Financial Aid
Law school can be very expensive depending upon where you wish
to go. You may qualify for loans, grants or scholarships.
The first step is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA) available at the Financial Aid Office or online. In order to complete a FAFSA, you need information from your
tax return. To submit a timely FAFSA, you need to file your federal
income tax return as early as possible. However, although FAFSA
is available in fall, it cannot be filed until January 1. When completing
your FAFSA, you will indicate the law schools where you are applying.
Once you have been accepted at a law school, your FAFSA will be
analyzed to determine your financial need, and what part of your
legal education you will be expected to pay, and the scholarships,
grants and loans for which you may qualify.
If you are applying for school-specific aid (i.e., institutional
aid) you need to contact the individual financial aid offices at
each school. Depending on the school, you may be required to submit
additional need analysis and documentation. Be sure to follow each
school’s specific guidelines and to look into financial aid matters
early. Financial aid is awarded on a first come first serve basis
so it pays to be early! In addition, some schools have very early
filing deadlines for financial aid.
Scholarships and grants do not generally need to be repaid, but
they are limited and the specific law schools usually determine
individual awards. Loans need to be repaid and it is in your best
interest to make sure you have a good credit rating at the time
you apply.
Credit record is a major factor for private loans; that is, you
must have a good credit history to be eligible for private loans.
Check your credit history in a timely fashion in case you need to
work out any glitches prior to formally initiating your loan applications.
Attempting to address irregularities in your credit history in the
midst of the application season could seriously jeopardize your
timing for applying to borrow private funds. Here is a list of credit
reporting agencies for your reference:
For more information on financing your legal education please check
the Law
School Admission Council website and consult with the financial
aid offices of the law schools to which you are applying.
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