The Law School Office of Financial Aid oversees financial aid processing for all Law students and manages Law School-funded programs for alumni in public interest careers. Our staff is here to assist with any financial aid topic both now while you're pursuing your degree as well as after graduation as you begin your legal career.

The Financial Aid Office determines financial aid eligibility and aid packages, sets the cost of attendance, processes financial aid awards and loans, manages entrance and exit loan counseling for federal loans, and certifies private/alternative loan requests. We also provide assistance to students and alumni who choose to work in public interest or government roles with our student Summer Public Interest Funding Program and the alumni Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP). Finally, we can assist with loan repayment questions and provide guidance on resources that are available to help manage the loan repayment process.

The University of Chicago Bursar’s Office is a related office outside of the Law School that can provide guidance on billing and payment topics, including tuition and fees, billing policies and dates, direct deposit of refunds, electronic billing and payment processing, and tax information.

Updated FAFSA

A new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and financial need calculation has been launched by the Department of Education for the 2024-2025 academic year. While the new financial need calculation does not impact the federal student loan options for which graduate/professional students are eligible, the new FAFSA will streamline the application process and will include new methods for obtaining spousal information (as applicable). Complete the 2024-2025 FAFSA at studentaid.gov.

• IMPORTANT NOTE (UPDATED MARCH 22, 2024): The Department of Education has begun processing submitted 2024-2025 FAFSAs, though it may take a few more weeks for all submitted FAFSAs to be processed and sent to schools. Once your FAFSA has been processed, you will receive a FAFSA Submission Summary from the Department of Education. Once the University has your FAFSA on file, it will be noted as Received on your To Do Items list in my.UChicago.

Student Loan Repayment

The Department of Education began student loan repayment in Fall 2023, with student loan interest accrual resuming on September 1, 2023 and payments becoming due starting in October 2023.

The Department of Education is updating studentaid.gov on a regular basis as the repayment restart approaches. We encourage you to review this information as well guidance from the AccessLex Institute on the repayment restart, which includes webinars they are offering on the repayment restart. Finally, AccessLex has a Returning to Repayment checklist that can help with next steps.

The Department of Education has introduced the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan, which is the newest income-driven repayment plan. The SAVE Plan replaced the Revised Pay As You Earn (REPAYE) Plan. Borrowers on the REPAYE Plan automatically get the benefits of the new SAVE Plan. Some SAVE benefits have been early implemented to begin in 2023, with the remaining benefits becoming available in July 2024. More information about SAVE is available at studentaid.gov. 

• 09/06/2023 - Autumn quarter bill available from the Bursar on my.UChicago
• 09/19/2023 - First disbursement date for Autumn Quarter student loans and scholarships
• 09/22/2023 - Stipend funding paydate for Autumn quarter
• 09/26/2023 - First day of Autumn Quarter classes
• 09/27/2023 - Autumn Quarter bill payment due date

• 11/01/2023 - LRAP Application for 2024 calendar year expected to be made available
• 11/23/2023 - 11/24/2023 - Financial Aid closed for Thanksgiving break

• December 2023 (date TBD) - FAFSA available on studentaid.gov for the 2024-2025 academic year
• 12/01/2023 - Priority application deadline for the LRAP application for 2024 calendar year
• 12/06/2023 - Winter quarter bill available from the Bursar on my.UChicago
• 12/25/2023 - 1/1/2024 - Financial Aid closed for Winter break
• 12/26/2023 - First disbursement date for Winter Quarter student loans and scholarships
• 12/29/2023 - Winter Quarter bill payment due date
• 12/29/2023 - Stipend funding paydate for Winter quarter

• 01/02/2024 - First day of Winter Quarter classes

• 03/01/2024 - FAFSA and UChicago Need Application deadline for admitted students
• 03/01/2024 - Spring quarter bill available from the Bursar on my.UChicago
• 03/08/2024 - First disbursement date for Spring Quarter student loans and scholarships
• 03/10/2024 - 03/15/2024 - Spring break, Financial Aid remains open
• 03/15/2024 - Summer 2024 Public Interest Funding application expected to be made available
• 03/08/2024 - Stipend funding paydate for Spring quarter
• 03/18/2024 - First day of Spring Quarter classes
• 03/29/2024 - Spring Quarter bill payment due date
• 03/31/2024 - LRAP application deadline for 2024 calendar year

• 05/15/2024 - Priority deadline for 2024-2025 FAFSA submission for continuing students
• 05/15/2024 - Priority application deadline for Summer 2024 Public Interest Funding application
• 05/31/2024 - Priority deadline for 2024-2025 FAFSA submission for deposited students

• 06/01/2024 - Convocation

• 08/04/2024 - Final deadline for Summer 2024 Public Interest Funding application