Student Loans

Most law and graduate students need loan funding to finance their education at Trinity Law School and Trinity Graduate School. The three loan types available at TLS include  Stafford Loans, Grad Plus Loans, and Alternative Loans. We really urge students to only borrow what they need rather than their maximum eligibility. 

With that said, the most frequently asked question is "How much can I borrow?" To see how much you can borrow/ estimate your Cost of Attendance (COA) and thus determine your maximum eligibility  (the maximum the school is allowed to let you borrow from all funding possibilities) please utilize the coa/eligibility tool by clicking here.  

The second most frequently asked question is "What loans should I take out?" The simple answer to this is to procure the Stafford Loans first, Grad Plus (credit worthy applicant or co-signor required) second  and Alternative loans (credit worthy applicant or co-signor required) third.

Know Your Loan Options and APPLY:

1)  Stafford Loans (Subsidized and Unsubsidized)- Maximum available $20,500- APPLY ONLIINE >>

Effective July 1, 2006, all Stafford Loans will have a fixed interest rate of 6.8% and are available to graduate students attending accredited schools at least half time. These are the best loans available to students and depending on your eligibility the government will subsidize up to $8,500 which means the government pays the interest to your lender while the student is in the deferment period. To participate in the Federal Stafford Loan program, you must be enrolled for at least six units as a regular student in an eligible academic program and must meet the school's satisfactory academic progress standards. A great guide concerning Stafford Loans can be found at FINAID.ORG.      

2) Graduate PLUS Loans (maximum available requires COE calculation)- Credit based- APPLY ONLIINE >>

The Graduate PLUS loan is a federal loan fixed at 8.5% that allows you (a graduate student) to borrow funds to help meet your educational expenses. The maximum Graduate PLUS loan amount is equal to the cost of attendance, as determined by the school, minus any other financial aid you may be receiving.  To see how much you can borrow/ estimate your Cost of Attendance (COA) and thus determine your maximum eligibility  (the maximum the school is allowed to let you borrow from all funding possibilities) please click here.     Like Stafford loans, you must choose a lender but unlike Stafford loans, your Graduate PLUS loan eligibility is based on your (the student borrower) or an endorser’s credit. Note: You should first accept Stafford loans offered to you for the year as they offer a better interest rate and repayment provisions. Please do your research concerning Grad Plus loans. 

3)  Private Student Loans/ Alternative Loans- APPLY ONLINE>>

The third kind of loan fare called private student loans (also called alternative student loans). Some of these private loans have favorable terms (i.e. a variable interest rate could be favorable when interest rates are lower than the Grad Plus fixed rate of 8.5%)  Students may apply for these loans themselves and should carefully choose their lender and terms.  Some of these loans will pay over the COA while others will not.