Apply for JD Financial Aid

In order to be considered for financial aid, a law student must enroll in a specific degree program at the university and also complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Office of Law Financial Aid
Kendrick Hall, 225
Phone: (415) 422-6210
lawfinaid@usfca.edu
Title IV Code: 001325

2024-25 FAFSA applications can be completed online at the FAFSA Homepage. Non-degree seeking students are not eligible for financial aid. New admits and continuing law students currently receiving financial aid must apply every year for financial aid by completing a FAFSA online.

The Title IV code for the USF School of Law is 001325 and must be listed on your FAFSA application. The priority deadline to submit your FAFSA application is February 1 for new admits and March 1 for continuing students. Law students may submit a FAFSA application after these dates, but priority consideration for all federal aid programs is given to law students who submit a FAFSA application by these respective deadlines. Continuing students interested in receiving Federal Work Study funds are required to submit a FAFSA by March 1 and must note on the FAFSA your interest in Federal Work Study funding. (please note that Federal Work Study funding is not available to new first year students). Additional Federal Work Study information can be found here.

Award Letter Notices

USF begins to send award notices to new law students in early April and to continuing law students in mid-April. Law students awarded the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan and the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan are required to "accept" this aid online via their myUSF student portal in order to receive this aid. New loan borrowers are also required to complete disbursement requirements associated with this aid. Accepting your financial aid award video tutorial and completing disbursement requirements can be found here.

Federal Graduate PLUS Direct Loan

Please note that the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan is a credit based loan that must be repaid by the borrower. PLUS loan amounts listed on your financial aid award notice are amounts you are eligible to apply for and “accepting” this aid does not constitute a credit approval. By “accepting” this aid online via your myUSF student portal, you give the USF Financial Aid Office authorization to submit the PLUS loan amount to the Department of Education (DOE) for a credit review. Graduate PLUS loan amounts are sent to DOE for credit review beginning in early June for continuing law students and late June for new admits. If your PLUS Loan amount is credit approved, your USF financial aid record will be updated within one week.

New PLUS Loan borrowers are also required to complete disbursement requirements associated with this aid. More information on PLUS disbursement requirements is available at Federal Student Aid Website.

If a student is offered a scholarship or grant from the Law School, the University Financial Aid Office will automatically list these awards as "offered" and "accepted" on your USF financial aid record. Additional information of other types of aid available to graduate students at USF can be found here.

Federal Unsubsidized Loan

The Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loan is a program that must be repaid if student chooses to accept this aid offer. Financial aid is typically disbursed one week before the start of formal classes. The disbursement date is not the date that students receive funds by check or in their bank account (if signed up for direct deposit). The disbursement date is the earliest date that funds can be sent to the university from lenders the on behalf of the students. Financial aid funds are actually received by the student 3 to 10 business days after the disbursement date, depending on the refund option the student selects.

Standard for Satisfactory Academic (SAP) Progress

The federal government requires each institution to monitor each student’s academic progress. To remain eligible for federal and state aid programs, students must meet all the following SAP requirements:

GPA: A cumulative GPA of 2.30 or higher is required. Students are ineligible to receive aid after two consecutive semesters under 2.30 GPA.

Pace: Law academic requires students must complete 75% of their attempted unit. An attempted unit is defined as any registered class that was not dropped before the tuition refund deadline. Completion rate for financial aid recipients requires law students to complete at least 67% of attempted credits of their degree program to remain eligible for financial aid.

Minimum Units: Federal guidelines stipulate that all students must complete a minimum of 6 units each semester for full time status and 3 units each semester for part time status to be eligible for aid. Please be aware that the Law School requires full time students to be enrolled in at least 12 units each semester and part time students to be enrolled in at least 8 units each semester.

Maximum Units: A law student must successfully complete 87 course units, and students at the Law School are only eligible for financial aid for 130 attempted units (150% of required units).