Bar exam fee & study loans

Loans for bar exam fees & bar study expenses

Bar exam fee loan (Federal Direct Loan)

Federal Direct Loan funds are available for the direct cost of one bar examination.

If you have not borrowed the maximum amount of your total Cost of Attendance (COA) budget, you can take advantage of your remaining eligibility to borrow for your bar exam. Because the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan has a lower interest rate than the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan, this should be your first choice. 

However, if you have already exhausted the annual maximum of $20,500 for the Unsubsidized Loan, you can apply for the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan up to the limit of your COA. 

Students who have borrowed their maximum COA may request an increase to include the direct cost of one bar examination. Instructions for obtaining a COA increase for bar exam fees are included on the Bar Exam Fee Form.

Your request for the additional Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan funds must be sent to: law-financialaid@umassd.edu

To borrow Federal Direct Graduate PLUS loans (first time or additional), you must apply at: Federal Direct Student Loans

Bar study loans (private lenders)

Federal student loans are not available for expenses incurred by law students after they graduate, such as the expenses associated with studying for the bar exam. A bar study loan helps finance costs such as bar review course fees and living expenses while you are studying for the bar exam. There is a limited number of lenders who offer bar study loans. Each lender has its individual eligibility requirements, terms, and conditions. Current providers include:

• Sallie Mae
• PNC Bank
• Discover Student Loans
• Citizens Bank

IMPORTANT: Please contact Financial Aid to make sure you have exhausted your maximum annual federal loan eligibility before applying for a Bar Study Loan. There are many reasons why federal loans can be a better option.