On-campus students are awarded Merit Scholarships once they are accepted and are notified by Admissions of their Merit award. All students interested in using federal student loans through the Direct Loan program, and/or applying for a work study position, will be required to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). For on-campus students interested in applying for a VLS Need-Based Grant, they will need to complete a separate application.

See below for additional information about the financial aid application process and the Federal Student Aid programs available to VLS students.

FAFSA Requirements

• Must be a US Citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Have a valid social security number
• If you are a male you must be registered with the Selective Service
• Must not be in default on a federal student loan
• You do not need to submit parental financial information on the FAFSA.
• A list of all requirements can be found on the Federal Student Aid website

Need Based Application Requirements (On-Campus)

• Students must be accepted by admissions to complete the application.
• Domestic students must complete a FAFSA prior to requesting need-based aid.
• Please respond to your financial aid award notification email to request consideration for need-based aid.
• International students should contact Financial Aid for more information on applying for need-based aid. 

Federal Work Study

VLS policy does not allow first year JD students to do work study for their first two semesters per ABA recommendations. Students wishing to apply for Federal Work Study each year should do so no later than March 1^st, as funding and positions are limited. Students who do not complete a FAFSA prior to the priority deadline cannot be guaranteed work study funds if eligible.

Direct Loan Programs

• All students who are eligible for federal student aid and have completed a FAFSA will qualify for a Direct Unsubsidized Student Loan.
  • Students can take out up to $10,250 each semester (cap is $20,500 per borrower academic year).
  • The Unsubsidized student loan has a fixed interest rate of 4.3% and a loan origination fee of 1.057%.
• Students needing more than the $10,250 semester maximum can borrow a Graduate PLUS loan up to the Cost of Attendance for cost of living expenses.
  • The Grad PLUS loan has an interest rate of 5.3%* and a loan origination fee of 4.228%
  • The Grad PLUS loan requires that you do not have adverse credit
  • If denied, you have the option of obtaining an endorser to co-sign the loan for you

*These rates are effective as of July 1, 2020 and set through June 30, 2021.

Admitted Student Financial Aid Process

• You will not have access to the financial aid portal until you have received your Award Notification Email
• If you are a summer start AJD or Masters student, please submit both the 2020-21 and 2021-22 FAFSAs
• We begin awarding financial aid for the upcoming year by mid-February
• You may submit your FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov