Established in 2024 by the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME), this assistance award will provide $695 awards to 1,495 medical students who have registered for and taken the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK exam in 2026 to reimburse the cost of exam registration fees. Applicants must be able to demonstrate financial need, provide a valid USMLE ID number, and have not been referred to a committee and found to have engaged in irregular behavior or otherwise reviewed for policy violations in relation to any USMLE or NBME exam.
Applicants must also be eligible to take the USMLE and currently enrolled in an LCME (MD) or COCA (DO) accredited medical school in either the United States or one of the following schools in the Caribbean: AUA (Antigua); Ross University, School of Medicine (Barbados); St. Matthews’ (British West Indies); Universidad de Iberoamérica (Costa Rica); Instituto Tecnologico de Santo Domingo (DR); Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra (DR); Universidad Católica Nordestana (DR); Universidad Central del Este (DR); Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE) (DR); St. George's University, School of Medicine (Grenada); University of the West Indies, The Mona Campus (Jamaica); Medical University of the Americas (St. Kitts-Nevis); or American University of the Caribbean (St. Maarten).
Student FAQs
What are the application dates for the 2026 NBME Educational Assistance Award for USMLE Fee Assistance?
- The Cycle 1/Spring Application OPENS March 31, 2026 - CLOSES May 10, 2026 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time
- The Cycle 2/Summer Application OPENS July 13, 2026 - CLOSES August 23, 2026 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time
- The Cycle 3/Fall Application OPENS November 23, 2026 - CLOSES January 10, 2027 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time
Do I need to be registered/have purchased a permit and taken the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK exam before applying to this opportunity?
Applicants need to be registered at the time of applying to provide their USMLE ID and have taken the exam by or before the application closes. See dates below for each cycle:
- Cycle 1/Spring Application: Students who have taken or will take the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK exam from January 1, 2026 – May 10, 2026 are eligible.
- Cycle 2/Summer Application: Students who have taken or will take the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK exam from January 1, 2026 – August 23, 2026 are eligible.
- Cycle 3/Fall Application: Students who have taken or will take the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK exam from January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026 are eligible.
Please pay close attention to both the eligibility dates and the application dates. You must have registered for and taken the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK exam within these periods to be eligible for the corresponding cycle. For example if you are taking your exam in June 2026, you will be eligible for consideration in the Cycle 2/Summer or Cycle 3/Fall Applications.
If I took the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK in 2025 or earlier, am I eligible to receive the fee assistance?
No, the exam must be taken in 2026 to be eligible for these funds.
Will the Fee Assistance program be open to students applying for their 2nd or 3rd attempt?
Yes, the Fee Assistance program is open to anyone who is taking the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK in 2025. Review cycle dates above to ensure you submit your application in the appropriate cycle.
Why isn’t the NBME Educational Assistance Award for USMLE Fee Assistance showing up in my SMA portal?
Be sure your eligibility is up to date for the current academic year. You will be unable to see new opportunities until this is complete. Furthermore, if you are enrolled in a dual degree program, please select the dual degree option.
What criteria will NBME use to determine fee assistance eligibility?
NMF utilizes two reports for verification of financial aid and medical debt. All applications are scored using their rubric, and recipients are selected based on their verified debt amount:
- Financial Aid information from Institution
- Documentation of Loan History (current and undergraduate) from the National Student Loan Data System
Will schools be able to query to see which of their students received this funding?
No, NMF will not be informing schools if students receive this USMLE fee assistance and funds are routed directly to the student.
Is this a waiver for the cost of registering for the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK exams?
No, this is not a waiver. Applicants will be required to provide a USMLE ID in the application and should already be registered at the time of applying with a plan to take the test by or before the application closes.
What will students need to apply?
Students will need to submit the following:
- USMLE ID
- Verification of Citizenship or Permanent Residence
- Financial Aid Information
- Loan History from studentaid.gov
Will applications be reviewed on a rolling basis?
The application review will begin once each cycle closes.
Is there any fee assistance offered for the COMLEX exams?
Unfortunately, not at this time. This fee assistance is only for students who have taken the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK exams.
If you have any other questions regarding the NBME Educational Assistance Award for USMLE Fee Assistance, please reach out to USMLE@nmfonline.org
2026 NBME Educational Assistance Award for USMLE® (Cycle 1)
Established in 2024 by the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME), this assistance award will provide $695 awards to 1,495 medical students who have registered for and taken the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK exam in 2026 to reimburse the cost of exam registration fees. Applicants must be able to demonstrate financial need, provide a valid USMLE ID number, and have not been referred to a committee and found to have engaged in irregular behavior or otherwise reviewed for policy violations in relation to any USMLE or NBME exam.
Applicants must also be eligible to take the USMLE and currently enrolled in an LCME (MD) or COCA (DO) accredited medical school in either the United States or one of the following schools in the Caribbean: AUA (Antigua); Ross University, School of Medicine (Barbados); St. Matthews’ (British West Indies); Universidad de Iberoamérica (Costa Rica); Instituto Tecnologico de Santo Domingo (DR); Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra (DR); Universidad Católica Nordestana (DR); Universidad Central del Este (DR); Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE) (DR); St. George's University, School of Medicine (Grenada); University of the West Indies, The Mona Campus (Jamaica); Medical University of the Americas (St. Kitts-Nevis); or American University of the Caribbean (St. Maarten).
Student FAQs
What are the application dates for the 2026 NBME Educational Assistance Award for USMLE Fee Assistance?
- The Cycle 1/Spring Application OPENS March 31, 2026 - CLOSES May 10, 2026 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time
- The Cycle 2/Summer Application OPENS July 13, 2026 - CLOSES August 23, 2026 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time
- The Cycle 3/Fall Application OPENS November 23, 2026 - CLOSES January 10, 2027 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time
Do I need to be registered/have purchased a permit and taken the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK exam before applying to this opportunity?
Applicants need to be registered at the time of applying to provide their USMLE ID and have taken the exam by or before the application closes. See dates below for each cycle:
- Cycle 1/Spring Application: Students who have taken or will take the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK exam from January 1, 2026 – May 10, 2026 are eligible.
- Cycle 2/Summer Application: Students who have taken or will take the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK exam from January 1, 2026 – August 23, 2026 are eligible.
- Cycle 3/Fall Application: Students who have taken or will take the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK exam from January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026 are eligible.
Please pay close attention to both the eligibility dates and the application dates. You must have registered for and taken the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK exam within these periods to be eligible for the corresponding cycle. For example if you are taking your exam in June 2026, you will be eligible for consideration in the Cycle 2/Summer or Cycle 3/Fall Applications.
If I took the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK in 2025 or earlier, am I eligible to receive the fee assistance?
No, the exam must be taken in 2026 to be eligible for these funds.
Will the Fee Assistance program be open to students applying for their 2nd or 3rd attempt?
Yes, the Fee Assistance program is open to anyone who is taking the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK in 2025. Review cycle dates above to ensure you submit your application in the appropriate cycle.
Why isn’t the NBME Educational Assistance Award for USMLE Fee Assistance showing up in my SMA portal?
Be sure your eligibility is up to date for the current academic year. You will be unable to see new opportunities until this is complete. Furthermore, if you are enrolled in a dual degree program, please select the dual degree option.
What criteria will NBME use to determine fee assistance eligibility?
NMF utilizes two reports for verification of financial aid and medical debt. All applications are scored using their rubric, and recipients are selected based on their verified debt amount:
- Financial Aid information from Institution
- Documentation of Loan History (current and undergraduate) from the National Student Loan Data System
Will schools be able to query to see which of their students received this funding?
No, NMF will not be informing schools if students receive this USMLE fee assistance and funds are routed directly to the student.
Is this a waiver for the cost of registering for the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK exams?
No, this is not a waiver. Applicants will be required to provide a USMLE ID in the application and should already be registered at the time of applying with a plan to take the test by or before the application closes.
What will students need to apply?
Students will need to submit the following:
- USMLE ID
- Verification of Citizenship or Permanent Residence
- Financial Aid Information
- Loan History from studentaid.gov
Will applications be reviewed on a rolling basis?
The application review will begin once each cycle closes.
Is there any fee assistance offered for the COMLEX exams?
Unfortunately, not at this time. This fee assistance is only for students who have taken the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 CK exams.
If you have any other questions regarding the NBME Educational Assistance Award for USMLE Fee Assistance, please reach out to USMLE@nmfonline.org