Federal Student Loans

Most law students will access one of two types of Federal student loan programs.  Students may borrow up to the cost of attendance as established by RWU Law.

  • The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan offers eligible graduate students up to $20,500 annually with a 1.057% origination fee, which is deducted from the loan at the time of disbursement.  The 2024-2025 Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan for graduate students has a fixed interest rate of 8.08%.  Students must submit a FAFSA to determine eligibility.
  • The Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan covers expenses not covered by the Direct Unsubsidized Loan up to the full cost of attendance as established by RWU Law.  The Graduate PLUS loan has a 4.228% origination fee, which is deducted from the loan at the time of disbursement.  The 2024-2025 Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan has a fixed interest rate of 9.08%. For more information about the Graduate Plus loan, please refer to the bottom section of our Financial Aid Checklist for Incoming Students page.

Impact of Your Credit History

Some education loans – both federal and private – require a credit report from a credit bureau.  The information on your report is carefully reviewed and may have a substantial impact on your eligibility to receive Graduate PLUS and private loans. Although they are referred to as education loans, lenders view them as a special type of consumer loan. Therefore, a potential borrower must meet the established credit criteria. 

Before applying for an education loan, request and review a copy of your credit report. A free copy of your credit report may be obtained at:

ANNUALCREDITREPORT.COM

Should the report reveal any negative information, contact the reporting credit bureau and creditors to see if any items in error can be corrected. Telephone numbers for the major credit bureaus are listed below:

Close Course Type Descriptions

Course Types

We have classified RWU Law classes under the following headers. One of the following course types will be attached to each course which will allow students to narrow down their search while looking for classes.

Core Course

Students in the first and second year are required to take classes covering the following aspects of the law—contracts, torts, property, criminal law, civil procedure, and constitutional law, evidence, and professional responsibility.  Along with these aspects, the core curriculum will develop legal reasoning skills.

Elective

After finishing the core curriculum the remaining coursework toward the degree is completed through upper level elective courses.  Students can choose courses that peak their interests or courses that go along with the track they are following.

Seminar

Seminars are classes where teachers and small groups of students focus on a specific topic and the students complete a substantial research paper.

Clinics/Externships

Inhouse Clinics and Clinical Externships legal education is law school training in which students participate in client representation under the supervision of a practicing attorney or law professor.  RWU Law's Clinical Programs offer unique and effective learning opportunities and the opportunity for practical experience while still in law school.