New England School of Law

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Frequently Asked Questions

Applying:

Receiving Funds:

Refund Checks:

Federal Work Study Program:

Consolidation:

 

What is NESL's FAFSA code?

  • G08916

What is financial need and how is it calculated?

After you have been admitted to NESL, the Director of Financial Aid will review your application to determine the calculated financial need. Financial need is the difference between the student's resources and the total cost of attending law school. Your completed financial aid documents will provide information needed to calculate yours and your family's contribution to education from income and assets. NESL will calculate your unmet financial need by subtracting from the total cost of attendance your family contribution, Federal Stafford Loans and any outside assistance you receive. To be eligible for financial aid, you must:

  • be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen,
  • be registered at least half-time,
  • be registered with the Selective Service (if required),
  • be enrolled in a degree program,
  • not be in default or owe a refund on any federal grant or educational loan,
  • have good credit history (for private loan approval).

 I am independent from my parents. Why does the financial aid office ask for their information?

Even if a student is going to law school, independent of aid from their parents, the Financial Aid Office may still ask for parental information. This is only necessary if the applicant wishes to be considered for institutional need-based grants and scholarships AND is under the age of 25 as of March 1, 2008. If you only want to be considered for federal loans, do not check off "Institutional Grants/Scholarships" on your financial aid application. If you have done so in error, you can send a request to the financial aid office via email, asking for your parental information to be waived and to only be considered for federal aid.

What types of grants/scholarships are available and how can I apply?

New England School of Law offers both need-based grants and merit-based scholarships. Students must check on the NESL Financial Aid Application if they would like to be considered. Eligibility for these funds is based on information in the financial aid and admissions files. Filing all forms early is the best way a student can be considered for all grants and scholarships. Please see the Grants/Scholarships page for more information.  Students are also able to seek outside scholarships.  The Financial Aid Office posts information on outside scholarships as we are made aware of them, on a regular basis.  Our current listing is available online.  Please watch this site for new scholarship listings throughout the year.

How long will it take for me to hear about my financial aid award?

  • Incoming and Returning Students: If you are an incoming student, your financial aid file will be reviewed after you are admitted. You should expect to hear about your award approximately two to four weeks after your file with the office is complete. If you feel as if it has been a considerable amount of time since you last sent materials in, you should check with the office to make sure we have received all the necessary materials and that we have the correct mailing address to send your award letter to.
  • Merit/Scholarship Students (Returning): Merit students should expect to hear about their financial aid award two to three weeks after the financial aid office receives the ranking information from the registrar's office, provided that the student's file with financial aid is otherwise complete. Merit students awaiting their rank should in the meantime make sure that their financial aid file is complete.

Please note, it cannot be stressed enough that all financial aid application materials should be submitted by the appropriate deadlines. Failure to do so may delay the arrival of funds to the school and can lead to late fees.

I am an international student. What can I do to apply for funds?

Students coming to NESL from outside of the United States who are not eligible for federal loans can contact the Financial Aid Office via email for a listing of private lenders which offer loans to international students and an estimated budget.

How long will the process of applying for and receiving funds take?

Loan applications are processed with your lender after eligiblity is established. Once the loan application is sent to the lender, it can take an additional two to six weeks, depending on your lender and type of loan, before the funds will be received by the school.

When and where can I receive my refund check for living expenses?

Provided that all application materials were submitted in a timely manner, funds have disbursed on time and your tuition balance is already paid, excess funds are generally available during the first week of classes. Refunds resulting from the disbursement of funds are handled by the Student Accounts (Controller's) Office. Refunds are NOT available prior to the first day of classes in any semester. The Student Accounts Office is located at 46 Church St. on the second floor.

How do I apply for Federal Work Study?

When applying for financial aid for the academic year, check with the Financial Aid Office to see if applications for work study are available. The deadline for summer work study applications is in early March. If you are found eligible for federal financial aid, you may also be eligible for federal work study. The office will contact you if your application for work study is accepted and will provide you with further details. More information on the work study program is available on our Work Study Page.

What kinds of employment are acceptable for the Federal Work Study Program?

Only legally related employment is considered acceptable for the Federal Work Study Program at NESL. Acceptable employment may be on or off campus, for a non-profit or for-profit organization.

Should I consolidate my loans?

With loan consolidation you can benefit from: lower monthly payments, fixed interest rates, only one payment for your federal loans per month and new or renewed deferments. Over the life of the loan, you may pay more in total interest, however your monthly payments may be significantly lower.  The Financial Aid Office holds Loan Consolidation Info Sessions for students in February and March.  Please contact the office for more information on scheduled dates and times.

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