Applying for Scholarship Aid
Applications for BU Law scholarships and other types of financial aid are separate from the admissions process.
While most BU Law scholarships are awarded on the basis of both academic merit and financial need, the School of law does award a portion of its scholarship aid based only on merit through our Dean's Scholars Program.
March 1, 2008 is the deadline to apply for financial aid. Students who miss the March 1 deadline may submit financial aid materials, but scholarship aid will be awarded first to students who meet the deadline.
Financial Aid Application Checklist
- Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- School code - 002130
- student information only
- Need Access Form
- student and parent information required
- use whole dollar amounts only
- Signed copies of 2007 federal income tax returns
(including schedules) and all W-2 forms for both the applicant and his or her parents
If 2007 federal income tax returns are not available before the March 1, 2008 deadline, they should be sent as soon as they are available. The Law Financial Aid Office will usually be able to make a tentative decision without the tax returns. The decision will be finalized when the 2007 tax returns are received.
If a student or that student's parent(s) will not be filing a federal income tax return, they should complete the applicable non-filing form that is available on our Forms and Resources page.
Please do not submit state tax returns or 2006 returns unless they are requested by the Law Financial Aid Office
Public Interest Scholars Program
BU Law offers a small number of scholarships to students who are commtted to pursuing careers in public interest law.
International students
International students should review the information provided on the International JD Students page.
Parental Information Requirement
To help us distribute scholarship funds equitably, we require that applicants file parental information. Although many parents do not contribute to their children's graduate education costs, they still may be a resource for some students. Thus, viewing the potential family contribution as a whole is the most accurate way to award need-based aid.
Applicants whose parents are divorced should complete the financial aid forms using the information from the parent or parents who last claimed them as a dependent on a federal income tax return or the custodial parent. Non-custodial praent information is not required. Applicants who have questions about which parent's information to submit may contact the Law Financial Aid Office.
An applicant may submit a written, detailed request for a waiver of parental information. Waivers are granted on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the Office of Financial Aid. Request must be made before the March 1 deadline and addressed to the Associate Director of Financial Aid.
Transfer Students
Transfer students applying for financial aid should follow the instructions for entering students, although we do not expect transfer applicants to comply with the same deadline as entering students.
Transfer applicants should complete their applications for admission and financial aid simultaneously. Because the transfer admissions process takes place at the end of the financial aid awarding period, we regret that we may not be able to offer scholarship aid to transfer students who qualify.
Changes to Student Information
Any student receiving financial aid is responsible for promptly informing the Office of Financial Aid of any:
- outside agency awards he or she may receive
- changes in name or address
- changes in enrollment, registration or degree status
The student must also provide any supporting documentation requested by the Office of Financial Aid.