Current Students Applying for Financial Aid 2012–2013

You must reapply for loans each year; therefore, complete steps one through four as described below. Scholarships for merit aid recipients will be renewed as long as you have maintained a 2.0 GPA, and are enrolled full-time at the Law School. Grants for need-based aid recipients will also be renewed, although some rising 3Ls will be required to submit summer employment information to our office. We will contact you if this information becomes necessary.

The recommended deadline for submitting your FAFSA is Friday, May 18, 2012. The recommended submission date for your Grad PLUS or private loan application is after you have received your award notice, but before July 15, 2012. Late applicants run the risk of incurring late payment fees for past due tuition, and for those of you who borrow financial aid to cover living expenses, your refund check might not be received by the first day of classes.

1. Complete and submit a 2012-2013 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
To apply for Stafford loans complete the FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Your and your spouse's information must be recorded on the FAFSA.

Request that a copy of the FAFSA report be released to the University of Michigan Law School, code # E00506. (Note that the rest of the University of Michigan uses a different number.) Be sure to retain a copy of the completed form for your records.

2. Complete Entrance Counseling for federal loans.
Before receiving a federal loan, you must complete entrance counseling. If you completed entrance counseling in the past, for a federal loan that you received while attending the University of Michigan Law School, you can skip this step. If not, please complete entrance counseling on the StudentLoans.gov website.

3. Complete the Stafford Loan Master Promissory Note.
Before receiving a Stafford loan, you must complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN). If you completed this step in the past for a Stafford loan that you received while attending the University of Michigan Law School, you can skip this step. If not, please complete the MPN on the StudentLoans.gov website.

4. Apply for a Grad PLUS/Private Loan.
If you need to borrow a Grad PLUS or private loan, a separate application is required. A comparison of different types of loans is available on our loan comparison chart/FAQ [PDF]. We recommend that you wait to apply until after you have received your award notice, but before July 15, 2012. If you borrow a Grad PLUS loan, please be sure to complete the school's Grad PLUS loan application, not the one on the StudentLoans.gov website.


All information is strictly confidential. Please address inquiries to:

The University of Michigan Law School
Financial Aid Office
701 South State Street
South Hall, Suite 2200
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-3091
Telephone: 734.764.5289
Fax: 734.763.7761
E-mail: lawfinaid@umich.edu