The 1L Forgivable Loan application has closed for the 2025-26 school year.
Guaranteed summer funding is available to all first-year law students. A $6,500 interest-free forgivable loan is available to all 1Ls in the summer following their first year (except those who receive an SFF grant or other Michigan Law funding such as the Cambodia or AIRE Center grant).
The funding, disbursed as a loan, will be forgiven for any student whose earnings during both law school summers total less than $18,000. Students who earn $30,999 or more must fully repay the loan, while those earning between $18,000 and $30,999 will repay on a sliding scale (see below for examples). Student repayments ultimately will make the program self-sustaining. The deadline to request the loan for summer 2026 was June 6, 2026.
Application Process
The application will be posted to this page, once available in the spring each year. Beginning in late April, students who have requested the loan will receive a notification via an auto-generated email from Wolverine Access that you have financial aid forms to complete (this typically occurs one business day after your loan appears in your financial aid section of Wolverine Access). Please visit Wolverine Access to review your Truth in Lending Act disclosure documents in the Self-Service portal under Fin Aid Documents. These documents contain important information about your loan.
You will also need to complete the e-sign documents for Self-Certification and the promissory note, which are available in Self Service. If you are unable to complete the required forms electronically, please contact us, and we can provide a paper version.
Important Loan Information
The loan is $6,500. You may not request a different amount. The loan is interest-free until the forgiveness date or April 30 of the borrower’s 3L year. After April 30, interest accrual begins, and repayment is required starting November 1 after the borrower’s 3L year.
If the borrower ceases attendance for any reason, including, but not limited to, transfer to another law school, withdrawal, or leave of absence, the loan will be due immediately.
Forgiveness for those earning less than $18,000 will occur following collection of income information in the fall of the borrower’s 3L year. Loan forgiveness will decrease on a sliding scale by $1 for every $2 of gross income over $18,000. Examples of this repayment scale are shown below (please note, each borrower’s individual forgiveness amount will be calculated using their total gross income).
| 1L and 2L summer earnings | Repayment Amount |
|---|---|
| Less than $18,000 | $0 – loan is forgiven |
| $19,000 | $500 |
| $19,500 | $750 |
| $20,000 | $1,000 |
| $22,000 | $2,000 |
| $23,500 | $2,750 |
| $26,000 | $4,000 |
| $27,500 | $4,750 |
| $31,500 or more | $6,500 |
In September of the borrower’s 3L year, we will request information to determine whether the loan will be forgiven. Information may include, but not be limited to, tax returns, pay stubs, and certification from employers. Earnings will include wages, fellowships, stipends, and any other funding received for any employment during the time between the conclusion of the 1L and 2L academic years and the subsequent start of the following academic year. (Exception: 2L Guarantee funding should be reported on the application, but is not used in calculating total summer income.)
For purposes of calculating earnings, we will assume that the borrower spent at least ten weeks at any paid, law-related position, unless previously approved by the Law School Financial Aid Office in consultation with The Office of Career Planning.
Dual degree students will have their two highest paid summers counted toward their repayment obligation.
There is no prepayment penalty. Failure to repay will endanger the sustainability of this program. The loan will be disbursed in one lump sum, typically the week following Winter term final exams, but no sooner than three days following the borrower’s receipt of the Truth in Lending Act disclosures.
Borrowers must have a valid Social Security or Taxpayer Identification Number on file with the University of Michigan. If you do not have an SSN or TIN, please contact the Law School Financial Aid Office.