PILRAP - Frequently Asked Questions
What is PILRAP?
The Public Interest Loan Repayment Assistance Program (PILRAP) was established to assist graduates pursuing employment in the public interest who, because of their student loan burden, would not otherwise be able to work in this traditionally lower-paying sector. Program participants receive PILRAP assistance in the form of a loan to aid in meeting student loan payments for the year. PILRAP loans are forgiven after five years of qualifying public interest work.
Who is eligible for PILRAP?
To be eligible for the program, you must be a WCL graduate employed full time in a law-related capacity for a public interest employer. A public interest employer is a nonprofit organization, the government, or any entity whose primary purpose is rendering legal service to those otherwise unable to obtain such service. Judicial clerkships are not qualifying employment for PILRAP.
Applicants must earn an annual salary of $50,000 or less and all loans borrowed must be in satisfactory repayment status. Graduates must apply for the program within 3 years of graduation; however, once they have applied they can continue to reapply annually for as long as they require loan repayment assistance. Time will be tolled for judicial clerkships to allow for pursuit of clerkships without negative consequences on eligibility.
How does PILRAP work?
The PILRAP committee applies a standard formula to determine what can reasonably be expected as a contribution toward student loan payments based on the applicant’s annual salary and debt burden. An interest-free loan is provided for any remaining portion of the year=s student loan payments.
The entire PILRAP award is forgiven after 1 year of service. Graduates must apply to the program annually to receive new awards.
How do I apply?
Complete the PILRAP application and return it with all required attachments by the application deadline. To receive benefits you must fulfill all eligibility requirements outlined in the Program Description and be selected by the PILRAP committee (a component of the Pro Bono Standing Committee). Awards are made on a year-to-year basis and you must reapply each year for continued assistance and to retain program eligibility. The operation of PILRAP is dependent on the availability of funds, so eligibility itself does not guarantee that benefits, in whole or part, will be received by the applicant. Although the committee will make every effort to continue awards to eligible participants, prior receipt of benefits does not create an entitlement to future assistance. Applications are available each Fall.
Does my loan have to be in a particular repayment plan with the Department of Education (standard, graduated, income-contingent)?
No. The PILRAP Committee, which evaluates all PILRAP applications, uses a different repayment schedule formula than the Department of Education.
I do not know what my yearly loan payments are. How will the Committee figure this out?
The Committee will take the total amount of all qualifying loans, and determine your yearly payments based on a calculation of an annual rate of 5% over 20 years. This figure is the maximum amount of funds you are eligible for through the program for that year.
I just graduated this year. Can I apply for the program this year or do I have to wait one year?
All graduates are eligible for the program the year that they graduate. Therefore, if you graduated in May, 2008, you are eligible to apply for the program and receive funds in January 2009. Applications are generally due in October or November.
When do I have to start re-paying my loans once I leave the program?
If you leave your eligible employment before completing 1 year of service, you must repay your entire PILRAP award within that same calendar year.
Would I owe taxes on PILRAP funds received from my school?
Generally, no, but please talk to your accountant for a definitive answer.
I earn $51,000 but I contribute $2,000 to a retirement plan, which lowers my taxable salary to $49,000. Can I still apply?
Yes. Graduates that make more than the salary maximum are eligible for the program if the graduate can show that the taxable salary is less than or equal to the current maximum of $50,000.
Can I include my undergraduate loans in my application?
It depends. If you entered law school before 2006 your undergraduate loans are eligible so long as they are in proper repayment status. If you entered law school after 2006, your undergraduate loans are not eligible. Please see the website for a more complete list of eligible loans.
I worked as a judicial clerkship my first year out of law school. I know that judicial clerkships are not eligible employment for the program. But does the year that I spent as a judicial clerkship count against the 3-year eligibility aspect of the program?
No. While judicial clerkships are not considered eligible public interest employment, regardless of the salary, the time spent in a judicial clerkship does not count against the 3 year eligibility aspect for entrance into the program.
Will my spouse's income exclude me from the program?
It depends. For married applicants or applicants in domestic partnerships, the applicant's annual salary will be considered to be the greater of: the applicant's salary, or half of the total family salary.
