Columbia Law School offers a Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) for J.D. students interested in becoming public interest lawyers. It is among the most generous in the country to ensure that law school debt does not prevent graduates from entering the public interest sector.
LRAP benefits are loans, which are used to repay Law School debt. LRAP loans are gradually forgiven when graduates remain in public interest employment for more than three years.
Participants have the option of electing the traditional Columbia Law School LRAP, or a program that combines Columbia’s LRAP with the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program. For detailed information about the programs, please refer to the Columbia Law School Loan Repayment Assistance Program description, paying particular attention to the “Combining LRAP with the Federal Program” section.
LRAP Policies & Procedures
- LRAP Application 2026 - Writeable
- LRAP FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
- Sample Traditional LRAP Benefits Calculations - Helps you understand how LRAP works with real graduate salaries (CLS login required)
Several Enhanced LRAP Fellowships have been established at Columbia Law School, and are awarded to students who have demonstrated dedication to and exceptional promise for leadership in public interest law.
- These fellowships are designed to supplement the benefits of LRAP, and can cover as much as 100% of eligible debt service for loans borrowed up to the cost of Law School tuition for fellows whose annual income does not exceed $100,000.
- Fellows are selected after graduation.
- For more information, please refer to the Office of Public Interest/Public Service Law and Careers webpage for Columbia Fellowships or contact the Office of Public Interest/Public Service Law and Careers directly for more information.
Please feel free to contact our LRAP Administrator, Ms. Seandell James (212-854-1245) by email or phone for questions related to LRAP.
Columbia Law School always attempts to ensure that, to the extent possible, changes in the coverage and policies of the Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) do not prejudice the interests of graduates who made fundamental decisions in reliance on the basic features of the program at the time they entered the Law School. Applicants should be aware that other factors, including fiscal constraints and the changing needs of the legal community, also will be considered in determining the design and administration of the program over the years. Eligibility and the extent of support available under the program will be determined at the time a graduate applies to the program, in accordance with the rules and policies then applicable.
The following websites provide detailed information about the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program:
- U.S. Department of Education: Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Website
- Employment Certification for Public Service Loan Forgiveness
- PSLF Application for Forgiveness
- U.S. Department of Education: PSLF Questions & Answers
- U.S. Department of Education: Income-Driven Repayment Plans
- National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS): The U.S. Department of Education’s Database for Federal Loans
- FinAid.org - A Financial Aid Information Page
- Equal Justice Works
- Federal Direct Consolidation Loans Information
Contact Us
Ms. Seandell James
Director, Financial Aid and LRAP Administrator
- 212-854-1245
- Send an email