The Laurie M. Tisch Loan Repayment Assistance Program at Cardozo benefits Cardozo J.D. graduates who have chosen to pursue careers in public service by providing “forgivable loans” to assist them in overcoming their educational debt. 

During the 2022 LRAP cycle, a total of $80,250 was awarded to 22 alumni who graduated in the prior 6 years. They were provided awards ranging from $750 - $9,000, assisting with their non-federal student loan payments. 

Federal Student Loan Update

The U.S. Department of Education's COVID-19 relief for federal student loans has recently ended. Federal student loan interest and payments were paused for over three years, starting on March 13, 2020. During this pause, Cardozo's LRAP only provided funding to eligible graduates towards their non-federal student loans that remained in active repayment.

Now that federal student loan interest and payments have resumed for borrowers, Cardozo's LRAP will once again provide funding to eligible graduates with assistance towards their federal student loans that have entered active repayment, and towards non-federal student loans that have remained in active repayment.

*PLEASE NOTE*

Due to the restarting of federal student loan payments, and in order to maximize the benefit of Cardozo's LRAP to eligible graduates, the following adjustments have been made:

• The current LRAP cycle will mostly fall under the 2024 calendar year. As such, this application will be made under the 2024 LRAP cycle. We have skipped the 2023 LRAP cycle in name only. The previous 2022 LRAP cycle was made available to eligible graduates from the 2016 - 2021 classes. The 2024 LRAP cycle is available to eligible graduates from the 2017 - 2022 classes, which is the next sliding cohort of 6 graduating classes. All eligible graduates will still receive up to 6 years of LRAP assistance. 
• Prior LRAP cycles normally covered a percentage of eligible recipients' student loan payments between between December - November (12-month cycle). 
• The 2024 LRAP cycle will cover a percentage of eligible recipients' student loan payments between December 2023 - December 2024 (13-month cycle). 
• Starting with the following 2025 LRAP cycle, the annual cycle will cover a percentage of recipients' student loan payments between January - December (12-month cycle - standard calendar year). 

If you have any questions about these updates, please contact us: cardozolrap@yu.edu 

*2024 LRAP*

ELIGIBILITY

Graduation Year:

Graduates who received a J.D. from Cardozo in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, & 2022 are eligible to apply. Graduates must reapply annually and can continue to receive funding pending continuing eligibility. 

Graduation Year Exceptions:

Graduates from the class of 2016 who clerked for a judge following graduation and then entered public service are also eligible to apply. Additionally, graduates may apply for a “leave of absence” for up to 1 year under certain circumstances (i.e. medical leave or parental leave).  Thus, holding the “leave” year in abeyance and allowing for an additional year to apply for the program. The Graduate must inform the LRAP Committee prior to taking the “leave”, and it is in the discretion of the LRAP Committee whether to grant a “leave”.

Employment - Eligible Jobs:

A paid full-time law-related job that, in the sole determination of Cardozo, is of a public service nature, qualifies.  A "law-related" job is one that, as determined by Cardozo, uses the applicant's legal training to a significant extent.  "Public Service" jobs may include legal aid societies, public defenders' offices, district attorneys' offices, legal services offices, governmental agencies, private non-profit organizations dedicated to public interest law, international human rights organizations, and clinical law teaching jobs.  Graduates serving as term judicial clerks are only eligible to apply after they have completed their clerkship and are employed in a qualified public service job. Their eligibility to apply will be held in abeyance during their judicial clerkship. For example, 2022 graduates who are currently clerking do not qualify; however, they can apply for the six years following their clerkship if all other eligibility requirements are met. Please note:  A volunteer position does not qualify for LRAP.

Income Cap Requirements:

Please see the table below. If your salary exceeds these parameters and/or you possess exigent circumstances, please include a detailed explanation and supporting documentation with your LRAP application, and the committee will take it under consideration.

Graduation Year   Salary Cap

• 2022                  $76,000
• 2021                  $78,000
• 2020                  $80,000
• 2019                  $82,000
• 2018                  $84,000
• 2017                  $86,000

Minimum Student Loan Debt Burden:

Graduates who meet the income requirements must have an individual accumulated educational debt burden of $60,000 or more. 

Eligible Types of Student Loan Debt:

All documented undergraduate and graduate educational student loans (except personal loans from family or friends) in active repayment status are included. These student loan types include federal (Stafford, Graduate PLUS, Consolidated), Perkins, private, state, refinanced, and institutional. Eligible loan types must be officially considered a "student loan". Loans that have been refinanced by home equity loans, non-student loan bank loans, or family/parent loans, are not eligible for LRAP assistance.

Do I need to reapply for LRAP funding each year?

Yes! Cardozo's LRAP is administered annually. Graduates must apply every program year and demonstrate eligibility annually in order to receive LRAP funding. 

ASSISTANCE

How much assistance is a participant eligible to receive?

Loan repayment assistance will be awarded in varying amounts. The committee assesses the individual need of eligible applicants by reviewing the applicant’s income, resources, monthly student loan obligation, and monthly expenses. In addition, the committee reviews all additional materials submitted by the applicant that are relevant to the individual's financial circumstances. Funding amounts also depend upon the number of eligible applicants during each funding cycle. During the 2022 LRAP cycle, awards ranged from $750 - $9,000.

How many awards will be made?

Please note, no representation is or can be made as to the number of grants or the amounts thereof that will be made in any year or during the continuation of this program, which may be discontinued at any time without notice.

How will awards be made?

LRAP awards are made in the form of a forgivable loan. The recipients will sign a promissory note for this loan and MUST retain eligibility for 1 year in order to have the loan forgiven. Recipients maintain eligibility during the LRAP cycle by remaining in qualified employment, with an eligible salary, and showing that their student loan payments continue to be in active repayment consistent with the amount indicated upon their initial application. Recipients will be notified to submit required documentation regarding eligibility for forgiveness approximately 1 calendar year following disbursement of the award.

LRAP awards are disbursed directly to eligible recipients in one lump-sum payment. This LRAP funding is to be used by the recipient to assist with covering a percentage of their monthly / quarterly student loan payments during the program cycle (December 2023 - December 2024). LRAP awards are not sent directly to recipients' student loan servicers. 

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

Who will decide who receives a grant?

A committee made up of Cardozo School of Law administrators has been designated by the Dean of the Law School to review applications and determine eligibility, based on the terms of the Program.  All applications will be kept in strict confidence.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE 

Please carefully read through ALL of the application materials.

• January 2, 2024:  2024 LRAP Application available HERE. 
• January 26, 2024 February 16, 2024:  2024 LRAP Application DEADLINE EXTENDED!.  Part 1 of the application must be completed and submitted online by February 16, 2024. Part 2 of the application (supporting documentation) must be submitted via email to cardozolrap@yu.edu by February 16, 2024. 
• On or about mid/end-February 2024:  LRAP award notifications will be emailed to eligible recipients. In order to officially authorize an awardee's 2024 LRAP award, a promissory note and additional signed documentation will then need to be submitted to Cardozo shortly there after.
• On or about mid-April 2024:  LRAP awards will be processed and sent to eligible recipients via direct deposit. Should there be a delay in processing the awards, the LRAP Committee will notify recipients. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Cardozo's LRAP Committee at cardozolrap@yu.edu.