Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions

In addition to merit and need-based scholarships offered by Pace Law School, there are several additional resources, including grants, loans and work study, available to students who need assistance paying their law school tuition.

To be eligible for financial aid, you must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year. Pace Law School’s code is 002727. Pace recommends that you fill out FAFSA by November 15th. That means that once you begin filling out admissions applications, you should also be filling out FAFSA and researching other financial aid opportunities. Be sure to check all aid application deadlines immediately, to give yourself adequate time to prepare all required documents and complete your applications.  

You may complete the FAFSA online.

You must sign your FAFSA using your unique FSA ID. If you do not have an FSA ID you can create one online.

Students pursuing graduate level degrees are automatically deemed independent by the Department of Education.  Therefore, parental information is not required when completing your FAFSA. If you are married, however, you must include your spouse’s information on the application.

Students are not required to file a FAFSA to be considered for Pace merit-based scholarship funds. However, in order to receive almost all other forms of aid, the FAFSA form must be completed. We highly recommend that this form be completed each year in the event you find yourself in need of federal funds during the academic period.

Although graduate students enrolled in 9 credits per semester are considered by Admissions and health insurance providers to be full time students, different reporting is required for completing the FAFSA:

1-5 credits – less than half-time
6-8 credits – half time
9-11 credits – ¾ time
12 or more credits – full time

The FAFSA filing timeline for graduate students is quite relaxed. Each year’s form is available online for completion as early as October 1. If you wish to have financial aid funds applied to your semester charges we recommend that you complete the FAFSA form at least 4-6 weeks prior to the payment due date.

The FAFSA Federal school code for Pace Law School is: 002727

In most instances financial aid packages are mailed to students 2-4 weeks after the FAFSA form is received, providing there are no processing issues with your application and the Department of Education Processing Center.

In addition to scholarships, eligible students (U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens, enrolled in at least 6 credits per semester, pursuing a degree, not in default on prior student loans) may receive up to $20,500 in the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford loan.

Graduate students may also apply for the Federal Graduate PLUS Loan. Graduate PLUS loans require that students be credit-approved. Eligible students may borrow up to the cost of attendance minus any other financial aid received.

The importance of maintaining a good credit rating cannot be underestimated. Most private lenders will not lend money to students with a low credit rating. Before applying for a private loan, you should check your credit rating by ordering a credit report, which can be requested free once a year. This will allow you to correct any mistakes and clear up any problems with your credit report. You may order a report online or by calling 800-682-7564.

These special scholarships are awarded to students who have specific academic interests, backgrounds, or career plans.  Students must supply their information through the Endowed Scholarship database. Scholarship recipients are notified later if they have received an award. To view a full list of scholarships, please visit our Financial Aid Scholarship and Grants page.

While attending Pace Law School and after graduation, you may be eligible for certain tax benefits. If you are a graduate experiencing difficulty paying back your student loans, you may also be eligible for Pace’s post-graduate support program. You may also apply to consolidate your loans, which allows you to lock in a low interest rate and lower your monthly payments. For more information, visit the loan consolidation page of the Federal Student Aid website.