Five U.S. MD programs are tuition-free medical schools for every student they enroll: NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine and Alice L. Walton School of Medicine. Johns Hopkins covers tuition for qualifying students from families earning less than $300,000, while the Uniformed Services University charges no tuition in return for a military or Public Health Service commitment.
Free tuition does not mean a free medical degree. Fees, housing, food, insurance and educational expenses can still cost tens of thousands of dollars each year, while several prominent offers depend on income, demonstrated need, a scholarship decision or years of service. One widely known waiver has also ended for new applicants. Understanding the full cost of medical school, rather than tuition alone, will help you compare these options honestly.
Free Tuition at a Glance
- NYU Grossman, NYU Grossman Long Island, Albert Einstein, Cleveland Clinic Lerner and Alice L. Walton cover tuition for every MD student within the cohorts covered by their policies. Walton’s waiver is limited to its first five cohorts.
- Since fall 2024, Johns Hopkins has covered tuition for eligible students with family income below $300,000. Its packages also cover fees and living expenses when family income is below $175,000, subject to additional eligibility requirements.
- Tuition-free students still need a living-cost plan. NYU Grossman estimates $38,616 for a first-year student in 2026-27 after its tuition scholarship and health insurance subsidy, while Walton estimates $38,181 after its tuition and partial fee waiver.
- Service programs exchange financial support for career commitments lasting two to seven years or more. Kaiser Permanente’s waiver covered students who enrolled through 2026, and the school lists first-year tuition of $69,212 for 2027/2028.
The Programs That Remove Medical School Tuition
The table below lists every program by who receives the support, as each school or agency describes it: what is covered, who qualifies, any service obligation and the year the policy applies to.
| Program | What is covered | Who qualifies | Service obligation | Policy year or source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition-free for every MD student | ||||
| NYU Grossman School of Medicine (New York) | Full tuition ($65,500 in 2026-27) and the student health insurance plan. Fees of $4,550 and living expenses remain | Every student in the MD program, regardless of merit or financial need | None | 2026-27 cost of attendance |
| NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine (New York) | Full tuition for the three-year MD program, with need-based Debt-Free Scholarships toward costs above tuition | All matriculated MD students, regardless of financial need or merit | None | School page, September 2026 |
| Albert Einstein College of Medicine (New York) | Tuition and educational and technology fees. Living expenses, room and board are not covered | Every MD student | None | Gottesman Scholarship Fund, established March 2024 |
| Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine (Ohio) | Full tuition, including the continuation fee in the research thesis year, and select fees | All students in the program | None | School page, September 2026 |
| Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (Arkansas) | Tuition ($69,650) and part of the fees. The school estimates a first-year cost of $38,181 after the waiver, mostly living expenses | Students in the first five cohorts | None | School page, September 2026 |
| Tuition-free by family income | ||||
| Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Maryland) | Tuition for students whose families earn less than $300,000. Tuition, fees and living expenses for families earning less than $175,000 | MD students who meet the family income limit and the other aid eligibility rules | None | Since fall 2024 |
| Debt-free aid and full-tuition scholarships for students who qualify | ||||
| Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (New York) | 100 percent of demonstrated financial need met with scholarships. The aid package includes no loans | MD students with demonstrated need, measured from the FAFSA and CSS Profile | None | Since 2018-19 |
| Weill Cornell Medicine (New York) | Tuition, books, housing, food and related expenses covered by scholarships in place of loans | Medical students who qualify for need-based financial aid | None | Since 2019-2020 |
| Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis (Missouri) | Merit scholarships that cover full or partial tuition, plus need-based aid. 71% of the entering class has full tuition funding | Every admitted student is reviewed for merit scholarships | None | Entering class of 2025 |
| David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA (California) | Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship: full tuition and a one-time $5,000 research stipend, renewed each year for four years | Select students. All applicants are considered automatically | None | School page, September 2026 |
| Tuition covered in return for service | ||||
| Uniformed Services University F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine (Maryland) | No tuition, plus the salary and benefits of a junior officer during the four-year program | Every accepted student. Students commission as officers before classes begin | Seven years of active duty in the Army, Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard, or ten years in the Public Health Service | School page, September 2026 |
| Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program (at the MD or DO school you attend) | Tuition and fees for up to four years, required books and equipment, and a monthly stipend ($2,999 in the Army) | Students accepted to or enrolled in a U.S. MD or DO school who qualify for a commission | Navy: at least two years of active duty, or one year for each year of scholarship, whichever is longer | Army and Navy pages, September 2026 |
| National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program (at the school you attend) | Tuition and eligible fees, a yearly payment for other educational costs and a monthly stipend, for up to four school years | Students training for a primary care health profession | Two to four years of full-time service at an approved site in a Health Professional Shortage Area | HRSA page, September 2026 |
| University of Arizona Primary Care Scholarship Program (College of Medicine in Phoenix) | Tuition at the in-state rate | Accepted or enrolled full-time students chosen in a competitive process for their interest in primary care in rural or underserved Arizona | Two to four years of primary care practice in a rural or urban underserved Arizona community | State program established in 2019 |
| Tuition waivers that have ended for new students | ||||
| Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine (California) | Tuition waived for all four years for students who enrolled through 2026. The school lists first-year tuition of $69,212 for 2027/2028 | Students who enrolled through 2026 | None | 2027/2028 tuition listed |
| University of Houston Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine (Texas) | A $100,000 scholarship toward four years of tuition and fees for each of the 30 students in the first class. The school now lists tuition and fees of $24,268 for Texas residents and $37,368 for nonresidents | The first class only | None | School page, September 2026 |
The distinctions in the table above matter. An automatic scholarship given to every MD student is different from need-based aid, a competitive merit award or a service program that directs several years of your career. Compare the category first, then compare the expenses that remain.
A full-tuition award has substantial value. For in-state students in 2025-26, the AAMC reported median first-year tuition and fees of $43,648 at public medical schools and $74,661 at private schools. IMA’s guide to medical school tuition provides the broader context for comparing what schools charge.
Medical Schools With Tuition Covered for Every Student
NYU Grossman School of Medicine
Every student in NYU Grossman’s MD program receives a Full-Tuition Scholarship regardless of merit or financial need, and no FAFSA is required for that award. According to the school’s 2026-27 cost of attendance, the scholarship fully offsets $65,500 in tuition. NYU also subsidizes the $9,325 student health insurance charge for every medical student.
Students still face fees of $4,550, estimated living expenses of $32,436 and first-year educational expenses of $1,630. After the tuition scholarship and health insurance subsidy, NYU estimates a first-year cost of $38,616. Students with demonstrated financial need may also qualify for a Debt-Free Scholarship covering remaining expenses such as housing, food and books.
If research resources affect your school choice, the National Institutes of Health awarded New York University School of Medicine about $438 million across 593 awards in fiscal year 2025, the twelfth-largest total among organizations NIH lists as schools of medicine. That measure is placed in context in IMA’s guide to the best medical schools ranked by research funding.
NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine
NYU Grossman Long Island runs a three-year MD program and gives every matriculated MD student a three-year Full-Tuition Scholarship, regardless of merit or financial need. Students do not submit a separate application for it. Those who financially qualify can receive additional Debt-Free Scholarships toward costs above tuition, so your need-based package may determine how much you pay for the rest of attendance.
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
The Gottesman Scholarship Fund covers tuition and educational and technology fees for students pursuing an MD at Einstein. Established in March 2024 through a gift from Dr. Ruth L. Gottesman, the fund is described by Einstein as ensuring that no MD student there will pay tuition again.
The scholarship does not cover room, board or other living expenses. Einstein’s student budget still includes health insurance, books and supplies, national board fees, rent, food, personal expenses and transportation, so you will need to budget beyond the covered charges.
Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine
Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine awards a full-tuition scholarship to every student and covers select fees. Its research thesis year carries a continuation fee equal to 5 percent of tuition, but the scholarship covers that charge as well. The program is designed to train physician investigators, making its research focus an important fit question in addition to the financial benefit.
Alice L. Walton School of Medicine
Alice L. Walton School of Medicine will waive tuition for its first five cohorts. This is an automatic benefit for students in those cohorts, but it is a time-limited policy rather than an offer stated for every future class.
The school lists first-year tuition of $69,650 and a total estimated first-year cost of $38,181 after its tuition and partial fee waiver. Most of that remaining amount is the school’s $34,225 estimate for housing, food, transportation and miscellaneous living expenses.
Johns Hopkins Free Tuition by Family Income
Johns Hopkins ties free tuition to family income. Since fall 2024, its income-based financial aid policy has provided scholarships covering tuition for eligible medical students whose families earn less than $300,000. For students from families earning less than $175,000, the package covers the full cost of attendance, including tuition, fees and living expenses. The school lists additional eligibility requirements, so income alone does not establish your final award.
When the program was announced in July 2024, Johns Hopkins said nearly two-thirds of its current and entering medical students qualified for either tuition coverage or tuition plus living expenses. The practical step for your family is to compare its finances against both income thresholds, then review the school’s complete eligibility rules before assuming what an award will cover.
Debt-Free Aid and Full-Tuition Scholarships
Columbia, Weill Cornell, WashU Medicine and UCLA charge tuition, but qualifying students may have all of it covered. These programs belong in a broader plan for paying for medical school without loans, not in the same category as an automatic scholarship for every student.
Columbia Vagelos
The Vagelos Scholarship Program has met 100 percent of demonstrated financial need with scholarships for eligible MD students since 2018-19. Loans are not included in the package used to meet calculated need. Columbia determines need by subtracting student, spouse and calculated parent resources from its cost of attendance budget, using financial information from the FAFSA and CSS Profile.
Weill Cornell Medicine
Since 2019-2020, Weill Cornell’s debt-free aid program has covered tuition, books, housing, food and related expenses with scholarships for medical students who demonstrate financial need. Its aid package does not offer or require loans. The decisive phrase is “who qualify for aid,” because the award depends on the school’s assessment of your finances.
WashU Medicine
Among the 123 students in WashU Medicine’s entering class of 2025, 71 percent had full tuition funding and 77 percent had merit or need-based scholarships. Every admitted MD student is automatically reviewed for merit scholarships, which may cover full or partial tuition. Those figures show substantial scholarship support, but WashU should not be treated as automatically tuition-free for every admitted student.
UCLA Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship
The UCLA Leaders of Tomorrow Scholarship pays full tuition for select students and includes a one-time $5,000 research stipend. All David Geffen School of Medicine applicants are considered automatically through the application and interview process. The scholarship is renewed annually for four years based on satisfactory academic performance and participation in program activities.
Free Tuition in Return for Service
Service programs can cover tuition and other expenses, but they exchange financial support for control over several years of your career. Before choosing one, study the commitment as closely as the benefit. IMA’s guide to NHSC, military and state programs for physicians explains these routes in greater detail.
Uniformed Services University
Students accepted to the Uniformed Services University MD program pay no tuition and commission as officers in one of the five uniformed services before classes start. Students receive the salary and benefits of a junior-ranking officer during the four-year program. After graduation, the active-duty commitment is seven years for the Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard or ten years for the Public Health Service.
Military Health Professions Scholarship Program
The Health Professions Scholarship Program is used at the civilian MD or DO school you attend. Navy Medicine says its program pays tuition and educational fees for up to four years, reimburses required books and equipment and provides a monthly stipend. In return, you serve at least two years on active duty or one year for each scholarship year, whichever is longer. The Navy opens the scholarship to students accepted to or enrolled in an AMA or AOA medical school in the United States or Puerto Rico.
The U.S. Army similarly lists full tuition for up to four years, funding for books, equipment and school fees and a monthly stipend of $2,999. The Army expressly includes osteopathic medical degrees. These are military career paths, not scholarships with a minor work condition.
National Health Service Corps Scholarship
The National Health Service Corps supports up to four school years for students training for primary care professions. Its scholarship pays tuition and eligible fees, makes an annual payment for other reasonable educational costs and provides a monthly stipend. Scholars commit to two to four years of full-time work at an NHSC-approved site in a Health Professional Shortage Area. The program does not provide financial support during postgraduate training.
University of Arizona Primary Care Scholarship
The University of Arizona Primary Care Scholarship Program, established by the Arizona Legislature in 2019, covers tuition at the in-state rate in exchange for primary care practice in an underserved rural or urban Arizona community. Selection is competitive, and recipients commit to two to four years of service. When fully implemented, the program is designed to cover tuition for approximately 100 medical students.
If you borrow and later work full-time for an eligible public-service employer, Public Service Loan Forgiveness for physicians may forgive the remaining balance of qualifying Direct loans after the equivalent of 120 qualifying monthly payments.
Free-Tuition Offers That Have Ended for New Students
Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine waived tuition for all four years only for students who enrolled through 2026. An applicant seeking admission after that covered period should expect tuition rather than relying on the former waiver.
For 2027/2028, Kaiser lists first-year tuition, including books and supplies, of $69,212 and a total estimated cost of attendance of $113,232. Health and disability insurance is provided at no cost to the student. If the school is on your list, budget for it as you would for any private medical school.
University of Houston
The University of Houston gave each of the 30 students in its first medical school class a $100,000 philanthropic scholarship toward four years of tuition and fees. That founding-class award was not a continuing tuition-free policy. The current published costs list annual tuition and fees of $24,268 for Texas residents and $37,368 for nonresidents, with total cost of attendance estimates of $56,614 and $69,714.
Most applicants will ultimately compare schools where they pay at least some tuition. IMA’s guide to the cheapest medical schools can help you evaluate lower-cost options without confusing them with schools that waive tuition.
Costs That Remain at a Tuition-Free Medical School
Tuition is only one part of the student budget. For in-state students in 2025-26, the AAMC reported a median first-year cost of attendance of $75,654 at public medical schools and $106,787 at private schools, well above the median tuition and fees given earlier. Housing, food, transportation, insurance, books, supplies and personal expenses account for much of that difference.
Two of the schools publish what a tuition-free year still costs. After its scholarship and insurance subsidy, NYU Grossman estimates $38,616 for a first-year student in 2026-27. Walton estimates $38,181 after its tuition and partial fee waiver, nearly all of it living expenses.
Published figures can also look inconsistent when one source reports billed charges and another reflects scholarships. In the AAMC’s 2025-2026 tuition report, NYU Grossman reported $0 tuition and $4,350 in first-year fees. Einstein appeared at $82,697 in tuition, fees and health insurance because the report lists charges before scholarships, even though the Gottesman fund covers tuition and specified educational and technology fees.
Some programs go further than tuition. Johns Hopkins covers fees and living costs for eligible students under its lower income threshold. Need-based scholarships at NYU Grossman, NYU Grossman Long Island, Columbia and Weill Cornell can cover expenses above tuition. Uniformed Services University provides officer salary and benefits, while military and NHSC scholarships include stipends. Your best comparison is therefore the amount your family would actually need to cover after every scholarship, subsidy and required service condition is applied.
Competition for Seats at Tuition-Free Medical Schools
The AAMC’s 2025-2026 Table A-1 shows considerable demand for these seats. NYU Grossman received 8,385 applications and enrolled 99 first-year students. NYU Grossman Long Island received 4,738 applications and enrolled 24, while Einstein received 14,035 and enrolled 148.
Johns Hopkins received 8,057 applications and enrolled 118 first-year students. Alice L. Walton School of Medicine received 2,021 applications and enrolled 48, while Uniformed Services University received 2,238 and enrolled 177.
These numbers are not acceptance rates. Table A-1 counts applications and enrolled first-year students, but it does not report how many applicants each school accepted. They show demand and class size, not an individual applicant’s probability of admission. IMA’s guide to medical school acceptance rates explains that distinction more fully.
Free tuition should therefore be one factor in a balanced school list, not the only filter. Consider whether the program’s curriculum, location, length, research emphasis or service obligation fits your goals, then compare the financial outcome if you receive only the aid the school actually guarantees to you.
Building Your Application List Around Real Costs
Start with the every-student programs that fit your academic and career goals. If Johns Hopkins interests you, compare your family’s circumstances with both income thresholds and read the remaining eligibility conditions. For need-based schools, file the FAFSA and CSS Profile early when each institution requires them, and do not assume that an automatic application review means an automatic scholarship.
Treat military, NHSC and state service commitments as career decisions rather than financial shortcuts. Before accepting one, decide whether you are comfortable with the work setting, location limits and years of service attached to the support.
Finally, compare aid offers using the total amount you would need to pay, not the size of the tuition scholarship in isolation. Check each school’s official page before you apply because covered cohorts and aid policies can change. A clear comparison of tuition, fees, living expenses and obligations will tell you which offer is genuinely affordable for your situation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Medical Schools Are Tuition Free?
Five U.S. MD programs cover tuition for every student within their covered cohorts: NYU Grossman School of Medicine, NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine and Alice L. Walton School of Medicine. Walton’s waiver applies to its first five cohorts. Uniformed Services University also charges no tuition, but students commission as officers and complete a service commitment.
Is NYU Medical School Really Free?
Yes, NYU Grossman covers full tuition for every MD student regardless of merit or financial need, and it also subsidizes student health insurance. It is not completely free to attend. For 2026-27, NYU estimates that a first-year student still faces $38,616 in fees, living costs and educational expenses after the scholarship and insurance subsidy. Qualifying students may receive additional need-based support.
Is Medical School Free in the Military?
It can be tuition-free in exchange for service. Uniformed Services University charges no tuition and pays students officer salary and benefits, followed by seven years of active duty for military services or ten years in the Public Health Service. The military Health Professions Scholarship Program can instead pay tuition and eligible expenses at a civilian MD or DO school, and the Navy asks for at least two years of active duty or one year for each year of scholarship, whichever is longer.
Is Kaiser Permanente Medical School Still Free?
No, not for applicants entering after the covered period. Kaiser Permanente waived tuition for students who enrolled through 2026. For 2027/2028, the school lists first-year tuition of $69,212 and total estimated cost of attendance of $113,232, although it provides health and disability insurance at no cost to the student.
Is Johns Hopkins Medical School Free?
It is free for eligible students who meet its financial criteria, not for every student. Since fall 2024, Johns Hopkins has covered tuition for qualifying students whose families earn less than $300,000. It covers tuition, fees and living expenses for qualifying students with family income below $175,000. The school applies additional eligibility requirements.
Do You Still Pay Fees at a Tuition-Free Medical School?
Often, yes. The exact answer depends on the school’s policy. NYU Grossman covers tuition and health insurance but lists separate fees and living expenses. Einstein covers tuition plus educational and technology fees but not living expenses. Cleveland Clinic Lerner covers tuition, its research-year continuation fee and select fees. Always compare the full student budget rather than assuming “tuition-free” covers every charge.
How Hard Is It to Get Into a Tuition-Free Medical School?
Application volume is high relative to the number of enrolled students. In 2025-2026, NYU Grossman received 8,385 applications and enrolled 99 first-year students, while Einstein received 14,035 applications and enrolled 148. These are application and enrollment counts, not acceptance rates, because AAMC Table A-1 does not report the number of offers made.
Are There Free DO Schools?
No osteopathic college in AACOM’s 2023-24 report was tuition-free for every student. The lowest listed first-year tuition and fees figure was $26,500. DO students can still pursue military funding: the Army says its Health Professions Scholarship Program covers osteopathic medical degrees, while the Navy opens its scholarship to students accepted to or enrolled in AOA medical schools.
