Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Bloomberg Philanthropies gifting $1 billion to medical school, others at John Hopkins University

Bloomberg Philanthropies is gifting $1 billion to make medical school free at Johns Hopkins University for a majority of students there

Michelle Chapman
Monday 08 July 2024 09:25 EDT
Johns Hopkins-Bloomberg Donation
Johns Hopkins-Bloomberg Donation (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Bloomberg Philanthropies is gifting $1 billion to make medical school free at Johns Hopkins University for a majority of students there.

Starting in the fall, the gift will cover full tuition for medical students from families earning less than $300,000. Living expenses and fees will be covered for students from families who earn up to $175,000.

Bloomberg Philanthropies said that currently almost two-thirds of all students seeking an M.D. from Johns Hopkins qualify for financial aid, and future doctors graduate from the university with an average total student loan debt of approximately $104,000.

The gift will bring the average student loan debt for the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine down to $60,279 by 2029 while students from the vast majority of American families will pay nothing at all, it added.

The gift will also increase financial aid for students at the university's schools of nursing, public health, and other graduate schools.

“By reducing the financial barriers to these essential fields, we can free more students to pursue careers they’re passionate about – and enable them to serve more of the families and communities who need them the most,” Michael Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and Bloomberg LP, said in a statement on Monday. Bloomberg received a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Johns Hopkins University in 1964.

Bloomberg Philanthropies previously gifted $1.8 billion to John Hopkins in 2018 to ensure that undergraduate students are accepted regardless of their family’s income.

In February Ruth Gottesman, a former professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the widow of a Wall Street investor, announced that she was donating $1 billion to the school. The gift means that four-year students immediately go tuition free, while everyone else will benefit in the fall.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in