The AAMC’s Fee Assistance Program (FAP) for Applicants

Carol Hagan, Associate Director

Many people who are planning to apply to medical school are not aware of the AAMC’s Fee Assistance Program (FAP).  FAP can greatly reduce the expense of applying to medical school with a lowered registration fee, free MCAT preparation materials, free access to the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR) and waived AMCAS fees for up to 15 medical schools for a combined value of over $1,500.

In 2016, fee assistance is granted if each household reported on your application has a 2015 total family income that is 300 percent or less than the 2015 national poverty level [link: familiesusa.org/product/federal-poverty-guidelines] for a family of its size.  You will need to submit supporting documents; at minimum, you will be asked to provide copies of IRS Federal Income Tax Forms or W-2/1099 forms for the previous year in addition to a Financial Aid Award Letter and Cost of Attendance information if relevant.  The application and detailed instructions are available on the AAMC’s FAP web site

Be sure to apply early as it can take the AAMC up to 15 business days to make their decision.  If you are granted fee assistance, the benefit is good from the time it is granted through the end of the next calendar year.

Author: Carol Hagan

Carol Hagan is a pre-health and pre-grad advisor in Career Services. She has a Ph.D. in art history from Penn and did her undergraduate work at Wesleyan University.