FEDERAL LOAN OPTIONS
Federal Loans
Please review your rights and responsibilities in borrowing federal student loans in the U.S. Department of Education's Student Aid .
In order to receive Federal student aid, you must meet the following requirements:
- Be a United States citizen or eligible noncitizen
- Have a valid Social Security Number
- Have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) certificate, complete homeschooling, or pass an approved “ability to benefit” test
- Be enrolled in an eligible program as a regular student seeking a degree or certificate
- Be making satisfactory academic progress (see the Student Handbook for requirements)
- Be registered with Selective Service if required
- Not have had a drug conviction for an offense that occurred while you were receiving federal student aid
- Not be in default on a federal student loan and do not owe money on a federal student grant
- Demonstrate financial need (except for certain loans)
Eligibility Formulas
Eligibility for need-based financial aid (i.e. scholarships and Federal Work-Study) is determined by the first formula; non need-based aid (i.e. Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Federal Graduate PLUS Loans, private loans) by the second formula.
| Formula 1 | Formula 2 |
|---|---|
| Cost of Education Minus Student Contribution Equals Eligibility for Need-Based Aid |
Cost of Education |
Notice of Eligibility
Once all of the necessary forms have been received by the Office of Financial Aid and your information reviewed, we will notify you of your eligibility for funds by an award letter, listing the aid for which you are eligible. Aid is only processed for returning students and accepted incoming students. Financial aid information received from students who have not been admitted will be held until such time as they are admitted. Notification of any scholarships may come separately.
Federal Direct Loan Options
The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan is a federal loan borrowed directly from the U.S. Department of Education that you can use for your educational expenses.
For additional information on the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan for Graduate or Professional Students, please visit for:
*The ֱ University Charles Widger School of Law scheduled academic year usually consists of the fall and spring semesters but may also include the previous summer semester. The scheduled academic year is a total of at least 30 weeks in length. However, under certain circumstances, students may follow a borrower-based academic year consisting of two semesters that may not start with the traditional fall/spring term. The decision to run loans on this schedule is made on an individual basis depending on the first term of the program you are attending.
Please review the when borrowing the Federal Direct Stafford loan.
If you have applied for the full $20,500 in the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, then you can apply for the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan, which is a federal loan borrowed directly from the U.S. Department of Education that you can use for your educational expenses, including living expenses.
Awarded to: Students who pass a credit check who do not have negative credit history. If adverse credit exists, borrowers may still be eligible by obtaining a qualified coendorser.
Please review the when borrowing the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS loan.