Seton Hall is committed to offering an affordable legal education to aspiring law professionals. From law school scholarships and grants to student employment and work study programs, to loan repayment plans, we work with students and their families to successfully meet their educational goals without risking their financial future. All students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA after October 1 every year.
Financial Aid
[email protected] | 973-642-8502 or 973-761-9000 ext. 8502
Law school scholarships help you meet educational expenses at little to no cost upon the acceptance of admissions essays, eligible LSAT scores and strong undergraduate GPAs. Students with strong credentials and application materials may receive scholarships that cover their full law school tuition. If you're interested in applying to law school, act soon as scholarship decisions are made on a rolling basis.
Available scholarships:
In order to receive Federal Financial Aid, each student must meet the general eligibility requirements outlined below:
JD, MLS, and LLM students must be registered for at least 5 credits each semester (fall and spring) and 3 credits in the summer semester to be considered half-time and eligible for financial aid. Full-time or part-time eligibility for financial assistance is not the same as full-time or part-time status for purposes of ABA residence requirements (JD students.)
On-line MSJ students: If you are enrolled in 2 consecutive online courses in a semester, you will reach half-time status at the beginning of the second course. Please contact the Office of Enrollment Services if you have any questions.
Student loan deferral forms should be submitted to the Enrollment Services Office on the third floor for proper student status verification and processing.
Federal regulations (CFR 668.34) require Seton Hall Law to establish, publish, and apply standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for Federal Title IV financial aid eligibility. The purpose of measuring and enforcing these standards is to ensure financial aid recipients’ progress towards degree completion using both qualitative (minimum GPA) and quantitative methods (pace/maximum timeframe) in accordance with federal regulations.
Students must meet or exceed these requirements in order to remain eligible for federal financial aid (Federal Work-Study, Federal Direct Unsubsidized, Federal Direct Graduate PLUS loan). Specific institutional, state, or privately funded donor scholarships may require a higher GPA than listed in this policy for federal financial aid programs.
The standards of academic progress outlined in this policy are for the purpose of evaluating eligibility to continue receiving financial aid. They do not replace or modify academic standards required for continued enrollment at Seton Hall Law.
In accordance with federal regulations, all Seton Hall Law employees whose job responsibilities include student financial aid, are expected to maintain exemplary standards of professional conduct and must adhere to the Student Loan Code of Conduct.
Seton Hall Law is thankful to our veterans and servicemembers and is committed to helping you and your families succeed. The Office of Financial Aid/Enrollment Services certifies eligible veterans and their dependents for educational benefit payments.
Direct Unsubsidized Loans
The Direct Unsubsidized Loan is a federal loan borrowed directly from the U.S. Department of Education and administered by the school. The annual loan limit is $20,500 per academic year. Interest accrues on the Unsubsidized Direct Loan from the time the loan is disbursed until it is paid in full. Interest accumulated while in school or during other periods of nonpayment is capitalized (added to the principal amount of the loan), but a student has the option to make interest payments while in school.
After applying for the Direct Unsubsidized Loan, Law students may apply for a Direct
Graduate PLUS Loan to cover remaining educational costs up to the Cost of Attendance minus all other estimated financial assistance. Direct Graduate PLUS Loans are another
option in addition to private (alternative) loans. Direct Graduate PLUS loans are
credit based, meaning that a credit check is performed to determine eligibility for
the Direct PLUS Loan. Your credit score is not used in determining eligibility, however,
borrowers must demonstrate that they do not have an adverse credit history*.& If adverse
credit exits, the borrower may be approved for the loan by obtaining a credit worthy
endorser (co-borrower).
*Please contact the Office of Enrollment Services for information on the definition of adverse credit history.
About Private Student Loans
Private educational student loans may be borrowed as an alternative to the Federal Direct Graduate Plus Loan if you require additional funding to cover educational expenses (the Cost of Attendance) not covered by other sources of financial aid. Both are considered a part of your financial aid package. Private student loans often require a creditworthy co-signer. A credit-worthy co-signer may enable to you keep the loan fees and interest rates at their lowest. Co-signers must be a creditworthy U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident.
We encourage you to seriously evaluate the differences between federal and private student loans to ensure you are comparing the terms, interest rates, and repayment terms. Differences between federal and private student loans.
Interest Rates
Private student loans typically have variable interest rates, with the interest rate tied to an index, such as LIBOR or PRIME, plus a margin. Some private loans do offer a fixed interest rate. Interest rates vary by lender and can depend on the creditworthiness of the student and their co-signer.
Applying for a Private Loan
You may borrow up to the cost of attendance minus any other financial aid received. Before borrowing a private loan, we encourage you to create a budget and seriously consider the minimum amount you will need to meet your basic expenses while in law school. We encourage to check out various in-school budget calculators such as the one available at FinAid. You must reapply each year for a private loan. You may research lenders and apply for a private loan our Private Loan Lender comparison page. Additional information on the application process is available under Applying for Loans.
Bar Study Loans are available to graduating students to cover the cost of Bar Exam expenses, such
as Bar Review Courses, Bar application fees, and living expenses incurred while studying
for the Bar Exam. Bar Loans are private loans that require credit approval by independent
lenders and eligibility depends on criteria established by the lender.
Students and co-borrowers must also meet citizenship requirements as established by
the lender. Funds are sent directly to the student. Typically, you may apply for a
Bar Study Loan if you are enrolled at least half time in your final year of study
at an ABA-accredited law school, or have graduated from one within the last 12 months.
Please contact the Office of Enrollment Services for additional information.
We take seriously our responsibility to prepare you for a successful professional future. As such, we want to ensure you know about the resources available to you as you navigate your financial aid, loan decisions, and repayment options throughout your law school journey.
We partner with AccessLex Institute®, the largest nonprofit organization in the country focusing on access, affordability and the value of legal education, to bring you the following free resources:
You can also find additional resources through the federal government, including:
The interest rates and fees you pay on a private student loan are based on your credit score and the credit cosigner, if any. It is better to apply for a private student loan with a cosigner even if you could qualify for the loan on your own. Applying with a cosigner usually results in a better rate.
If you plan to utilize a private loan for living expenses to help finance your Seton Hall Law education, we recommend that you verify your credit report is accurate and in good standing. Credit reports frequently contain misinformation that can take time to correct. Obtaining a copy of your credit report early allows you to correct any adverse information prior to applying for a private loan. You should also periodically obtain a copy of your report while in school to ensure that your private loan eligibility in future years will not be affected because of adverse credit information.
You are entitled to receive one free credit report file every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies. You may obtain your free credit report from Annual Credit Report or by calling 1-877-322-8228. Regularly checking a credit report from the three nationwide credit bureaus is a great way to fight identity theft.
However, if you would like a copy of your credit score, you must purchase the credit score. A credit score is a complex mathematical model that evaluates many types of information in a credit file. A credit score is used by a lender to help determine whether a person qualifies for a particular credit card, loan (such as a private loan) or service. Generally, the higher your score, the less risk you represent and the better rates you will be offered.
he credit score may also be purchased though Annual Credit Report, or by contacting one of the three nationwide consumer credit reporting companies directly:
Equifax
800-685-1111
P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
Experian
888.EXPERIAN (397-3742)
P.O. Box 2002, Allen TX 75013
TransUnion
800-888-4213
P.O. Box 1000, Chester, PA 19022
Should you obtain a copy of all three credit file disclosures simultaneously?
It is entirely your choice whether you order all three credit file disclosures at
the same time or order one now and others later. The advantage of ordering all three
at the same time is that you can compare them (However, you will not be eligible for
another free credit file disclosure from the Central Source for 12 months). On the
other hand, the advantage of ordering one now and others later (for example, one credit
file disclosure every four months) is that you can keep track of any changes or new
information that may appear on your credit file disclosure. Remember, you are entitled
to receive one free credit file disclosure through the Central Source every 12 months
from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies – Equifax, Experian
and TransUnion – so if you order from only one company today you can still order from
the other two companies at a later date.
Additional information on private loans is available at the Office of Enrollment Services.
The Student Employment Program is managed by the Office of Enrollment Services in conjunction with the Office of Career Services. Students may be hired in administrative positions in various departments in the Law School. Upper class students may be hired as a Research Assistant for a faculty member or for certain departments.
Positions are funded either from the Federal Work Study Program (FWS) or are Departmentally funded. Once you have secured your position, the Financial Aid staff will determine the source of funding based on available funding.
To qualify for FWS, you must demonstrative financial need, based on the FAFSA the Cost of Attendance, and other factors. Departmentally funded student employment is not counted as a part of your financial aid award package and you do not need to demonstrate financial need. There are a limited amount of Federal Work Study funds provided by the Department of Education. If you are awarded Federal Work Study, you will be awarded a specific dollar amount as a Financial Aid award. This award is not deducted from your bill; rather, you will be paid based on the actual hours you work.
Enrollment in summer classes is not required for a student to be eligible to work in the summer; however, the student must be planning to return to Seton Hall Law for the fall semester. Summer Federal Work study earnings will decrease the amount of eligibility for FWS during the academic year, and may affect the student’s overall financial aid package for the upcoming fall/spring academic year. Students who are interested in working over the summer should contact the Office of Enrollment Services for additional details.
Once hired, students must submit the below forms to the Office of Enrollment Services.
Work cannot commence until paperwork is approved by the Student Employment Coordinator.
Student Employment Authorization Form - Not available online - obtain from the Office of Enrollment Services.
Payroll Forms - all forms must be submitted to the Office of Enrollment Services.
All student timesheets can be completed via your LawNet/PirateNet account under the "Offices & Services" tab, then Student Employee Timesheet Approval.
If you are employed by a government or non-profit organization, you may be eligible for loan forgiveness under the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). This program forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying payments under a qualifying repayment plan. Graduates who are employed by a qualifying employer should complete the PSLF Employment Certification Form for each qualifying position.
Seton Hall Law School also offers a Public Interest Loan Repayment and Assistance Plan (PILRAP) to recent graduates who are employed as an attorney with a qualifying public interest organization.
Please use the Financial Aid Document Submission Form to submit your financial aid documents.
