Financial Aid FAQs for Entering Students

How will I know if I received a scholarship and/or if I'm eligible for student loans? 

  • Financial aid awards (scholarships and student loans) are posted in the Student Information System (SIS). You will receive an email notification from the Law School Financial Aid Office to let you know when an award has been posted to your account.  
  • Before logging-in to SIS, admitted students will first need to set up their access. 
  • To access your award information, first navigate to the "Financials" menu and then "View Financial Aid".
    • If you see loans listed as part of your financial aid package but do not see a scholarship, it means you were not awarded a scholarship. 
    • If you see a scholarship listed as part of your financial aid package but do not see loans, it is typically because we have not yet received your FAFSA information or there are additional requirements you need to complete before we can determine your eligibility.  Once we receive this information, we will update your aid package to reflect your loan eligibility. If you completed your FAFSA more than one week ago and were not offered student loans, please let us know. 

How do I apply for federal student loans?

  • The first step is to complete the 2024-2025 FAFSA. 
    • You will use your 2022 tax information on the 2024-2025 FAFSA; not your 2023 tax information. 
    • Once your FAFSA has been processed, it typically takes two to three days before we receive it. At that point we are able to determine your eligibility for federal student loans. We will notify you via email once your award letter is available to view in SIS and will provide you with instructions for how to accept them. 

Do I need to complete the CSS Profile?

  • The CSS Profile is not required for you to be awarded federal student loans or merit-based institutional scholarships. 
  • All admitted applicants are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships, and no separate application is required.
  • Admitted applicants who would like the Scholarship Committee to also consider their financial need must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the CSS Profile by the priority deadline of February 9, 2024. 
  • Parental financial information is required on the CSS Profile for unmarried students who are 28 or younger at the time the application is submitted. Even if your parent(s) will not be contributing financially to your law school education, parental financial information is required. 

If I was awarded student loans, what should I do next?

If I requested financial aid in excess of tuition and fees (to cover living expenses) how will I get the refund?

  • Sign up for direct deposit. Navigate to the "Financials" section in SIS and click on the link to "Finance Center".  From there you will see a link to "Sign Up for Direct Deposit."

Where can I get more information about using my military benefits?