissions process. Please be aware every medical school may have their own requirements for admission. You should consult the Medical School Admissions Requirements and/or each institution’s admissions website to determine their specific requirements.
Will online degrees be considered in the application process for the UCF M.D. Program?
Yes. Online degrees earned at a regionally accredited institution located in the United States will be considered in the admissions process. Please be aware every medical school may have their own requirements for admission. You should consult the Medical School Admissions Requirements (https://aamc.org/msar) and/or each institution’s admissions website to determine their specific requirements.
Will student housing be available near the medical school?
Neither UCF nor the College of Medicine plan to provide on-campus housing to M.D. Program students at the Health Sciences campus at Lake Nona. Dean German is working with community leadership to ensure that adequate housing at a fair price is available to the medical students in the Lake Nona vicinity. There are several apartment buildings within the confines of the Lake Nona Medical City area. Furthermore, there are several housing communities located within the Lake Nona area and a easy drive to the UCF COM. Information about housing options will be provided to students at the time of their admission.
Will the M.D. Program accept a foreign degree in lieu of a U.S. degree for the M.D. Program?
If you have completed a Master’s Degree or less at a non-U.S. institution you would need to complete at a minimum a second Bachelor’s Degree or a Master’s Degree, at a regionally accredited U.S. institution. All prerequisites would need to be completed in the United States. Additionally, foreign graduates would need to demonstrate medical motivation through medical volunteering and shadowing. Other areas the Committee will look for include community service, teamwork/leadership activities and research.
If an applicant has completed a foreign medical degree they should visit ECFMG.org before applying to medical school in the U.S. If you have completed a foreign medical degree and would like to apply for medical school at UCF, you would need to complete either a science-based Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in the U.S. at an accredited institution in order to demonstrate proficiency in the U.S. education system. All applicants must take the MCAT by the application deadline. Additionally, foreign medical graduates would need to demonstrate medical motivation through medical volunteering and shadowing. Other areas the Committee will look for include community service, teamwork/leadership activities and research.In order to be eligible to apply you must be a U.S. Citizen, “Final” Resident Alien or have INS approved Asylum in the U.S.
Will the UCF M.D. Program accept applicants who are currently participating in upper-level degree programs such as Master's, Ph.D. , or other professional-level degrees?
Applicants who are currently accepted to a Ph.D. or other professional-level degrees are required to complete all degree requirements prior to matriculation to the M.D. Program. We highly encourage those accepted to a Master’s degree program to complete that program prior to matriculation into the M.D. Program.
Will the UCF M.D. Program accept CLEP and AP courses in lieu of the required course work?
While CLEP may help you to receive your bachelor’s degree, we will not substitute CLEP for required coursework when considering an application for an interview. We may substitute AP and IB passing scores for required coursework, but we will expect to see additional coursework in college in that discipline to indicate that you have, in fact, mastered that subject. For example if you had AP credit for Chem I, we would expect to see a solid grade in Chem II while in college; or, if you had AP credit for both Chem I and Chem II, we would expect to see you take an upper-level chemistry course in college and do well in that subject.
Will the UCF M.D. Program give preference to students who completed degrees at UCF?
The UCF M.D. Program is a state of Florida program and will not give preference to applicants from UCF or any other academic institution.
What type of degree, if any, is required to enter the UCF M.D. Program?
To begin the UCF M.D. Program, all applicants will have completed at least a bachelor’s-level degree from an accredited U.S. institution.