Since 2006, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) has supported attorneys employed full-time by LSC-funded legal services programs (LSC grantees) in repaying student loan debt incurred for undergraduate, graduate, and legal education. The Herbert S. Garten Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) remains a key tool for LSC grantees to recruit and retain talented attorneys committed to public service. 

Important Update for 2026

Beginning with the 2026 cycle, LSC has restructured LRAP from an up-front, lump-sum award to a reimbursement-based program. Under this model, selected attorneys may receive reimbursements for qualifying student loan payments they make while employed full-time by an LSC grantee, subject to eligibility requirements and the availability of funds. 

For 2026, eligible participants may receive up to $10,000 total, disbursed across two defined Employment Periods during the calendar year.

Eligibility Requirements

An attorney must meet all of the following requirements at the time of application:

1. Be employed full-time as a licensed attorney in good standing at an LSC grantee organization. 
2. Have a start date of January 1, 2021, or later. 
3. Have a reasonable expectation of continued full-time employment with the same LSC grantee for up to three (3) years. 
   • This does not require a guarantee of employment and does not disqualify attorneys in term-limited or grant-funded positions, provided there is a reasonable expectation of continued employment. 
4. Have no more than five (5) years (60 cumulative months) of prior employment as an attorney at one or more LSC grantee organizations. 
5. Carry at least $75,000 in outstanding eligible student loan debt (as described below). 

Additional Application Considerations

• Attorneys may apply regardless of participation in other loan repayment assistance programs (LRAPs). 
• Participation in another LRAP will not reduce the LSC award; however, applicants must disclose: 
  • The name of the other program 
  • The amount received 
  • Proof that those funds were applied to eligible loans

Ineligibility Criteria

An attorney is not eligible to participate in the 2026 LRAP if they:

1. Have received LSC’s Herbert S. Garten LRAP assistance covering thirty-six (36) months or more, cumulatively. 

2. Defaulted on a prior LSC LRAP award.

3. Have a start date of December 31, 2020, or earlier 

4. Included a prior LSC LRAP award as a dischargeable debt in bankruptcy. 

5. Failed to complete required closeout or certification obligations for any prior LSC LRAP cycle (applicable to returning applicants beginning with 2023 recipients).

Beginning with the 2026 cycle, LSC has restructured LRAP from an up-front, lump-sum award to a reimbursement-based program. Under this model, selected attorneys may receive reimbursements for qualifying student loan payments they make while employed full-time by an LSC grantee, subject to eligibility requirements and the availability of funds. 

For 2026, eligible participants may receive up to $10,000 total, disbursed across two defined Employment Periods during the calendar year.  

II. Award Structure and Employment Periods 

LRAP reimbursements for 2026 correspond to the following Employment Periods:  

• Employment Period #1: January 1, 2026 – June 30, 2026  
• Employment Period #2: July 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026  

An attorney may request reimbursement of qualifying loan payments of up to:  

• $5,000 per Employment Period; and 
• $10,000 total for the year. 

LSC will issue reimbursements after the close of each Employment Period, once the attorney submits the required documentation and the employing organization confirms the attorney’s eligible employment status. 

If total reimbursement requests from eligible attorneys exceed available funding, LSC may use a lottery system to select participants. 

Submitting Law School Loan Documentation

To complete the application, newapplicants must upload current undergraduate, graduate, and legal education loan documentation to the Attachments Tab > Attachments Section of the application record in GrantEase. 

New applicants are required to pull their loan documentation from Federal Student Aid, which will provide guidance on how to create an FSA ID with the U.S. Department of Education. Applicants can view their complete loan information, including a breakdown of all their loans (and a history of any loan consolidation). Applicants can find detailed information about accessing their loan documentation and which documents to submit in GrantEase in the 2026 LRAP Application Guide. 

The LRAP application is not complete until the applicant has uploaded their current loan documentation AND clicked Submit Application.  

The LRAP 2026 cycle, LSC has transitioned the LRAP from an upfront lump-sum award to a reimbursement-based model, allowing eligible attorneys to receive funds for qualifying student loan payments made while employed full-time by an LSC grantee. Participants may receive up to $10,000 annually, distributed as up to $5,000 per Employment Period (January–June and July–December 2026), contingent upon eligibility and funding availability. Reimbursements are issued after each period upon submission of required documentation and employment verification, and a lottery system may be used if requests exceed available funds.  

We encourage you to apply. If you are interested, you can find more information about the LRAP cycle and application process in the following resources:

• 2026 LRAP Application Questions

• 2026 Cycle LRAP OnDemand PowerPoint Presentation

• 2026 LRAP Frequently Asked Questions 

• 2026 LRAP Application Guide

1. All applicants need to have an account in LSC’s grants management system, GrantEase. New applicants will have to register for an account in GrantEase  and create an individual user account, following these steps: 
2. Go to www.grantease.lsc.gov. 
3. In the top right-hand side of the screen, click on REGISTER. 
4. Select INDIVIDUAL. Please do not click on Organization. 
5. Click on BEGIN REGISTRATION. 
6. Enter your LSC grantee organization name (you can use the search tool to find name)
7. Enter your LSC grant ID number. Use this list to find your LSC grantee’s ID: LSC's Grantees Six-Digit ID's 7. Enter the Applicant Information, including name, address, phone numbers, and email addresses. 
8.  Enter Bar Admission Information (State(s), Month(s), Year, and License Number(s).
9. If you are unable to add your name, this may be because you are not listed as a staff member in GrantEase, which could be because you 
   have started after January 1. If this is the case, please reach out to LRAP@lsc.gov and we work with you to ensure you are added. 
10. Once, you have finished adding information, check for accuracy and click SAVE and CONTINUE. 
11. You will receive a notification email about the status of your registration and next steps. 

NOTE: It may take 3-5 days for new applicants to complete their GrantEase individual user registration. Please plan accordingly. 

Returning applicants can use the same login information from prior applications. Please note it may take from 3-5 business days to complete the GrantEase account process. If you are locked out of your account, please email GrantEaseSupport@lsc.gov and someone will help you log in. 

• Returning applicants for the 2026 grant cycle should have received an email about the 2026 LRAP cycle on April 15, 2026. If you did not receive this email, please check your spam and trash folders before reaching out for assistance at LRAP@lsc.gov. 
• Returning applicants will need to submit a full application and demonstrate continued employment with the same LSC grantee and continue to meet other eligibility requirements. There is no guarantee that an eligible attorney will receive funds for a second or third year. Returning applicants should refer to the 2026 LRAP Application Guide for more information about eligibility, the LRAP process, and applying for an LRAP award.