Financial Aid

Depending on your financial aid analysis, you may be eligible to receive a Direct Unsubsidized Loan and/or a GradPlus Loan. Know your rights and responsibilities as a borrower and remember that when you sign a promissory note, you are signing a commitment to repay the money you are borrowing.

Direct Unsubsidized Loan

Direct Unsubsidized Loans are federal, non-need based loans, and are applied for by completing the FAFSA every year. Loans are budget-based, and you will not be able to borrow more than your annual budget. Interest rates are set annually by the Department of Education and can be found here. Unsubsidized loans begin accruing interest immediately. The maximum amount that eligible graduate students may borrow is $20,500 per year.

GradPlus Loan

GradPLUS loans are federal, non-need based loans, and are applied for by completing the FAFSA and a credit check every year. These loans are designed to assist students with educational costs not covered by other sources of financial aid. Interest rates are set annually by the Department of Education and can be found here. 

Private Loans

Private loans are student loans available through private lenders, such as student loan companies and banks, and they require a credit check. These loans are designed to assist students with educational costs not covered by other sources of financial aid. Interest rates and repayment options are dependent upon lender terms. More information about private loans available to UT students can be found here.

Excess Aid

Excess financial aid (refunds) is disbursed via direct deposit. You can review the Bursar’s calendar for exact dates when refunds will begin each semester.

The Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell, & Berkowitz, PC Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) at UT Law provides financial support to UT Law graduates who obtain employment in the field of public interest law and who need assistance in repaying loans for legal education.

Eligibility

A person is eligible to be considered for loan repayment assistance if the person:

1. is a UT Law graduate or a current UT Law student;
2. files an application with the LRAP Committee;
3. agrees to remain continuously employed in the field of public interest law for one year after receiving financial support from the program;
4. will be responsible for using LRAP financial support to repay qualified debt as determined by the LRAP Committee.

The principal criteria for an award are professional promise, financial need, and the extent to which an applicant’s proposed employment will further the goals of the program. Strong preference will be given to applicants whose employment involves legal representation to the poor and the historically under-represented or otherwise address the needs of those clients.

Qualified debt is debt incurred to pay the expenses of legal education and owed to an institutional or governmental lender. Private debt owed to a family member, friend, or other entity outside the framework of a regular lending program is not qualified debt. The amount of financial support will be determined by the LRAP Committee and will not exceed $10,000 per recipient.

Considerations

In deciding whether to award financial support, the LRAP Committee may consider any relevant factor, including, but not limited to:

1. the amount of the applicant’s qualified debt;
2. the amount of the applicant’s other debt;
3. the amount of debt owed within the applicant’s household;
4. the amount of the applicant’s income and other non-cash benefits received;
5. the amount of income received within the applicant’s household;
6. the applicant’s assets;
7. household assets;
8. household dependents;
9. the nature of the applicant’s employment;
10. the connection  between  the applicant’s  long-term  goals and  the  field  of public interest law;
11. the applicant’s prior commitment to public service;
12. the applicant’s academic performance;
13. the applicant’s potential for future compensation, including the likelihood that the applicant will move quickly to much higher paying employment;
14. the location  of  the  applicant’s job  in  the  field  of public  interest  law  and  the location(s) affected by that job;
15. the applicant’s willingness to participate  in the education and mentoring of Law School students.

An applicant is eligible to receive LRAP financial support under this program for a maximum of three years. The annual application deadline is in the spring semester. Apply now.

The LRAP Committee is comprised of two UT Law faculty and one Baker Donelson shareholder.

Prospective students residing in states other than Tennessee frequently ask how they can be reclassified as a resident of Tennessee so they can be eligible for the in-state tuition rate. Residency classification involves the legal definition of “domicile” and is influenced by the status of a student as “dependent” or “independent” of his or her parents. State regulations guide public colleges and universities in applying rules to determine if students are classified as “in-state” or “out of state.” The residency classification of a student under the age of 24 and still in the care or custody of their parents is the same as the residency of the parent, and if even one parent lives in Tennessee, that student is classified as in-state. While professional students are considered independent of their parents for consideration for federal financial aid, prospective students seeking reclassification still must show that the move to Tennessee was not primarily for educational purposes.

The residency reclassification decision is based on clear and convincing evidence that the candidate has established himself or herself as a resident of Tennessee. Law students who have been successful in the reclassification process have established ties to the state of Tennessee through employment while in law school and during the summers between years of law school, taken steps to establish themselves as a professional in the community and in the legal community in the state, and demonstrated their intent to remain in the state after graduation. Additionally, students who have been reclassified have taken the steps citizens normally take when establishing domicile, such as changing one’s driver’s license and registering to vote in Tennessee.

If you are currently a resident of a state other than Tennessee and wish to be considered for classification as a Tennessee resident for tuition purposes, please complete and submit the Residency Reclassification Form (PDF) and provide a statement outlining the steps you have taken to establish domicile in Tennessee—along with any supporting documentation—and include any information that demonstrates your ties to the state.

Submit your completed form and additional materials via e-mail to lawadmit@utk.edu or via USPS to:

Office of Admissions
University of Tennessee College of Law
1505 W. Cumberland Ave.
Knoxville, TN 37996-1810

We offer scholarships to many of our students to help offset the cost of their education and graduate with less debt.

The College of Law considers all diversity factors in the administration of its scholarship programs. The majority of the scholarships are retained for six semesters of law school, as long as the student remains in good academic standing and remains enrolled in the College of Law.

Click here for more information on scholarship opportunities. 

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a federal form that is required of all students who wish to be considered for financial aid (scholarships, student loans, etc.). The FAFSA opens every year on October 1^st and is available at www.fafsa.ed.gov

Pay special attention to the questions on the FAFSA and make sure each question is answered accurately; this will help eliminate any delay in processing your financial aid. Since you are applying for admission to the College of Law, you will be considered a graduate/professional student and are not required to provide parental information on your FAFSA.

The school code for the University of Tennessee is 003530.

Budget/Cost of Attendance

The financial aid budget is the amount of money the university estimates a student will need to attend law school for an academic year. This figure includes tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses. This budget varies based on tuition, fees, and cost of living; the budget will not be the same for each law school you consider.

Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

This number is calculated based on the information you input in your FAFSA and is used to determine your federal financial aid eligibility.

Unmet Need

Unmet need is calculated by taking your total budget and subtracting your EFC and any financial aid you’ve been offered.

Award Offer

Your award offer is the amount of financial aid you have been awarded for the year. This information is available in MyUTK, and you will be notified that it is available via your UT e-mail after you have been admitted and the awards have been completed. Keep in mind that the only loans automatically awarded are unsubsidized loans (if you are eligible); GradPLUS and private loans are added later once you apply and are approved.

Account Statement

Your billing statement is generated by the Office of the Bursar and is available in MyUTK. This is a static view, so it is your account as of the day the statement was generated. Included in this statement are your charges, your financial aid, any payments already made, and any remaining balance you may owe the University.

If you have general questions concerning your financial aid, contact the Office of Admissions at 865-974-4131 or lawadmit@utk.edu. Note that due to confidentiality requirements, our admissions counselors can only discuss specific awards with the award recipient.

The value of your legal education at UT Law compares favorably with other state-supported and private institutions. Please note that university tuition and fees are determined by the Board of Trustees and are subject to change each year.

The tuition and fees for the 2022–2023 academic year (fall and spring semesters) are:

• $20,168 for Tennessee residents
• $38,842 for out-of-state students
  

Click here for more information on tuition and fees.

A veteran or other individual eligible to receive educational benefits administered by the United States department of veterans affairs, through any provision of federal law, may not be required to pay out-of-state tuition or any out-of-state fee when the veteran or other individual is:

(1) Enrolled in any public institution of higher education in Tennessee;
(2) Utilizing such benefits at the enrolling institution; and
(3) Living in Tennessee, regardless of the individual’s formal state of residency.

For eligibility information, please refer to materials provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and UT here.