After March 1, our office will begin sending out a package of detailed information and instructions regarding financial aid to admitted applicants. Do not wait to hear from the admission office before completing the required Free Application for Federal Financial Aid Form described below; complete the form as soon as possible after applying for admission. Applying for financial aid will neither help nor hinder your chances for admission. Decisions concerning admission are made independently of whether a candidate has applied for financial aid.
Financial need is determined on the basis of University and Federal Department of Education (where appropriate) guidelines, using information provided by each applicant through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This is the required federal need analysis form. The overwhelming portion of need-based aid is in the form of loans. All applicants for need-based financial aid are expected to borrow first through the Federal Direct Loan program. The Law School then seeks to meet remaining financial need through some combination of Federal Direct Loans, Federal Work-Study funding, and/or scholarship and/or grant, where possible. Please note that Federal Pell Grants are not available to law students.
Students and families should recognize that loans will be a significant part of every student's financial aid package. Many students are reluctant to undertake what at first appear to be overwhelming loan burdens. It is important to understand that federal loans can be consolidated, and more reasonable repayment arrangements can be made. Incurring debt is a serious matter and the consequences should be considered before entering law school. Students are encouraged to talk with the Law School administration and faculty about the value of a Loyola legal education and likely income after graduation, and with the staff of the Law Financial Assistance Office about the variety of repayment options. Students are also urged to gather together as many family resources as possible and to live as frugally as possible during law school in order to minimize the amount they must borrow.
POLICY ON SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS FOR FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY FOR JD STUDENTS (Adopted 2 November 1998; Updated 17 July 2012)
Introduction
Federal regulations require that all students receiving Federal Title IV funds must maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP). This policy applies to all students receiving Title IV financial.
General Standards for All Students
The academic requirements for the JD degree include the satisfactory completion of the JD curriculum, as published in the Loyola University Chicago School of Law catalog in effect at the time of your admission to the JD program. A student is presumed to be making satisfactory academic progress at the time of admission.
The progress of each student working toward the JD degree is monitored by the School of Law Registrar and at least once each academic year is reviewed by the Registrar and Associate Dean of Student Affairs of the School of Law (or his/her delegate) to ensure satisfactory completion of all academic requirements.
Grade Requirements (qualitative measure)
In order to maintain SAP, remain in good standing and be eligible to continue in the program, a student must: (a) have attained an average of at least 1.75 at the end of the first semester of the first year; (b) after the completion of every semester thereafter, maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0; and (c) not receive a grade of "F" or "WF" in more than three courses during residence in the School of Law.
A student who does not satisfactorily complete all course requirements may be permitted to remediate in accord with school academic policies. In this case, a student assigned a schedule that deviates from the norm and who earns a satisfactory assessment for those courses will be deemed to be making satisfactory academic progress.
Scholarship and Grant Guidelines
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) should be completed by March 1st for all incoming first year applicants and by April 1st for all enrolled upper-class law students. Failure to meet these deadlines will result in the forfeiture of university grant funding.
All University scholarships and grants are awarded based on the student's status as a full-time or part-time student. Full-time student awards are limited to the first six semesters immediately following matriculation and part-time student awards are limited to the first eight semesters immediately following matriculation. All students will receive their scholarship and grant funds on a schedule that is one-half the total yearly amount in the fall semester and one half the total yearly amounts in the spring semester. This awarding schedule will not be adjusted, unless at the discretion of the Office of Financial Assistance, to accommodate highly unusual circumstances. Any students that deviate from the standard fall/spring course load will lose the benefit of their scholarship or grant with regard to the semester in which the deviation occurs.
The cumulative total of any scholarships and/or grants awarded to a student cannot exceed the cost of tuition and fees for the Fall and Spring Semesters. Any student receiving scholarship and/or grant funds exceeding the combined cost of tuition and fees for the fall and spring semesters will forfeit the excess amount in loan eligibility.
Grant renewal is contingent on completion of the FAFSA before March 1 of the year which the student is seeking financial aid.
Completion of Requirements (quantitative measure) Normal Progress
A full-time student is expected to complete six semesters of course work and graduate in three consecutive academic years. For normal academic progress, the full-time law student is expected to complete satisfactorily:
- After two semesters, 30 semester hours
- After four semesters, 53 semester hours
- After six semesters, 86 hours
The part-time law student is expected to complete eight semesters and graduate in four consecutive academic years. For normal academic progress, the part-time student is expected to complete satisfactorily:
- After two semesters, 20 semester hours
- After four semesters, 36 semester hours
- After six semesters, 51 semester hours
- After eight semesters, 86 semester hours
The hours cited above are the current curricular requirements and are subject to revision and change.
To be eligible for financial aid, a student must complete, with a passing final grade, at least 66% of the semester hours for which the student has registered for each academic year. The minimum number of cumulative hours that must be earned after each academic year is specified in the chart below:
| Full-time Students |
Part-time Students |
| 1st Year : 20 semester hours |
1st Year: 13 semester hours |
| 2nd Year: 35 semester hours |
2nd Year: 24 semester hours |
| 3rd Year: 57 semester hours |
3rd Year: 34 semester hours |
| 4th Year: 86 semester hours |
4th Year: 57 semester hours |
| |
5th Year: 86 semester hours |
Extended Time
A student, due to academic or personal difficulty, may require additional time beyond three academic years for full-time division students, or four academic years for part-time division students. Such students normally will be enrolled no more than four academic years for full-time division students, nor more than five years for part-time division students [excluding time spent on approved leaves of absence.
In case of an approved Leave of Absence, the Associate Dean for Students Affairs may establish a schedule for that student which departs from the norm. Usually, this leave will not exceed one academic year.
Transfer Students
Students who are accepted for transfer with advanced standing into the JD program will be evaluated with respect to levels of academic progress attained and a determination will be made as to remaining years of financial aid eligibility. The determination will be coordinated among the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and the Assistant Dean of Admissions & Financial Aid.
Dual Degree Students (Combined JD and MBA, MA, or MSW)
Students enrolled in the dual degree programs normally are expected to complete the JD portion of the program in three or four academic years (for the full-time and part-time divisions, respectively), excluding the time spent on an approved Leave of Absence from the School of Law to pursue the other graduate degree and any other approved leave of absence. While enrolled in the other graduate degree program, the student will be governed by the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy of the Loyola University Chicago, Office of Student Financial Assistance.
Financial Aid Probation and Suspension
A student who does not meet one or more of the standards of SAP outlined in this document shall be placed on financial aid probation. The student, while on probation may receive financial aid for one additional semester. At the conclusion of this period, the student must have achieved compliance with the standard to avoid suspension from financial aid eligibility.
A student who fails to meet SAP standards and whose financial aid eligibility is suspended shall be reinstated for financial aid eligibility upon meeting SAP requirements.
The Office of Financial Assistance must notify a student of his/her probationary status and suspension.
Appeal of Probation
A student may appeal the decision to suspend his/her financial aid eligibility. The student must submit to the Office of Financial Assistance a written statement outlining the facts and circumstances that warrant reinstatement of financial aid. The Office of Financial Assistance may request the Associate Dean for Student Affairs to provide information relevant to the student's academic progress and status to be considered with the student's statement. The Office of Financial Aid will bring the petition and supporting financial and academic information to the Student Financial Aid Committee for review. The Student Financial Aid Committee will make the final decision as to whether the circumstances detailed in the petition and supporting information warrant waiver of the usual financial eligibility policy and justify reinstatement. There are no further appeals once a decision has been made by the Student Financial Aid Committee.
In certain rare circumstances, the school may waive the requirement to meet SAP to maintain financial aid eligibility due to extreme hardship (family death, illness or injury of student, or other special circumstances).
Administrative Accountability
The Assistant Dean of Admission & Financial Aid shall have the primary responsibility for dissemination of this policy to students at the time of enrollment, and for enforcement and/or compliance with its content.
