Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP)
In recognition of the fact that many students accumulate significant student loan debt in financing their legal education at USC, the Law School’s Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) was implemented in 1987. Since LRAP's inception, the Law School has:
- Sought to ensure that graduates do not have post-graduation employment options precluded due solely to student loan obligations.
- Recognized that the legal community has a responsibility to provide services to people who cannot otherwise afford representation.
- Assisted to remove a financial obstacle and encourage graduates to choose public interest or public service employment.
The USC Law School’s Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) provides assistance in repaying loans to graduates who accept employment with low-paying public interest organizations and government agencies. Alumni accepting judicial clerkship positions may also apply for LRAP assistance. Under the Program, qualifying graduates are expected to apply a specified percentage of their earnings to their annual obligations for educational loan repayments, and the Law School makes a loan (the “LRAP loan”) for the remainder of those obligations. The amount of LRAP assistance will depend upon the graduate’s income in combination with his or her total student loan payment obligations.
For married graduates, income is determined by using the higher of:
- The graduate’s income; or
- The average of their respective incomes.
In addition, an income allowance for graduates with dependent children is calculated in determining eligibility.
Graduates with an annual income of $40,000 or less will not be expected to make any contributions toward their loan repayment. The LRAP loan will cover the full amount of minimum monthly loan payments.
If a graduate remains eligible and participates in the LRAP program for five years, his or her entire LRAP loan may be forgiven. If the graduate participates for fewer than five years, his or her LRAP loan may be partially forgiven (partial forgiveness schedule is included in the program description and application link below).
The LRAP year runs from October 1st to September 30th and a new application for assistance is required each year. LRAP funds are disbursed to the graduate in four quarterly installments on or about October 1st, January 1st, April 1st and July 1st, and it remains the graduate’s responsibility to make their required monthly student loan payments directly to their loan servicer(s).
