​Financial Aid Disbursement

Financial assistance is disbursed in several ways. The type of financial aid awarded will determine how the funds will be disbursed. For some forms of assistance, the university will credit the student's account, while other aid types may require students to negotiate the check with the Student Accounts Office. The university's academic year begins with the fall as the first term, followed by the spring and summer terms. Disbursement of aid begins no earlier than 10 days before the first day of classes for the specific term. Thereafter, funds are disbursed upon availability.

Please contact the Financial Aid office for disbursement procedures applicable to the various financial aid programs.

USD Law Access Loan and Tuition Credit Loans

These loans will be credited directly to the student's account after the student has signed the promissory notes at the Loan Administration Office. Each semester the applicable award is applied. If adjustments are needed to the award as a result in changes to a student's status or other program criteria, the revisions will be made in the spring semester. Students may request a refund check from the USD Student Accounts Office if there is a credit balance on the account, after tuition charges have been paid.

Federal Direct Unsubsidized and Graduate Plus Loans

The School of Law participates in Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) with the U.S. Department of Education. Regulations require that federal loans be disbursed in two equal installments corresponding to the start of each academic semester. Students who borrow from the federal loan programs will have the loan funds automatically deposited in their USD student accounts. These funds will be used to pay any outstanding tuition and fee charges. Any excess funds will then be refunded to the student. The earliest loan funds can be disbursed is ten days before classes begin. Refunds are generally available 2-3 business days after funds have disbursed to your USD Student Account. Regardless of the EFT process, students are responsible for ensuring payment of tuition and fees before the fee payment deadline. Students who have received student loans and subsequently drop units may have a portion of their loan proceeds returned to the Direct Loan Program.

Private Loans

Private loan lenders will generally follow the same procedures as outlined for the Direct Loan Program. If the funds are received by paper check, these loans are not co-payable and if a student's account has a credit or a zero balance a student may receive the check without endorsing it to the university.

Federal Work Study

Students are responsible for completing time cards and submitting them to their supervisor electronically via Kronos. A schedule of due dates for submitting their electronic time cards will be available in the Financial Aid Office for review. Paychecks can be picked up at the Cashier's Office or direct deposited to your checking account. Students who submit time cards after the pay period deadline may have delays in getting paid. The student is responsible for taxes on all FWS/Law Work Opportunity money earned, and a W-2 form is issued at the end of each calendar year the student worked.

Scholarships

These funds will be credited directly to the student's USD account in two equal installments at the start of each semester. If adjustments are needed to the award as a result in changes to a student's status or other program criteria, the revisions will be made in the spring semester. Students should refer to the scholarship letter they received for the terms, conditions and renewability criteria of their scholarship. Some scholarships are awarded for one year only and are not renewable.

Loan Counseling

Entrance Loan Counseling

Students who are first-time borrowers at USD School of Law under the Federal Graduate Plus Loan and/or, Federal Direct Loan programs must complete an Online Loan Entrance Counseling Session.

These counseling sessions will allow students the opportunity to review debt management strategies, borrowing limits and disbursement procedures, and to inform the borrower of their rights and responsibilities.

If you are receiving Federal Direct, Graduate Plus or private loans at USD, you must complete an Online Loan Entrance Counseling Session before any student loan check can be negotiated or applied to your student account, even if the funds are received by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). Failure to satisfy the Loan Entrance Counseling requirement in a timely manner may cause your loan funds to be returned to the lender. Therefore, do this as soon as possible. EFT disbursements must be applied to the student's account within three (3) days of receipt of funds.

Online Loan Entrance Counseling Session Instructions:

  1. Go to StudentAid.gov
  2. Log in using your FSA ID
  3. Complete the 30-minute Loan Entrance Counseling.
  4. After you have completed, we will automatically receive confirmation.

Exit Loan Counseling

In order to satisfy your graduation requirements, all students who received loan assistance at any time while in attendance at the University of San Diego School of Law are required by federal regulation to complete the Online Exit Loan Counseling Session (Exit Interview).

Exit Counseling provides important information you need to prepare to repay your federal student loan(s).

After you have completed the Online Exit Counseling Session, we will automatically receive your confirmation.