Apply for Aid - Step 1 for first-year students

"Apply for Aid" steps are detailed in a sequence of pages beginning with this one.

To view the full sequence of steps, return to the Financial Aid Home Page and Select the link appropriate to you under the heading "Apply for Aid." The checklist you will see corresponds to this sequence of pages.

While earning a law degree may be expensive for some students, it is important to remember:

Most law students use student loans to finance law school expenses which include tuition, fees, and living expenses. There are plenty of things you can do now to help minimize your student loan debt upon graduation.

What You Can Do Now

  1. Track your expenses and find ways to reduce your spending. Practice living like a student now.
  2. Put together a budget for your first year. You can review our cost of attendance to get an idea of your expenses for the year and how much financial aid you’re able to access.
  3. Apply for external scholarships using the AccessLex Scholarship Databank.
  4. Look for roommates – housing will be your highest monthly expense if living on your own.
  5. Pay down any credit card debt to $0 if possible.
  6. Research if your employer offers any tuition assistance benefits.

Tools to Help You Meet Your Goals 

  1. Utilize the Financial Aid office. Our office is here to help you plan your law school budget and make sure you graduate with the least amount of debt possible. If you would like to schedule an
    appointment for individual counseling, you can either make one online, email us at fin-aid@law.edu, or call us at 202-319-5143.
  2. MAX by AccessLex – Personal Finance for Law Students. AccessLex offers personal finance resources to law students free of charge.
  3. Find the right personal budgeting tool for you. Commonly used apps include: Nerd Wallet, EveryDollar, You Need a Budget. There are also Excel and Google Sheet budgeting templates available online for free.
  4. Review your credit report annually at www.annualcreditreport.com to identify and resolve any issues that come up as soon as possible.
  5. Keep track of your student loan borrowing. You can find up-to-date information on your federal student loan history by going to: www.studentaid.gov