To qualify for any form of federal student aid, students must:

• Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year by the FAFSA deadline
  • Use school code 001417
  • UConn Law’s priority deadline is February 15th (This impacts Federal Work-Study eligibility. Later applications for Federal Direct Loans are possible.)
  • Do not include parent information. Law students are considered independent.
• Meet federal aid eligibility requirements including
  • Be U.S. citizen, Permanent Resident, or have other eligible non-citizen status
  • Not be in overpayment or default status for federal aid
  • Enrollment in federal aid-eligible program (JD, LLM)
• Complete any additional required application processes including verification, confirmation of identity and citizenship status, or enrollment history documentation. Students should not submit additional information unless directed by the Financial Aid Office. Communications will be sent to University email accounts.
• Meet the School of Law’s Satisfactory Academic Progress standards
• Engage in coursework/research/ internships over the course of each financial aid payment period per federal regulations

Note that federal aid cannot exceed cost of attendance. Learn about other limits and conditions below.

The following guidelines outline the impact on students borrowing Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans and Graduate PLUS Loans. Information on this page reflects federal student aid guidance as of June 2026. Federal regulations and guidance are changing rapidly and may be updated. UConn School of Law will continue to monitor developments and revise this page as needed. Students with questions should contact the Student Finance Office to discuss individual cases.

JD Federal Loan Guidance

LLM Federal Loan Guidance

The guides explain the key details for:

• Legacy Borrowers: Continuing students who have previously borrowed federal loans for their current program of study
• New Borrowers: Incoming students and those who have not yet borrowed federal loans for their current program of study
• Loan Reduction: How loan amounts may be adjusted for students enrolled less than full-time
• Grad PLUS Loan Limitations: Eligibility requirements, key restrictions, and circumstances that may result in loss of legacy status.

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan

• Available to eligible students without a credit check.
• Generally, offers lower fees and interest rates than Grad PLUS and Private loans.
• Subject to annual and aggregate federal borrowing limits.

Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan

• Available only to eligible legacy borrowers.
• Requires a separate application and credit review.
• May be borrowed up to the student's Cost of Attendance, less other financial aid received.

Federal Direct Loan funds are disbursed through UConn's Student Administration System and applied directly to student billing accounts.

Interest Rates for Direct Loans First Disbursed on or After July 1, 2026, and Before July 1, 2027

*All interest rates shown in the chart above are fixed rates. A fixed rate will not change for the life of the loan.

Borrowing Limits – Each loan program is subject to annual and aggregate borrowing limits established by federal regulations.

Interest Rates – Money you need to repay in addition to the “gross” or original amount you agreed to borrow. These are subject to change each fiscal year.

Origination Fees – These are fees automatically deducted from the loan by the Department of Education before the proceeds are credited to student accounts, thus reducing disbursements to a smaller “net” amount. These fees are subject to change each October.

• Acceptance of offered loan in the Student Administration System
• Completion of Entrance Counseling
  • Entrance Counseling reviews in detail the rights and responsibilities of borrowers
  • Select “University of Connecticut-All Campuses” when completing Entrance Counseling
• Completion of separate Master Promissory Notes (MPNs) for each loan type
  • MPNs are legal agreements in which borrowers promise to repay their loans
  • Select “University of Connecticut-All Campuses” when completing MPNs
• Enrollment in at least 6 credits each term/semester for which Federal Direct Loan is desired
• Have an accepted loan origination status.
• For Grad PLUS Loan – Legacy Students Only
  • Complete a Federal Direct Grad PLUS application, including credit check with “no adverse credit history” status
  • Select “University of Connecticut-All Campuses” when completing a Grad PLUS application
  • Students who do not pass the credit check can appeal or apply with a credit-worthy endorser. Both alternatives are through the StudentLoans.gov site.

• Loans must be repaid.
  • Students may opt to pay interest on their loans while they are in school, thus lowering their total cost of borrowing.
• In-School Deferments: Federal Direct Loans do not need to be repaid while students are enrolled at least half-time (6 credits).
  • Technically, Grad PLUS loans enter into repayment when they are disbursed, but Grad PLUS borrowers can contact their loan servicer to apply for deferment while they are enrolled at least half-time.
• Grace Period: Students graduating or dropping below 6 credits have a single six-month grace period before needing to begin loan payments.
  • Students who have already had a 6-month grace period may enter into immediate repayment.
  • Grad PLUS borrowers should contact their loan servicer directly about deferment.
• Exit Counseling Requirement: Students graduating or dropping below half-time (6-credit) enrollment are required to complete online Exit Counseling to review their responsibilities and options.
  • The criteria for federal loan forgiveness are also covered in Exit Counseling.
• Repayment Options: Federal borrowers may be eligible for several repayment plans, including Standard Repayment, Graduated repayment, Extended Repayment, and Income-Driven (IDR) repayment plans.
  • Eligibility and monthly payments for Income-Driven repayment plans is determined by application/recertification each year via StudentLoans.gov.
  • Some students choose to consolidate multiple federal loans into a Federal Direct Consolidation Loan.
  • Students having repayment difficulties are encouraged to contact their loan servicer as soon as possible to avoid adverse credit impact and default status. Deferment and forbearance options may be available.
  • Students seeking Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) should recertify employment eligibility annually via StudentLoans.gov.

There are pros and cons to each repayment option. Contact your federal loan servicer or the Student Finance Office for more information or visit https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment.

Federal Direct Loans are usually the best choice for students. Loans are funds that must be repaid, unless students meet conditions for loan forgiveness.

The following links are provided to assist with financial planning for both federal and private borrowing.

Federal Direct Loan Application & General Info

• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan Program Info
• Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan Info
  • The Grad PLUS Loan application is found on studentloans.gov
• StudentLoans.gov - Students borrowing Federal Direct Loans must complete the following:
  • Entrance Counseling
  • Master Promissory Note specific to each loan program (Unsub and PLUS)

Other Borrowing and Financial Literacy Resources

• Financing your Legal Education - By AccessLex, a non-profit offering free information and financial planning services to law students
• MAX by AccessLex online financial literacy programming – Free self-paced online courses and other materials developed for the specific needs of law students
• Various helpful calculators on FinAid.org
• Your Money Matters and CashCourse – UConn main campus’ financial literacy initiative with programming developed by the National Endowment for Financial Education

Resources for Loan Repayment / Forgiveness

• Studentloans.gov
  • Prior to graduation, use the Repayment Estimator to estimate loan payments within available repayment plans
  • Exit Counseling is required for all graduating students as well as students dropping to a less-than-half-time enrollment status. Review cumulative federal loan borrowing history, repayment options, and servicer information.
• National Student Loan Data System
  • Another source to review federal loan borrowing history (cumulative and detail) and servicer information.
• U.S. Department of Education/ Federal Student Aid
  • How to Repay Your Loans – Various repayment plans, how to make payments, consolidation processes, forgiveness and cancellation information, steps to take if you cannot afford your payments, etc.
  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness – Eligibility rules, forms, and application process
    • Public Service Loan Forgiveness Help tool – approx. 10 minute process
• The Institute for College Access & Success
  • Project on Student Debt Resources for Borrowers
• Equal Justice Works - a non-profit dedicated to promoting public service
  • EJW's Law Student Debt Resources page

For Private/Alternative Loans

UConn maintains a list of suggested private loans for Law students through ELMSelect. Note: Your private loan lender is your choice; UConn will certify a loan from any lender.

• From ELMSelect, select either “Law” or “Bar” to view loan products. Applications are made directly with individual lenders.

It is important to compare fees, interest rates, and repayment terms between private and federal loans.

• See the main campus’ Loans for Graduate Students page for more information.

Private loan application processes vary. Apply by June to ensure payment by the fall payment deadline.