Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) LRAP F.A.Q.
- Who decided the requirements for applicants?
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The UW LRAP program received a significant amount of funding from the State Legislature in 2007. As such, there are some requirements the legislature put into place. Participants must be:
- employed in a 'legal position'.
- employed by a government entity or a non-profit organization.
- employed in the State of Washington.
- graduates of the University of Washington School of Law.
- Can I apply for LRAP if I have an LLM from UW School of Law but not a JD?
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No, the UW LRAP is only for graduates of the UW JD program.
- I graduated from UW School of Law many years ago, can I still apply for the LRAP?
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Yes, there is no requirement that applicants must have graduated within a specific number of years.
- What if I do not receive information back from my loan lender(s) in time for the application due date?
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Applicants may submit a print out from the internet.
- I don't have a job but I want to do public service legal work. Can I apply for LRAP?
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No. LRAP exists to support UW graduates employed at least 30 hours a week in the public and non-profit sectors. Individuals who are not employed are encouraged to contact their lenders to inquire about the possibility of deferments, forbearance, or other similar accommodations to their individual circumstances.
- I am a contract public defender. Can I qualify for LRAP?
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Unfortunately, the legislation requires that participants be employed by a government entity or in a non-profit organization. The LRAP Committee recognizes that many public defenders are employed by private firms but solely represent indigent clients. In the future, the committee intends to investigate the possibility of getting this requirement altered.
- The information you ask for on the loan certifications — outstanding principal, required monthly payments, and evidence that I am not behind on my payments- is available on my lender's website. Can I print off this information and submit it?
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Yes. So long as all information is present, you can submit a printout from an online source.
- Is the deadline a postmark deadline?
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Yes, applications must be postmarked or emailed to lrap@uw.edu by the date specified in the application instructions. Regretfully, it may not be possible to consider late applications.
- Will you pay my student loan payments directly?
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No. LRAP participants will receive a check directly from the law school. It is the responsibility of the participant to make payments directly to his or her lender.
- Do I need to reapply each year?
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No. However participants will need to provide documentation each year showing that they still meet the LRAP qualifications.
- If I receive an award and stop working or change jobs during the year, how will that affect my award?
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Any changes to your employment status must be reported to the LRAP program office in writing within 30 days. The committee shall consider each situation on a case by case basis. If applicants fail to provide this information they may be responsible for repayment of partial or all award monies received.