Texas Law is committed to supporting its graduates who choose a career in public service to address the financial barriers created by law school debt. Since 2009, Texas Law’s Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) has provided assistance in the form of semi-annual forgivable loans to eligible J.D. graduates who enter qualifying public service to help repay student loans borrowed during law school.
In 2020 and most recently in 2024, the program underwent significant revisions to expand access by increasing the salary cap and to align itself closer to other programs across the country. These updates were the product of extensive collaboration and conversations with many institutional stakeholders including the Dean, the Career Services Office, the William Wayne Justice Center for Public Service Law, and the Office of Admissions & Financial Aid.
The LRAP is available to Texas Law J.D. graduates who are employed full-time in law-related work with qualified public service employers. The income thresholds for eligibility will depend on the participant’s graduating year:
- Class of 2023 and before: $60,000 – $80,000
- Class of 2024 and after: $75,000 – $120,000
LRAP will provide full support for participants who earn up to the minimum income threshold. For participants who have a calculated LRAP Income above the minimum threshold and the maximum threshold, LRAP support will be based on a contribution formula. In addition, participants may receive LRAP support for the repayment of bar loans, either up to $50/month or up to $75/month depending on the calculated LRAP Income. For more details, please review the LRAP Guidelines below.
In general, graduates must enter the program within two years of graduation (or within three years if working in a judicial clerkship). Applicants are required to enroll in a qualified federal Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) plan and are strongly encouraged to participate in the federal Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program.
The Texas Law LRAP, when coupled with the federal PLSF program, may significantly help graduates employed in public service repay their educational debt.
If you would like to be added to our mailing list for program updates, sign up below.
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On September 1, 2023, the moratorium on federal student loan repayments will end and interest accrual will resume. The Department of Education and your student loan servicer will notify you well before payments start. Please visit the Federal Student Aid for updates and additional information.
Texas Law LRAP will resume accepting new applications for federal loan repayment assistance beginning September 1. Before submitting an application , please review the updated LRAP Guidelines below.
To help you prepare for the resumption of student loan payments, update your contact information with your loan servicer and in your StudentAid.gov profile. Visit Preparing for Repayment to Resume to learn more information and helpful tips. In addition, we encourage you to download the helpful guide How to Prepare for Successful Student Loan Repayment, visit AccessLex’s resource page, and attend AccessLex’s Ramping Up to Repayment as the Federal Student Loan Payment Pause Ends webinar to get started. The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators also provides a repayment toolkit with a wealth of information including simple downloadable guides and other resources.
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On April 10, 2024, Texas Law announced enhancements to LRAP by increasing the incoming thresholds starting with the graduating class of 2024.
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As the federal courts resolve various legal challenges to the Income Driven Repayment (IDR) plans, e.g., the SAVE Plan, we strongly encourage you to follow the Department of ED’s latest announcements to stay abreast of updated information and procedures. Graduates should also contact their loan servicers to learn about any specific procedures required by their servicers.
On October 21, the Department of ED announced that graduates currently in the SAVE Plan will remain in an administrative forbearance for 6 months or longer.
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We are aware and paying very close attention to the injunction imposed on the Saving on a Valuable Educative (SAVE) repayment plan along with potential changes to existing Income Driven Repayment (IDR) plans. We will continue to monitor the situation as it unfolds and will update the LRAP program accordingly, if necessary.
Program Guidelines and Application Process
Applicants may submit an LRAP application at any time during the calendar year. Before submitting an application, please carefully read the LRAP Guidelines, which will include all eligibility requirements. Applicants will need to upload all supporting and required documents including a completed Employer Verification form and documentation.
- LRAP Guidelines (Graduating Class of 2023 and before) (pdf)
- LRAP Guidelines (Graduating Class of 2024 and later) (pdf)
- Employer Verification (pdf)
Texas Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program (SLRAP)
Established in 2003 and administered by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation (TALF), the SLRAP encourages law school graduates to work for Texas legal aid organizations and to assist legal aid programs in retaining experienced lawyers. Qualified recipients may receive up to $6,000 to support monthly payments towards their student loans. To learn more, please visit the Texas Access to Justice website.
Contact Information
The University of Texas School of Law
Office of Admissions & Financial Aid – LRAP
727 East Dean Keeton St.
Austin, TX 78705
(512) 232-1130
lrap@law.utexas.edu