Cost and Financial Aid

Types of Aid

Hofstra Aid

Hofstra offers a variety of institutional merit scholarships, need-based grants and loans that are awarded on the basis of merit or financial need. The most common forms of aid administered by the Office of Financial Aid are:

Hofstra Law has a robust merit scholarship program. 92 percent of our students who entered the Law School in fall 2018 received some award. All applicants are automatically considered for a merit scholarship upon admission to Hofstra Law; no separate application is required.

Learn more about Hofstra Law’s merit scholarship program.

The Hofstra Law Loan program was established to offer needy students additional subsidized funding beyond the grants, subject to funding availability. The loans range from $2,000 to $7,000 annually. Hofstra Law Loans are awarded on the basis of need, and students must reapply for the loan each year.

Hofstra Law Loans carry a fixed subsidized interest rate of 5 percent. Interest does not accrue while you are in school or during the nine-month grace period following graduation or withdrawal from Hofstra Law. The 10-year repayment period begins following this nine-month grace period.

This program is designed to recognize outstanding academic achievement with opportunities to enrich your education and, in some cases, provide financial support.

Among the academic benefits, Dean’s Scholars receive invitations to meet with visiting scholars and speakers and to attend faculty workshops. They are invited to participate in upcoming Law School conferences. Interested Dean’s Scholars may be matched with faculty members in areas of interest to assist faculty members with their research.

Beginning With Classes Entering Fall 2012

Dean’s Honor Scholar Program

The Dean’s Honor Scholar Program recognizes student achievement with financial awards up to $15,000 (full-time) and $10,000 (part-time) in merit scholarships for those students who achieve a class rank in the top 10 percent (not rounded) of their entering class at the conclusion of their first academic year. These scholarships will be applied in equal portions to the fall and spring semesters.

In addition, Dean’s Honor Scholars receive exclusive academic benefits, including invitations to meet with visiting scholars and to attend faculty workshops. They are also invited to participate in Law School conferences and symposia. Interested Dean’s Honor Scholars may be matched with faculty members in areas of interest to assist faculty members with their research.

Qualified rising 2L students will be awarded a Dean’s Honor Scholarship for their second year, which will be renewed each year for the remainder of Law School enrollment, provided that students maintain a cumulative academic rank that places them within the top 40th percentile of the class to retain 100 percent of their merit-based aid for the following year.

This scholarship may not be used to cover tuition expenses related to the summer sessions, study abroad programs or the winter intersession. Nor may this scholarship, plus any other awards or scholarships received, exceed the cost of tuition and fees for the academic year in which they are awarded.

The Dean’s Scholar Program

The Dean’s Scholar Program recognizes student achievement with financial awards up to $10,000 (full-time) and $7,500 (part-time) in merit scholarships for those students who achieve a class rank greater than 10 percent-20 percent (not rounded) of their entering class at the conclusion of their first academic year. These scholarships will be applied in equal portions to the fall and spring semesters.

In addition, Dean’s Scholars receive exclusive academic benefits, including invitations to meet with visiting scholars and to attend faculty workshops. They are also invited to participate in Law School conferences and symposia. Interested Dean’s Scholars may be matched with faculty members in areas of interest to assist faculty members with their research.

Qualified rising 2L students will be awarded a Dean’s Scholarship for their second year, which will be renewed each year for the remainder of Law School enrollment, provided that students maintain a cumulative academic rank that places them within the top 50th percentile of the class to retain 100 percent of their merit-based aid for the following year.

This scholarship may not be used to cover tuition expenses related to the summer sessions, study abroad programs or the winter intersession. Nor may this scholarship, plus any other awards or scholarships received, exceed the cost of tuition and fees for the academic year in which they are awarded.

As an upper-level student, you have the opportunity to receive substantial scholarship support thanks to generous funding from alumni and other members of the Hofstra Law community.

View Upper-Level Scholarships.

Federal Aid

You can borrow up to $20,500 per year through the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan program.

Payments on the principal of the Direct Unsubsidized Loan can be deferred while you are enrolled at least half time.

Unsubsidized loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2024 and before July 1, 2025 have a fixed interest rate of 8.08%.

If you are applying for a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan for the first time at Hofstra University, you will need to complete the Master Promissory Note online.

Loan amounts are split into two disbursements, one delivered at the beginning of each semester.

An origination fee of 1.057% will be deducted from the gross amount of all unsubsidized loans first disbursed before October 1, 2024, which means you should expect to receive 1.057% less than you requested to borrow.

You are responsible for paying any interest that accrues while you are a student. The loan servicer will give you the option to make regularly scheduled interest payments, or you may choose to capitalize your interest.

Capitalization means that any interest that accrues while you are a student is added to the principal of the loan, so you have no payments while enrolled.

Federal Direct PLUS Loan for Graduate Students

The Federal Direct PLUS Loan is a federal loan program. You can borrow up to the school-determined cost of attendance minus other financial aid each year through the PLUS Loan program.

Payments on the principal of the PLUS Loan can be deferred while you are enrolled at least half time. Unlike the Stafford Loan, the PLUS Loan does not have a grace period after you stop attending school. It is likely, however, that you will qualify for a deferment or forbearance to temporarily relieve you of your payment responsibility at that time.

The federal government requires that in order to qualify for a federal student loan, you must:

  • be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident.
  • be pursuing a degree in an accredited program in an eligible institution.
  • be enrolled in that program half-time or more.
  • not be in default on a prior federal loan.
  • have no recent federal drug convictions.
  • if male and born after 1959, have registered for the draft.

All Graduate PLUS Loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2024 and before July 1, 2025 have a fixed interest rate of 9.09%.

The PLUS Loan requires a credit check. If you have an adverse credit, you will not be able to receive a PLUS Loan without a credit-worthy endorser.

Adverse credit is defined as having one or more of the following:

  • Currently 90 days or more delinquent on repayment of any debt
  • Have had debt discharged in bankruptcy during the past 5 years
  • Evidence of a default, foreclosure, tax lien, repossession, wage garnishment, or write-off of a Title IV (federal student aid) debt during the past 5 years

An origination fee of 4.228% will be deducted from the gross amount of all Graduate PLUS Loans first disbursed before October 1, 2024. As a result of this fee, the actual PLUS Loan amount applied to your student account will be lower than the amount you requested to borrow.

How to apply for a Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loan

  • Visit https://studentaid.gov
  • Log in
  • Under the “Loans and Grants” heading, select “PLUS Loans: Grad PLUS and Parent PLUS”
  • Select “Learn More” next to the “I am a Graduate or Professional Student” option
  • Select “Start” to complete the application
  • After the application has been successfully submitted, complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN), which is also located under the “Loans and Grants” heading at studentaid.gov.
  • When completing the MPN, select “Hofstra University” as the school (there is not a separate option for the Law School)
  • Follow the on-screen instructions the rest of the way through the e-sign/MPN process

Both the MPN and the Loan Request Form must be completed in order for your Grad PLUS Loan to be processed.

The Federal Work-Study Program provides funds for jobs for students who have financial need and must earn educational expense.

A student must be determined as eligible for this program. Eligibility is determined by filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Incoming first-year law students are often discouraged from participating in this program due to the rigors of a first-year academic schedule.

External Scholarships

Hofstra Law maintains a database of external scholarship opportunities.

Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces may be eligible for education benefits depending on their length of service, category of service and dates of service.

The programs are quite numerous and are detailed at the website www.gibill.va.gov. You may also call 1-888-442-4551 for additional details.

The GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. More information about education benefits offered by the VA is available at the official U.S. government website www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

New York State Vietnam or Persian Gulf Veteran's Awards may be made for full- or part-time study to veterans of these two wars who are New York State residents. Detailed information is available.

Applications for Veteran Affairs Education Benefits are certified by the Law School Registrar’s Office. Please contact lawregistrar@hofstra.edu for further information on this process.

Yellow Ribbon Program

Hofstra Law is proud to be a part of the new GI Bill®, formally known as the Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program. Through this program, the Law School is able to fund tuition expenses for veterans (and their dependents) who have served the United States in Afghanistan and Iraq following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Listed below is some general program information from the VA’s website. You may also visit the VA’s website for more details.

What Is the Yellow Ribbon Program?

The Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program (Yellow Ribbon Program) is a provision of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008.

This program allows institutions of higher learning (degree-granting institutions) in the United States to voluntarily enter into an agreement with the VA to fund tuition expenses that exceed the highest public in-state undergraduate tuition rate.

The institution can contribute up to 50% of those expenses, and the VA will match the same amount as the institution.

Who Is Eligible?

Only individuals entitled to the maximum benefit rate (based on service requirements) may receive this funding. Therefore, you may be eligible if:

  • You served an aggregate period of active duty after Sept. 10, 2001, of at least 36 months.
  • You were honorably discharged from active duty for a service-connected disability and you served 30 continuous days after Sept. 10, 2001;
  • You are a dependent eligible for Transfer of Entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill® based on a veteran’s service under the eligibility criteria listed above.

How Do I Apply for Benefits Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill®?

The Department of Veterans Affairs is now accepting and processing applications for the Post-9/11 GI Bill®. You should complete and submit the application form available online and will receive written notification explaining the VA’s decision regarding your eligibility for the program.

If you are eligible, your Certificate of Eligibility will also advise you if your service meets the requirements for the Yellow Ribbon Program.

You should take your Certificate of Eligibility to Hofstra and ask us to certify your enrollment to the VA, including Yellow Ribbon.

You cannot certify your participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program directly to the VA. Hofstra must report this information on your enrollment certification.

Remember, to receive benefits under the Yellow Ribbon Program:

  • You must be eligible for the maximum benefit rate under the Post-9/11 GI Bill®, the Yellow Ribbon Program.
  • Hofstra must not have offered Yellow Ribbon to more than the maximum number of individuals stated in the participation agreement.
  • Hofstra must certify your enrollment to the VA, including Yellow Ribbon Program information.

Many lenders offer private educational loans to law students. These loans differ from federal loans in several significant ways:

  • Private loans are not federally guaranteed.
  • Private loan interest rates and fees are not subsidized.
  • They are only issued to students who have an “absence of bad credit.”
  • Creditworthy co-signers may be required if you have bad credit.
  • Since there is no guarantee or subsidization, they are usually more expensive.
  • Private loans may have a longer repayment period.
  • Private loans are not eligible for deferments, but lenders may offer forbearance.
  • Private loans are not forgiven in the event of death or disability.
  • Private loans may not be consolidated with federal loans.
  • Some private loans may be used for less than half-time study.