Civil Legal Aid Loan Assistance Funds Available Now – Apply ASAP
From our friends at Equal Justice Works comes this time-is-of-the-essence news (mentioned here back in May): Five million dollars is now available for distribution to qualified civil legal assistance attorneys. The online application is accessible here: http://studentaid.ed.gov/students/attachments/siteresources/CLAARPapp.pdf and applying as soon as possible is critical because the Department of Education will commit these funds to eligible civil legal assistance attorneys on a first-come, first-served basis.Completed and signed applications can be returned to the Department of Education as follows:
- Fax Number: 1-315-738-6674
- Mail:
U.S. Department of Education
Civil Legal Assistance Attorney
Student Loan Repayment Program
PO Box 4399
Utica, NY 13504 - Overnight mail: Call 1-877-699-1834 for courier/overnight addres
Complete and signed applications will be date and time stamped and processed in the order they are received. Do not submit an incomplete application– if the application is denied because it is incomplete, the Department of Education will send a letter explaining the reason it was denied, and a resubmitted request will receive a new date and time stamp.
This new program, the Civil Legal Assistance Attorney Student Loan Repayment Program (CLAAP), repays a portion of eligible federal student loan debt for civil legal assistance attorneys who are employed full-time. Attorneys are advised to understand the program requirements, and to carefully consider the Ineligibility for Double Benefits provision before determining whether or not to apply for CLAAP.
