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Financial Aid

Welcome to the IU Robert H. McKinney School of Law’s Student Financial Services homepage. Our goal is to assist you with navigating the sometimes complex financial aid world by providing you with an understanding of financial aid opportunities and processes. We will be with you from the very beginning of your career at McKinney to when you graduate and enter the world of student loan repayment. Below is an overview of the financial aid basics.

Overview of the Federal Aid Process

U.S. citizen and permanent resident applicants interested in pursuing federal student loans must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year.

Online application should be completed at www.fafsa.gov.
Include the IUPUI school code (001813).
Newly-admitted students should select “Grad/Prof” student and “First Year GP” on the FAFSA.
Parent information is not required on the FAFSA at this level of education.
Course work taken during fall 2012, spring 2013 and/or summer 2013 requires the 2012-2013 FAFSA.

Once the FAFSA is received, students who have been admitted to McKinney School of Law can expect to receive a Financial Aid Notification (FAN) in the mail during the month of April, which details their federal loan options. If official admittance takes place after April, the FAN will be sent approximately two-three weeks after that date. Continuing students receive their FAN via University email in May/June.

All students should monitor their online IU OneStart account (https://onestart.iu.edu) to ensure there are no outstanding items needed for the aid process (additional required documentation for the financial aid process will be reflected on the OneStart “To Do” list). Additionally, students should monitor their University email accounts, as official communications from both Financial Aid and Bursar Offices are sent to the IUPUI email account. Students needing assistance with email set-up should contact University Information Technology Services (UITS) (http://uits.iupui.edu).

Disbursement of Loans and Billing (Bursar)

Federal student loans credit to enrolled students’ bursar accounts ten (10) days prior to the start of his/her semester. Loans will disburse and automatically cover tuition and mandatory fees owed, assuming the student has aid equal to or greater than the bursar bill. Aid in excess of what is owed will be refunded to the student. Direct deposit can be set-up online at http://www.bursar.iupui.edu/directdepositinfo.asp to expedite receipt of the refund.

If a student wants federal student loans to pay for educational costs incurred other than tuition and fees (such as parking decal, recreation fees, JagTag expenses, etc.), s/he must authorize that process to occur by completing and signing the Title IV Authorization Form. Once complete, this form should be returned to the Office of the Bursar at P.O. Box 6020, Indianapolis, IN 46206-6020.

Cost of Attendance and Loan Indebtedness

We recognize that students come to the McKinney School of Law from different backgrounds, experiences and lifestyles; however, the student educational expense budget reflects a modest lifestyle. The Cost of Attendance (budget) refers to the maximum allowable amount of total financial aid (from all sources; loans, scholarships, fee remissions, etc.) a student can receive within a given term/year. The Office of Student Financial Services develops student budgets that estimate a student's annual projected educational expenses, including:

Tuition & Fees
Living Expenses (includes housing)
Books & Supplies
Personal/Miscellaneous
Transportation

Students may not borrow in excess of the approved budget. Daily living expenses related to spouse or children cannot be included, with the exception of daycare costs. Car purchase, moving expenses, and credit card debt are additional examples of expenses that cannot be considered when calculating how much a student may borrow.

» View the 2012-2013 Cost of Attendance Budgets

Indebtedness

The lifetime Federal Stafford Loan aggregate borrowing limit for graduate students is $138,500 (which includes Stafford Loan borrowing from undergrad or previous graduate programs, if applicable). Borrowers must consider how repaying the loans will impact their personal and professional life. You should keep track of your total indebtedness and understand the approximate monthly payment obligations for the amount borrowed.

Loan repayment calculators can assist you in determining monthly loan payments and total amount you will repay with interest, based on the amount borrowed and the number of year it takes to pay off the debt. You can access a calculator at http://www.finaid.org/calculators/loanpayments.phtml.

Federal Stafford and Graduate PLUS Loans are borrowed from the U.S. Department of Education’s Direct Loan program. You can always review and access your overall federal student loan borrowing amounts at the U.S. Department of Education’s National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) website, www.nslds.ed.gov. You will need your FAFSA four-digit Personal Identification Number (PIN) to log into this website.

Private loan borrowers should refer to their lender’s website for indebtedness totals.

Loan Information for International Students

International students interested in pursuing a private student loan must have a credit-worthy U.S. citizen or permanent resident willing to serve as a co-signer. Students should compare interest rates, borrowing limits and repayment terms with the lender of their choosing. More details concerning the private loan process can be reviewed at http://www.iupui.edu/~finaid/services/loans/private-alts/.

Scholarships

The Federal and State aid programs do not provide grant (free) money to graduate/professional students. Institutional scholarships at IU are primarily directed towards the undergraduate populations. However, McKinney School of Law has departmental scholarships that are awarded in varying amounts on the basis of scholastic achievement and other factors. Students are encouraged to apply for these funding opportunities through the McKinney School of Law. Additional information on McKinney scholarships can be found at http://indylaw.indiana.edu/students/scholarships.htm.

Students Matriculating In:	# Entering with Conditional Scholarships	# Whose Conditional Scholarships Have Since Been Reduced or Eliminated
2012***	110	N/A
2011**	136	55
2010*	100	61

***10 students received more than 1 conditional scholarship; eligibility to renew awards for second year is made at the end of the student's first spring term; most awards require a minimum GPA of 3.0 to renew

**3 students received more than 1 conditional scholarship; most awards required a minimum GPA of 3.0 to renew; 2 awards were not renewed or reduced for reasons other than not meeting the GPA requirement (e.g., adjusted for a change in residency, withdrew enrollment)

*most awards required a minimum GPA of 3.1 to renew; 7 awards were not renewed or reduced for reasons other than not meeting the GPA requirement (e.g., adjusted for a change in residency, withdrew enrollment)

Financial Aid Contact

» Contact LeAndra Ross, Assistant Director of Student Financial Services for McKinney School of Law

Additional Information

IUPUI Office of Student Financial Services – Types of Aid, Applying for Aid, Receiving Aid, Consumer Information, and Campus Center Office Information.