Important Financial Aid and Tuition Payment Information

As you begin planning for your enrollment at USF, please review the following important information regarding financial aid, tuition payment and fees.

International Students

New students who are not U.S. citizens or U.S. Permanent Residents are not eligible for financial aid available through the U.S. Federal government.  International students are required to submit a Certification of Finance form indicating they have sufficient funds for their studies in the U.S. The Certification of Finance form is also needed to receive an I-20 form which is required to secure an F-1 student visa.  If you are an international student and have not yet returned your Certification of Finance form and supporting documents, please do so as soon as possible.
 
International students who do not have U.S. bank account can utilize a payment program called Flywire to submit tuition payments from their home country.  More information is available on the USF Student Accounts web site.
 
Please note that payments submitted through this process can take 3-5 business days to post to your USF student account record.

IMPORTANT FINANCIAL AID DATES

May 15 - Priority Deadline to "accept" financial aid offered to you online via your myUSF student portal. You can accept your aid after this date but delaying acceptance could affect your ability to utilize financial aid to help with meeting the August 1 tuition payment deadline.

June 1 - July 31 - Begin completing the online Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Online Debt Management Counseling Session for the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan as well as the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS loan at https://studentaid.gov/. You only need to do this once while at USF School of Law. You can complete these items after July 31 but USF cannot insure that your federal loans will be credited towards your fall semester bill by the August 1 fall tuition payment deadline.

June 1 - The University Financial Aid Office will begin downloading Entrance Counseling completion notices for both the Unsubsidized and PLUS Loans.

June 21 - The University Financial Aid Office will begin downloading PLUS Loan credit approvals for new admits as well as Master Promissory Note (MPN) completion notices for both the Unsubsidized and PLUS Loans. This is done only AFTER you have submitted your second deposit.

July 5 - In early July, the USF Students Accounts Office will send your Fall 2024 tuition bill notice via email to your myUSF email account. 

July 31 - Priority deadline to complete online direct deposit financial aid refund application to USF Student Accounts Office for fall term. 

August 1 - Fall 2024 Tuition Payment Deadline. Any financial aid that you have been offered and have accepted, including the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, Graduate PLUS loan, scholarship and grant will appear as "Authorized Financial Aid" on your myUSF Student Account as long as you have completed all disbursement requirements prior to August 1.  The Authorized Financial Aid will appear as credit towards your tuition bill.  

August 9 - Earliest scheduled Fall 2024 disbursement date for aid including federal and private loans. Funds are sent to USF electronically by federal and private lenders. 

Financial Aid Award Notice

If you are a U.S. citizen or a U.S. Permanent Resident and have submitted a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and listed USF on your FAFSA (our Title IV code is 001325), you should have received a Financial Aid Award letter in early May, or within 2 weeks of your admission to USF if admitted after April 1. 

If you completed the FAFSA but have not yet received an award letter, please contact me via email at guerrero@usfca.edu.

Please be aware that law students can complete a FAFSA at any time during the Fall 2024/Spring 2025 academic year through April 1, 2025; however, late FAFSA application processing will affect your ability to use financial aid to pay your Fall 2024 semester tuition bill, which is due on August 1.  Students should be prepared to utilize their own personal funds to make the August 1 fall tuition payment deadline if they are late in applying for and receiving financial aid.
 
IMPORTANT: The Law Financial Aid Office will begin auditing individual students' financial aid files in early July to ensure that you are completing all federal aid requirements needed to make financial aid available to you this fall and credited towards your Fall tuition bill, which is due on August 1. You will be contacted via email if you still need to complete certain requirements.
 
If you have not yet reviewed and/or completed your federal aid financial aid requirements for disbursement, please review the important information below.

Financial Aid Information Packet

Financial Aid Information Packet provides you guidance on completing and receiving Financial Aid at University of San Francisco. The information will be available in early March 2024 for the Fall 2024/Spring 2025 academic year.

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan

If you have already been awarded the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, you are REQUIRED to "accept" this aid in order to receive these funds for the upcoming year.  You must "accept" this aid online via your My USF student portal.  Information on viewing and accepting your aid online via the myUSF student portal can be found by clicking here for information on how to “accept” your aid online via your myUSF student portal.


The University Financial Aid Office must notify the Department of Education of your intention to use the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan funds.  This notification process, called "Loan Origination," occurs only AFTER you have accepted this aid via your myUSF student portal. 
 
The University will begin the Loan Origination process for new law admits beginning in late June AFTER you have submitted your 2nd deposit payment.

This Loan Origination process will continue throughout the summer for those awarded financial aid later in the summer. The priority deadline to "accept" the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan was May 15, however, new admits can still accept this aid AFTER this date.  If your intention is to utilize this aid to help pay your fall semester tuition bill (which is due on August 1), it is recommended that you accept this aid as soon as you receive your financial aid award notice to insure timely processing. 

Once you accept your Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, you must complete the following disbursement requirements online to ensure that the aid is credited towards your August 1 fall semester tuition bill and disbursed to the University.

1. You are REQUIRED to complete the online Master Promissory Note (MPN) for new Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan borrowers.  The MPN is available online at: 
https://studentaid.gov/h/complete-aid-process


You only need to complete the MPN once while in law school as the MPN is applicable for any future loans while enrolled in law school. 
 
Unsubsidized Loan MPN completion notices will appear in your USF financial aid record beginning in late June AFTER you have submitted your 2nd deposit payment.


2. You are REQUIRED to complete an online Loan Entrance Counseling session for Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan borrowers at:  https://studentaid.gov/h/complete-aid-process

You only need to do this once while in law school as the entrance counseling requirement is applicable during your entire enrollment in law school.
 
Entrance Counseling completion notices will appear in your USF financial aid record beginning in late June AFTER you have submitted your 2nd deposit payment.

The Federal Direct Unsubsidized loan disbursement requirements listed above should be completed as soon as possible but no later than July 15 in order to meet the August 1 tuition payment deadline.

Although funds will not actually disburse to the University until August 12, it is important that your financial aid file shows completion of your disbursement requirements BEFORE the August 1 tuition deadline in order for the Unsubsidized Loan to show as Authorized Financial Aid and be applied as credit towards your Fall 2024 semester tuition bill.  Otherwise, you may be forced to pay for any outstanding tuition charges with your own personal funds by August 1.

The Federal Direct Unsubsidized loan funds will disburse to the University in two equal installments, once each semester. This means that you only receive one-half of your total loan for each semester (less loan origination fee of 1.057%).

Federal Direct Graduate Plus Loan

The Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan will allow eligible graduate and professional students to borrow up to the maximum annual cost of attendance, less any other aid you have been awarded and accepted.  To be eligible to borrow from Graduate PLUS, graduate and professional students are required to file the FAFSA, and be awarded and accept the full amount of the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan program.

The maximum PLUS Loan amount that you can borrow is the total cost of your attendance less any other aid you have been awarded and accepted.  See the following web site for an example: https://www.usfca.edu/law/admissions/tuition-aid/jd/faqs

Your financial aid award noted listed your maximum PLUS Loan amount that you are eligible to apply for the upcoming academic year.  You can "accept" this aid online via your myUSF student portal.  This is a credit-based loan and you must be credit approved by the Department of Education in order to receive PLUS Loan funds. After you have “accepted” the PLUS Loan amount on your myUSF portal, the University Financial Aid Office will forward the loan amount you indicated directly to DOE for a credit check as part of the Loan Origination process for PLUS Loans. If approved, you will receive an email from DOE. If you are not approved, additional information will be emailed to you regarding alternative options to seek credit approval, including appealing the decision or applying with an Endorser (co-signer). 

PLUS Loan credit approval notices will appear in your USF financial aid record beginning in late June AFTER you have submitted your 2nd deposit payment.

You can apply for a PLUS Loan at any time throughout the academic year through April 1, 2025 as long as you have completed a FAFSA by April 1, 2025 and have been awarded and accepted the full Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan.

If you have been approved for a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan, you must complete the following disbursement requirements online to ensure that the aid is credited towards your August 1 fall semester tuition bill and disbursed to the University.

1. Upon approval of a PLUS Loan, new PLUS Loan borrowers are REQUIRED to complete an online PLUS Master Promissory Note (MPN).  Information on completing the online PLUS Master Promissory Note can be found at: https://studentaid.gov/h/complete-aid-process


You only need to do this once while in law school as the PLUS MPN is applicable for any future loans while enrolled in law school.

The PLUS Loan MPN is separate from the one used for an Unsubsidized Loan.  PLUS Loan MPN completion notices will appear in your USF financial aid record beginning in late June AFTER you have submitted your 2nd deposit payment.


2. New PLUS Loan borrowers are also REQUIRED to complete an online Loan Entrance Counseling session.  Information on completing the the PLUS Loan online Loan Entrance Counseling session can be found at: https://studentaid.gov/h/complete-aid-process


You only need to do this once while in law school as the entrance counseling requirement is applicable during your entire enrollment in law school. 
 
Please note that the online Entrance Counseling session can complete both the Direct Unsubsidized Loan and PLUS Loan requirements. Entrance Counseling completion notices will appear in your USF financial aid record beginning in late June AFTER you have submitted your 2nd deposit payment.
 
Although funds will not actually disburse to the University until August 16, it is important that your financial aid file shows completion of your disbursement requirements BEFORE the August 1 tuition deadline in order for the PLUS Loan to show as Authorized Financial Aid and be applied as credit towards your Fall 2024 semester tuition bill.  Otherwise, you may be forced to pay for any outstanding tuition charges with your own personal funds by August 1.
 
Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan funds will disburse to the University in two equal installments, once each semester. This means that you only receive one-half of your total credit approved loan for each semester (less loan origination fee of 4.228%).

Private Loan

A student with additional or unmet need who does not intend to borrow from the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan program may want to consider applying for a private loan.  Private loan programs are available through a number of private loan vendors. Approval of any private loan is based on credit worthiness and is determined by each individual loan vendor.  Private loans are available throughout the upcoming fall and spring academic year through April 1, 2024 as long as you have completed a FAFSA by April 1, 2024.

Once you are approved for a private loan, you must accept the loan and submit a promissory note to your private loan vendor. The loan vendor will notify the University Financial Aid Office of your private loan approval and receipt of your private loan promissory note.  We will then "certify" your private loan.  Certification is required to ensure that the loan amount is appropriate for your educational expenses and to disburse your private loan.

The maximum private loan amount that you can borrow is the total cost of your attendance less any other aid you have been awarded and accepted.  See the following web site for an example: https://www.usfca.edu/law/admissions/tuition-aid/jd/faqs

Additional private loan information including a list of private lenders used by law students is available online at: https://myusf.usfca.edu/financial-aid/loans/private-loans

Private loan funds will disburse to the University in two equal installments, once each semester.  This means that you only receive one-half of your total private loan award for each semester.

Other Financial Aid

Veteran Benefits - Law Students who are eligible for Veteran (VA) benefits should contact Alan Guerrero at guerrero@usfca.edu or call 415.422.2975. The Law School requires certain documents from eligible students before we are able to certify your enrollment for the Fall 2024/Spring 2025 academic year. Verification of enrollment is needed before any VA funds are received.  Certification of enrollment for the fall semester is expected to begin in mid-July for those eligible students with the required documents on file with the Law Financial Aid Office. Please be aware that it has been our experience that most VA benefits for the fall are disbursed to the University beginning late August/early September.  Eligible students receiving VA benefits should plan their finances carefully.  More information is available online at: https://www.usfca.edu/law/admissions/tuition-aid/jd/educational-benefits-for-veterans


Private Scholarships - If you are awarded a scholarship or grant from a private agency or organization, the amount of the award will be deducted from your total aid package if you were already awarded financial aid (Unsubsidized Loan and/or Graduate PLUS Loan).  Private scholarships will NOT be posted towards your tuition bill until the funds have been received from the agency/organization.

Tuition Payment - Fall 2024

FALL 2024 SEMESTER TUITION IS DUE ON AUGUST 1.  All new students will receive fall tuition billing information from the USF Student Accounts Office in early July.  Tuition billing notices will be sent to your usfca.edu email account and you will also be able to view your bill online via your myUSF student portal at that time.
 

Tuition and fees are billed each semester at a flat rate for full time day students and at a per unit charge for part time day students (first year part time students take 11 units in the fall and 12 units in the spring). Our current tuition and fees for the 2024-25 academic year can be found online at: https://www.usfca.edu/law/admissions/tuition-aid/jd

International students who do not have U.S. bank account can utilize a payment program called Flywire to submit tuition payments from their home country.  More information is available on the USF One Stop web site: https://myusf.usfca.edu/billing-tuition/international-bank-wire-transfers

Financial Aid Recipients (Federal Aid Loan Programs): If you receive financial aid and accept the aid BEFORE August 1 and complete ALL disbursement requirements BEFORE August 1 and the aid is sufficient to pay your fall tuition bill, you will NOT need to make any out of pocket payment with personal funds on August 1 to pay your tuition bill as the financial aid will appear as Authorized Financial Aid and thus will be applied as credit towards your tuition bill.

Scholarship Recipients: First year scholarship aid is disbursed in two equal installments, once each semester. If you were awarded a scholarship, one-half of your scholarship aid will be automatically credited towards your fall semester bill and noted as Authorized Financial Aid.

Payment Plan: If you are unable to pay your tuition bill/balance due on August 1, or you have not yet been awarded any financial aid to help pay your tuition bill, you can pay a reduced payment on by enrolling in the 4-month payment plan for $50. Tuition is due in 4 equal installments with the first installment due on August 1 and subsequent payments due on September 1, October 1, and November 1. The minimum balance needed to enroll is $2,250.  Enrollment information regarding the payment plan is available online at: https://myusf.usfca.edu/billing-tuition/payment-plan

If you receive financial aid AFTER signing up for the payment plan and it is sufficient to pay your fall tuition bill, you must contact the USF Student Accounts Office at studentaccounts@usfca.edu and request to be removed from the payment plan.

Additional information on billing, payment methods, etc., can be found online at the USF Student Accounts web site at: https://myusf.usfca.edu/billing-tuition/methods-of-payment

If your financial aid is not sufficient to pay your tuition bill, your July billing statement will indicate a balance due amount. Payment of your balance is due on August 1. For those students enrolled in the payment plan, the first installment payment will be deducted from your designated bank account by August 1.
 
Your fall semester class registration will be CANCELED if the required payment is not covered by Authorized Financial Aid, personal funds (or a combination of both) or enrollment in the payment plan by the August 1 payment due date. If your class registration is cancelled due to non-payment, you will be re-registered for the term only AFTER sufficient payment to your student account is made.

Additional information regarding USF's payment policies can be found online at: https://myusf.usfca.edu/billing-tuition/payment-policies

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS FOR TUITION: Please be aware that the University will NOT accept credit card or debit card transactions as a means to pay your tuition bill.  You can still utilize the e-check option or send a regular check to the USF Student Accounts Office for payment of tuition with personal funds.

Health Insurance Fee

All USF students are required to have health insurance. To insure this mandate, USF students will be automatically billed and enrolled for University sponsored health insurance each semester.  Information on the University Health insurance plan can be found online at: https://myusf.usfca.edu/hps/insurance
 
Students may also apply for a waiver of the University sponsored insurance plan if they are currently enrolled in a comparable plan. The waiver application period for the Fall 2024 semester begins June 21 through September 1, 2024 only.  No exceptions to the waiver period will be made.  Information on the insurance waiver process can be found online at: https://myusf.usfca.edu/hps/insurance
 
If needed, you must apply each semester for an insurance waiver for each academic year. The waiver application period for the Spring 2024 semester is December 1 through February 1, 2025.

Excess Financial Aid-Refund Process For Living Expenses

If your total financial aid exceeds your tuition bill, you will be refunded any excess aid funds once your aid disburses and after your tuition bill is paid. Your excess aid funds should be used to cover your cost of living expenses (food, rent, etc.) for the semester.

Federal and private loan funds are disbursed electronically to the University typically one week before classes begin.  Once the funds are actually received, your tuition bill is paid first and then the University begins a refund process for any excess aid amount.

Refunds are sent electronically to your bank account as long as you have enrolled in the direct deposit refund process. If you have not enrolled for direct deposit refund process, a paper check refund will be made available to you.  Information is available online at: https://myusf.usfca.edu/billing-tuition/refunds

Direct deposit refunds are typically received in your bank account 2-5 business days AFTER the aid funds have been disbursed to the University, depending on your banking institution. A paper check refund is typically made available 7-10 business days AFTER the aid funds have disbursed to the University. Refunds as a result of an overpayment from a personal check may take up to 15 business days to process.

The direct deposit refund process is the quickest way to receive excess aid funds for living expenses.  It is highly recommended that you enroll in this refund process.

If you are relying on a refund for living expenses including the purchase of your books, food, etc., please plan accordingly. The USF Student Accounts Office will make every effort to ensure that you receive your refund in a timely manner, but there can be unanticipated delays due to excessive refund processing as the University processes aid refunds for all USF students around the same time.

Please note that the earliest that a new student can expect to receive a direct deposit aid refund in their bank account may not be until August 21. Be sure to plan your finances accordingly for the beginning of the semester as aid refunds may not be available until the first week of classes.

Enrollment in the direct deposit refund process can be verified via your myUSF online student portal.

Disbursement Dates for 2024-2025

Disbursement dates are the earliest possible dates that funds from both federal and private sources can be sent to the University each semester.  Funds are typically sent electronically by each provider in two equal installments, once each semester. Federal regulations require that aid be disbursed no earlier than approximately one week before the start of each term.

Earliest disbursement dates for both federal and private sources for the 2024-2025 academic year are below:

Fall 2024: August 11, 2024
Spring 2025: January 2, 2025

Aid will continue to be disbursed throughout each semester as individual student financial aid files become complete later in the term and/or additional federal or private loan applications are processed and approved.

Please be aware that your Fall tuition bill is due on August 1.  Although your fall Authorized Financial Aid is not scheduled to disburse to the University until August 11, the USF Student Accounts Office will apply any Authorized Financial Aid as credit towards your tuition bill as long as you have "accepted" the aid and completed ALL disbursement requirements associated with your aid BEFORE August 1. 

Please note that the disbursement date is NOT the date that you receive a refund check or a direct deposit refund in your bank account for your cost of living expenses. It takes at least 2-5 days AFTER the disbursement date to receive a direct deposit refund and 7-10 business days AFTER the disbursement date to receive a refund check. 
 
IMPORTANT: The Law Admissions and Financial Aid Offices will be emailing you more detailed information throughout the summer regarding the financial aid process as well as reminders to complete the process by the deadlines listed above.

If you have any additional questions about your financial aid, please feel free to contact Alan Guerrero at guerrero@usfca.edu.