Branches of the military, such as the Navy, offer some students the option to go to dental school for free. Often, in such cases, students have no obligation to the military until schooling is completed. Those who sign for the military and are involved in this program may also receive dental experience on the field or in military settings. The Navy offers sign-up bonuses of up to $20,000 to help students with living and additional schooling expenses. An additional stipend of up to $2,000 a month may be offered to help students with living expenses while they earn their degrees.
For some dental school students, financial aid options, such as work study, can help to pay for schooling. Work study opportunities generally involve students working with the school. All or some of the wages earned in work study opportunities are put toward tuition or other dental school fees. Grants and scholarships for academic excellence or community involvement also help to minimize school costs. These types of aid usually do not have to be repaid and are gifted to students in financial need whose grades and undergraduate accomplishments are commendable.
Like other loans, dental school loans are granted to students to cover overbearing costs. Some student loans can be used for living expenses, books, and tuition while others are for tuition coverage only. Most undergraduate school loans are deferred until students complete graduate or dental school. Once dental school is finished, many loans begin to collect payments on a monthly basis, six months after graduation or withdrawal.
Fellowships and assistantships are granted to select dental school and graduate school students based on merit and academic prowess. Assistantships are usually awarded to help with tuition costs, but require students to work or research with the campus for a certain number of hours a week. Fellowships do not always require students to work for their stipends. Both of these are typically come as gifts and do not need to be repaid.