For What It’s Worth Monthly Financial Aid Newsletter
September 2026
Refunds Need money to cover fall living expenses?
Students who expect to have a credit balance once all anticipated aid is disbursed may apply for a living expense refund against the future credit. Complete a Refund/Cash Advance Request Form
Student Perks & Discounts Looking to make your budget stretch further this semester? Discover a range of exclusive discounts and deals designed to help you spend less and get more out of campus life.
Arts and Culture Harvard students have access to arts and cultural events on and off campus, including 16 free Harvard museums and movie showings at the Harvard Film Archive.
Transportation IT Perks and Discounts
Bike Share: students benefit from a discounted yearly membership to Bluebikes.
Harvard students are eligible for free and discounted software and hardware.
Zip Car: Students get discounted rates, including a yearly membership for $35 a year.
For more information visit: https://www.huit.harvard.edu/it-perks-and-discounts.
Free Shuttle Service: Students can ride the Harvard and M2 shuttles for free with a student ID.
Meal Plan for Graduate & Professional Students All graduate and professional school students are eligible for GradPlus, a meal plan that provides a 10% discount on purchases at multiple designated Harvard University Dining Services Campus Cafes, including Sebastian's Cafe. For more information visit: https://www.dining.harvard.edu/graduateprofessional-dining/meal-plans.
For more information visit: https://college.harvard.edu/studentlife/residential-life/cambridge-boston.
Outings & Innings Harvard students can qualify for discounts and early access events to sporting events such as the Celtics, Red Sox and Bruins. Students can qualify for discounts to museums such as the MFA, ICA and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Discounts also include performing arts, movies and more. View Outings & Innings.
Strategies for Tackling Prior Educational Debt During Medical School Managing prior educational loan debt while in medical school can be challenging, but with careful planning and strategy, you can mitigate the financial burden. Here are some strategies: Understand Your Loans: Make sure you understand the terms of your loans, including interest rates, repayment schedules, and any deferment or forbearance options. Apply for Deferment/Forbearance: • Deferment: If you are enrolled at leasthalf time, you may be eligible to defer your loans. During deferment, you do not have to make payments, and in some cases, interest on subsidized loans will not accrue. • Forbearance: This allows you to temporarily suspend payments, but interest will accrue on all types of loans. Tracking Down Your Student Loans • Federal Student Aid (FSA): Visit https://studentaid.gov to view your federal loan information. • AnnualCreditReport.com: Request a free credit report from the 3 major credit reporting agencies (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax) to see all federal and private loans listed.
Make Interest Payments: If you can, try to pay the interest on your loans. This can prevent interest from capitalizing, which happens when unpaid interest is added to the principal balance, increasing the amount owed.
Financial Aid Scams & Safety As 2026-27 academic year begins, it is important to learn how to protect your personal information and spot common financial aid scams. Below are tips, warning signs, and trusted resources to help you stay protected.
How to Protect Yourself Use Official Websites
Common Financial Aid Scams Application Fee Scams • •
Never pay a fee to apply for federal aid. FAFSA is always free at https://studentaid.gov/.
Scholarship Guarantee Scams •
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Real loans do not require fees upfront.
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Colleges, the U.S. Department of Education, and official programs will never request sensitive information via unsecured email or text.
More Resources • •
Federal Student Aid: How to Avoid Student Aid Scams Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Student Loan Scams
Use strong, unique passwords Enable multi-factor authentication if available
Be Skeptical of Unsolicited Requests •
Phishing and Identity Theft •
For federal aid: https://studentaid.gov/ For private loans through Harvard: https://sfs.harvard.edu/loans For scholarships: https://www.fastweb.com/
Secure Your Accounts
No legitimate organization can guarantee aid.
Advance Fee Loan Scams •
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Do no reply to unsolicited texts, calls or emails about financial aid, especially those requesting sensitive information
Check URL Spelling Carefully •
Scammers may use lookalike websites such as fasa.com or fafsa.gov.
Research the Organization •
Read online reviews and verity their contact information
Federal Loan Updates Key Changes to Federal Student Loans Harvard Student Financial Services has put together an FAQ site to address questions regarding federal student loan changes as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act enacted in July 2025. The changes to federal student loans will begin July 1, 2026. This impacts the 2026-27 academic year. View details.
2026-27 Federal Loan Interest Rates Announced Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan: Fixed at 8.07%. Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan: Fixed at 9.07%.
Higher Temporary Rate Discount for Auto Pay Borrowers Starting July 1, 2026, the interest rate reduction for borrowers enrolled in auto pay will go from .025% to 1%. View details.
Photo by Jimmy Chan
Financial Aid Fact Students can cancel all or a portion of their federal loan disbursement within 120 days of the date of disbursement. Students will not be charged interest or fees on the amount that is returned to their federal loan servicer.
Monthly Highlight
AAMC FIRST Money Management Platform Financial management is critical to your success during medical school and beyond. The FIRST program provides comprehensive tools and resources to support you, including guidance on securing financial assistance, creating a budget, understanding your school's cost of attendance, and making smart borrowing decisions. The platform will offer: • On demand Money Management video • Live Money Management webinar hosted every Tuesday through September 29th • Multiple student resources such as tip cards, fact sheets, and worksheets. Visit the Money Management for Medical Students Platform for more information.