Appealing a Financial Aid Award
How do I appeal my Financial Aid Award?
To appeal an award, please submit an appeal letter to the Financial Aid Office outlining which award you are appealing, and your reason(s) for the appeal by October 1 of each academic year.

Applying for Financial Aid
When is the Financial Aid application deadline?
The general application deadline is April 30; however applicants should file their FAFSA and Need Access applications as soon as possible after January 1. Prospective students who receive an offer of admission after this deadline date should submit their Financial Aid materials within thirty days of their acceptance.

What Financial Aid application materials are required?
Please review the information about Applying for Aid listed on this Web site.

How do I obtain Financial Aid application materials?
Applications will be mailed to all continuing students March 1. For prospective students, application materials are sent out once you have been accepted to the program.

Do I have to complete a new application each year?
Yes. Your financial aid may increase or decrease each year, depending on your financial circumstances.

Cost of Attendance Increase
How do I increase my cost of attendance?
There are several instances in which Brooklyn Law School’s Financial Aid Office will increase a student’s cost of attendance. Students seeking an increase must complete the Request for Budget Adjustment form, available online or from the Financial Aid Office, 2nd Floor, One Boerum Place.

Credit Check
How do I check my credit?
You may check your credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com.

Division Transfers and Financial Aid
What happens to my Financial Aid if I change divisions?
If you change from full-time to part-time, or part-time to full-time, your private loans may be adjusted accordingly.

FAFSA
What is Brooklyn Law School’s code for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)?
Brooklyn Law School’s code for the FAFSA form is E00057

Where do I file FAFSA?
The FAFSA is submitted online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

How do I receive my Federal PIN?
Your Federal PIN is usually mailed out in mid-November to the address that you listed on your previous year’s FAFSA form. If you have not received your PIN, or would like to request a new PIN, please visit www.pin.ed.gov.

I mailed my FAFSA form/submitted it online over 4 weeks ago and have not received my Student Aid Report (SAR). What should I do?
If you have not received a Student Aid Report (SAR), call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (toll free) or 1-319-337-5665. You must provide them with your Social Security number and date of birth as verification.

What should I do if I need to make changes on my FAFSA form?
File a correction FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Do I need to provide my parent’s information on the FAFSA form?
As a graduate student your parent’s information is not required on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

What does it mean if I am chosen for verification?
This is a process that is required by the federal government to verify the information that you submitted on your FAFSA.

What must I do upon being selected for verification?
Upon being selected for verification, you should complete a verification worksheet and submit a signed copy of the last Federal Income Tax Return filed.

Loan Deferment
Where can I request a loan deferment form?
Deferment forms should be requested from your lender.

Where should I submit my deferment forms?
All deferment forms should be submitted to the Registrar’s Office. Please contact them with any questions regarding this process (718) 780-7913.

Loan Repayment
When do I start repayment on my Federal Loans?
Repayment begins six months from the date of your actual withdrawal, whether it be upon graduation, leave of absence or if you should drop below a half-time status.

When do I start repayment on my Private Loans?
Repayment of private loans begins anywhere from six to nine months after graduation. You will need to confirm your repayment terms with your individual lender.

What is loan consolidation?
Loan consolidation allows borrowers to combine their federal education loans into a single loan with one monthly payment, which can be significantly lower than the payment required under the standard 10-year repayment option.

Does Brooklyn Law School offer a loan forgiveness program?
Yes, our Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) is available to students who enter qualifying eployment in public interest and who meet specific guidelines. Find out more about the LRAP program.

Loans
What is the difference between the Subsidized and Unsubsidized Stafford Loan?
With the subsidized Stafford Loan, the interest is paid by the government while you are in school. The interest on the Unsubsidized Stafford accrues while you are in school. You have the option of paying the interest or deferring it until after you graduate, at which time it will be added to the principle of the loan.

Why is my private or Graduate Plus Loan less than I requested?
The amount of your private loan is calculated by subtracting all types of financial aid that you received for the academic year from your Cost of Attendance.

If I will be transferring from Brooklyn Law School, will my loans be sent to my new school?
No. Once we have received notification from the Dean’s Office that you are transferring all of your loans and other financial aid will be cancelled. You will need to re-apply at the school that you will be attending.

Making a Counseling Appointment
Do I need to make an appointment to see a Financial Aid Counselor?
You may see a counselor without making an appointment in advance, at certain times of the year—in the weeks before and during the beginning of a semester—the Financial Aid Office is busy processing applications and awards. During these times, we suggest that you make an appointment in advance to avoid having to wait. To make an appointment, call the Financial Aid Office at (718) 780-7915 or send an email to finaid@brooklaw.edu.

Where is the Financial Aid Office located?
The Financial Aid Office is located on the 2nd Floor of One Boerum Place.

What are your hours of operation?
Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and until 6:00 p.m. on Tuesdays during the academic year.

Need Access
Does BLS offer need-based grants?
Yes. To determine eligibility for financial aid, a Need Access Application must be completed. This application is online at www.needaccess.org.

My parents make too much money. Should I even bother filling out the Need Access Application?
The Financial Aid Office recommends that all students interested in applying for a need-based grant submit an application, irrespective of your parents’ information. It is difficult to determine from income level alone if you are eligible for a need-based grant. There are many other factors which are taken into consideration.

Do I need to provide my parent’s information on the Need Access Application?
Yes. Information for both parents is required on the Need Access Application.

Which parent’s information would I include on my Need Access Application if my parents are divorced?
If your parents are divorced, you are still required to submit both parents’ information on the Need Access application.

Refunds
What happens if my Financial Aid is more than my tuition?
When calculating your financial need, our office takes into consideration tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation and personal miscellaneous expenses. Once your tuition and fees are paid, any excess funds will be available from the Bursar’s Office. Refunds are usually available shortly after classes have started.

Scholarships
Does BLS offer merit-based academic scholarships?
Yes. All accepted degree students are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships awarded by the Law School. These partial tuition awards are made each year to the most qualified applicants, based on their LSAT scores, undergraduate grades, and the college at which these grades were earned. These scholarships can be renewed annually provided the student meets a specified level of academic achievement. A separate application or request is not required.

Do I need to submit an application for your Endowed Law School Scholarships?
No. The Scholarship Committee makes the selection for these scholarships based on the information contained in the student’s record.

How do I apply for New York State’s Tuition Assistance Program?
The student must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and list a New York State college or school on the form. HESC will receive the data from the FAFSA and generate an Express TAP Application (ETA) for the student. The ETA is typically received 30-40 days after the FAFSA is filed. Processing time for the ETA is generally three to four weeks. After the ETA is processed you will receive an award certificate.

Study at Another School and Financial Aid
What happens if I want to study for a semester or two at another school?
In order for your student loans to be transferred to another school for approved programs, you will first need to receive permission from the Dean of Academic Affairs. After permission has been granted, you will need to ask the Financial Aid Office send a Consortium Agreement to the other school. Once the agreement has been returned, your funds will then be forwarded.

Tuition Deadlines and Financial Aid
Will my financial aid be received in time to cover my tuition?
Your federal and private loans will be not be received in time to cover your tuition, but once you have been approved for both loans, the loans are listed on your Tuition Account and you will not be required to pay those amounts prior to disbursement.

Types of Financial Aid
What types of Financial Aid are available?
Financial assistance is available in the form of scholarships, fellowships, research assistantships, need-based grants, Federal loans, Federal Work-Study, and private loans. Financial aid comes from several public and private sources and is granted on the basis of need and academic merit. For more information, visit the Scholarships & Grants and Loans page in the Financial Aid section of this Web site.