Step 2: Calculate and Cover Your Costs

• Why is the word “provisional” used to describe my eligibility?

  We use the word provisional when describing your eligibility because all students’ eligibility will be updated during the fall review process. We review and recalculate all financial aid eligibility using actual summer income information, which we collect via a form that will be made available to you in late summer. Please refer to both the Application Overview for information about the overall financial aid application process at HLS and Step 3: Updating Your Financial Aid Eligibility for more details about the fall review process.

• Will my financial aid eligibility change from one year to the next?

  The HLS Financial Aid Program applies the same need analysis and packaging guidelines to all students. In a given school year, students with similar financial circumstances will receive similar aid packages, regardless of their year in school. However, it is not unusual for a student’s financial aid eligibility to change over the three years while enrolled at HLS. There are three primary factors that could precipitate this:

  • Changes in either the student’s or the parent’s financial circumstances. Students apply for financial aid each year while enrolled at HLS and students answer financial questions based on different tax years. Therefore, changes in your financial circumstances from year to year will result in changes in the amount of resources we determine are available in the calculation of your aid eligibility. Information on how we calculate your resources is available in the Consideration of Family Resources section of our website
  • The type of summer employment opportunities a student chooses to pursue while enrolled at HLS. Ordinarily, students who are not engaged in public service work will find that their summer earnings, and thus their student resources from income calculation, will increase as the years progress, lowering their financial need. Conversely, students working full-time in low-paying summer jobs may find their student resources from income calculation decrease in response to the lower summer income.
  • Changes in our annual eligibility policies and procedures. Each year the Law School’s Financial Aid Committee, comprised of faculty, students, and administrators, sets annual financial aid policy in response to a range of internal and external factors such as tuition costs, increases in the local cost of living, and the amount of revenue available from the School’s Grant endowment funds. These factors in turn influence the annual Financial Need Threshold amount, the average Grant eligibility, the expected minimum student resources from income calculation, and other aspects of the School’s need analysis. It is not uncommon for the need threshold to increase from year to year, as the increase in available endowed Grant funding typically is insufficient to cover the full increase in tuition, fees, cost of living, and other student budget expenses.
• Does HLS have a financial aid appeal process?

  Yes! Our Appeal Committee meets regularly. You may appeal your financial aid eligibility if you experience significant and/or unforeseen changes in your financial circumstances that affect your ability or your family’s ability to contribute toward the cost of your education. You may also appeal if you believe that some important financial information was either not included with your original application or missed in our review of your original application. It is advisable that you discuss your appeal request with your Financial Aid Officer prior to submission so that we can give you guidance on how to proceed.

  • You can reach the financial aid officers by phone at (617) 495-4606 or set up an appointment to come speak with them in person.

  While we must conform to federal and institutional guidelines and enforce HLS Financial Aid policy consistently to ensure equity and fairness to all applicants, we are also committed to factoring in an individual student’s extenuating circumstances whenever possible and appropriate. Please know that while you do have the right to question policies enforced by the office, this is not the intent of the appeals process. The appeal process allows you to ensure that we have taken everything into account in your personal financial situation when determining your eligibility for aid according to existing policy; it is not the place to challenge policy. If you wish to discuss a policy related matter, the Assistant Dean of Student Financial Services would be happy to speak with you; your input on policy matters is welcomed and appreciated.

  Generally speaking, appeals must focus on financial circumstances related to the cost of education. Appeals based on discretionary expenses external to direct education-related costs — for example, high credit card debt, car payments, wedding expenses, discretionary travel, and financial support by the student of anyone other than the student’s children — cannot be considered.

  To initiate an appeal you need to submit our online Adjustment Form found in the “Financial Aid” dropdown menu of the SFS Self-Service Portal . On the form submit as much detail as possible about your appeal.  Generally, your appeal request will be brought to the Financial Aid Appeals Committee for consideration within two weeks of the date you submit our web form; however, during our peak processing seasons (March – July, September and October), due to the large student population we serve, appeal requests may take longer to review. During those times, we appreciate your patience as we provide thorough consideration to each appeal request.

• What type of changes in my own personal circumstances am I REQUIRED to notify the Student Financial Services Office about and how do I initiate this notification?

  There are certain changes in your personal circumstances that you are required to notify Student Financial Services about should they occur at any point during an academic year for which you have financial aid. These changes include, but are not limited to:

  • changes in your marital status,
  • changes in your number of dependents (normally due to the birth of a child),
  • changes in your summer employment plans,
  • changes in your spouse’s summer or academic year employment,
  • changes in your spouse’s full-time enrollment status in a post-secondary education program,
  • changes in the status of a sibling’s full-time enrollment in post-secondary education program,
  • any increase or decrease in outside funding from any source (this includes, but is not limited to, grants, loans, government assistance, etc.) and
  • changes in your assets from any source (this includes, but is not limited to, inheritance, prize winnings, large monetary gifts, etc.)

  If any of the status change(s) listed above apply to your situation over the course of time you receive aid at HLS, you are REQUIRED to notify SFS of the change(s) by submitting the online Adjustment Form found in the “Financial Aid” dropdown menu of the SFS Self-Service Portal.

  Your submission will be reviewed by a Financial Aid Officer and any aid adjustments will be communicated back to you in a timely fashion. If you would like to talk to the Officer in person before submitting the form to understand the impact the change will have on your aid, you should always feel free to call the office and make an appointment.

Calculate…

• Determine the amount you want to borrow

  In order to determine the total amount you can borrow, follow the steps below- don’t worry about what loan program you’ll borrow through for now – we’ll get to that.

  Log in to the SFS Portal. Click on the Financial Aid dropdown and select the FinAid Budget & Eligibility tab.

  First review the subtotal amount listed in the first section titled Standard Budget Items. Most students will see a subtotal equal to $126,650. 3Ls will likely see a subtotal equal to $127,085 ($435 higher) because of an additional budget category for expenses related to obtaining the first Professional Credential. 

  Second, review the next section on the page titled Budget Adjustment Items.  The items listed in this section are there based on questions you answered on your HLS financial aid application. Add this subtotal to the first section’s subtotal for a number that will equal your Total Budget (as listed in the third section).

  Your Total Budget is the annual limit on financial aid available to you for the academic year (September – May). In other words, your total amount of grants, loans, outside scholarships/prizes, etc. from all sources cannot exceed your Total Budget.

  Now that you have determined the total amount you can borrow, use our Financial Planning Worksheet to determine the total  amount of money you need to meet your cost for the academic year.  You may find it helpful to review our Budgeting for Law School page for tips and examples on how spending more in a certain category and less in another might inform your plan.

  Once you’ve made your plan and know the total amount of money you’ll need for the academic year, you now need to review your total funding sources listed in Your Eligibility Details.

  Use your budget amount and eligibility information to determine the maximum amount of loans for which you can submit a loan application.

  Formula for HLS Grant recipients = 
  Your Total Budget
  minus HLS grant
  minus HLS loan (you can choose to accept or decline this loan*)
  minus any other aid listed in your eligibility section (Federal loan applicants will see an Unsubsidized Direct Loan and can choose to accept or decline this loan*)
  Equals maximum loan application amount

  Formula for Domestic Loan Only applicants = Your Total Budget
  You will also see a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan of $20,500 if you completed the FAFSA. You may choose to accept or decline this loan*

  Formula for International Loan Only applicants = Your Total Budget

  *See Take action on your loan application(s) in next section

• Review your loan options and take action to secure your loans

  There are many factors to consider when evaluating your loan options. We’ve developed a page titled “How do I choose a loan program?” that will help you learn about the main factors of taking out a loan. You’ll want to take the time to think about these factors and decide how much to weigh each of them in your decision making process.  Please note that under the Student Loan Code of Conduct we cannot tell you which loan would be best for you. You may choose to borrow from any student loan program.

  Once you feel you have a good sense of what loan terms are most important to you, you’ll want to go to our Student Loans page to review a number of different options.

  While most private loan options will communicate directly with HLS SFS and have you sign all documents directly on their website, certain loans will require action on your part in order to receive them:

  • HLS Loans: Login to your SFS Portal and review the loans in “Your Eligibility Details” section. You will need to click Accept if you wish to receive this loan. To decline the loan or adjust the amount, click Adjust. If you have multiple loans on this page, only click Accept once you are happy with the amounts of all the loans; if you want to change any loan amounts, click Adjust first, and only Accept once the amounts have been adjusted. First time HLS loan borrowers will need to complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) which is only available to you via an email you will receive from Heartland ECSI, the servicer for HLS Loans. That email will come to you in June. Follow the link from that email to complete your MPN and entrance counseling. Heartland ECSI, and not the SFS office, will email you directly regarding this process.
  • Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans: Login to your SFS Portal and review the loans in “Your Eligibility Details” section. If you filled out the FAFSA, you will see this loan listed and can either click Accept to receive it as is, or click Adjust to change the amount or decline it. If you have multiple loans on this page, only click Accept once you are happy with the amounts of all the loans; if you want to change any loan amounts, click Adjust first, and only Accept once the amounts have been adjusted. First-time borrowers must then go to the Federal Student Aid site. Login using your FSA user name and pin. Complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN) and the Loan Entrance Counseling.
  • Federal Grad PLUS: Follow the instructions from our Student Loans page, then go to the Federal Student Aid site. Log in using your FSA user name and pin. Complete the Grad PLUS Master Promissory Note (MPN). Note: there have been changes to federal student loans effective July 1, 2026. Be sure to review the latest information on federal loan availability.
  • Private Loans: Follow the instructions from our Student Loans page. Any additional requirement will be listed on the Lender’s site.
• Loan Selection and Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) Eligibility

  If future eligibility for loan repayment assistance is of importance to you, it is imperative to consider the different policies in place regarding loan eligibility when selecting a lender. We recommend that interested students carefully review the policies of both the Federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program and the HLS based Low Income Protection Plan (LIPP) when making your lender selections.

…Cover

• Understanding billing at Harvard University

  • Harvard Law School’s Student Financial Services Office determines financial aid and ensures that students have resolved their account balance required to participate in class registration & graduation. Student accounts are processed by Harvard University’s central Student Financial Services Office, located on the 8th floor of the Smith Campus Center.
  • Student Account notices are emailed to you on the 10th and 25th of each month unless you have a zero amount due. Charges are billed once a semester, except for Harvard University Housing rent, which bills monthly. Your anticipated financial aid credits for the academic year are divided in half and offset the charges on your student account. For more information, please visit the Student Accounts section of our website.
• Understanding your aid as it relates to your student account and our deadlines

  Financial Aid Credits and Your Student Account

  Student Loans are certified by the SFS office. This means that we receive your approved application from the lender and certify that you are an enrolled student (or scheduled to be enrolled) at HLS for the 2026-27 academic year.  We also inform your lender of several other factors such as your eligible loan amount, disbursement dates and anticipated graduation date. We will list the certified loan(s) as on your Budget and Eligibility page of the Financial Aid section in your SFS Portal.

  All student loans are disbursed directly to your Student Account in two equal installments – half each semester. Your credits will be listed as “Anticipated Aid” credits until the funds are disbursed in mid-September for the Fall term, and late January for the Spring term. We wait to disburse the funds to your account at these times in order to ensure that all required documents, registration requirements, and other certifications are complete.

  Loan Application Deadline and Their Implications

  Entering students who apply for their loan(s) by July 13, 2026 will have the loan(s) shown as an anticipated aid credit on their first Student Account notice, which comes out on July 25, 2026.

  If you apply between July 14 and August 8, the loan will appear as an anticipated credit on your August 10th account notice.

  Applications received after August 8 will be processed daily and can be used towards your outstanding balance in lieu of payment. If all of your financial aid is not in place by August 15, 2026 you could be placed on financial hold which blocks your ability to register, add or drop classes, receive a cash advance, and you may incur a late payment fine of $250.

  Returning and Transfer Students:

  Your first student account notice will be issued on July 25, 2026 and you will begin the loan application process at that time. Applications received after your student account notice and before August 8 will be processed daily and can be used towards your outstanding balance in lieu of payment. If all of your financial aid is not in place by August 15, 2026 you could be placed on financial hold which blocks your ability to register, add or drop classes, receive a cash advance, and you may incur a late payment fine of $250.

• Your first student account notice and Fall Registration

  • Charges for the fall term will be posted in July. In July, you will receive a student account notice from the central University Student Financial Services Office via your official HLS email account that you can login to view your student account balance at https://my.harvard.edu. Entering students: Your student account cannot be accessed until you receive your first student account notice. 
  • All students must resolve their student account balance to be financially cleared and participate in fall registration. This means that you need to ensure that your student account balance is paid in full by August 15th, either via anticipated financial aid credits, a payment, or a combination of both. The following will occur if satisfactory payment arrangements are not made with Student Financial Services prior to Fall Registration:
    • You will not be able to participate in Fall Registration or the Course Add/Drop process.
    • You will not be eligible to receive a cash advance/refund check for living expenses (if applicable).
    • A late fee of $250 will also be assessed and posted to your student account.
  • Students who are admitted after the July account notice is sent out (including all transfer students) must work directly with HLS Student Financial Services to ensure their outstanding charges are resolved in time for fall registration.
  • All financial aid that appears in the SFS Self-Service Portal on the Budget and Eligibility page as of July 24th will be reflected as anticipated financial aid credits on your student account. In general, you should expect to see half of your total academic year charges and half of your total financial aid for the academic year on your student account.
  • Shortly after the first student account notice is sent, HLS Student Financial Services office will begin the fall semester financial clearance process and regularly communicate with all J.D. students with outstanding balances. Students can view their financial clearance status at any time in the SFS Self-Service Portal on the Financial Clearance page.
• Accessing financial aid funds for living expenses

  If your anticipated fall financial aid credits exceed the total of the fall charges on your student account, you will be eligible for a fall cash advance that can be used for living expenses. A cash advance is money that the University advances to you, interest free, based on the fact that you will soon have loans and/or grants that will disburse to your student account. Entering Students may also qualify for an early Books and Supplies advance.

  Cash advances are automatically processed by SFS based on the timeline listed in the Fall Registration Checklist.

  We encourage ALL students to sign up for Direct Deposit to access their cash advance or other credits on their account in the most efficient way.

  Eligible students who have all of their financial aid in place and who have signed up for direct deposit by August 21, 2026 will receive a direct deposit on August 25, 2026. Students without direct deposit will receive a paper check during the first week of September via normal U.S. postal services schedules to the address on file in HELIOS  – the Registrar’s student record system.

  Students who receive a cash advance should budget the funds for living expenses for the entire fall semester and half of January 2027. Spring term cash advances will be disbursed in mid-December 2026. See the Cash Advance and Refunds section of our web site for more details.

  Entering Students: Entering 1Ls may receive an early “Books and Supplies” advance of $1,700 (this is the full academic year amount) on August 15 if they qualify.