Frequently Asked Questions
Introduction
The Office of Finanical Aid receives numerous questions each semester from students. The most-frequently asked have been answered below. Please contact us with further questions.
Click a question below to show the answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much will it cost for me to attend law school for a year?
Tuition, fees, and living expenses information is available through the admission web pages.
What do I need to do to change my requested loan amount?
Log into the UIC student portal. Under the financial aid notification, scroll to the bottom and click “Request Changes.” Students can type all requests in the text box on the second page of the financial aid notification. Follow all continue prompts until reaching submit decision. Please allow 5-7 business days for adjustments to be processed.
Can I defer my previous student loans?
In-School Deferment forms for qualifying students enrolled at least half-time (6 hours) are completed by the University Registrar. Once the University Registrar reports an in-school status to the Department of Education’s National Clearinghouse, all previously borrowed Federal Loans will be automatically deferred. Student can contact the Registrar’s Office at law-registrar@uic.edu.
How can I find out how much outstanding student loan debt I already have?
Students can find a full history of their Federal Student Loans via the https://studentaid.gov. Once here, click “Manage Loans” in the top margin. On the next page, click “View My Account.” Students will need an FSA ID and Password to view their full loan borrowing history.
What is loan consolidation?
Consolidation is a process through which you can combine several different federal educational loans together into one consolidation loan. Advantages of this program are:
- If you have loans held by several different lenders, you can pay them all in one place.
- You can reduce your monthly payment by extending your payments over a longer period of time.
- You can research and compare the availability of a low fixed interest rate.
Are there tuition and fee waivers for UIC employees?
UIC Law is a self-supporting college that does not receive any direct state appropriations. Accordingly, students who are also employees of the University of Illinois system are not eligible to receive tuition and fee waivers from UIC Law based on their employment status. University of Illinois employees may be eligible to be considered for merit-based scholarships awarded by the Law School under the same eligibility requirements as other law students.
When do I need to complete the FAFSA Application?
A New FAFSA application is available on October 1ST of each year. Students must complete a New FAFSA application each year so that the Financial Aid Office can determine Federal Loan eligibility. During the Fall/Spring terms, students need to be registered for at least 6 credit hours to be eligible for Federal Loans. During the Summer term, students must be registered for at least 5 credit hours to be eligible for Federal Loans.
During the Fall/Spring terms students need to be registered for at least 6 credit hours to be eligible for Federal Loans. During the Summer term students must be registered for at least 5 credit hours to be eligible for Federal Loans.
Do I need to submit a separate application to the Department of Education when applying for the Graduate Plus Loan?
No separate application is required. Upon completing the FAFSA application, students will be offered a graduate plus loan. Once the loan is accepted via the UIC student portal, this will initiate the Graduate Plus Loan credit check and application process.