The Over-90 Credit Rule
- You must complete a minimum of 90 credits to graduate from law school.
- During the semester or summer session in which you complete the 90 credit hours required for the J.D. degree, you may take up to six (6) additional course credits free of charge.
- This privilege will terminate at the conclusion of said semester or summer session.
- Grades for all courses taken during said semester or summer session will be included in the computation of your GPA and appear on your transcript.
Note: If you are paying for fewer than 10 credits in any semester, you will receive a waiver adjusting your financial aid award. This will be an over-90-credit waiver in the amount of credits it takes to bring you to 10 credits. (For example, if you only need to pay for 8 credits to reach 90 credits in a given semester, you will receive a $2,008 adjustment, which is the cost of the 2 credits it would take to get you to 10 credits for that semester.)
Student Budget Increase Policy
A. Purpose
- A student budget represents an estimate of the costs a student will incur for a specified period of enrollment, usually one academic year.
- The total aid a student may receive from Student Financial Assistance programs and other sources cannot exceed the student’s budget.
- The Student Financial Aid Office has set student budgets that represent the amount of tuition and fees needed to attend Gonzaga University.
- Additional amounts are built into student budgets to represent estimated expenses for books, a modest cost of living allowance*, transportation, personal and student loan fees.
- A student’s budget may be increased on a case-by-case basis beyond the set standards for reasonable expenses.
- Reasonable expenses and the accompanying required documentation are defined below.
*Financial aid programs are meant to fund the student and may not cover a spouse or family.
B. Reasonable Expenses and Required Documentation
- Housing allowance is based on average apartment costs within a 5-mile radius of Gonzaga. We recognize that this may not reflect expenses for families or for house payments; however, the federal government only allows costs for the student. Therefore, we do not increase budgets for increased housing expenses.
- Child care costs for the student’s dependents are considered a reasonable budget expense. In determining reasonable expenses, consideration will be given to the age of the dependent(s), the student’s enrollment status (full-time vs. half-time) and the student’s employment status. Current full-time day care expenses for a newborn can range from $500 to $700 per month. Required documentation consists of a signed, written statement or a company receipt from the child’s care provider itemizing the monthly costs. Tuition and fees for preschool or private school are excluded.
- PC or laptop computer adjustments require documentation in the form of an estimate from a retailer, or a PAID invoice or receipt. Reasonable computer expenses will not exceed a one-time only adjustment of $2,000. This loan will be split between the two semesters.
- Transportation expenses such as automobile repairs will be considered. Only those repairs necessary to keep the automobile in safe working condition will be evaluated. Auto repair costs will be considered up to $1,700 in any three-year period. Acceptable automobile repair documentation is a copy of a PAID receipt and an invoice outlining the repairs. Normal upkeep and maintenance such as oil changes, tires and tune-ups cannot be considered.
Note: Automobile expenses such as car payments or car insurance cannot be considered.
- Books are a recognized educational expense. When a student’s cost for books exceeds the standard budget of $1,000 for the academic term.
C. Procedures
If you would like to make a budget adjustment, contact your designated financial aid counselor. The counselor will only consider an adjustment that meets one of the above definitions.
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