Understanding Your Financial Responsibilities
Pursuit of a legal education will require a significant investment of your various resources – including both time and money. We want to provide you information to help you understand the financial investment that is required of you as a CWRU Law Student.
In addition to the information presented here, our admissions officers can assist you with general questions regarding financial matters. Also, our law school has a special office which assists both enrolled and prospective students in understanding and managing the financial responsibilities of being a law student, including the process of applying for student loans.
Cost of a Legal Education At Case Western Reserve Law School
The costs indicated here are for the 2016-2017 school year.
Costs Paid Directly to Case
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Tuition
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$49,500
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Tuition per credit hour
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$2,066 per credit hour
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Student Activities Fee
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$134
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Graduate Student Council Fee (estimated)
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$28
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Health Insurance (estimated, will vary)
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$1,760
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Associated Costs Paid to Others
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Books and supplies (estimated, will vary)
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$1,800
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Living Expenses (estimated, will vary)
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$18,320 (nine-month budget)
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Meal Plans
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All students, whether they live on or off campus, may choose to participate in a university meal plan. In 2016–2017 meal plans start at $3510 per year (estimated, will vary).
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Parking and Transportation
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Student parking permits range in cost, depending on the location of the assigned lot. Free shuttle busses operate day and night on a regular schedule around the campus. For more information about transportation, visit Access Services.
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Tuition Refund Policy
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Student billing transactions are handled by the University Controller's office. To view tuition refund policies, visit theUniversity Registrar.
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Types of Financial Assistance
Scholarships, student loans and other aid programs are available to help meet the cost of your legal education.
1. Merit-Based Scholarship Programs: Thanks to the strong support of our alumni, we are able to award significant scholarships to approximately two-thirds of each entering class. Every applicant with an exceptionally strong record is considered for a scholarship. Candidates who apply for admissions before February 1 have a greater chance of receiving an award.
Unlike most law schools, our scholarships are not conditional upon GPA. When you receive a scholarship from our law school, it’s yours for as long as you maintain good academic standing at Case Western Reserve. View the Scholarship Terms and Conditions.
Once you are admitted to our program, you will be automatically considered for our internal scholarships, which are merit based. There is no special application form or process that you need to complete for scholarship consideration.
Internal Scholarship Opportunities
External Scholarship Opportunities
2. Student loans: There are a number of loan programs, both federal and private, that can help you meet your educational expenses. The loans can be used to meet any or all of the established cost of attendance. It is possible to borrow funds for both the direct tuition expenses, as well as for reasonable living expenses. Loans must be repaid. They may be government-sponsored low-interest loans or regular bank loans at a reduced interest rate. On some loans, interest may not start to accrue until after graduation. On others, interest accrues immediately. Loans may be based on demonstrated financial need. Learn more about types of loans.
To be considered for a loan, you must complete the financial aid application process. We encourage you to begin the financial aid application soon after you've been admitted to our school because it may take up to three months to complete the entire process. You should start the application process before the end of June to have funds available early in the fall semester. You must be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States to be eligible for most loan programs.
3. Other Aid Programs: There are two additional financial assistance opportunities available through our law school after enrollment.
Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP)
Open to JD graduates licensed to practice law and who are making substantial use of their legal training to provide services that are in the public interest, the LRAP program pays a certain percentage of the awardees' monthly loan payment. Once funded, a recipient may apply for renewal of funding for up to eight years, provided that they maintain eligibility. Since its inception, LRAP has provided loan repayment assistance to more than 92 alumni.
Saul S. Biskind Public Interest Fellowships
This fellowship program provides stipends to students and graduates pursuing careers in public interest law.
AID ELIGIBILITY
Law students seeking need-based financial assistance must meet the following eligibility requirements to be considered:
- Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident
- Have a valid social security number
- Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student working toward a JD degree
- Sign a statement of educational purpose and a certification statement on overpayment and default (both found on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
- Register with the Selective Service, if required
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress
Dependency Status
Under current federal law, all law students are considered independent for purposes of qualifying for federal loan programs.
What can the loan funds be used for?
Student loans can be used only to fund specific educational expenses, including reasonable living expenses which are incurred while the student is enrolled in school. The student loan budget, sometimes called cost of attendance, includes tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation, and an allowance for personal incidental expenses. Loan funds can be used for these expenses only to the extent that they are not already covered by scholarship or support that you receive from your relatives.
The student loan budget is determined by the university's financial aid office, based on an estimate of your various educational expenses, as listed above. You are not able to receive student loan funds in excess of the student loan budget, regardless of the type of loan or the source of the specific loan funds. It must be noted that loan budget is not designed to replace income that a student may have been earning before entering law school. Also, it is not designed to fund discretionary purchases that a student incurs before or during law school (such as car payments or credit card payments, vacations, support of a spouse).
APPLYING FOR AID
Under current federal law, all law students are considered independent for purposes of qualifying for federal loan programs. All new law students applying for student loans should submit the following forms:
Step 1: Initial Application Process
Submit these two forms:
- The 2016-17 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) Our Federal School Code is EOOO82.
- The CWRU Financial Aid Application and read the instructions for completing the application.
Step 2: Required Application Supplements (if requested)
- Only those students who are selected for verification through FAFSA currently must submit a photocopy of your (and your spouse's) 2015 federal (IRS) tax return, including all schedules.
- The Law School Student Financial Services Office will contact all affected students via email.
Step 3: Notification of Financial Aid Eligibility
The Office of University Financial Aid will notify you of an initial Financial Aid Award. This initial award is based on data obtained from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The types and amounts of financial assistance given on the initial Financial Aid Award are tentative until all application requirements have been met.
Step 4: Other Application Requirements
- The Law school loan remittance form must be submitted once all loan applications and master promissory notes have been completed.
- Instructions and the loan remittance form will be sent to students in the July loan information packet.
Where do I send the completed forms?
- CWRU Financial Aid Application Form
- Photocopy of Federal Tax Return and documents (if required) to:
Law School Student Financial Services Office
Case Western Reserve University
11075 East Boulevard
Cleveland, OH 44106-7148
Contact: Tonya Phillips, Director of Student Financial Services
Phone: 216.368.3602 or 1.877.889.4279
Email: lawmoney@case.edu