There are many types of financial aid available from the Georgia State University College of Law that can assist you in covering the costs of your legal education. The major sources of funding that may be available to you include: scholarships, tuition waivers, Federal Stafford Loans and Grad Plus Loans, as well as private Educational Loans. Scholarships and tuition waivers are administered within the College of Law.

Applying for Federal Financial Aid

Students who have never filed a FAFSA should first apply for a Personal Identification Number (PIN). The PIN allows you to electronically sign your FAFSA and speeds up the application process. After receiving a PIN, complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
Remember your PIN because the FAFSA must be renewed every year! If you are a renewal applicant and you don’t remember your PIN, you may find it online at www.pin.ed.gov.
To apply for financial aid, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online on the FAFSA website (www.fafsa.ed.gov). The FAFSA is available online starting in January of each year. The FAFSA application must be completed each year to receive aid for the fall start of each academic year. To have the FAFSA processing center send your results to Georgia State University’s Financial Aid Office, include the Georgia State University school code (001574) on your FAFSA form. Note: You do not have to wait until you are accepted into the university before you apply for financial aid.
Law students who meet federal eligibility requirements may borrow under one or more of the loan programs described below. Eligible students are: U.S. citizen or permanent resident; registered with Selective Service, if required; enrolled at least halftime (6 credits) in a degree-granting program and not in default on any previous borrowed student loans.

Priority Processing Deadline

Students should have a completed financial aid file on or before April 1 of each year. To ensure your FAFSA application is in our office before April 1, you should complete the application six to eight weeks in advance.

Types of Financial Aid Available to Law Students.

Federal Direct Subsidized Student Loan Program – Students may borrow up to $8,500 each academic year. The aggregate maximum on this loan is $65,500. This loan is based on financial need. Additional information can be obtained at the Federal Student Aid website, www.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP/DirectLoan/student.html.
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Student Loan Program – Students may borrow up to $20,500 each academic year, with a cumulative maximum of $138,500. This loan is not based on need; therefore, the interest on this loan accrues while students are in school. Additional information can be obtained at the Federal Student Aid website, www.ed.gov/offices/OSFAP/DirectLoan/student.html.

• Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loan (this loan is credit based) – Ford Federal Direct Grad PLUS (Grad PLUS) is a loan from the U.S. Department of Education that provides additional funds for educational expenses not met by other types of aid. This loan enables a graduate/professional student to borrow up to the cost of education minus other aid. The loan is credit based and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be on file. The interest rate on this loan is 7.9%. Additional information can be obtained at www.gsu.edu/financialaid.

The application for GSU students can be found on PAWS under the Financial Aid Menu.
Private Loans (these loans are credit based) – Also known as Alternative or Commercial Loans, these loans help bridge the gap between the actual cost of your education and the amount the government allows you to borrow. Private loans are offered by many lending institutions; terms and conditions may vary significantly. Note: If receiving aid through any of these programs, keep in mind the amount approved cannot exceed the total cost of education, less student contribution and financial aid. For more detailed information on all of the above financial aid programs and eligibility requirements for law students, please refer to www.gsu.edu/financialaid

GSU Scholarships and Tuition Waivers
These are administered within the GSU College of Law.

Outside Scholarships

FastWeb.com is a good source for external scholarship information.

Guest/Visiting Students

These students should contact their home institution regarding financial aid.

What Happens Next

• Once the school receives your processed FAFSA, the award processing will begin.
• Check your Georgia State University e-mail for important messages.
• Check your PAWS Account at http://paws.gsu.edu to determine if there are requirements you must resolve before you can be awarded.
• Submit all required documents to Financial Aid no later than 10 business days from the initial date of request (i.e. student signed federal tax returns, selective service, etc.).
• Once your financial aid has been awarded you will need to “accept” or “decline” aid that is in an “offered” status. Please visit PAWS at http://paws.gsu.edu and locate the Financial Aid Menu. Scroll down to Award Information Menu and click Accept award offer by aid year.
• If a student loan is “offered,’’ you will need to do the following:
  • Accept or decline the loan.
  • Complete the required loan entrance counseling if you accept the loan (one-time requirement for first loan at Georgia State) http://www.dlssonline.com/
  • Complete the loan promissory note if you accept the loan (one-time requirement for first-time borrower at Georgia State) http://dlenote.ed.gov/
• Based on your awarded financial aid, determine whether your aid covers your charges. If aid does not cover the total amount due, you are responsible for paying the balance by the dates established by the university.
• Become aware of all Georgia State University deadlines.
• Visit the university Financial Aid website for additional information at www.gsu.edu/financialaid