LOAN SCHOOL / FIVE SMALL STEPS
You know medicine.
Let’s learn the money part.
No finance background needed. Learn one idea, try a quick question, and build from there. About 2 minutes per lesson.
LESSON 1 OF 5ABOUT 2 MIN
What are you actually borrowing?
Start with the money itself.
THE ONE THING TO KNOW
A loan pays for school now. You repay it later, usually with interest.
A scholarship or grant generally does not need to be repaid when you meet its conditions. A loan creates a debt. Your school’s cost of attendance includes more than tuition: it can also include fees and living expenses.
MEET THE FUNDING GAP
If one year costs $80,000 and you have a $20,000 scholarship, $60,000 is still unfunded before savings or other aid. That does not mean you must borrow all $60,000—or that a lender will approve it.
Sources checked September 13, 2026 · Educational overviewCFPB · ways to pay for college or graduate school