1L - Applying for Financial Aid 2008-2009

All information is strictly confidential. Please address inquiries to:

Financial Aid Office
The University of Michigan Law School
310 Hutchins Hall
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1215
734.764.5289
lawfinaid@umich.edu

There is not a financial aid deadline for entering 1Ls. To apply for all forms of aid, complete steps one through five as described below. To apply for Stafford and/or alternative loans only, complete just steps one and two. 

1. Complete and submit a 2008-2009 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  (2008-09 is correct even if you're a summer starter.)
We prefer that you complete the FAFSA form online to reduce errors and improve turn-around time. You can do this by going to www.fafsa.ed.gov. You may also receive a paper copy of the form by calling 800.433.3243, or by going to any university financial aid office. Your and your spouse's information must be recorded on the FAFSA.

Request that a copy of the FAFSA report (SAR or ISIR) be released to the University of Michigan Law School, code # E00506. (Note that the rest of the University of Michigan uses a different number.) You must include the Law School's code on the FAFSA form; without it we will not be able to access your information. Be sure to retain a copy of the completed form for your records.

Student Aid Reports (SAR) are randomly selected by the Department of Education for verification. If your SAR is selected for verification, that will be stated on the student copy you receive. You will need to complete a Verification worksheet [PDF] and submit it to the Law School Financial Aid Office.

2. Submit your and your spouse's 2007 federal income tax return.
Send a signed photocopy of your and your spouse's (or prospective spouse's if you will be married during the 2008-2009 academic year) complete 2007 tax return(s), including all schedules, to the Law School Financial Aid Office. If you filed your tax returns through "telefile," your confirmation number and signature must appear on the copy of the returns you send to us. Applicants and/or spouses who are not required to file a tax return for 2007 should type or print the following statement on an 8-1/2 x 11-inch sheet of paper:

AFFIDAVIT: I hereby declare that by federal law I am not required to file, nor did I file, a Federal Income Tax Return (Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040 EZ) for the 2007 tax year.

Add your signature, full name in print, Social Security number, and the date. Return the affidavit to the Law School Financial Aid Office.

3. Complete and submit a 2008-2009 Need Access analysis.
This tool assists in determining resources available to a student. The Need Access should be completed on the Web at www.needaccess.org. Completing the Need Access online is the fastest method. If it is impossible for you to do this, you can download the Need Access software from their Web site. Completed information should be submitted to the Access Group as soon after January 1, 2008, as possible.

• If you are married or plan to marry during the 2008-2009 academic year, you must also answer the spouse's questionnaire.
• Be sure to select the University of Michigan Law School as one of the schools to which your Need Access report will be sent and retain a printout of the completed Need Access form for your records.
• See the section entitled "Parental Information" to determine if your parents must complete the Need Access as well.

4. Submit the first page of your 2002-2006 federal income tax returns ONLY for the years that you claimed yourself and no one else claimed you as a dependent.
If you did not file a return, or if you are unable to provide a return indicating that you filed as an independent, submit the first page of your parents' federal income tax returns for those years to prove your independence.

5. Submit parents' federal income tax returns.
The section (entitled "Parental Information") explains when you will be required to submit information about your parents' financial situation as part of your financial aid application. You must send a signed photocopy of your parents' 2007 federal income tax returns including all schedules. If your parents are unable to provide their 2007 returns, we will instead accept a copy of their 2006 federal income tax returns. If your parents were not required to file tax returns, each should sign an affidavit, as described in step two.