Frequently Asked Questions
Eligibility
No, only United States citizens and current Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) recipients are eligible to apply to participate in NMF programs.
No, you must attend an accredited medical school located in one of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico, in order to be eligible to become an NMF scholar.
Race, Ethnicity and Citizenship
Yes, all applicants are required to provide proof of citizenship or current Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status.
All applicants are required to provide proof of citizenship. A US birth certificate or a current US passport, a copy of your USCIS certificate of naturalization, or a voter’s registration card (accompanied by a picture ID) are acceptable forms of proof of citizenship. If you have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) status, then a current letter of status confirmation is acceptable.
If you are a member of a tribe recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) you must apply through BIA for a number. If you cannot obtain BIA certification, then you must submit either a letter from the tribal council (on official letterhead), or documentation of ancestry (i.e. birth records or birth certificates for parents or grandparents)
Underrepresented students of medicine are racial/ethnic groups whose representation among health professionals is disproportionately low compared to their proportion of the general population.
In determination of eligibility for participation in its programs, NMF designates the following racial/ethnic groups as “underrepresented students of medicine”:
- African American/Black
- Hispanic/Latino
- American Indian or Alaska Native
- Asian American (Vietnamese and Cambodian only)
- Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
Recommendation Letters
Recommendation letters should be written by individuals who know your academic career and, more importantly, your community service experiences in school and elsewhere. For some service-learning programs, you must include a letter of recommendation from a Dean, faculty member, or chief administrative officer of your academic program.
Please submit only the requested number of recommendations. Additional letters will not be reviewed.
Applicants will receive instructions on how to submit recommendation letters when completing their online application.
It is the applicant’s responsibility to follow-up with recommenders to assure they submit the letters by the application deadline.
Filing the Application
Without the benefit of large endowment funds, NMF must annually raise funding for scholarships. Funding is limited and thus we must target it to those who have the greatest documented financial need. We factor in all the applicant’s financial resources, including grants/scholarships received from the medical school and/or other sources.
Yes, you can reapply for an NMF program as long as you meet all the program criteria. You must submit all the required information even if it was previously submitted with the first application.
Yes, you may apply to any and all NMF programs for which you are eligible. If awarded to participate in more than one program, you may do so as long as the programs do not occur simultaneously. If you have questions about participating in multiple programs, please email scholarships@nmfonline.org or pclpinfo@nmfonline.org.
Yes, you may still submit an application for NMF scholarship programs. However, your application will only be considered after you submit a copy of the official notification from the school that explains you have been admitted and enrolled in the school. In addition, you will also be required to submit verification of medical school enrollment. As a part of your application, you must submit your undergraduate transcript.
Yes, but you will not be eligible to apply for any NMF award until you have entered the third year of your dual-degree program or are considered an enrolled medical student.
Reporting Scholarship Award/Stipend to the IRS
As a nonprofit organization, NMF does not provide financial advising to students who receive funds and is not responsible for individual tax decisions. If you are concerned about how to report your earnings to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), please consult with your accountant or tax management service. Below are some free, online resources:
- The Internal Revenue Service: “Scholarships, Fellowship Grants, and Other Grants”
- Charles Schwab: “Paying for College: Are Scholarships Taxable?”
- Intuit TurboTax: “Taxes for Grads: Do Scholarships Count as Taxable Income?”
- Jackson Hewitt: "Are Scholarships and Grants Taxable?"
Please note that National Medical Fellowships (NMF) has no relationship with the above resources, and does not endorse any public or private financial advising services therein.