Financial Aid Information

Pursuing a legal education is a significant investment, and at Willamette University School of Law, we are committed to providing resources and support to help you manage the cost of your education. Our comprehensive financial aid options are designed to ensure that you have the tools and information needed to make informed financial decisions as you embark on your legal career.

Tuition and Fees

Willamette offers both full-time and part-time JD programs with competitive tuition rates. To view the most current tuition and fee structure for our programs, please visit our Tuition & Fees page.
Understanding Your Financial Outlook

We encourage all prospective and current students to have a clear understanding of their financial commitments when choosing a law school. To help you plan effectively, we recommend using student loan calculators like Bankrate's free Student Loan Calculator to estimate your loan repayments and overall financial outlook.

Important Considerations for Estimated Expenses

Annual Changes: Tuition, fees, and estimated living expenses are subject to change each academic year.
Living Expenses: Estimates include transportation, room, and board during the nine-month academic year, calculated for a single student with no dependents.
Health Insurance: Willamette University-sponsored student health insurance is provided by PacificSource Health Plans. The fees listed cover the student only. For information on waiving health insurance or adding dependents, please refer to our Student Health Insurance page.

Financial Aid at Willamette Law

We offer a variety of financial aid options to help you fund your legal education, including federal loans, work-study opportunities, and scholarships. Below is an overview of the financial aid process and options available to law students.

To be considered for federal loans or work-study, students must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The priority filing period is from October 1 to March 15. While you can still apply after the priority deadline, doing so may delay the processing of your financial aid award.

For questions about your financial aid application status, loan processing, or work-study awards, please contact the Office of Financial Aid.

A variety of private lenders offer alternative loans funded through non-government sources. Willamette recommends you complete a FAFSA® Application to determine any Federal Loan eligibility. If you need additional funding after considering all Federal Loan options, a private/alternative loan may be an option to consider. Before making a decision on a private loan or lender, Willamette recommends that you compare Federal Versus Private Loans.

All private educational loan programs are based on creditworthiness and most lenders require a credit-worthy cosigner for approval of loans for undergraduate student applications.

To help you with a private lender search, Willamette has compiled a historical list of lenders within ELMSelect, a tool to compare loan products. Each of the lenders has disbursed at least one private loan to Willamette University within the last three academic years.

You may select ANY lender you wish without penalty (whether they are on the list or not). Please contact Willamette with any questions you may have about federal or private loan processes.

If you have borrowed from a lender that is not listed below, please contact that lender directly. They may not be offering new private loans and as such were removed from this list. They may still be able to lend to you if you have borrowed from them in prior years.

Your lender may offer a type of private educational loan through their website that does not require school certification. Borrowing this type of private educational loan may have a serious negative impact on your existing financial aid package. Please contact Willamette's financial aid office before borrowing one of these loans.

Willamette University does not recommend or endorse any lender.

Work-study positions are typically available for second- and third-year law students, offering both on- and off-campus employment opportunities in law-related fields. First-year students are generally discouraged from working due to the academic demands of their studies. Work-study eligibility requires annual FAFSA submission. For more details, please contact the Office of Financial Aid.

Beyond the financial aid offered by Willamette Law, there are numerous external resources and scholarships available to law students:

Oregon Student Assistance Commission (OSAC): Oregon residents attending Willamette may be eligible for private scholarships administered by OSAC. Contact OSAC at 800-452-8807 for more information.
Oregon State Bar Resources
Scholarship Databases: Numerous online scholarship search databases can help you find additional funding. The Smart Student Guide to Financial Aid offers links to scholarship databases, loan calculators, budget worksheets, and more. Willamette compiles a listing of some external scholarship opportunities for law students.

Useful Financial Aid Resources

To further assist you in managing your finances, we recommend the following websites:

The Education Fund: Debt management and budgeting resources.
The Motley Fool: Budgeting information, credit card rates, and more.
MyFICO: Obtain your credit score and monitor your credit.
Oregon Student Aid: Links to Oregon student scholarships.
Paying for Law School (LSAC): LSAC infographic on funding law school.

For more personalized assistance, feel free to contact the Willamette University Office of Financial Aid. We are here to help you navigate the financial aspects of your law school journey.

Loan Terms

Fixed interest rate of 7.94% (As of 07/01/25)
Origination fee of 1.057%
Interest begins accruing as soon as funds are disbursed
Repayment will begin 6 months after you graduate, withdraw, or are enrolled less than half-time
10 year repayment period

Yearly Amounts

Learn more

Application Requirements

Valid FAFSA filed and available to Willamette
Master promissory note (MPN)
Entrance counseling

Sample Repayment Schedule

Total Debt at Repayment*	Monthly Payment Amount	Total Amount Paid	Total Interest Paid
$5,000	$50	$6,005	$1,007
$10,000	$100	$12,013	$2,013
$15,000	$150	$18,020	$3,020
$20,000	$200	$24,026	$4,026
$25,000	$250	$30,033	$5,033
$30,000	$300	$36,039	$6,039
$35,000	$350	$42,046	$7,046
$40,000	$400	$48,052	$8,052
$45,000	$450	$54,059	$9,059
$50,000	$501	$60,065	$10,065
*Payment calculated using a fixed interest rate of 3.76% over a 10 year period.

Recent Federal has eliminated graduate PLUS loans for all new borrowers as of 7/1/2026. There is a legacy provision that allows current borrowers to continue to use this loan:

If a borrower has a Federal Direct Loan made before July 1, 2026, while enrolled in a program of study, the borrower can continue to borrow from the program for 3 academic years or the remainder of their expected time to credential, whichever is less.

Loan Terms

Fixed interest rate of 8.94% (As of 07/01/25)
Origination fee of 4.228%
Interest begins accruing as soon as funds are disbursed
Repayment will begin 6 months after you graduate, withdraw, or are enrolled less than half-time
10 year repayment period

Yearly Amounts

Up to the cost of attendance minus other financial aid (individual eligible amounts will be listed on the award letter).

Application Requirements

Valid FAFSA filed and available to Willamette
Complete grad plus credit authorization
Pass credit check (an endorser may be added)
Master promissory note (MPN)
Entrance counseling

Sample Repayment Schedule

Total Debt at Repayment*	Monthly Payment Amount	Total Amount Paid	Total Interest Paid
$5,000	$50	$6,005	$1,007
$10,000	$100	$12,013	$2,013
$15,000	$150	$18,020	$3,020
$20,000	$200	$24,026	$4,026
$25,000	$250	$30,033	$5,033
$30,000	$300	$36,039	$6,039
$35,000	$350	$42,046	$7,046
$40,000	$400	$48,052	$8,052
$45,000	$450	$54,059	$9,059
$50,000	$501	$60,065	$10,065
*Payment calculated using a fixed interest rate of 3.76% over a 10 year period.

Financial Aid Processing Timeline

Now through June
File your FAFSA if you have not already

Receive your award information via email and Self Service

Accept/Decline loans on Self Service
July and August
Complete loan requirements online (those will be emailed to you from the Office of Financial Aid)

Student Aid
Week before fall semester begins
If all loan and enrollment requirements are complete, pick up any fall semester refund from the Student Accounts Office
October
File your FAFSA for the next academic year
January 6th
If all loan and enrollment requirements are complete, pick up any Spring semester refund from the Student Accounts Office

FAQs

Can I get more funds to help with increased living expenses or emergency costs?

Yes, you may be eligible to receive additional loan funds for certain circumstances. Things like increased living expenses for students with families, funds for a computer purchase, or additional aid to cover health insurance costs or out of pocket medical expenses can be covered with federal financial aid by completing and submitting the Budget Adjustment Form (found on the financial aid website).

Can I get an advance on my financial aid refund before it is scheduled to be released?

Only in very rare and urgent circumstances can a small portion of funds be advanced to a student. This means that careful budgeting and awareness of the timing of refunds is extremely important.

When will I get my refund for books and living expenses?

You will receive your refund approximately 4 days before each semester begins, assuming you have completed all loan requirements and are enrolled in the required number of credits.

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Can I get more funds to help with increased living expenses or emergency costs?

Yes, you may be eligible to receive additional loan funds for certain circumstances. Things like increased living expenses for students with families, funds for a computer purchase, or additional aid to cover health insurance costs or out of pocket medical expenses can be covered with federal financial aid by completing and submitting the Budget Adjustment Form (found on the financial aid website).
Can I get an advance on my financial aid refund before it is scheduled to be released?

Only in very rare and urgent circumstances can a small portion of funds be advanced to a student. This means that careful budgeting and awareness of the timing of refunds is extremely important.
When will I get my refund for books and living expenses?

You will receive your refund approximately 4 days before each semester begins, assuming you have completed all loan requirements and are enrolled in the required number of credits.

Financial Aid Overview for Law Students