We know that applying for and securing funds for law school can be overwhelming, particularly with Baylor Law's unique quarter system. Please see the following list of frequently asked questions, and please contact us if you have any more questions!
Spring and Summer starters may fill out the FAFSA at any time. If you are a Fall starter, you may fill out the FAFSA after filing your electronic tax return.
Baylor's School Code is 003545.
If you are a Spring or a Summer Starter, you file the current academic year's and next academic year's FAFSA (e.g., if you begin in Spring or Summer 2024, you will file the 2023-2023 FAFSA and the 2024-2025 FAFSA).
Yes. The deadline is just a preferred deadline. Please note that you will not receive your financial aid package until you file the FAFSA.
It depends. Baylor University views the academic year as Summer as a standalone quarter, followed by the Fall through Spring. For the FAFSA and your federal loans, you should consider the academic year as Fall through Summer.
For a list of tuition and fees, please click here.
The Cost of Attendance is what the school estimates you will spend on tuition, fees, books, supplies, room, board, transportation, and personal expenses. It is the maximum amount of aid you may receive each quarter.
You will receive information about merit-based scholarships during the application process. Most students will receive scholarship information in their admissions letters. If you are interested in the Jaworski scholarship, you must submit a separate application. Click here for an application.
Yes. You will be eligible for a merit-based scholarship if you maintain a 3.6 GPA during your first three quarters of law school.
Your scholarship will be awarded quarterly, and, assuming you maintain the eligibility GPA, you may use it for whichever nine quarters you choose.
Most of our students retain their scholarships. See your scholarship award letter for details. You can see our scholarship retention data here.
After using your Federal Direct Loan eligibility, you can take up to the cost of attendance, minus other aid, in Graduate PLUS Loans, Texas College Access Loans, or private alternative loans.
There are two types of federal loans available to you. For more information on loans, please visit here.
Check with banks and other lending institutions. Additional loan sources are listed here.
See our Financial Aid Step-by-Step page for more information.
You may contact the Financial Aid Office at 254-710-2611 or may fill out their contact form here.
Loan assistance from private lenders is available to assist with bar exam expenses, bar application fees, and associated living expenses.
Bar loans are made payable directly because to you as they are not part of your financial aid package from Baylor Law. You may choose to borrow from $500 to $15,000. These loans are commercial loans based on your creditworthiness, and, as such, the interest rate/fees will vary from lender to lender based on your credit.
As always, we strongly encourage you to minimize borrowing. To this end, we encourage you to carefully consider the impact of borrowing additional money because cumulative borrowing can significantly impact your post-graduation lifestyle for the ten or more years you will be in repayment.
Because Baylor University sees the academic year as Fall-Spring together and Summer as a standalone term, your first three quarters are each in different academic terms and thus are packaged separately. You will receive a package for Spring, Summer, and then Fall-Spring.
Baylor Law will counsel students on federal and state loan repayment options. Additionally, Baylor Law partners with the Texas Access to Justice Foundation to provide loan repayment assistance to a select group of graduates.
The Texas Access to Justice Commission created the Texas Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program (Texas SLRAP) in 2003 to assist attorneys who choose to pursue careers in legal aid in Texas. Low salaries coupled with high student loan debt make it difficult or impossible for lawyers to accept employment at legal aid or stay in those jobs long term. The Texas SLRAP is a critical part of increasing access to justice for low-income individuals.
The Texas Access to Justice Foundation administers and funds the program.
For information about the program guidelines and how to apply, see the Texas Access to Justice Foundation website.
Baylor Law has partnered with TAJF to pioneer a matching program in conjunction with TAJF's Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program. Baylor will now match the award made by TAJF to all Baylor Law graduates for a combined award of up to $800 per month. For more information, contact Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, Jenny Branson.
The purpose of the TAJF Program is to encourage and enable recent law school graduates to work for Texas legal aid organizations and to assist legal aid programs in retaining experienced lawyers. Please note that the TAJF Program is structured as a loan, which may be forgiven in the future, rather than a grant.
Attorneys are eligible for loan repayment assistance through this program if they work full-time for any Texas program that is: 1. a recipient of Texas Access to Justice Foundation (TAJF) funds, 2. a recipient of Legal Services Corporation funds, or 3. a Texas non-profit that provides civil legal services if at least 50% of the services provided are free to Texans whose income is 175% of federal poverty guidelines or less.
Additionally, eligibility is limited to applicants who graduated within the last ten (10) years. The date for determining eligibility is the first day of the new SLRAP term. So, for example, if you are applying for the 2023-24 SLRAP year, the date from which you would determine eligibility is June 1, 2023.
For complete information on eligibility requirements, please read the attached Program Guidelines.
Please note: the certifications (law school, employer, and lender) MUST be received by the due dates as well. Securing these will be the most difficult part of the process so do NOT delay in making these requests.
Building Hours
Monday - Friday: 8:00am - 5:00pm
Saturday - Sunday: Closed
Holidays: Closed
Sheila & Walter Umphrey Law Center
1114 South University Parks Drive
One Bear Place #97288
Waco, Texas 76798
