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.

2025-2026 FAFSA Status

A redesigned Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and financial need calculation was launched by the Department of Education beginning with the 2024-2025 academic year. The 2025-2026 FAFSA is expected to be widely available by December 1, 2024. While the new financial need calculation does not impact the federal student loan options for which graduate/professional students are eligible, the redesigned FAFSA streamlines the application process and includes new methods for obtaining spousal information (as applicable). Complete the FAFSA at studentaid.gov.

Legal Challenges to the SAVE income-driven repayment plan

In July 2024, a federal appeals court issued a stay preventing the Department of Education (ED) from operating the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) repayment plan. The Department of Education placed borrowers on SAVE into an interest-free forbearance starting in August 2024 while the court cases are ongoing. In October 2024, ED announced that borrowers remaining on SAVE can expect to be in forbearance through at least March 2025. Months on this SAVE forbearance period will not count towards Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) forgiveness or PSLF. We have an FAQ available about the forbearance and the impact on LRAP. We also recommend following any updates from the Department of Education at studentaid.gov.

Student Loan Repayment

The Department of Education resumed student loan repayment in Fall 2023 after the COVID repayment pause. Student loan interest accrual resumed on September 1, 2023 and payments became due starting in October 2023. We encourage you to review studentaid.gov as well guidance from the AccessLex Institute on the repayment restart. AccessLex has a variety of webinars and a Returning to Repayment checklist that can help with next steps.

We have information available about the general financial aid timeline but for specific dates, review the 2024-2025 academic year financial aid calendar below. 

• 07/04/2024 - Financial Aid closed for the Fourth of July

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

• 09/02/2024 - Financial Aid closed for Labor Day
• 09/04/2024 - Autumn Quarter bill available from the Bursar on my.UChicago
• 09/20/2024 - First disbursement date for Autumn Quarter student loans and scholarships
• 09/20/2024 - Anticipated start of excess Autumn Quarter loan refund processing by the Bursar
• 09/20/2024 - Anticipated stipend funding paydate for Autumn Quarter
• 09/30/2024 - First day of Autumn Quarter classes

• October 2024 (date TBD) - FAFSA available on studentaid.gov for the upcoming academic year
• 10/04/2024 - Autumn Quarter bill payment due date

• 11/01/2024 - LRAP Application for upcoming calendar year expected to be made available
• 11/05/2024 - Election Day, Financial Aid remains open
• 11/28/2024 - 11/29/2024 - Financial Aid closed for Thanksgiving break

• 12/01/2024 - Priority LRAP application deadline for upcoming calendar year
• 12/04/2024 - Winter Quarter bill available from the Bursar on my.UChicago
• 12/23/2024 - First disbursement date for Winter Quarter student loans and scholarships
• 12/23/2024 - Anticipated start of excess Winter Quarter loan refund processing by the Bursar
• 12/25/2024 - 1/1/2025 - Financial Aid closed for Winter break
• 12/27/2024 - Anticipated stipend funding paydate for Winter Quarter

• 01/02/2025 - First day of Winter Quarter classes
• 01/10/2025 - Winter Quarter bill payment due date
• 01/20/2025 - Financial Aid closed for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

• 03/01/2025 - UChicago Law Need Application deadline for admitted JD students
• 03/12/2025 - Spring Quarter bill available from the Bursar on my.UChicago
• 03/14/2025 - First disbursement date for Spring Quarter student loans and scholarships
• 03/14/2025 - Anticipated start of excess Spring Quarter loan refund processing by the Bursar
• 03/15/2025 - Summer Public Interest Funding application expected to be made available
• 03/16/2025 - 03/23/2024 - Spring break, Financial Aid remains open
• 03/21/2025 - Anticipated stipend funding paydate for Spring Quarter
• 03/24/2025 - First day of Spring Quarter classes
• 03/31/2025 - LRAP application deadline for current calendar year

• 04/04/2025 - Spring Quarter bill payment due date

• 05/15/2025 - Priority application deadline for Summer Public Interest Funding application
• 05/26/2025 - Financial Aid closed for Memorial Day
• 05/31/2025 - Priority FAFSA submission deadline for deposited and continuing students

• 06/07/2025 - Convocation
• 06/13/2025 - Anticipated first Summer Public Interest stipend paydate
• 06/19/2025 - Financial Aid closed for Juneteenth

• 07/04/2025 - Financial Aid closed for the Fourth of July

• 08/03/2025 - Final application deadline for Summer Public Interest Funding