Medical Student Education Program (MSE)
🏛 Health Resources and Services Administration (HHS-HRSA)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 16, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for accredited medical schools and academic medical centers seeking funding to support innovations in medical education. The program prioritizes institutions engaged in training the next generation of primary care physicians, with particular emphasis on developing curricula that address underserved populations and health disparities. Eligible applicants typically include 501(c)(3) organizations operating accredited medical schools, research institutions affiliated with teaching hospitals, and academic health centers. Geographic scope is nationwide. Supported activities include curriculum development, faculty training, student recruitment and retention programs, and initiatives to increase diversity among medical students and practitioners.
⚖️ Cost sharing / matching required — applicants must contribute their own funds.
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Key dates
- Jun 11, 2026 Applications open
- Sep 1, 2026 Application deadline in 46 days
- Nov 2, 2026 Award announced
- Dec 1, 2026 Project start
Program description
The Medical Student Education (MSE) Program provides support to public medical schools in the top quartile of states with a projected primary care provider shortage to expand or support education for medical students preparing to become physicians.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project narrative (typically 15-25 pages)
- Detailed budget and budget justification
- Organizational and institutional capacity documentation (accreditation status, financial statements)
- Letters of commitment or support from partner organizations
- Curriculum vitae or biographies of key personnel
- Evaluation plan with measurable objectives and outcomes metrics
- Sustainability or continuation plan
- Evidence of institutional support and commitment
- Data on target student population and baseline metrics
Program contact
- 👤 Olivia Kirby
- 📧 OKirby@hrsa.gov
- 📞 301.945.5268
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.680 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
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$17,644,318
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$17,621,683
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$17,592,943
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$17,369,312
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$17,359,821
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$17,359,821
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$17,359,821
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$17,359,821
-
$17,359,821
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$17,359,821
Top States by Funding
- MO 4 awards $69.7M
- AL 4 awards $67.6M
- OK 4 awards $66.5M
- KY 2 awards $34.6M
- IN 2 awards $34.4M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.680). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $59,596,165 | |
| 2025 | $59,642,498 | |
| 2026 est. | $60,000,000 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for the MSE grant?
Accredited medical schools, academic medical centers, and 501(c)(3) organizations operating accredited medical institutions are typically eligible. Some programs may also accept applications from affiliated teaching hospitals and research institutions.
What types of projects does this grant support?
The program funds curriculum innovations, faculty development, medical education research, student recruitment and retention programs, and initiatives addressing health workforce shortages and disparities in medical education.
Is there a required match or cost-share?
Many HRSA programs require a cost-share or institutional match. Applicants should review the Notice of Funding Opportunity for specific match requirements, which can range from 10-25% of total project costs.
What makes a competitive application for medical education grants?
Strong proposals demonstrate clear alignment with national health workforce priorities, evidence-based approaches to medical education, partnerships with community health organizations, and measurable outcomes related to graduate workforce placement and service to underserved populations.
What is the typical funding range?
HRSA medical education programs typically award grants ranging from $50,000 to several hundred thousand dollars per year, depending on project scope and program-specific guidelines. Multi-year funding is common.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Emphasize how your project addresses documented health workforce shortages, particularly in primary care, rural medicine, or underserved specialty areas.
- Include explicit outcomes metrics tied to student recruitment, retention, graduation rates, and post-graduation placement in medically underserved areas.
- Develop clear partnerships with community health centers, rural clinics, or other entities serving vulnerable populations to demonstrate real-world impact.
- Align your curriculum innovations with HRSA priorities such as training physicians to address health disparities, social determinants of health, and population health management.
- Budget carefully and include detailed justification for personnel, educational materials, and program evaluation costs—HRSA reviewers scrutinize educational spending closely.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications often fail because they lack concrete workforce outcome data or fail to demonstrate how graduates will serve underserved populations. Weak proposals also underestimate the importance of sustainability planning—reviewers expect clear pathways for continuing the program after federal funding ends. Finally, many applicants overlook the need for robust evaluation and dissemination strategies to share lessons learned with the broader medical education community.
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