Scholarships
Public Service Scholarship
Loan Funds
Federal PLUS Loan
Computer Purchases
Other Financial Aid Options
Law Scholarship
The law school is concerned with the problems of economically and educationally disadvantaged individuals and offers a need-based scholarship program for qualifying students. Application for this award is made through the regular financial aid process. Awards are renewable annually upon satisfactory completion of law school courses.
Law Grant Program
This is a need-based tuition award. Application is made through the regular financial aid process. Awards are renewable annually.
LOAN FUNDS
Law School Loan
The Law School Loan fund is a need-based, low-interest loan program administered by the university and awarded in conjunction with the law school Office of Admissions and Financial Aid. The fixed interest rate of 5% begins to accrue six months after you graduate or cease to be enrolled at least half-time, and the maximum repayment period is 10 years.
Federal Perkins Loan
This need-based loan is provided from Boston College's federal funds. The fixed interest rate of 5% begins to accrue on the loan nine months after you graduate or cease to be enrolled at least half-time, and the maximum repayment period is 10 years.
Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan Program
The Federal Stafford Loan is a need-based, federally subsidized loan made to students attending school at least half-time. You may be eligible to borrow up to $8,500 per year. The interest rate is fixed at 6.8%. No interest accrues during the in-school deferment period, and repayment begins six months after you graduate or cease to be enrolled at least half-time. There is a 0-3% origination fee. In addition, lenders may charge a guarantee fee of up to 1%.
Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan Program
Through this loan program, you may borrow up to $20,500, minus your subsidized Stafford eligibility. The interest rate and repayment terms are identical to the Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan except that interest accrues during the in-school period. However, interest payments may be deferred until you graduate or cease to be enrolled at least half-time.
Federal Grad Plus Loans are government sponsored and guaranteed education loans available to graduate/law students through private lenders, such as banks, credit unions or savings and loan associations that participate in the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP). The Grad Plus loan is offered at a fixed interest rate of 8.5%. A 3% Origination Fee and a Guarantee Fee of up to 1% is charged unless these fees are waived or reduced by the lender or guarantor. For more information on the Federal Plus loan, please click here.
Alternative Education Loans are loans not guaranteed by the Federal Government. The borrower may borrow such a loan through various participants such as banks, credit unions, or savings and loan associations. There are many different types of alternative education loans for different types of borrowers. Alternative loans are not need-based; rather they are based on creditworthiness. Students may need a creditworthy co-signer such as a parent or other relative in order to obtain a private loan. Terms and conditions applicable to these loans vary greatly. Factors such as interest rate, APR, length of repayment, loan minimum and maximum as well as fees should be carefully considered when researching and choosing a private lender. For more information on Alternative Loans, please click here.
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The Public Service Scholarships provide full tuition annually to highly qualified applicants who plan to practice law in service of the public. In keeping with Boston College Law School's mission of education for service to others, this program encourages students to seek careers in the public sector, notwithstanding the expense and associated debts of their legal education and the relatively low salaries associated with such careers.
The Scholarship Committee has established the following criteria for evaluating applicants:
- a long standing, demonstrated commitment to serve the public through employment, advocacy and /or volunteer activities.
- a stated intent to pursue a career in public interest/public service law,
- evidenced leadership ability and
- past very strong academic performance and outstanding academic promise.
Whenever feasible, finalist candidates will be required to interview with the Law School. Financial need, as demonstrated on the Need Access application, will be used to differentiate among otherwise qualified finalists.
Recipients must reapply each year for the award. The scholarship committee will request an updated resume and list of activities and summer work (paid and volunteer) that together demonstrate the recipient's continued commitment to public interest and public service law. Public Service Scholars will be required to provide new commitment letters before the beginning of each fall semester. For the scholarship to be renewed, Public Service Scholarship recipients must meet the following criteria:
- Public Service Scholars are expected to work both of their summers during law school for a public interest organization (exceptions to this policy will be considered in extraordinary circumstances and must be authorized by the Scholarship Committee). Three broad categories of employment meet this criterion : These are the same categories that qualify graduates for the Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP).
- organizations that provide direct legal services to clients who are indigent and/or members of traditionally underrepresented groups. These organizations may be private, non-profit, entities or government entities. Examples of such organizations include, but are not limited to, legal services organizations and public defender's offices.
- private, non-profit employers...(examples include organizations with a :501 (c)(3)" or "501 (c)(4)" tax exempt status, such as the ACLU and the Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund.)
- state, municipal or federal government agencies, examples include district attorney offices and attorney general offices."
- Public Service Scholars are expected to take a substantial leadership role in the public interest community at the Law School. Examples of activities that would fulfill this expectation are:
-assist in running the annual Public Interest Law Retreat;
-organize the Law School's annual Diversity month;
-assume a leadership role in PILF or other public interest organizations;
-organize colloquia on public policy and law topics.
Public Service Scholars are expected to work for a public interest organization (as described above) after graduation. The Committee will conduct individual exit interviews with Public Service Scholars in March of their final year to discuss their career plans. Public Service Scholars are expected to work a minimum of 5 years in public service work after graduation. Scholars who decide not to pursue a career in the public sector are expected to repay the Public Service Scholarship. Public Service Scholars who work less than five years in public service are expected to repay the scholarship for whatever part of the five-year commitment that remains.
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If you would like to use Private Educational Loans or the Federal Grad Plus Loan to help offset the expense of a computer purchase, please present the receipt, along with a letter of appeal, to the attention of Jill Barnhart, Associate Director for Financial Aid. Each appeal will be considered on an individual basis. We cannot honor purchases made prior to four weeks before the start of classes. This is a one-time expense for all three years and we will have a maximum allowance of $3,000.
Other Financial Aid Options
Through the gifts of alumni and benefactors, the law school offers a number of specialized scholarships to incoming and continuing students. In addition, many bar associations and corporations, as well as fraternal and other organizations, offer scholarships and loans to law students. We encourage you to contact all such organizations to which you or members of your family belong, and to research other opportunities in libraries and financial aid offices.
Boston College Law School Loan Repayment Assistance Program
Boston College Law School places a high priority on enabling and encouraging students to work in legal services, public defenders' agencies, government, the judiciary and not-for-profit corporations. The Repayment Loan Assistance Program provides support for public interest law within the law school and the broader legal community. LRAP awards assist graduates working in the public interest with repayment of educational debt. More information is located in the Career Services section of the website.
Federal College Work-Study Program
Boston College offers a broad variety of employment opportunities through the federally funded College Work-Study Program. Academic-year and summer work-study opportunities may be on campus or at off-campus, non-profit agencies and often involve law-related work. Work-study is awarded through the financial aid office.
Other Student Employment
The university Student Employment Office is a clearinghouse for all positions on and off campus. Students may apply for positions during both the academic year and the summer. Summer positions in other cities and regions often are listed. For positions that do not require work-study eligibility, contact the Office of Student Service, Lyons Hall, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467.
The Law School recognizes that employment during the academic year may be needed to finance a legal education. American Bar Association accreditation standards require full-time students to limit employment to a maximum of 20 hours per week. Substantial employment during the first year of law school is strongly discouraged.