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.

Merit Scholarships
The College of Law offers merit-based scholarship funds to competitive applicants to help offset the cost of their education. We consider a wide variety of factors in the administration of our scholarships. All applicants are considered for merit-based scholarship funding at the time of admission, and there is no separate scholarship application. All merit scholarships are applied each year for all three years of the JD Program.

To retain merit-based scholarships, recipients must be continuously enrolled full time each semester (fall and spring) and remain in good academic standing with the College of Law. All scholarships are applied for fall and spring semesters only.

Tennessee Law Scholar & Research Assistant Program
The Tennessee Law Scholar and Research Assistant Program is the premier scholarship offered by the College of Law. This prestigious program is designed for a select group of top-tier students who demonstrate exceptional academic prowess and potential. As a Tennessee Law Scholar, recipients will have the unique opportunity to work closely with our faculty members for hands-on experiences that will enhance their research skills, foster intellectual growth, and provide invaluable insight into the practice of law.

The Tennessee Law Scholar and Research Assistant program covers recipients’ tuition, mandatory fees, and health insurance through the University’s provider, and provides recipients with monthly stipends. Stipends are paid monthly from August through May, and the total value of the stipend for the 2024-25 academic year is approximately $11,957 for 1Ls and $12,457 for 2Ls and 3Ls.

To retain the Tennessee Law Scholar and Research Assistant award, recipients must remain continuously enrolled full time each semester (fall and spring), remain in good academic standing with the College of Law, and successfully complete all research assignments. Tennessee Law Scholar funding is available for fall and spring semesters only.

Dean’s Scholarship
Outstanding out-of-state candidates who are awarded the Dean’s Scholarship receive funding that pays the full out-of-state portion of their tuition during fall and spring semesters for all three years of the JD Program. Dean’s Scholarship candidates have academic credentials in the 65^th to 90^th percentile of the admitted candidate pool and will be contacted by the Office of Admissions & Financial Aid with further instructions.

The Dean’s Scholarship is stackable with any additional merit-based scholarships candidates are awarded (up to students’ full cost of attendance). To retain the Dean’s Scholarship, recipients must be continuously enrolled full time each semester (fall and spring) and remain in good academic standing with the College of Law. Dean’s Scholarships pay during fall and spring semesters only.

Volunteer Law Scholarship
Out-of-state candidates who are offered a Volunteer Law Scholarship receive funding that pays $10,000 per year of the out-of-state portion of their tuition during fall and spring semesters for all three years of the JD Program.

The Volunteer Law Scholarship is stackable with any additional merit-based scholarships candidates are awarded (up to students’ full cost of attendance). To retain the Volunteer Law Scholarship, recipients must be continuously enrolled full time each semester (fall and spring) and remain in good academic standing with the College of Law. Volunteer Law Scholarships pay during fall and spring semesters only.

Other Scholarship Opportunities
The College of Law offers additional one-year scholarship opportunities throughout the year for which students can apply that will stack with any financial aid they currently have (up to their full cost of attendance). The eligibility criteria and amount of the award differs for each scholarship, and students may receive more than one additional scholarship. The Office of Admissions & Financial Aid will notify current students when applications are being accepted and once recipients have been chosen.

AccessLex’s Scholarship Databank is a resource for external scholarships for law students, but we strongly encourage students to apply for all additional scholarships for which they are eligible. External scholarships are split evenly between fall and spring semesters (unless otherwise noted by the group providing the funds). Checks should include your student ID number and must be mailed to the Office of the Bursar at 201 Andy Holt Tower, Knoxville, TN, 37996.

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 must be completed every year, and is available at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa.

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 & Financial Aid 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 2024–2025 academic year (fall and spring semesters) are:

• $20,508 for Tennessee residents
• $39,252 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 the Universiy’s Veterans Success Center here.