Loan Repayment Assistance Program
In recognition of the mission of St. Thomas University that “graduates leave with…a readiness to contribute to society with compassion, faith, and sensitivity to the poor and disadvantaged,” St. Thomas University School of Law has established the Equal Access to Justice Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP). The purpose of this program is to encourage graduates of St. Thomas University School of Law to seek law-related employment that serves the poor and disadvantaged. This program provides limited educational loan repayment assistance to selected eligible graduates working in law-related positions that exclusively serve those at or below federal poverty level. Examples of such positions include, but are not limited to, legal positions with public defenders’ offices, legal aid or legal services offices, or pro bono programs or practitioners exclusively serving the poor and disadvantaged.
The program is currently funded through two endowments: The Mr. and Mrs. Stanley G. Tate Loan Forgiveness Fund and the John and June Mary Makdisi Loan Forgiveness Fund. From time to time the School of Law also receives matching gifts to further support this program. Therefore, the amount available for awards each year varies.
Application Process:
An application may be obtained from the Career Services Office at St. Thomas University School of Law or downloaded from this website. The application and all supporting material must be received in the Career Services Office by May 31st of each year. The award year is the 12-month period following July 1st of each year. Awards will be announced in late June of each year and will be disbursed in two payments, the first in late July and the second in late January of the award year based on confirmation of employment in an eligible field. Employment for each award year is the 12-month period extending from July 1st of the current year to June 30th of the following year. Individual award amounts will vary and may not exceed $3,600 per year. Remaining eligible applicants will be placed on a waiting list that expires at the end of each award year.
The Career Services Office must be notified in writing of any change in the awardee’s application information that becomes effective during the award year. Award recipients must remain fully eligible throughout each 6-month funding period, or they will forfeit and return the balance pro-rated from the time of ineligibility.
Qualification Criteria:
Applicants must meet the following qualification criteria:
1) Graduate of St. Thomas University School of Law;
2) Annual gross income of $45,000 or less (single household with no dependents), or $50,000 or less (single household with dependent/s), or a combined annual household income of $60,000 or less (combined household with no dependents), or $65,000 or less (combined household with dependent/s);
3) Full-time employment (35 hours or more/week) performing legal-related work in a qualified law-related position that exclusively serves the poor and disadvantaged; and
4) Educational loans not in default.
Selection Criteria:
Selection will be determined based on the following:
▪ Nature of Work serving the poor and disadvantaged (Applicant will have procured and provided
his/her employer’s verification of the nature of the applicant’s position.)
▪ Total Educational Loan Debt Balance = Total of all educational loan balances (excluding any credit card debt or loans from family members or friends), including law, graduate, and undergraduate educational loans for tuition, fees, books, equipment, or living expenses. (Applicant will have procured and provided official lender verification of current indebtedness.)
▪ Annual Gross Household Income = Annual gross household income minus dependent allowance (Dependent allowance = $5,000 for dependent child(ren) 18 years or younger living with the applicant and/or $15,000 for partner living with the applicant). (Applicant will have provided copy of most recent tax return and procured and provided his/her employer’s verification of the applicant’s current salary.)
▪ Debt-to-Income Ratio = Ratio of Total Educational Loan Debt Balance to Annual Gross Household Income
▪ Graduation Year (priority given to more recent graduates)
▪ Current Recipient of Equal Access to Justice LRAP Award
▪ Additional Sources of Gross Household Income
Completed applications, along with all required documentation, must reach the Career Services Office at St. Thomas University School of Law by May 31st. Send to
Equal Access to Justice LRAP
Career Services Office
St. Thomas University School of Law
16401 N.W. 37th Avenue
Miami Gardens, FL 33054
If you have any questions, please contact LRAP Coordinator Maggie Kreuzberger at 305-474-2433.