Awards

To maximize LIPP award eligibility we recommend all LIPP participants place their loans on a ten year repayment plan while they are receiving assistance. It is the responsibility of each participant to verify the repayment terms of their loans. If participants find their loans are being repaid over a period of time greater than ten years we will cover expedited payments, so long as the expedited plan is not shorter than five years nor does it end less than ten years from HLS graduation.

Additionally, LIPP assistance is solely and specifically intended to be used to repay eligible education loans. When applying or reapplying for LIPP, participants must document that their loans are in good standing which means the loan is in a current status with no past-due payments. LIPP assistance will not be offered for past-due loans or loans without a payment due such as loans that are in their grace period, forbearance or deferment; graduates will not receive assistance on a loan for which they have waived the grace period.

LIPP assistance is provided twice annually, with each award cycle covering participants expected eligibility for the upcoming six months. Participants must report changes in income, job, or other financial circumstances to the LIPP staff promptly; LIPP awards will be adjusted accordingly.

LIPP six-month awards are calculated on a monthly basis to most accurately reflect any anticipated changes in income, monthly loan payment amounts, employment status and family size reported on the application for each award cycle. There is no LIPP coverage for periods of unemployment.

Award Disbursement

LIPP funds are awarded in three ways, depending on the type of employment held by the participant. Please note, LIPP awards are based on need and do not require a commitment on the part of the participant to remain in an eligible position for a certain amount of time, except in regard to clerkships.

LIPP One Year Loans and LIPP Clerkship Loans are distributed to participants as loans for tax purposes. For details please refer to the Taxability of LIPP section.

• LIPP One Year Loans: Participants who receive this type of award are employed by non-profit employers. The funds are distributed as loans which are forgiven annually and repayment is only expected in cases where an over-award has occurred. (Because we award LIPP funds on a forward schedule, based on an estimate of what you will be earning, there are sometimes over-awards due to income increases or changes in employment during the award period.)

• LIPP Clerkship Loans: Participants who receive Clerkship Loans are employed in either one or two-year clerkships. For those participants who take a LIPP-qualifying job after the clerkship, the LIPP assistance awarded during the clerkship will be forgiven at the end of the first full year in the post-clerkship position. For those participants who choose to do a two-year clerkship, the second year of the clerkship LIPP assistance will be forgiven at the end of their second full year of post-clerkship participation in LIPP. LIPP Clerkship Loans are intended for participants who plan to pursue a LIPP eligible position after their clerkship. Those who do not secure an eligible position post-clerkship are required to repay the Clerkship Loan.

• LIPP Grant: Participants who receive LIPP Grants are self-employed, work at for-profit agencies, or are employed by Harvard University. LIPP Grants include an additional 25% allowance that participants use to cover the tax liability of their award. This type of LIPP assistance is not awarded as a loan and repayment is only expected in cases where an over-award has occurred.