Costs, Fees, & Finances

Please note that while this page is primarily geared towards medical school, much of the information also applies to dental schools.

According to the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC), students graduate from medical school with an average of $207,000 in debt. The costs of medical school have also been increasing, on average, by 3 - 4% annually over the past decade. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the costs of not only attending medical school, but also the costs of applying - which can present its own financial burden on students.

Primary Application Fees

Most medical schools use the AAMC’S AMCAS service to process applications. However, Texas has its own service called TMDSAS and Osteopathic (DO) schools use a service called AACOMAS. Dental schools also have their own service called AADSAS. The cost of submitting a primary application to these services can vary year to year. For the 2024-2025 application year:

AMCAS charged an application processing fee of $175 for one medical school designation and $45 for each designation thereafter.
TMDSAS charged a non-refundable flat fee of $215 regardless of the number of schools you apply to.
AACOMAS charged $198 for the first program you apply to and $55 for each additional program.

AADSAS charged an application fee of $264 for your first dental school and $115 for each additional school.

Secondary Application Fees

Registrar Fees

Letters of Recommendation Fees

HPP uses a dossier service called PrivateFolio to collect letters of recommendation and send students’ Dartmouth Composite Letter of Evaluation (our version of a committee letter) to AMCAS and TMDSAS.

Subscriptions: For Dartmouth students, a one year PrivateFolio subscription is free, but there are costs associated with longer term subscriptions.
AMCAS: It also costs $2.00 to send composite letters from PrivateFolio to AMCAS.
TMDSAS: There are no costs associated with sending letters. Due to the fact that fewer Dartmouth students apply to Texas schools, PrivateFolio waives the cost of sending composite letters to TMDSAS as a professional courtesy.
AACOMAS & AADSAS: There are no costs associated with sending letters. While students will still use PrivateFolio to collect their letters, HPP will upload their composite letter directly to the AACOMAS and AADSAS letter portals.

Exam Fees

Situational Judgement Tests (SJTS)

Situational Judgement Tests (SJTs) aim to evaluate a person’s personal and professional competencies, with a focus on ethical problem solving. The most common SJTs are CASPer and AAMC PREview. For the 2024-2025 application year:

CASPer: Costs $85.00 to take, which includes the distribution of results to 7 schools. For additional schools, there is a fee of $16.00 per school.
PREview: Costs $100.00 to take, which include the distribution of result to an unlimited numbers of schools.

Learn more about SJTs and how to prepare.

Other Expenses

Interviews: As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the vast majority of schools now offer virtual interviews - although some may offer in-person interviews as well. If you attend an in-person interview, budget accordingly the costs of travel and accommodations.
Interview Attire: Regardless of whether you attend a virtual or in-person interview, you will need appropriate, professional attire.
AAMC Tools and Guidebooks: The AAMC offers official tools and guidebooks, such as the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR), that are available for purchase.

Good Credit: According to the AAMC “It is critical that you maintain strong credit as you begin the medical school application process. In extreme cases, a medical school may defer your admittance until you resolve credit issues.” Read the AAMC’s Credit 101 for more information about the importance of good credit.

Tuition & Fees

Medical school isn’t cheap, and that’s mostly due to tuition. Tuition varies from school to school based on whether its public vs private, MD vs DO, or how large the school’s endowment is. Tuition increases annually and tends to be more expensive in your third and fourth years, because they are longer.

Additional fees (such as parking, administrative, or student council fees) also vary from school to school. Other fees may include background checks, immunizations and health screening (depending on whether they’re covered by your insurance), board exams, and residency interviews.

See the AAMC’s Tuition and Student Fees Reports to compare the cost between schools.

Books & Technology

Like with your undergraduate courses, you’ll have assigned books for your medical school courses. Buying used, renting, or borrowing a copy from a library can be cheaper alternatives to buying new. You may also need to purchase additional educational or study materials. Technology, such a new laptop/computer, may also be needed. These categories of expenses will depend on the needs of each individual course and your own personal preferences.

Living Expenses

Some schools offer on campus housing, but you can choose to live off campus. Housing costs can vary depending on the location and housing type (i.e., house vs. apartment). Living alone vs living with others (such as roommates, a partner, or family) can also impact the cost of housing. Additional costs include rent/mortgage, utilities (water, electricity, gas, garbage, etc.), transportation, parking, home repairs, etc.

Medical School

The AAMC has tons of information about how to pay for medical school, as well as guides on how to manage your finances and repay your student loans. The Geisel School of Medicine’s Financial Aid Office also has resources on how to pay for medical school, which are helpful no matter the school you attend.

Financial Aid Programs

AAMC Fee Assistance Program: Assists those who, without financial assistance, would be unable to take the MCAT, apply to medical schools that use AMCAS, and more!
Dartmouth Class of ‘85 Bridges to Health Professions Grant: Thanks to the generous donation of the Class of ’85, we have the Bridges to Health Professions Grant to help defray the costs of preparing for and taking the MCAT for students with high financial need. To learn more about the grant and the application process, please contact Health.Professions.Program@dartmouth.edu
Scholarships & Resources for Native American and Alaskan Native Students: Scroll down to the Medical and Health Scholarship section for information about health professions scholarships/grants.

Dental School

Health Professions Program

Costs, Fees, & Finances

The Costs of Applying

The Costs of Attendance

Financial Aid Resources & Opportunities