We have a variety of resources to assist in financial literacy like borrowing strategies, budgeting, understanding credit, and loan repayment options between these counseling sessions.
Financial Literacy & Loan Counseling
College of Law Office of Financial Aid
The College of Law Office of Financial Aid should be a law students first stop for questions regarding financial aid budgeting and loans. A variety of resources are available to help with financial literacy.
Financial Literacy Services
The Financial Literacy Services office housed in the University of Iowa's Office of Student Financial Aid has tools and resources to assist financial literacy. They offer individual appointments through MyUI to go over financial information. This can be from private loan counseling when borrowing a private loan, to budgeting tools, credit, and loan repayment tips. See their website at Financial Literacy Services for more information.
Set up an individual meeting with a financial aid advisor in MyUI:
- In the Student Information section, click on Advising Appointment
- Choose Office of Student Financial Aid in the dropdown menu and click Schedule Appointment
- Select appointment reason from the dropdown menu
- Select time and click Schedule Appointment
AccessConnex by AccessLex®
The Office of Student Financial Aid is available to assist students who want more 1:1 counseling on managing their student loans. Also, – AccessConnex by AccessLex® – offers free access to a team of Accredited Financial Counselors who can answer financial questions about borrowing strategies, loan terms, repayment options, credit, and more. Students and borrowers can schedule free, unlimited calls with one of our counselors at a time that works for them.
Federal Loans
New borrowers of Federal loans must complete Entrance Loan Counseling, and graduating students in their final semester must complete Exit Loan Counseling, both at https://studentaid.gov.
Private Loans
Borrowers of private loans can seek Private Loan Counseling from the Office of Student Financial Aid. A financial aid advisor will review loan history and projected debt as well as discuss loan repayment plans and estimated monthly payments. Meetings generally last 15-30 minutes.
Set up an individual meeting with a financial aid advisor in MyUI:
- In the Student Information section, click on Advising Appointment
- Choose Office of Student Financial Aid in the dropdown menu and click Schedule Appointment
- Select appointment reason as Private Loan Counseling from the dropdown menu
- Select time and click Schedule Appointment
AccessLex® Information
- AccessConnex by AccessLex® - connect with an Accredited Financial Counselor(c) to discuss scholarships, grants, loan terms, repayment options, and more
Below are some resources to assist students in making smart decisions when borrowing loans:
University of Iowa Information
Students can check their Financial Aid Offers in MyUI under Financial Aid & Billing > Financial Aid To Do List. Students can review the Cost of Attendance (COA) and determine whether they need more or less than what is listed. Students can calculate a more accurate budget based on the COA.
The University of Iowa Office of Student Financial Aid has an division called Financial Literacy Services that handles questions and concerns regarding a students loans, as well as, budgeting and credit information.
Students can reduce current loan debt by repaying any excess loans through the University of Iowa.
Federal Loan Information
- Log in to https://studentaid.ed.gov for more information about Federal loans like:
- Loan Servicer
- Loan Balance
- Interest Rates
- Repayment
Helpful Videos
- Responsible Borrowing (2:19)
- Budgeting (2:00)
Helpful Documents
- Federal Student Loans: Basics For Students
- Financial Aid for Graudate/Professional Students
- Money Management Checklist for College Students
AccessLex® Information
- MAX by AccessLex® - Courses with lessons that cover basic budgeting, investing, student loan repayment, and Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
- AccessConnex by AccessLex® - connect with an Accredited Financial Counselor(c) to discuss scholarships, grants, loan terms, repayment options, and more
- Understanding the Financial Realties of Your Law Degree: Student Loan Calculator from AccessLex®
International Student Loan Information
Loan Repayment Resources
- Be aware of loan information
- Log in to https://studentaid.ed.gov for more information about Federal loans like:
- Loan Servicer
- Loan Balance
- Interest Rates
- Repayment
- For private lenders, check with the lender for more specific information
- Keep information up to date with loan servicers
- Log in to https://studentaid.ed.gov for more information about Federal loans like:
- Look into options like Loan Forgiveness
- Multiple loans may be able to be combined into one loan. This is called consolidation. This loan would have a fixed interest rate based on the average of the interest rates on the loans being consolidated. Learn more about loan consolidation.
- Trouble Making Your Student Loan Payment?
Helpful Videos
- Repayment: What To Expect (2:20)
- How To Manage Your Student Loans (2:27)
- Student Loan Repayment Options (4:05)
Helpful Documents
Loan Forgiveness
College Cost Reduction and Access Act: This Act benefits many people working in public service, especially if they have high federal student loan debt. For details, please see:
AccessLex® Information
- MAX by AccessLex® - Courses with lessons that cover basic budgeting, investing, student loan repayment, and Public Service Loan Forgiveness.
- AccessConnex by AccessLex® - connect with an Accredited Financial Counselor(c) to discuss scholarships, grants, loan terms, repayment options, and more
- Understanding the Financial Realties of Your Law Degree: Student Loan Calculator from AccessLex®