BA/MD Scholarship Policy

Introduction

The Combined BA/MD Degree Program mission is to recruit students who wish to help address the physician shortage by serving in New Mexico after their education and training are complete. The Program is funded by the New Mexico State Legislature. A substantial portion of the legislative funding is to offer an undergraduate “last dollar” scholarship to assist in covering the basic educational costs for the students. The New Mexico legislation and Combined BA/MD Degree Program wish to assist students interested in serving our state by transitioning to the UNM School of Medicine with little to no undergraduate educational debt by offering this last-dollar scholarship.

Before the first year of the Program, UNM leadership gathered demographic data similar to the BA/MD student population to predict the scholarship budget needed to request the New Mexico legislation. This data included characteristics such as high school grade point averages, ACT and/or SAT scores, and financial eligibility for federal funding. The results concluded that the BA/MD students will earn many scholarships, ranging from those competitively offered by UNM, national and from our communities, to contribute to their basic educational cost. A portion of the students would also earn federal grant funding by submitting annual Free Application for Federal Student Aid (“FAFSA”). These major contributions, with the financial support of the New Mexico legislation, allow the Program to offer this last-dollar undergraduate scholarship. Simply put, the Program could not afford to offer a scholarship that covers all basic education costs for all students without the students’ achievement of earning their own scholarships and federal grants before admittance to the Program.

BA/MD Scholarship Eligibility

Due to the financial partnership necessary to afford to offer the BA/MD scholarships, students are expected to maintain their scholarships and financial aid packages, while actively seeking additional funding as needed.

In order to be eligible for a BA/MD scholarship, students must complete the following:

  • All current BA/MD students are required to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid each year regardless of familial economic status:
    • 1st year students: second Friday of May
    • 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students: renew by the first Friday in January
  • The FAFSA application requires parental/guardian and student taxable income information from two years prior to determine which students may be eligible for federal grant funding only.
  • Complete the FAFSA required documents outlined by UNM Financial Aid office. Your FAFSA application is NOT complete until these documents are submitted. (ex: IRS transcript, W-2, Dependent form, etc.)
    • 1st year students: second Friday in June
    • 2nd, 3rd and 4th year students: last day January
  • All students are required to submit an “Estimated Scholarship Form” (Microsoft form sent via email to students in the summer prior to start of the new academic year) of their expected scholarships and federal grant funding by the second Friday of July.

Students are also expected to complete scholarship requirements to maintain good standing: 

  • Enroll in and complete a minimum of 15 credit hours per semester
  • Earn semester grade point average required by all scholarships
  • Provide/complete various scholarship requirements such as, but not limited to:
    • Scholarship Thank you letter
    • Class schedule
    • Scholarship forms

BA/MD Scholarship Formula

BA/MD scholarships are supplemental, last-dollar scholarships not exceeding the Basic Educational Cost (“BEC”) as defined for the BA/MD Program. Each student will have a customized BA/MD scholarship amount if needed after calculating all incoming scholarships and federal grant funding earned by the student.

Basic Educational Cost ("BEC") includes the following per semester:

  • UNM Tuition and fees for 15+ credit hours
  • Arts & Sciences Differential
  • Technology fee
  • SHAC/Wellness fee
  • Athletics fee
  • ASUNM fee
  • Textbook stipend
  • Housing stipend
  • Meal plan/Food stipend
  • Upper-division course premium fee by credit hour**
  • Course fee stipend**

*All of the Basic Education Costs are the same for all students except for the Upper Division course premium and course fees because they are based on the student’s course enrollment. This fee is calculated individually for each student at the current rate determined by the UNM Bursar’s office. The New Mexico Opportunity scholarship covers this individualized cost per semester. If the student does not have a New Mexico Opportunity scholarship, the BA/MD program will be included in the Basic Educational cost (course fee stipend is $119.00, and the Upper Division course premium is covered 100%).

To determine if a student is eligible for a BA/MD scholarship per semester:

  1. Total incoming scholarships and federal grant funding
  2. Calculate Basic Education Cost for individual student
  3. Subtract "A" from "B" to determine need of BA/MD scholarship

BA/MD Scholarship Details

  • The BA/MD Scholarship will be provided to undergraduate students to up to Basic Educational Cost for up to 8 semesters (fall and spring only except if CCSP E&P requires enrollment for the 1st summer or Summer Practicum). Please see your BA/MD advisor and/or Due Process policy if you have any concerns regarding program completion in 8 consecutive semesters.   
  • The Combined BA/MD Degree Program will continue to provide financial support commensurate with student UNM course load (under 15 credit hours by approved petition only).  
  • Students are responsible for the additional cost of tuition if their registration is less than 15 credit hours. 
  • Students are responsible for additional costs in tuition and/or associated fees for any courses outside the College of Arts & Sciences (i.e. College of Population Health tuition differential; Honors course fees, etc.). 
  • Students are responsible for any UNM branch campus tuition and associated educational costs. 
  • Students are responsible for any associated cost incurred by tuition-free course enrollment (i.e. Peer Learning Facilitator (PLF) and $0.00 tuition cost for course enrollment). 
  • Any additional costs not defined in the “Basic Educational Cost” are not covered by the Program. (ex: NSO fees, parking permits, bookstore charges, etc.) 
  • If a student receives a BA/MD scholarship and is later determined that their “last dollar need” has changed (ex: change in registration of upper-division course work, an unexpected scholarship awarded to the student, etc.), the scholarship amount will be reversed, decreased, or increased. If a scholarship and/or financial aid changes, the student must notify the BA/MD Unit Administrator at their earliest convenience. We encourage students to check with the BA/MD Unit Administrator if they have a question about an unexpected scholarship refund. 
  • All scholarships, federal grant funding, and/or third-party educational funding awarded directly to a student’s UNM account will be counted toward the BA/MD scholarship formula calculations. 
  • Students participating in study abroad programs for academic credit hours, whether nationally or internationally, must petition for a BA/MD scholarship in advance of the semester of participation. Most students receive various forms of scholarships and financial aid for special educational opportunities to meet the Basic Educational Cost per semester that will be included in the BA/MD scholarship formula. Examples of such opportunities are the UNM Fred Harris Internship, UNM Global Education Office programs, etc. 
  • The BA/MD Program cannot guarantee that all BA/MD students will have the full Basic Educational Cost covered by scholarship due to the increasing costs in tuition and housing, the potential of UNM scholarship amounts changing (i.e. NM Lottery Success Scholarship, New Mexico Opportunity scholarship, etc.), etc. The Program administration and staff will communicate with students in advance of this type of change should it be necessary. 
  • Many students are offered work-study and/or educational loans, but these are not included in the BA/MD scholarship formula. Students may choose to utilize these offers for their expenses, however, should check in with the Unit Administrator to ensure other aid is not affected. 

Limitations of additional federal funding

Students who receive federal financial aid (ex: Pell Grants, loans, work-study, etc.) cannot exceed UNM’s “cost of attendance” for the academic year. UNM counts student loans and work-study toward this maximum amount for all students, regardless of federal funding, which may reduce eligibility for BA/MD scholarship. Please discuss this with the Unit Administrator if you are concerned about your eligibility for additional federal funding and your scholarships.