Law Financial Aid

The Office of Law Financial Aid is committed to providing all law students financial aid assistance to keep you informed and explore all funding opportunities and resources.  

USF ID Number

In order to better assist law students and reply to your financial aid inquiries in a timely manner, please be sure to include your USF ID Number in any email inquiries to the Law Financial Aid Office.  In addition, any requests to update your financial aid record should come directly from your USF email account. We cannot process any requests for assistance sent from your personal email accounts.

Law Financial Aid Walk-in, Appointments (In-Person, Virtual)

The Law School’s Financial Aid Office is taking the necessary measures to implement and improve our customer service strategies. We want you to have the best experience with our office so we would like to provide information on new changes to our customer service support methods. 

Our office will be available for in-person visits and appointments as well as virtual appointments. Getting in-person assistance is easy.

You can schedule an appointment on the following methods below:

1.    Text USFDonsLAW to 415-914-9982 then text the code for the type of service you wish to receive help with.
2.    Day-to-day appointment. Make an appointment online through the Home Kiosk.   Enter your Name and phone number.
3.    Future virtual Appointments (24 hours and later) Here.

Applying for Financial Aid/FAFSA Application for Fall 2024/Spring 2025

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA, for the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 academic year is now available online at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa.  All students who wish to receive financial aid for the 2024-25 academic year are required to complete the new 2024-25 FAFSA at www.studentaid.gov.  Our Title IV code is 001325 and must be included in your FAFSA application.  

Financial Aid award notification for the Fall 2024/Spring 2025 will begin in early May for current students who have completed a 2024-25 FAFSA as long as the 2024-25 FAFSA is completed and USF receives your FAFSA information by the priority date March 1, 2024. Award information will be available to view online via your myUSF student portal. You will be sent an email notification at that time by the Law Financial Aid Office indicating that you can review your financial aid award online via your myUSF online student portal.

IMPORTANT: The 2024-25 FAFSA can be completed after March 1 priority deadline, and you will still be able to receive federal educational loan aid for this year. However, delaying completing your FAFSA will affect when you receive your award notice.  The FAFSA should be completed as soon as possible in order to receive the maximum financial aid consideration for 2024-25.

The FAFSA should be completed as soon as possible but no later than the priority date was March 1, 2023 in order to receive the maximum financial aid consideration for 2023-24 (this date is especially important for those continuing students who wish to be considered for the Federal Work Study award).

2025-26 FAFSA FILING

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA, for the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 academic year is NOW available online https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa.

Spring 2025 Financial Aid Disbursement Date

The disbursement date is the earliest possible date that funds from both federal and private sources can be sent to the University each semester.  Funds are 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. Scholarship funds are also disbursed at the same time federal and private loan funds are disbursed.

The earliest scheduled disbursement date for both federal and private sources for the Spring 2025 is Thursday, January 2, 2025.

Once funds disburse, your Spring semester bill is paid off and any remaining funds left over after your bill is paid, is refunded to you.  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.

Spring 2025 Refund Process

Once Spring 2025 financial aid disburses, the refund process for any remaining aid/credit left over after your semester charges are paid will begin on Monday, January 6.  Refunds should be received in your designated bank account 3-5 business days later, if you are enrolled in direct deposit refund processing. If you are not enrolled in direct deposit, a refund check will be issued and you should receive a check 7-10 business days AFTER the refund process begins.  Information on enrolling in direct deposit can be found online at:
https://myusf.usfca.edu/billing-tuition/refunds

Direct deposit refund processing is the quickest way to receive a refund and you are encouraged to enroll in this process if you have not already done so.

Upcoming Private Scholarship Deadlines   

Schiffmann Injury Lawyers Scholarship
Education is the cornerstone of a full and rewarding life. Unfortunately, many families have to make a difficult choice after an accident: Pay expensive medical bills or fund a child’s college fund. We help deserving scholars keep education within reach, no matter what curveballs life throws at them.  Our experienced team of personal injury attorneys couldn’t hold the people and organizations that cause injuries accountable without a high-quality university education. The financial strain of an accident shouldn’t mean that you have to struggle to attain a quality education that sets you up for a successful life. We encourage you to apply for our Toronto Personal Injury Scholarship. Review the prompt below and submit your application by the deadline to be considered. We look forward to reading your submission.
Deadline: January 15, 2025
Amount: $1,000

MPOWER Global Citizen Scholarship (DACA/International Students)
We’re looking to fund students with high potential as a leader and advocate. In recognition of the extraordinary potential of these students, we’ve created the MPOWER Global Citizen Scholarship. We’ve intentionally designed this scholarship program to be as broad as possible to match the broad, diverse experiences of international students. 
Deadline: January 31, 2025
Amount: $2,000 - $10,000

National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Scholarship
Each year the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) awards multiple scholarships to students showing dedication to the pursuit of higher education in diverse areas of study including history, economics, law, political science, medicine, nursing, occupational and physical therapy, elementary and secondary education, chemistry, math, science and English. 
Amount: $1,000
Deadline: January 31, 2024

Harter Secrest & Emery Llp Diversity Scholarship
The Harter Secrest & Emery LLP Diversity Scholarship Program was established in 2005. The firm awards two 1L law students with (1) a $7,500 scholarship to be applied to the student’s second year tuition and (2) a paid summer associate position in the firm’s Rochester or Buffalo, NY office between the student’s first and second year of law school.
Amount: $7,500
Deadline: February 7, 2025

MELMED LAW GROUP, PC COLLEGIATE SCHOLARSHIP
The employment lawyers at Melmed Law Group P.C. proudly support the pursuit of success through higher education. We also understand that higher education can be a challenging financial investment for some, and we’d like to offer our support. To that end, our office offers an annual scholarship to one college student at the end of February of each year.
Deadline: February 15, 2025
Amount: $5,000

The Law Offices of W. Dan Mahoney, P.C. Law Scholarship
The Law Offices of W. Dan Mahoney, P.C. is excited to announce its annual scholarship for students who plan to attend school in the fall of 2025 as either a pre-law undergraduate or first-year law student. The $1,000 scholarship aims to assist with expenses for students accepted into a school anywhere in the United States.
Deadline: February 15, 2025
Amount: $1,000

Wind Law Scholarship
Wind Law, LLC is excited to announce its annual scholarship for students planning to attend school in the fall of 2024 as either a pre-law undergraduate or a first-year law student. The $1,000 scholarship aims to assist with expenses for students accepted into a school anywhere in the United States.
Deadline: February 15, 2025
Amount: $1,000

Keker, Van Nest & Peters Diversity Scholarship (First Year law students)
As part of our commitment to enhance that diversity, we invite qualified candidates to apply to our annual diversity scholars program. In recent years, we’ve awarded more than $300,000 in scholarship money to numerous recipients, who represent a range of diversity. This year, Keker, Van Nest & Peters will award up to $75,000 in scholarship grants, split among up to four recipients. The exact amount and number of scholarships will depend on the number, qualifications and financial needs of applicants.
Deadline: February 18, 2025
Amount: varies

Bowman and Brooke, Future Defense Lawyer Scholarship
The Bowman and Brooke Foundation has established a scholarship program to assist students currently enrolled in first year of Law School Studies (1L) who plan to enroll full-time at an ABA–accredited law school for the entire upcoming academic year.
Deadline: February 27, 2025
Amount: $5,000

Citywide Law Group Scholarship
Citywide Law Group is proud to offer a $1,500 scholarship to a current or aspiring law student. Los Angeles personal injury attorney Sherwin Arzani is a graduate of University of Michigan School of Law and has dedicated his career to helping accident victims.
Deadline: March 1, 2025
Amount: $1,500

Andrew Cores Family Law Group
Andrew Cores Family Law Group provides extensive trial experience and thoughtful legal counsel to our clients. The attorneys at our Illinois firm believe in investing resources and time into the legal community for the betterment of future generations of lawyers and the profession as a whole. Having dedicated our lives to the legal profession, the attorneys with Andrew Cores Family Law Group are excited to assist law students with expenses related to their college education. Each semester, the firm is offering an aspiring or current law student the opportunity to win $2,000 through the Andrew Cores Family Law Group Future Lawyers Scholarship.
Deadline: March 17, 2025
Amount: $2,000