Frequently Asked Questions

No. All schools have different criteria for determining aid based on need and/or merit, different amounts of funds available, and varying levels of demand. Unfortunately, we are not in a position to adjust offers to admitted students based on those of other schools.

No. If you receive a merit scholarship as an incoming first-year student, you keep it for three years of law study (provided you do not lose it through failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress or some other misadventure). Merit scholarships are awarded to incoming 1Ls only.

No.

No. You can request increases for the reimbursement of the purchase of a notebook computer, reimbursement for paid, out-of-pocket medical expenses incurred during the academic year, for dependent child care costs, and to offset federal loan origination fees. Appropriate documentation is required.

All undergraduate, graduate, law, medical, and doctoral students, who are matriculated in a degree-granting on-campus program and all international students on a J1 or F1 Visa are required to have health insurance while they study at GW. This includes students on the Foggy Bottom, Mount Vernon, VSTC, and Corcoran campuses. These students will be automatically charged and enrolled in the GW SHIP and must submit a waiver form if they have another insurance plan that meets the required waiver criteria. If you have other acceptable coverage, you must waive at University Health Plans.

The Law Financial Aid Office sets a maximum on all financial aid, including commercial and federal education loans. You must budget carefully to live within this constraint.

Revolving credit, car payments, and costs of maintaining a pet are expenses some of our former students have sought to cover with loans.

Unfortunately, our COA is not meant to cover them. If you try to stretch your monthly allowance for costs like these, you will be limiting your ability to afford living. When it comes to a school’s COA, think rock-bottom survival mode.

So…We encourage you to pay down credit card debt as much as possible now, before you start school. Leave your car behind—most students don’t need a car in Washington, which has an extensive public transportation system.  If you can get to campus on foot or by bicycle at least some of the time, you can cut back on public transportation costs. Living with roommates is a good way to cut down on rent. Preparing your food at home is another. GW Law is located in a high-temptation shopping area, with designer coffee/pastry shops on practically every block. Shun them! The old adage still holds true: If you borrow in order to live like a lawyer now, you may very well end up living like a student later.

It is important to think about your budget and how much loan money you really need for law school. Remember: for every $10,000 borrowed, a student can expect to pay approximately $125 each month in debt service after graduation.

Students often ask how to finance their summers in between the spring and the upcoming fall semesters. Unfortunately, unless you are enrolled at least half-time during the summer session at GW Law or another law school, financial aid is not available for summer expenses.  If you do enroll half-time in summer, then you may borrow a Federal Direct GradPLUS loan.

Please Note: Due to the tuition deposits required to secure a seat in the entering class, 1L students who qualify for a credit balance refund to help with living expenses will receive a larger fall refund than in spring. Please plan for the spring semester accordingly.

Lenders of non-federal education loans and Federal Direct GradPLUS Loans review your credit report.  If your report contains adverse financial information (whether or not in error) and/or a low credit score, a loan may be denied by the lender, regardless of eligibility certified by a financial aid office. In this case, a qualified co-signer or endorser will most likely be required. Any co-signer must have a satisfactory credit history and score, and a debt-to-income ratio capable of supporting the new loan in addition to any pre-existing debt. The option to borrow a loan with a co-signer usually follows a loan credit denial. You may appeal a credit denial on a loan; our students often appeal successfully.

Even if your loan credit application is approved by a lender after having been denied, chances are strong that any future applications will always be denied.   This just means you will need to appeal the decision every time you apply, including re-signing promissory notes, both your own and those of your endorser.  Additional federal counseling is required.

There are three main credit reporting agencies:

• Equifax: 800.685.1111; http://www.equifax.com
• Experian/TRW: 888.397.3742; http://www.experian.com
• Transunion: 800.888.4213; http://www.transunion.com

You may obtain a copy of one or all three credit reports free once a year as mandated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act from www.annualcreditreport.com or by calling 877.322.8228. We advise all of our applicants to obtain a copy of at least one credit report immediately.  

It is imperative you ascertain if your credit reports contain errors/derogatory information in time to make any necessary corrections, or to begin the process of repairing any damage to your credit rating.

At an estimated interest rate of 7.5%, educational debt of $100,000 would be repaid at the rate of about $1,187 per month for 10 years, or $739 per month for 25 years.   The total amount repaid (including the $100,000 principal) would be about $142,442 for 10 years, or $221,697 for 25 years.

There are many online calculators to help predict how much your student loans will cost you in repayment, and to plan for successful repayment before you borrow.   The Department of Education's Repayment Estimator can help you get an idea of what your payments may be once you begin repayment.

Visit the Federal Student Aid website, log in with your FSA ID and select "Repayment Estimator."

Yes.  Alumni in qualifying public service employment may be eligible for assistance in repaying their federal and private student loans obtained during study at GW Law.

For more information visit: Loan Repayment Assistance Program.