Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP)

Northwestern Pritzker School of Law is committed to supporting graduates who pursue legal careers in the public interest. The program has been revised over the years to respond to changes in salaries and student loan debt. LRAP was recently revised in spring 2024 to align with recent changes to federal income-driven repayment (IDR) plans, including the new Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan. Our LRAP program helps graduates with an adjusted gross income (AGI) up to $105,000 repay their student loans. Participants in the program with an annual AGI of $85,000 or less can receive benefits covering 100% of their SAVE Payment. Those with an AGI between $85,001 and $105,000 will receive benefits based on their income. The LRAP program is supported in large part by the generosity of the Estate of Dawn Clark Netsch (JD '52). 

How does LRAP work?

Northwestern Law issues LRAP awards in the form of a one-year forgivable loan for graduates working in a qualifying public interest position. Recipients must spend the entire LRAP award on federal student loans. If the graduate remains in a qualifying position for one year and provides documentation they spent their entire LRAP award on qualifying student loans, the LRAP loan for that year is forgiven in its entirety. Graduates are eligible to apply for LRAP up to ten years after graduation if their first job out of law school is a qualifying position, they remain in a qualifying position, and they comply with the terms of LRAP. 

How are LRAP awards calculated?

• If your AGI is $85,000 or less, your LRAP award will cover 100% of the amount you owe on the SAVE Plan.
• If your AGI is between $85,001 and $95,000, your LRAP award will cover 55% of the amount you owe on the SAVE Plan.
• If your AGI is between $95,001 and $105,000 your LRAP award will cover 35% of the amount you owe on the SAVE Plan. 

To estimate the amount you would owe on the SAVE Plan, visit the Federal Student Aid Loan Simulator. 

How does LRAP work with federal repayment and forgiveness programs?

Northwestern’s LRAP works in tandem with federal income-driven repayment (IDR) plans, which are designed to make student debt more manageable by reducing monthly payments. IDR is generally 10% or 15% of the borrower’s discretionary income depending on the plan, but never more than the 10-year Standard Repayment Plan amount. Graduates must be enrolled in an IDR plan to participate in LRAP, and awards will be calculated based on the amount the participant owes on the SAVE Plan. To learn more about IDR plans, please visit Federal Student Aid. 

Northwestern’s LRAP program also works in tandem with the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program, under which the federal government forgives the remaining balance on Direct Loans after the borrower has made 120 qualifying monthly payments under an income-driven repayment plan while working full-time for an eligible employer. 

This means that Northwestern Pritzker Law graduates working in public interest who participate in LRAP and PSLF and have an annual AGI of $85,000 or less for ten years after law school will pay $0 towards their federal student loans, and those with an AGI between $85,001 and $105,000 will pay a significantly reduced amount towards their overall debt.

Please note that qualification for LRAP does not ensure qualification for the federal programs, and that any of the federal programs may be changed by the federal government. The terms of the LRAP program are also subject to change.  

What employment qualifies for LRAP? 

A qualifying job is a position at a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization or a government agency (federal, state, local or tribal) that requires passage of the bar exam or that falls within the ABA's definition of a "JD Advantage" job – one where the employer sought an individual with a JD, and perhaps even required a JD, or for which the JD provided a demonstrable advantage in obtaining or performing the job, but itself does not require bar passage or an active law license or involve practicing law. Please note that the applicant’s first job out of law school must be a qualifying position.   

Judicial clerkships qualify for LRAP if the participant spent both summers in law school in a nonprofit or government position and will immediately enter a qualifying public interest position after their clerkship. If the participant does not directly enter a qualifying position after their clerkship, they must repay their LRAP award, plus interest. If the graduate did not work in public interest during both summers in law school, they won’t receive an LRAP award during their clerkship but remain eligible for the program if they enter a qualifying public interest position after their clerkship.  

How will income be treated? 

We will consider your annual adjusted gross income (AGI), including any income that you must report to the IRS such as bonuses or income from side jobs. We will not consider spousal income if you enroll in the SAVE Plan and file taxes separately. Spousal income will be considered if you file taxes jointly.  

What loans qualify? 

Federal loans in good standing and in active repayment on an IDR plan qualify. Northwestern loans, private loans, personal loans from a friend or family member, credit card debt, and consumer debt do not qualify. If you were not eligible to take out federal loans or do not qualify for an IDR plan, please contact Emily Powers at emily.powers@law.northwestern.edu.   

How does the application process work and when do I apply? 

During spring of 3L, students should reach out to the Public Interest Center to express interest in LRAP and provide a personal email address. The Public Interest Center emails the LRAP application to new and returning participants every summer. Applicants must provide proof of enrollment in an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan and their monthly payment amount. Awards will be calculated based on the amount that a participant would owe under the SAVE Plan. 

Additional Information  

For additional information about the LRAP program, please contact Emily Powers, Associate Director of the Public Interest Center, at emily.powers@law.northwestern.edu.