Summer Financial Aid

Financial aid in the form of private loans or the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS loan is available to continuing USF law students who decide to enroll in USF's summer programs.

These programs include the Intensive Advocacy Program (IAP), Summer Abroad programs and regular summer session at the USF School of Law.

In order to be eligible for summer financial aid, USF law students are required to complete the following:

Submit a FAFSA application for the current academic year (for example, students needing financial assistance for summer 2015 are required to complete the 2014/2015 FAFSA application and should do so no later than April 1, 2015).
Submit an Intent to Enroll for Summer Form (ITE) to the law school financial aid administrator by April 1 for USF summer programs, including our Regular Summer Session, Summer Intensive Advocacy Program (IAP) and our International Summer Externship programs. ITE forms are available in early March in the law school's Office of Financial Aid. Failure to submit the ITE form by the above deadlines will result in a delay in receiving summer aid. Access the Summer ITE form here. Summer 2015 ITE forms will be available by early March 2015.
Complete the Graduate PLUS Loan Application by April 1 for all summer programs. Before applying for a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan, law students must have already completed a FAFSA and received a Financial Aid Award Notice for the 2014/2015 academic year; OR apply for a summer private loan directly with a private loan lender beginning March 1. All summer program participants should apply no later than April 1 in order to meet the May 1 summer tuition deadline. Loan Programs includes a list of lenders USF Law School has worked with in the past.
Law students must be enrolled in a minimum of three (3) units for their summer program in order to receive federal financial aid. If a law student drops below three units during the course of their respective summer program, the federal financial aid will be canceled and funds returned to the lender. Any summer billing charges become the sole responsibility of the student, including housing if the student is participating in a summer abroad program. The USF Student Enrollment Services Office will send the student an updated summer bill. If a student decides to enroll in less than three units for the summer, the only alternative to federal financial aid is a private loan. Contact the Law School Financial Aid Administrator for more information at lawfinaid@usfca.edu.
Once a summer private loan is approved by the lender, the student must accept the loan and submit a promissory note to the lender. USF will be notified electronically once the promissory note has been received by the lender. The law school financial aid administrator will then certify the summer loan and verify that the loan amount approved is the appropriate amount for that particular summer program budget.
If you have already submitted a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS loan promissory note for the previous or current academic year, there is no need to submit another promissory note as the original note serves as a master promissory note for all future Federal Direct Graduate PLUS loans at USF.
New Federal Direct Graduate PLUS loan borrowers must complete a master promissory note on-line athttps://studentloans.gov before any summer Federal Direct Graduate PLUS funds are disbursed to the student. New PLUS loan borrowers must also complete an online debt management counseling session athttps://studentloans.gov .

USF law students are required to submit an ITE form in order to certify your summer loan. Certification of summer private loans typically begins in early April. Once the loan is certified, the funds appear as credit on your USF Student Enrollment Services student account and will be applied towards your summer tuition bill.

Law students will be sent an email verification of their summer loan certification. The verification notice will also indicate a disbursement date. Funds are disbursed (sent electronically) to the USF by lenders. Loan funds are used to pay tuition first. Any excess loan funds are refunded to the law student and can be used for living and other expenses.

Law students who have an Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) direct deposit authorization form on file with the USF Student Enrollment Services Office should expect a loan refund two to seven business days after the loan disbursement date. Law students who are not utilizing EFT direct deposit should expect a paper check refund ten to fifteen business days after the loan disbursement date. The earliest scheduled summer loan disbursements dates are typically one week before your summer program begins. Law students should contact the law school financial aid administrator for the earliest scheduled loan disbursement dates for Summer 2015.

Students planning on participating in an International Summer Externship program and who plan on applying for a summer Federal Direct Graduate PLUS loan will not have access to these loan funds early enough to assist with anticipated travel expenses such as a plane ticket.

Please note the following important information regarding summer financial aid eligibility:

Law students who are on academic probation during the spring semester (based on fall semester grades) are not eligible to receive financial aid for the following summer. You may apply for summer financial aid AFTER all spring grades are posted and you have returned to good academic standing.
Law students registered for summer programs who become academically disqualified from law school after the spring semester are no longer eligible to receive financial aid for the summer. Any summer aid is canceled and is returned to the lender. Any summer billing charges become the sole responsibility of the student, including housing if you are participating in a summer abroad program and if the law student chooses to remain in the summer program. The USF Student Enrollment Services Office will send the student an updated summer bill.
Law students who graduate in the spring semester prior to summer session are not eligible for summer financial aid.
USF Law scholarships and/or grants are NOT applicable towards any summer session programs.

Additional information regarding academic disqualification while in summer session can be found in the JD Program Academic Requirements and Policies.