The Cost of Attendance (COA) for the 2027–2028 academic year will be published by June 2027. In the meantime, you can review the current Cost of Attendance to estimate your educational and living expenses for your first year.

The Cost of Attendance includes two types of expenses:

• Direct Costs: Expenses billed directly to you by the school, such as tuition and required fees.

• Indirect Costs: Estimated expenses you may have while attending school, such as books and supplies, housing, food, transportation, and other living expenses. These costs are not billed directly by the school.

The Admissions Committee may consider awarding scholarships to incoming students during the admissions cycle. Scholarships may be awarded based on a variety of criteria, including financial need and academic excellence. Students considered for a scholarship will be notified by the Admissions Office.

For more information about University scholarships for incoming students, please contact admissionsPA@rowan.edu.

You may consider applying for scholarships from national medical organizations, external and private  resources. Visit the Scholarship Advantages page for more information.

The 2027-2028 FAFSA is open! 

Eligibility for federal financial aid is limited to U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens. 

The FAFSA for 2027-2028 uses tax information from tax year 2025 which should already be available to you under most circumstances.

1. Complete the required Free Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA) online (use FAFSA code 002609)
   Additional FAFSA questions? We can help!
2. Visit studentaid.gov and log in using your FSA ID
   1. Click on the Complete Aid Process tab and
      1. Under Complete a Master Promissory Note, complete the Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan MPN
      2. Complete Entrance Counseling
3. Submit Supplemental Financial Aid Forms (If requested - see below)
4. Track your application through Banner Self-Service. You can log-in using your Rowan credentials.

In order to receive funds for the start of class and avoid possible late fees, the financial aid application process must be completed prior to the start of classes.

Eligible applicants will receive a Federal Unsubsidized Loan for $50,000.00.

Following a recent federal court injunction and updated U.S. Department of Education guidance, Physician Assistant (PA) programs are currently recognized as professional degree programs for federal student aid purposes. Under this guidance, PA students are eligible to borrow up to $50,000 per academic year, subject to a $200,000 lifetime aggregate federal loan limit.

However, this policy remains subject to ongoing federal legal and regulatory challenges. The Department of Education's implementation of revised student loan borrowing limits has been contested through litigation, resulting in evolving guidance and temporary court actions that may affect institutional implementation. As a result, borrowing limits, eligibility requirements, and program classifications could change pending final judicial decisions and any subsequent federal rulemaking.

Final federal rulings and additional Department of Education guidance are expected in December 2026. Until that time, federal borrowing limits remain subject to change.

*Review FAFSA eligibility here. Seek alternative loan options here.

Federal student loans have aggregate, or lifetime, borrowing limits. This means that any federal loans you have previously borrowed count toward your overall limit.

Under temporary U.S. Department of Education guidance, a master’s-level Physician Assistant (PA) program is currently eligible for up to $200,000 in total lifetime federal unsubsidized student loans for graduate and professional school education, with an annual limit of $50,000.

Following a legal challenge and preliminary court order involving the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA), the Department of Education updated its interim guidance to recognize PA master's programs under this professional classification while ongoing litigation continues. 

Final federal rulings and additional Department of Education guidance are expected in December 2026. Until that time, federal borrowing limits remain subject to change.

If your federal student loans do not cover the full cost of your medical education, you may have other options to help fill the gap up to your Cost of Attendance:

• Explore scholarships and grants. Look for opportunities through national medical organizations, foundations, and private organizations. These funds generally do not need to be repaid. You can begin by checking out our PA Scholarship Information web page.

• Consider private education loans. Private lenders may offer additional funding for educational expenses. Eligibility, interest rates, repayment terms, and co-signer requirements vary by lender.

💡 Tip: Start building and maintaining good credit now so you’ll have access to the best private education loan options if you need them. We recommend you apply for private education loans in April 2026.

If you need additional funding to help cover your educational expenses, a private education loan may be an option. Follow the steps below to explore lenders, apply for a loan, and notify the Student Financial Aid Office once your loan has been approved. We recommend applying for a private education loan in spring 2027 to ensure that the funding is secured by the beginning of the fall term.

1. Compare Private Loan Lenders

Use ELM Select to explore private education loan options from participating lenders. ELM Select allows you to compare lenders and review information about available private education loan products to help you identify options that may meet your needs.

Tip: We recommend applying to 2–3 lenders within the same time frame so you can compare your options. Applying within a short period may also help you evaluate offers based on similar timing and circumstances.

2. Notify the Rowan-Virtua SOM Student Financial Aid Office When Your Loan Is Approved

Once your private education loan has been approved, email the Student Financial Aid Office at stratfinaid@rowan.edu.

Subject: Private Loan Notification

Please include the following information in your email:

• Student Name
• Banner ID
• Lender Name
• Approved Loan Amount
• Health Insurance: Indicate whether you plan to enroll in or waive Rowan University's student health insurance.

Providing this information promptly helps us process your private loan and ensure your financial aid information is updated appropriately.

Incoming PA students will begin receiving award letters via email in mid-April. 

FAFSA Filers: Allow two weeks from the date of submission to receive your federal loan package on your award letter. If more than two weeks has passed, you may have outstanding requirements. Your aid package and award letter will not generate until all outstanding requirements are complete. 

To review your file for outstanding requirements, make sure you have your Rowan Network credentials set up so you are able to log into Self-Service Banner. Once logged in, click on the Financial Aid tab, Finaid 9x Self-Service to view and complete any outstanding requirements. Be sure to routinely check this section as new requirements may appear. 

You will not have to accept your loan award. If you would like to adjust or cancel your loan amount, simply email stratfinaid@rowan.edu with your request prior to the start of the fall term.

Be sure to complete the Entrance Counseling and MPN to complete the loan eligibility process.

Any updates or changes to your aid will be reflected in Self-Service Banner. Click on the Financial tab, FinAid 9x Self-Service. 

Financial aid disbursement dates will be updated once the 2027–2028 Cost of Attendance is published. You can find the disbursement dates in the Announcements & Dates to Remember section on our homepage, expected to be updated by June.

When your financial aid is disbursed, it will first be applied to any outstanding charges on your student account. If your account shows a negative balance after your aid has been applied, this means you have a credit balance and are eligible for a refund.

You’ll know your refund has been processed when the negative balance on your student account changes to a zero balance.

Your e-bill will be emailed to you by the Bursar Office in June. A negative amount due will result in a refund back to you. The billing due date will be published when you receive your bill.

Additional payment options can be found on the Bursar site.

If you have borrowed the maximum Cost of Attendance for the year, you can anticipate a larger Spring Refund because University billed fees are charged in the Fall only.

Health Insurance will always appear as a charge on your Fall bill. The process to waive or enroll will be emailed to you by the Bursar by the start of the Fall term.

The Rowan University Military Services Office supports military/veteran students with education benefits. The office can assist you with questions about your benefits and how they apply to your educational expenses.

Contact their office at militaryserviceoffice@rowan.edu.

The New Jersey Residency Policy and Eligibility for In-State Tuition policy can be found here.

After reviewing the policy, if you are classified as an out-of-state student and think you meet the criteria to be considered a New Jersey resident for tuition purposes, you may apply for a change in residency.  To apply, you would complete the Residency Analysis Form found at here.

There are additional documents required to be submitted with the Residency Analysis form which are described in Part II of that form.  In order to allow enough time for processing the request it is recommended that the form and all required items be submitted at least five (5) weeks before the start of the semester for which you are seeking a change in tuition. 

Please contact the SOM Registrar at somregistrar@rowan.edu for additional information.