The Vermont Law School is dedicated to making public interest law an affordable option for students looking to pursue their passion in this rewarding, but often low-paying career path. VLS initiated its Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) to assist alumni entering low paying, public interest law with educational loan payments; thereby minimizing educational debt as a consideration in career choice. LRAP loans are forgiven contingent upon achievement of employment criterion outlined in the promissory note.
LRAP AWARDS
The award amount ranges from $1,000 to $6,000 per year, depending on the availability of funds and each student's financial condition. Qualifying applicants with the highest debt-to-income ratio will be given priority.
ELIGIBILITY
All Vermont Law School JD degree recipients are eligible to apply for assistance. The following eligibility standards apply to loans and employment:
TYPES OF LOANS COVERED:
- Federal Family Educational Loans (FFEL) (Stafford)
- Direct Federal Loans (excluding Parent PLUS)
- VSAC Loans
- Federal Perkins Loans
- LawLoans, Law Access Loans, and other established student loan programs
QUALIFYING EMPLOYMENT
- Employed at least 35 hours/week in law-related, public interest work
- Public interest work is defined as employment where the primary purpose of the work is the representation of the interests of an individual or group of individuals who, for various economic political or social reasons, are not adequately represented.
- Some employment examples might include*:
- Legal services offices
- Prosecutors
- Government agencies
- Public defenders
- Advocacy groups
- Private firms (in limited cases)**
APPLICATION PROCESS
If you meet the above criteria and would like to apply for assistance, you must fill out the application form and submit a copy to finaid@vermontlaw.edu. You will be asked to provide copies of your most recent tax return form and any earning statements to verify your income reported. Questions? Contact our Alumni office at alumni@vermontlaw.edu.
Deadline
The deadline to submit an application is April 30th.
*Judicial clerkship appointments are not considered eligible employment
**Graduates working for a private firm may be eligible for assistance where at least 75% of the graduate's time is spent on public interest work; however, these recipients may be required to report loan forgiveness as taxable income