Did you know that 100% of incoming students received a scholarship in 2023? Thanks to our endowed scholarship funds and our strong alumni support, our top students, evaluated holistically, each receive as much as $100,000 in scholarships and grants over four years. That cuts the total list price of an SMUCPM education by almost one-third, placing us in the top tier of the most affordable colleges of podiatric medicine! The beauty and vitality of the San Francisco Bay Area becomes very affordable at CPM when you include strong support from scholarships and grants. You’ll find that we have a very competitive total price for a top-tier education.
Fall 2024 Renewable Scholarships. These are renewable if you maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.3 or higher.
- Regents: $20,000
- Presidents: $15,000
- Dean's: $7,500
Fall 2024 Grants. These are one-time, non-renewable.
- Dr. Russell Lewis, DPM: $5,000
- Special Interest: $5,000
Attendance at the Summer Enrichment Program: $5,000
Endowed Scholarships Supporting CPM Students
SMU College of Podiatric Medicine students receive scholarship support from the following endowed scholarships, totaling over $500,000, thanks to the enduring support of generous alumni and friends. *
Alameda Contra Costa Podiatric Medical Society Scholarship Fund #2
CPM Alumni and Associates Endowed Scholarship Fund
Bako Medical Education Foundation, Inc. Endowed Scholarship
Hanes Burkart ‘72 Podiatric Quasi-Endowed Scholarship
CAFFE Alameda Contra Costa Podiatric Medicine Society Scholarship #1
CAFFE Robert M. Barnes, DPM Memorial Podiatric Medicine Scholarship
CAFFE Heather Barton Memorial Podiatric Medicine Scholarship
CAFFE Dr. Mel Barton Podiatric Medicine Scholarship
CAFFE Blaine Labs, Inc. Podiatric Medicine Scholarship
CAFFE Dr. Robert L. Brennan Memorial Podiatric Medicine Scholarship
CAFFE Dr. Theodore Clarke Podiatric Medicine Scholarship
CAFFE CCPM Class of 1963 Scholarship
CAFFE CCPM Class of 1972 Scholarship
CAFFE Codingline Podiatric Medicine Scholarship
CAFFE Dr. John E. Green Podiatric Medicine Scholarship
CAFFE Dr. Jon A. Hultman '70 and Dr. Franklin Kase '76 Podiatric Medicine Scholarship
CAFFE Dr. Earl G. Kaplan Memorial Podiatric Medicine Scholarship
CAFFE Dr. Burgess S. Kelly Podiatric Medicine Scholarship
CAFFE Los Angeles County Podiatric Medicine Society Scholarship
CAFFE Shirley Lanham Podiatric Medicine Scholarship
CAFFE Lawrence Family Podiatric Medicine Scholarship
CAFFE Dr. Benjamin Mullens Memorial Podiatric Medicine Scholarship
CAFFE Joseph Oloff Memorial Podiatric Medicine Scholarship
CAFFE Orange County Podiatric Medical Society/Santa Clara Valley Medical Society Scholarship
CAFFE Dr. John D. Pagliano '31 and John W. Pagliano '66 Memorial Podiatric Medicine Scholarship
CAFFE Dr. George H. Riess '44 Memorial Podiatric Medicine Scholarship
CAFFE Dr. Merton Root '52 Memorial Podiatric Medicine Scholarship
CAFFE Dr. Robert L. Rutherford '40 Memorial Podiatric Medicine Scholarship
CAFFE San Diego County Podiatric Medicine Society Scholarship
CAFFE Dr. John H. Weed '63 Memorial Podiatric Medicine Scholarship
CAFFE Dr. Ruth Alice Wood '27 Memorial Podiatric Medicine Scholarship
CAFFE Bennett G. Zier, MD Podiatric Medicine Scholarship
California Podiatric Medical Association (CPMA) Endowed Scholarship Fund
Theodore L. Deffinger, DPM Endowed Scholarship Fund
Dr. Wesley J. Endo '69 Endowed Podiatric Medicine Scholarship Fund
Dr. Daniel C. Fulmer '76 and Dr. Gail R. Johnson '90 Podiatric Medicine Endowed Scholarship Fund
Morris Haas, DPM Memorial Podiatric Medicine Endowed Scholarship Fund
Charles H. Johnson '38 Podiatric Medicine Scholarship Fund
Dr. William and Phyllis Lowe Endowed Scholarship Fund
Jack L. Morris, DPM Memorial Podiatric Medicine Scholarship
Dr. and Mrs. Anthony Poggio ’84 Podiatric Medicine Endowed Scholarship
Dr. Thomas E. Sgarlato ’63 Podiatric Medicine Endowed Scholarship
Dr. Michael Starkweather, DPM and Danielle Starkweather, RN Endowed Scholarship Fund
Dr. and Mrs. James W. Stavosky ’83 Podiatric Medicine Endowed Scholarship
Ronald Valmassy, DPM Memorial Scholarship Fund
Dr. Shahan R. Vartivarian '09 Podiatric Medicine Endowed Scholarship
Irma P. Walker-Adame' Podiatric Medicine Endowed Scholarship Fund
Dr. Milton Wolfson Endowment Fund
Dr. William and Doreen Wong Podiatric Medicine Endowed Scholarship
Dr. Stephen J. F. Zuber '69 Endowed Podiatric Medicine Scholarship Fund
*Note, CAFFE scholarships were first established at the California Foundation for Excellence in Podiatric Medicine (CAFFE) and later came to SMU after the merger of the California College of Podiatric Medicine with Samuel Merritt University.
In addition, CPM acknowledges the generous donors who have created named, current-use scholarships to support students in 2023:
Pedram Aslmand, DPM ’00
Jeffrey Chou, DPM ‘90
Katrina Di Pasqua, DPM ’90
Samuel Merritt University has received $10 million from the estate of Russell Odell Lewis, DPM ‘65 – the largest single donation in the school’s 113-year history. His transformative estate gift dramatically expands our scholarship resources, broadening educational access for students with financial needs and furthering SMU’s mission to diversify healthcare. The fund was first established in 2007 after the death of Dr. Lewis’ wife, to provide annual scholarships to nursing and to podiatric medical students.
WICHE – Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. WICHE grants are available for students from specific western states. More information is available at the WICHE website, www.wiche.edu. Please direct your attention to the PSEP program. As candidates/students can come from any of the participating states, state guidelines may differ.
Financial Aid
The first step in applying for financial aid at SMU is to submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Your financial aid package at Samuel Merritt University is personalized for you. We develop your financial aid package using guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Education and the estimated costs of the College of Podiatric Medicine.
In addition to the cost of tuition, books and fees, financial aid can also cover other indirect educational costs, including the following:
- Books and supplies
- Room and board
- Transportation
- Personal expenses
- Other fees as determined by the College of Podiatric Medicine
Managing your Cost of Living
Once you receive your financial aid package, check the amount of the award against your actual living expenses and we can make necessary adjustments to meet your needs. By incorporating cost effective practices such as shared housing, transit discounts, and more, the average cost of living in the Bay Area for our students is calculated to be about $27,000/year.
Detailed information about financial aid, budgeting, total cost and application processes are available on the SMU webpage.
https://www.samuelmerritt.edu/admissions/affording-smu/financial-aid-and-scholarships
We realize that the financial aid process can be difficult and overwhelming. We are here to help. Financial Aid staff can assist with budgeting, understanding your awards and understanding the process.
finaid@samuelmerritt.edu or 510-879-9200