Yale Law School Student Loan Offerings
There are significant changes to the federal lending landscape as of the Fall 2026 semester. In July 2025, Congress passed legislation that eliminates the Federal Grad PLUS Loan program as of July 1, 2026, for new borrowers. Beginning July 1, 2026, law students beginning a new program of study will be unable to access the Federal Grad PLUS Loan program.
The Law School expects all students to finance a portion of their education with loans. We strive to minimize and equalize our students’ debt load. We allocate our grant resources to students with the greatest financial need and increase the proportion of grant as total need increases.
Students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents generally have the option of borrowing federal loans or private loans. Students who are neither U.S. citizens nor permanent residents generally have the option of borrowing private loans or an institutional loan. These three options (private loans, federal loans, and institutional loans) are described below.
Before applying for a loan, please review the Yale University Financial Aid Borrowing at Yale for information on federal and private loan resources to help you evaluate your options. Private loan terms, conditions, and eligibility requirements will vary, and borrowers (and co-borrowers, if applicable) are responsible for researching the different lenders and their loan products in order to choose a loan product that best suits their needs.
In 2026-2027, students are expected to meet the first $60,700 (1L), $61,840 (2L), or $63,030 (3L) of their need with loans. Students whose total need is less than this amount will normally receive only loan assistance. Students whose need exceed this amount will receive grants. You may decide how much or how little of the loan offer you wish to accept based on your personal needs and budget.
While law school debt may seem daunting, all YLS graduates are eligible to apply for the Law School’s post-graduate loan forgiveness program (COAP) for private, federal, and institutional need-based loans.