Satisfactory Academic Progress

Students who fail to attain satisfactory academic progress by the end of each academic year will lose federal financial aid eligibility, ability to borrow from the Federal Direct Loan and the Direct Graduate PLUS Loan.

If the student resumes satisfactory academic progress, then the student will regain federal financial aid eligibility as long as the student maintains satisfactory academic progress.

If the student is not maintaining satisfactory academic progress, then the Law Office of Financial Aid will contact the student before the beginning of the Fall semester. Appeals may be granted through the Office of Student Affairs. 

  • For J.D. students to maintain satisfactory academic Progress, a Fordham Law Student enrolled in the program must:

    • Maintain a weighted average of 2.00 every academic year (excluding hours in a pass/fail course if that course is passed).
    • If in the day division, attempt no fewer than 12 credit hours per semester; if in the evening division, attempt no fewer than 8 credit hours per semester.
    • If in the day division, pass at least 10 credit hours per semester; if in the evening division, pass at least 8 credit hours per semester.
    • Complete the J.D. degree no earlier than 24 months and no later than 84 months after they have begun law studies either at Fordham Law or at a law school from which Fordham Law has accepted transfer credit.

  • For LL.M. students to maintain satisfactory academic Progress, a Fordham Law Student enrolled in the program must:

    • Full time LL.M.s: Pass 75% of the credits for which student is registered and receive no more than one F or FA;
    • Part-time LL.M.s: pass at least 75% of the credits for which student is registered each academic year (rounded down to the nearest whole number) with no more than one grade of F or FA.
    • Any student receiving a grade of incomplete has until the end of the following semester to resolve or the incomplete will be an F. Course withdrawals are not included in the student’s GPA.
    • Full time LL.M.s: Attempt at least 10 credits per semester (including any repeated course in the event of a failed course in a previous semester);
    • Part-time LL.M.s: attempt at least 2 credits per semester (including any repeated course in the event of a failed course in a previous semester).
      Withdrawn are counted as attempted credit, but not completed. Incomplete courses count as attempted credit but are not considered completed unless resolved.
    • Complete the LL.M. course of study no later than 3 semesters for full time students and 6 semesters for part time students.

  • For M.S.L. students to maintain satisfactory academic Progress, a Fordham Law Student enrolled in the program must:

    • Full-time M.S.L.: Pass at least 75% of the credits for which the student is registered each semester (rounded down to the nearest whole number) with no more than 1 grade of F or FA.
    • Part-time M.S.L.: Pass at least 75% of the credits for which the student is registered each academic year (rounded down to the nearest whole number) with no more than 1 grade of F or FA.
    • Any student receiving a grade of incomplete has until the end of the following semester to resolve or the incomplete will be an F. Course withdrawals are not included in the student’s GPA.
    • Full-time M.S.L.: Attempt at least 11 credits per semester (including any repeated course in the event of a failed course in a previous semester). Withdrawn are counted as attempted credit, but not completed. Incomplete courses count as attempted credit but are not considered completed unless resolved.
    • Part-time M.S.L.: Attempt at least 2 credits per semester (including any repeated course in the event of a failed course in a previous semester). Withdrawn are counted as attempted credit, but not completed. Incomplete courses count as attempted credit but are not considered completed unless resolved.
    • Complete the M.S.L. program of study no later than 3 semesters for full time students and 8 semesters for part-time students.

  • For S.J.D. students to maintain satisfactory academic Progress, a Fordham Law Student enrolled in the program must:

    • Pass 75% of the credits for which student is registered and receive no more than one F or FA (rounded down to the nearest whole number) with no more than one grade of F or FA. The S.J.D. program does not accept any transfer credits. Any student receiving a grade of incomplete has until the end of the following semester to resolve or the incomplete will be an F.
    • Attempt at least 10 credits per semester (including any repeated course in the event of a failed course in a previous semester). Withdrawn are counted as attempted credit, but not completed. Incomplete courses count as attempted credit but are not considered completed unless resolved.
    • Complete the S.J.D. program of study no later than four years after he/she began studies at Fordham Law.