A variety of loans is readily available to help finance a Notre Dame legal education. Eligibility criteria and the application process for these loans are outlined below.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Students wishing to apply for federal student aid at the Notre Dame Law School should complete the FAFSA. Priority processing and aid consideration is given to those students who apply for financial aid by February 1st deadline; however, we still encourage students to apply for financial aid if they miss the the priority deadline. When completing the FAFSA, you will need to list Notre Dame’s Federal School Code: 001840.

The FAFSA requires information from the most recent tax year; however, estimated numbers may be used if you have not yet completed a tax return. Prospective law students need not complete the parental section of the FAFSA.

Federal Loans

The need based Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan Program is referred to as subsidized because of the interest subsidy that is paid by the federal government to the lender while the student is enrolled in school as well as during the six-month grace period following enrollment.

The non-need based Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan Program is referred to as unsubsidized because the in-school interest is not paid by the federal government to the lender while the student is enrolled in school. Interest on Unsubsidized Stafford Loans begins to accrue after disbursement of the loan funds, however, the student may choose to have the payment of the interest deferred during enrollment and later capitalized (added to principal) at the time repayment begins.

Additional terms of the Subsidized and Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan, subject to Federal regulation, may be found here.

The Graduate/Professional Federal PLUS Loan provides a borrowing option for graduate/professional students. Based upon the borrower’s creditworthiness, a student may borrow from this federally guaranteed, non need-based loan program. Additional terms, subject to revision by federal law, may be found here.

Private Loans
The University of Notre Dame, in cooperation with Citibank and its Student Loan Corporation (SLC), offers a very competitively priced non need-based student loan program to assist students with the financing of their education. The Notre Dame Loan is a sensible choice for law students who require loan assistance beyond fellowships and federal aid programs. Benefits of this loan program may be found here.

Law students who expect to rely on a private loan are strongly encouraged to obtain a copy of their credit report at the earliest possible date. By doing so, a student may identify and correct any inaccuracies or potential problems that he or she may have in qualifying for a private loan. Credit reports may be obtained from any of the following credit bureaus for a small fee:

• Experian: (800) 682-7654
• Trans Union: (800) 916-8800
• Equifax: (800) 685-1111
  

Financial Planning
The issue of loan indebtedness is extremely important since the repayment of student loans can significantly impact the career options that a student or graduate may consider. While the starting salary of Notre Dame law graduates is, on average, some $30,000 above the starting salary of law graduates nationally, all students who expect to rely on debt to finance law school are encouraged to consider the consequences of borrowing by projecting the percentage of expected income that will be devoted to loan repayment.

Prospective borrowers who expect to rely on loans may find this website (click here) or this website helpful when planning their finances for law school.

Loan Repayment Assistance Program
In 2001, the Law School announced its Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) to assist eligible graduates who work in low-paying public interest, public service or other similar positions after graduation with their law school loans. Up to $100,000 will be awarded annually to qualifying graduates. Click here for details.