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Apply for Aid

How to Apply for Financial Aid for 2023–2024

The first step is to decide which type(s) of aid you are seeking. Deciding this will determine which form(s) you will need to submit and when. Below is an overview of deadlines and required materials.

For instructions on how to complete the cited documents, or for more detailed information about loans, grants, scholarships, and veterans benefits, please visit the Financial Aid Office’s website.

Columbia Law School Need-Based Grants and Loans

Submit by February 15 (unless otherwise noted)

Law School Financial Aid Questionnaire to Financial Aid Office*	Required of all applicants for ANY type of financial aid. Download form.
CSS Profile Application to the College Board	Required of all applicants for admission to the entering J.D. class who are seeking consideration for Law School grants. Apply online: cssprofile.collegeboard.org
2021 Federal Income Tax Forms for student, spouse, and parent(s) to the College Board using the Institutional Documentation (IDOC) Service**	Applicants must submit signed copies of federal income tax forms for all persons included on the CSS Profile Application. Note: Students will be notified by the College Board to submit tax returns via IDOC shortly after they are admitted and once the CSS Profile form has been received by Columbia.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to Federal Processor***	The need analysis form used by U.S. citizens and eligible noncitizens to establish eligibility for federal student aid (Direct Unsubsidized and Direct Graduate PLUS loans, Work-Study). Apply online: https://studentaid.ed.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa
Federal Loan Application(s) to Federal Direct Loan Program and/or Private Loan Application(s) to Financial Aid Office. (submit by May 15)	See our checklist for more information about loan application materials

Loans Only

Submit by May 15

Law School Financial Aid Questionnaire to Financial Aid Office*	Required of all applicants for ANY type of financial aid. Download here.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to Federal Processor***	The need analysis form used by U.S. citizens and eligible noncitizens to establish eligibility for federal student aid (Direct Unsubsidized and Direct Graduate PLUS loans, Work-Study). Apply online: https://studentaid.ed.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa
Federal Loan Application(s) to Federal Direct Loan Program and/or Private Loan Application(s) to Financial Aid Office	See our checklist for more information about loan application materials

*If you are applying for a Law School grant, please submit it by February 15 or immediately after admission.

**If 2021 tax forms are not available by February 15, please submit complete 2020 tax forms by February 15 and complete 2021 tax forms by the end of April.

***International students (i.e., those who are not U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens) are not eligible for federal aid and should disregard the FAFSA requirement.

Students seeking consideration for Law School grants must apply at the time of application to the first-year class of the J.D. program, and grant decisions are made only after a student has been offered admission. Award letters to recipients of institutional grants will include information about the financial aid package for each of the student’s three years of study at Columbia Law School. If you are uncertain about whether you should apply for a grant, please refer to Eligibility for a Scholarship Grant on the Financial Aid Office's website or contact the Financial Aid Office.

The FAFSA is the need analysis form used to establish eligibility for federal student aid that is available to U.S. citizens and eligible noncitizens.
Students seeking funding from any of the following federal programs must complete it annually: Direct Unsubsidized Loan, Direct Graduate PLUS Loan, and Work-Study.
You are encouraged to complete your FAFSA online.

Entering first year J.D. students applying for Columbia University institutional aid (need-based grants and institutional loans) must submit financial information using the CSS Profile application.
To be considered for a grant, you must submit information from you, your spouse (if applicable), and both parents, regardless of your age, marital status, or dependency status for tax purposes.
To apply online, visit the CSS Profile website. If you have questions about completing or submitting the application, you are encouraged to call the College Board at 844-202-0524.

By February 15, first-year grant applicants (Class of 2026) should submit complete copies of signed 2021 federal income tax forms (with all schedules, attachments, and W-2’s) for all persons included on the CSS Profile application.
If applicants and their families have not completed their 2021 tax returns, you can submit complete 2020 tax returns (via IDOC) by February 15 to be considered for a grant. Complete 2021 tax returns must be submitted (again via IDOC) by the end of April to confirm a grant.
We review tax forms to confirm and make any necessary adjustments to financial aid awards. Therefore, please keep in mind that the late submission of 2021 tax forms will result in late notification of any alterations to your award.
All tax forms must be signed and dated, and all schedules, attachments, and W-2 forms must be submitted. If applicants, their spouses, or their parents own a business, complete business returns also must be included, as well as any partnership and/or “S” Corporation returns.

All admitted students applying for any type of financial aid must complete the Financial Aid Questionnaire. Download here.
Grant applicants should return the completed form by February 15 or immediately after admission.
Students who plan on enrolling in the entering class and are applying only for loans should make every effort to submit it by May 15.