Choosing a law school is huge. So is funding three years of it. A little planning now saves serious money later.

Federal lending looks different starting in 2026-27. Grad PLUS loans, long the default safety net for graduate students, will no longer be available to new borrowers. The only remaining federal option is the Direct Unsubsidized Loan, which caps out at $50,000 per year. At many law schools, that leaves a meaningful gap that may need to be filled with private loans.

Federal loans offer:

• No credit check
• Fixed government-set rates
• Income-driven repayment
• Deferment options
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility

If PSLF is on your radar even slightly, protect your federal borrowing at all costs. 

Private loans offer:

• Rates based on your credit (or a cosigner's)
• Potentially lower rates for strong credit profiles
• Fixed repayment terms with fewer nets
• No forgiveness or income-based plans

If private borrowing is on the horizon here are a few practical tips to help you get the best rates and terms:

1. Use soft credit checks when you start shopping. They reveal likely rates without dinging your credit score. Juno offers a soft credit check as do sites like Credible and various banks.
2. Stack your formal applications close together. Credit bureaus typically count multiple student loan applications inside a 14 to 45 day window as a single hard pull.
3. Scrutinize lender terms. Clerkship deferment policies, discharge provisions, and fee structures vary a lot between lenders.
4. Think through repayment choices upfront. Your options usually include full deferral, a small flat in-school payment, interest-only, or immediate full repayment. Full deferral feels painless but racks up the biggest long-term bill. Even tiny payments while enrolled shrink your total cost noticeably.
5. A cosigner can improve rates but isn't mandatory if you have your own credit history and a decent credit score.

How Juno helps:

• Negotiates group terms for 253,000+ students
• No application or origination fees on partner loans
• No obligation to borrow
• Free 1:1 advisors who know both federal and private markets

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