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School of Law

Aid Eligibility

Financial Aid

Federal Aid Eligibility Requirements

You must meet certain requirements to be eligible for federal student aid. Eligibility is established by filing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at studentaid.gov (SCU school code 001326) and meeting the following criteria:

  • Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen;
  • Have a valid Social Security number (with the exception of students from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau);
  • Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student in an eligible degree or certificate program;
  • Be enrolled at least half-time to be eligible for Direct Loan Program funds;
  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress in college or career school;
  • Sign the certification statement on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form stating that:
    • You are not in default on a federal student loan;
    • You do not owe money on a federal student grant, and
    • You will use federal student aid only for educational purposes; and
  • Show you’re qualified to obtain a college or career school education by
    • Having a high school diploma or a recognized equivalent such as a General Educational Development (GED) certificate;
    • Completing a high school education in a homeschool setting approved under state law (or—if state law does not require a homeschooled student to obtain a completion credential—completing a high school education in a homeschool setting that qualifies as an exemption from compulsory attendance requirements under state law); or
    • Enrolling in an eligible career pathway program and meeting one of the “ability-to-benefit” alternatives described below.

Additional eligibility requirements can apply in certain situations including for non-U.S. citizens, students with criminal convictions, and students with intellectual disabilities. For more information visit studentaid.gov/understand-aid/eligibility/.

Funding information and resources for DACA students

The following resources were provided by the College Board and the West Coast Consortium of Private Law Schools to assist you with finding resources as you pursue your legal education. Santa Clara Law School scholarships are not status dependent and you will be given full consideration at the time of admission. Please feel free to reach out to our Admissions and Financial Aid team if you have questions or need assistance.

Staying Eligible

Satisfactory Academic Progress

To be eligible for federal student aid, students must make satisfactory academic progress. A determination of satisfactory academic progress for continued federal student aid eligibility is distinct from a determination of academic good standing (which only requires a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or above at the end of each academic year) as described in the Academic Policies section of the Student Bulletin.

To demonstrate they are making satisfactory academic progress for continued federal student aid eligibility students must meet both a quantitative (time-based) and qualitative (grade-based) standard. Students will be evaluated by the pace at which they are progressing through the program to ensure they will graduate within the maximum timeframe allowed, by their credit hour completion rate, and by their cumulative grade point average (GPA). Students enrolled in joint degree programs including the J.D./MBA, J.D./MSIS and J.D./LL.M Program must make satisfactory academic progress as defined for those programs.

Satisfactory academic progress is required to retain eligibility for all federal student aid programs including the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program (Direct Unsubsidized Loans and Direct PLUS Loans), and Federal Work-Study.

Students who fail to make satisfactory academic progress, including those students who are readmitted following academic disqualification, are not eligible for federal student aid. Students may appeal that result based on injury or illness, the death of a relative, or other special circumstances. The appeal must explain why the student failed to make satisfactory progress and what has changed in their situation that will allow them to make satisfactory progress at the next evaluation.

There are additional requirements to reestablish federal student aid eligibility. Appeals will be reviewed by the Law Admissions and Financial Aid Office and may be denied or approved. For the complete federal student aid satisfactory academic progress policy and appeal process, please review our full Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.

Regaining Eligibility

Students who lose their financial aid eligibility due to failure to meet the satisfactory academic progress may appeal their status. Students who wish to appeal their financial aid ineligibility must complete and submit the following:

  1. Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal – available on our website
  2. An attached statement describing the specific reason(s) beyond your control (events and/or circumstances) that directly contributed to the lack of meeting the satisfactory academic progress requirements and the steps you are taking to make sure you are successful.
  3. Any documentation to support your appeal

Once the completed appeal is received, the information will be reviewed by the Law Admissions and Financial Aid Office. Based upon the documentation submitted, the Law Admissions and Financial Aid Office will approve or deny the appeal. Students will be notified of the decision by email no later than two weeks after the completed appeal is received.

For the complete federal student aid satisfactory academic progress policy and appeal process, please review our full Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.

Cancellation of Financial Aid and Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4) Policy

Students who withdraw (officially or unofficially) from the University and who have federal financial aid are subject to the federal regulations applicable to the return of Title IV funds (R2T4). This R2T4 regulation is based on EARNED and UNEARNED aid at the time of total withdrawal from all classes for a term. These regulations assume that a student earns his or her financial aid based on the period of time the student remains enrolled during a term. A student is obligated to return all unearned federal financial aid funds governed under Title IV other than those earned under the college work-study program.

Unearned financial aid is the amount of disbursed Title IV that exceeds the amount of Title IV aid earned in accordance with the federal guidelines. During the first 60 percent of the term, a student earns Title IV funds in direct proportion to the length of time the student remains enrolled. That is, the percentage of time during the term that the student remains enrolled is the percentage of disbursable aid for that period that the student has earned. A student who withdraws after the 60 percent point of the enrollment term earns all Title IV aid disbursed for the period. The amount of tuition and other charges owed by the student plays no role in determining the amount of Title IV funds to which a withdrawn student is entitled. 

Please note this policy is separate and distinct from the Santa Clara University credit balance refund policy https://www.scu.edu/bursar/refund/.

Determination of Withdrawal date 

Students with financial aid who are withdrawing from the university are advised to complete the withdrawal form through the Law Student Services Office. 

 Official Withdrawal date will be used when a student is considered to have officially withdrawn from the University. The determination of this date will be 

  1. The date a student provided the Law Registrar’s Office notification (written or orally) that they will be withdrawing from the university. 
  2. Or the date the student began the withdrawal process that is listed on students records held by the Law Student Services Office. 

Unofficial Withdrawal date will be used when a student ceases attending without providing official notification of withdrawal. The determination of this date will be 

  1. The mid-point of the payment period and will be used to recalculate financial aid eligibility.
  2. Or the last date of an academically related activity in which the student participated as stated by the professor of record or authorized departmental representative.

Timeframe for Returns

All funds must be returned to federal programs before funds are returned to state or University financial aid programs or to the student. Title IV program funds will be returned no later than 45 days after we determine a student has withdrawn.

 The return of funds allocation will be made in the following order for students who have received Federal Title IV assistance:

  • Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loans (other than Direct PLUS Loans)
  • Federal Direct PLUS Loans
  • Iraq and Afghanistan Grants for which a return is required

If a student owes a repayment after the Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4) calculation is completed, the student will be notified via Workday account. 

Post-Withdrawal Disbursements

Eligibility for post-withdrawal disbursements will be confirmed within 30 calendar days of the date that the student withdrew. The school must advise the student that they have 14 calendar days from the date the school sent the post-withdrawal disbursement notification to accept a post-withdrawal disbursement. If a response is not received from the student or parent within the allowed time frame or the student declines the funds, the school will return any earned funds that the school is holding to the Title IV program.

 Post-Withdrawal Disbursement Conditions

If a student has accepted Title IV aid by the date of the withdrawal, but the financial aid has not disbursed, the student may be eligible for a post-withdrawal disbursement. If the amount disbursed to the student is less than the amount the student earned, and for which the student is otherwise eligible, he or she is eligible to receive a post-withdrawal disbursement for the earned aid that was not received. Under these circumstances, a R2T4 calculation must be performed to determine whether the student is eligible for a post-withdrawal disbursement. SCU must make this determination within 30 calendar days after the student withdraws.

 The following conditions apply when processing a post-withdrawal disbursement:

  1. A student may not owe a prior year balance or fail to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress according to Santa Clara University and FAO law policy.
  2. A student must have accepted aid by the date of the withdrawal.
  3. If, before the student’s withdrawal date a loan offer has been accepted, the loan must also have been originated by Santa Clara University.
  4. In all Title IV loan programs, a promissory note must be signed for a loan to be included as Aid that could have been disbursed in an R2T4 calculation. The signature may be obtained after the student withdraws. However, for the loan to be included as Aid that could have been disbursed, the promissory note must be signed before the school performs the R2T4 calculation.
  5. If the student is eligible for a post-withdrawal disbursement of a loan, Law Financial Aid Office (LFAO) must send notification of post-withdrawal disbursement eligibility to the student within 30 calendar days after the student withdraws. Students will be given a minimum of 14 calendar days to respond to the post-withdrawal disbursement offer.
  6. FAO will disburse any Title IV grant funds a student is due as part of a post-withdrawal disbursement within 45 calendar days of the date FAO determined the student withdrew. The FAO will disburse any loan funds a student accepts by the post withdrawal disbursement deadline within 180 calendar days of the withdrawal date. The school must obtain written permission from the student before loan funds can be disbursed.
  7. A school cannot make a post-withdrawal disbursement to a deceased student or a student who has not signed the loan’s promissory note.
  8. For students who provide notification back to LFAO that they want the loan funds prior to the post-withdrawal disbursement deadline, FAO will disburse the loan.

 Credit Balance 

Any credit balance resulting from a Return to Title IV calculation will be disbursed as soon as possible but no later than 14 days after the date of the Return to Title IV calculation is performed.

Repayment of Unearned Aid

Students are responsible for repayment of any funds to our institution that were disbursed to the student for which the student was determined to be ineligible via the R2T4. Arrangements must be made with the Bursar’s Office for repayment. 

GLOSSARY

 R2T4 = Return to Title IV. It is the return of unearned disbursed aid received by the student to the Federal Government.

 Unearned Aid = Federal aid disbursed/received by the student that exceeds the amount the student earned.

 Earned Aid = Federal aid that the student is eligible to receive. 

 FAO = Financial Aid Office

LFAO = Law Financial Aid Office