Financial Aid at Michigan Law

• Law School Scholarships

  All first-year admitted students are automatically considered for a Dean’s Scholarship. Typically, files are reviewed within two weeks of admission beginning in mid to late January, and Dean’s Scholarships range from $10,000 up to full tuition.

  Incoming first-year students may also be considered for one of the following awards in lieu of, but not in addition to, a Dean’s Scholarship:

  • Teach for America Award
    
    Michigan Law is pleased to offer competitive scholarships to certain outstanding applicants who have completed the Teach for America program. The scholarship award will be $15,000 per year for all three years of law school.
    
    To remain eligible for the Teach for America Award from year to year, students need merely enroll at the Law School with a full-time course load and remain in good academic standing. Consideration will occur simultaneously with merit scholarship review.
     
  • City Year National Service Scholarship
    
    Michigan Law is pleased to offer a merit scholarship to admitted students who have completed the City Year program and have not already been awarded a merit scholarship.
    
    City Year National Service Scholars will be awarded $15,000 per year for all three years of law school. To remain eligible for the City Year National Service Scholarship from year to year, students need merely enroll at the Law School with a full-time course load and remain in good academic standing.
• Competing Aid Scholarships

  In cases where no merit scholarship has been offered to an incoming first-year student, the Financial Aid Office is occasionally able to take financial award offers from peer schools into account. Copies of award letters from other law schools for the same admission year should be emailed to the Financial Aid Office.

• Need-based Law School Grants

  Law School grants are offered by the Financial Aid Office to first-year students who show exceptional financial need.

  In assessing need, we take into account a variety of historical factors, such as Pell eligibility as an undergraduate, as well as current financial factors, such as income and assets. We do not require applicants to submit any parental financial records.

  To be considered for need-based aid, first-year admitted students must first complete the 2026-27 FAFSA, as well as a very short online questionnaire to determine whether additional forms need to be completed. Need-based aid eligibility is assessed beginning in January.

• External Scholarships

  You can find a list of external scholarship opportunities on our website under Supplemental Sources of Aid. In addition, many students have successfully secured scholarships through the AccessLex Law School Scholarship Databank.

• Direct Unsubsidized Loans

  Direct Unsubsidized loans are offered by the federal government through the Department of Education. The interest rate for new Direct Unsubsidized loans is determined annually, based on the 10-year Treasury bill plus 3.6 percent.
  
  The interest rate for loans with disbursement dates between July 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027 is 8.07 percent fixed for the life of the loan. Direct Unsubsidized loans are capped at $50,000 per year for incoming students regardless of financial need.

  Current students: Please refer to the federal update section (AY2026 Financial Aid Changes) further on this page.

• Private Loans

  Private loans are available to law students from a variety of lenders. The loans are often offered at variable and fixed interest rates (with no cap on the interest rate) that are determined by your credit history and that of your co-signer. Most private lenders strongly encourage a co-signer. 

  Students may request to borrow up to the cost of attendance minus all other aid received for the academic year.

• The Federal Work-Study Program

  The Federal Work-Study Program enables students to earn money through employment within the University. Law students often work in the Law Library or serve as research assistants to law professors. The federal government subsidizes 70 percent of all work-study wages. In addition, wages earned on campus while enrolled part-time or more are exempt from Social Security and Medicare (FICA) taxes.

• Michigan Law’s Income-based Debt Management program (LRAP) 

  The Income-Based Debt Management Program (LRAP) at the Law School provides flexibility to choose modest-paying public service jobs from any law-related area (excluding judicial clerkships and U-M funded fellowships) while still maintaining a reasonable lifestyle and remaining current on outstanding loan obligations.

  Graduates whose combination of income and debt make them eligible receive assistance in meeting their loan obligations. 

  Debt Management Program

   

• Appeals

  Special circumstances may arise that impact a student’s ability to pay for educational expenses. You may request a re-evaluation of your aid or an appeal of a financial aid policy or decision. Our ability to provide additional assistance will depend on your circumstances and the limitations of institutional and federal policies. Circumstances that can be considered include excessive out of pocket medical or emergency expenses, loss or reduction in employment income, or educational expenses not included in the standard Cost of Attendance. Appeals can be submitted to the Financial Aid Office, after which additional documentation may be requested. Appeal decisions will be issued via a student’s official University of Michigan email account

• Student Loan Changes Beginning Fall 2026

  If you enrolled prior to July 1, 2026, will remain enrolled in the same program without any leaves, and received a federal loan (unsubsidized or GradPLUS) in that program by the end of the Winter 2026 term, you can continue to access GradPLUS funds for up to three more years, until you graduate, or up to the published length of your program—whichever comes first.

  • Federal Student Aid has confirmed that students do not need to borrow the GradPLUS loan specifically to retain access to that loan program—borrowing an unsubsidized loan is enough to retain access to the legacy programs, including GradPLUS.

  If you start a new graduate program after July 1, 2026, or did not borrow federal loans for the program you will be enrolled in prior to July 1, 2026, you will not be able to borrow a Grad PLUS Loan, but you will still be able to apply for federal unsubsidized loans (see note about increased unsubsidized annual limits and new lifetime loan limit) via the FAFSA as well as private loans.

  • In some cases, an LOA will not terminate your access to GradPLUS loans, but you will need to meet with the Financial Aid Office to determine how an LOA will impact your loan eligibility.
  • If you begin a new dual/joint program in Fall of 2026 or beyond, the Department of Education will consider you to have changed programs, and you will lose legacy access to Grad PLUS loans.

  Beginning with the 26–27 year, federal loans will be reduced according to a student’s enrollment intensity, meaning that part-time students will not be eligible for the full annual limit. We are waiting for guidance from the Department of Education on how this will be calculated and implemented. This will apply to all part-time students, whether they are new borrowers or not.

• New Graduate Loan Limits

  Starting July 1, 2026, new borrowers, borrowers whose enrollment has exceeded the published length of their program, or those starting a new program, will have new borrowing limits. These limits will apply to students starting new dual degree programs or students returning from extended LOAs.

  Law School JD students are considered “professional students,” and students borrowing in their program for the first time after June 30, 2026 may borrow up to $50,000 per year, with an aggregate limit of $200,000 in federal unsubsidized loans. (This limit is specific to graduate/professional borrowing, and undergraduate borrowing is assessed separately).

  Students enrolled in graduate programs that are not designated as “professional,” including our LLM program, may borrow up to $20,500 per year, with an aggregate limit of $100,000. 

  There is also a new federal lifetime borrowing limit of $257,500 for new borrowers, which includes all undergraduate and graduate borrowing, including Grad PLUS loans.

  While the Department of Education released initial definitions of  “professional” and “graduate” programs, a recent court order has resulted in these program categories being unclear. While we know the JD program will be considered professional, it is important to note that dual degree students will likely be limited to the lower graduate borrowing limits (up to $20,500 per year in the Direct Unsubsidized loan) when the majority of their enrollment is in a program categorized as graduate, versus professional. We anticipate that to be the case for our most common dual programs, including Business, Social Work, Public Policy, Public Health, Philosophy, Information, and SEAS.

• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

  PSLF remains intact at this time. Borrowers working in qualifying public service jobs are still being approved, and will still be able to pursue loan forgiveness under the same terms.

  Executive Order 14235 seeks to redefine qualifying employers, and a process through which the Secretary of Education could remove eligibility from certain employers. While rules were created by the Department of Education with an anticipated July 1, 2026 implementation, they were struck down by a federal judge. The department may still appeal this decision, and we will continue to monitor the situation closely.

  While no changes have been made to PSLF at this time, students understandably continue to express concerns about the program’s viability— Here are some things to keep in mind:

  • The rules that came out from the EO have already been struck down by a federal judge.
  • Although there may be disagreements on how the program is implemented, it does have bipartisan support in Congress.
  • In the unlikely event that PSLF went away, or the EO went into effect, immediate billing obligations would be doubtful because:
    • Michigan Law will still have LRAP.
    • There will still be income-based repayment plans, which have their own forgiveness terms that do not rely on PSLF or public service work.
    • Federal programs are commonly sunset with a legacy clause versus immediate termination.
• Changes to Repayment Options

  Existing income-driven repayment plans ICR, PAYE, SAVE will be replaced by a new Repayment Assistance Program (RAP). 

  Key points

  • Borrowers who take new loans or consolidate after June 30, 2026, can choose the new Repayment Assistance Plan or the new Standard Repayment Plan.
  • Borrowers with no new loans made after June 30, 2026, will be eligible to remain on the current standard plan, IBR, and Graduated or Extended repayments plans, and they could opt into the new RAP plan.
  • Borrowers currently enrolled in the income driven repayment plans that are being phased out—ICR, PAYE, and SAVE—will need to transition to a new repayment plan. Those still enrolled in SAVE will be contacted by their loan servicer with a specific deadline to transition to a new repayment plan. If they do not act by the given deadline they will be moved to a standard repayment plan.
• Initiatives to Support Students

  Several efforts are being made at the school, University, and national level, including, but not limited to:

  • GradPLUS usage since its inception at the Law School is being researched to evaluate the impact to the change in available federal loans.
  • Private Loan borrowing, and reports of denials, are being monitored closely.
  • Initial changes have been made to Michigan LRAP for students who enter Michigan Law in the Fall of 2026 and beyond. We hope to expand the program in the future, but will be watching borrowing trends and available resources closely. We will continue to provide the most recent updates available.
  • A private lender list with educational tools has been implemented.

2026-2027 Financial Aid Changes Frequently Asked Questions

• Will I still be able to get student loans to finance my education?

  Yes. 

  Those who are already borrowing in their current program, will continue to have access to the same loan programs (see caveats above). New borrowers will still have access to unsubsidized loans, and new JD borrowers will have increased access to unsubsidized loans (the JD amount is increasing to $50,000 from $20,500). Students who need to borrow more in addition to their unsubsidized loans to cover their Cost of Attendance can borrow private loans. 

• How do private loans work?

  Please see our Student Loans page. You may also visit our new FastChoice site, which features a searchable lender list, private loan education, repayment calculator, and a comparison tool. 

• How can I prepare while we wait for more information?

  Current students should meet with the Law School Office of Financial Aid to discuss their enrollment and borrowing plans. New students and new borrowers can be proactive in checking their credit health by going to AnnualCreditReport.com and requesting your free credit reports from Transunion, Experian and Equifax. 

  All students can visit AccessLex’s Student Aid Policy and Action Center for webinars and other helpful financial aid resources.

• What if I already rely on Graduate PLUS Loans to cover my costs?

  If you are currently using Graduate PLUS Loans, there is a legacy provision. You will be able to continue borrowing Grad PLUS for up to 3 years, so long as your enrollment has not exceeded your published program length, you have not started a new program (such as a dual degree), and have not taken any breaks in enrollment.The Grad PLUS program officially sunsets on June 30, 2029 (see caveats and details).

• Did I have to borrow GradPLUS in the 2025-26 year to have access to it in the future?

  No, but you would need to have at least borrowed an unsubsidized loan in your current program. 

  See Full Details

• Will students who are not considered new borrowers be able to opt into the new Direct Unsubsidized Loan limit?

  No.

• Will the new RAP repayment plan be eligible for Michigan LRAP?

  Yes. We are currently working through scenarios, and expect to have details on how RAP will interact with LRAP for current students in the coming months. Payment scenarios for the new LRAP cannot be established until we have all of the administrative details determined for that program. We hope to have those example payments by summer 2027.

• What is the “published length” of the JD program?

  The JD program is 3 years, or 6 terms, in length. Legacy students will lose access to the Grad PLUS loan and current loan limits, once their enrollment exceeds 6 terms. It is important to note that all terms of enrollment will count toward this timeframe, including withdrawals, incompletes, failing grades, and any combination thereof. 

• What happens if I enroll less than full-time?

  Starting Fall 2026, in order to receive the full annual amount of your loans (including Grad PLUS), you will need to be enrolled in at least 20 credits between the Fall and Winter terms, and no less than 5 credits in a given term. Enrolling in less than 20 total credits between the Fall and Winter term will result in a reduction to your available loans, and you may be required to return any excess loans you received. As in the past, enrolling in less than 5 credits (less than half time) will make you ineligible for federal loans. 

• Is information about the new repayment plans available?

  Yes. The studentaid.gov repayment calculator has now been updated to include the new repayment plans, and more information is available here.

• Is there anywhere else I can find information about what is happening?

  Yes. 

  The Department of Education has begun working on an FAQ page, and AccessLex has created a Student Aid Policy and Action Center that has a breadth of resources.