Navigating the cost of law school can be daunting, but scholarships offer a valuable way to reduce financial burdens and make your legal education more affordable. Whether you’re a prospective law student or currently enrolled, understanding the variety of scholarships available is crucial to securing funding for your studies.
Keep reading to learn the types of law school scholarships available, tips for finding law school scholarships, and strategies for crafting compelling applications to increase your chances of success.
The Average Cost of Law School
The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) reports that the average annual cost of a public, out-of-state law school in 2023 was $43,590, or $30,554 for in-state students. For private law schools, the average in 2023 was $55,963. And according to Education Data Initiative, the average total cost of law school is over $230,000.
Because students aren’t yet racking up those billable attorney hours, it can be helpful to research law school scholarship opportunities before applying.
Types of Law School Scholarships
Per the numbers mentioned above, there might be a fair amount of sticker shock for those who haven’t yet applied for graduate school and are only thinking of someday going the lawyer route. Fortunately, there are a range of options for aspiring attorneys seeking to fund law school.
Full-Ride Tuition Law School Scholarships
In some cases, there are full-ride tuition scholarships and need-based grants out there. Full-rides, of course, are not available at all law schools. If a law school doesn’t explicitly advertise or highlight information regarding full-ride opportunities, interested students can contact the school to ask.
Students deciding whether to apply to law school may want to familiarize themselves with the language universities adopt to explain these scholarships. In some cases, specific scholarships are designated for particular students. Full-ride law school scholarships can be highly competitive — with some schools offering as few as two to four per enrollment year. One potential tip for the search for scholarships is to target law schools with more tuition help.
General Law School Scholarships
There are many options for law school hopefuls to find potential scholarships. The nonprofit organization Law School Admission Council (LSAC) has compiled a list of law school scholarships available to applicants. It could be well worth your time to go through the list and make note of the scholarships you’d qualify for.
Many law schools themselves offer competitive scholarships to attract stronger candidates, as well. It might also be helpful to check if a school also offers in-state residents specific tuition reductions or grants.
Law School Scholarships from Law Firms
Similarly, some law firms offer scholarships to law school students. Applying is typically a straightforward process, with many firms requiring a short essay, transcripts, and sometimes references to be considered. One such law firm scholarship is offered by The Dominguez Firm, which offers $5,000 and $2,500 annually to selected student applicants.
On top of this, there’s the rising trend of law firms helping new hires to repay a portion of their student debt once onboarded.
Diversity Law School Scholarships
Some scholarships are awarded to students with diverse backgrounds. One example of this is the Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund offered by the American Bar Association. This scholarship is awarded to law students from a racial or ethnically diverse background.
The USLAW NETWORK Foundation also offers a $5,000 scholarship for up to 10 diverse students.
Law School Scholarships for Women
Some scholarships are offered to women attending law school. One resource is the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Fellowships and Grants, which offers scholarships to women in graduate studies, including law.
Finding Scholarships for Law School
There are dedicated resources like Fastweb and SoFi’s scholarship search tool to help prospective students find scholarships for which they may qualify. Fastweb is an online resource to help students find scholarships, financial aid, and even part-time jobs in support of college degrees.
The American Bar Association’s law student division also has a running list (along with deadlines) of law student awards and scholarships. Additionally, the Law School Admission Council offers a list of diversity scholarships available to students from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds.
Recommended: Applying to Graduate School: Smart Tips & Strategies
Negotiating Wiggle Room
Doing all this research and the math around law school scholarships could put applicants in a more informed position when evaluating which program to attend — and, potentially, help them to identify schools more likely to be interested in their application.
A reality of today’s admissions process for law school is negotiating scholarships. Some schools have a strict policy against negotiating, but others fully expect their initial offer to be countered. That’s why it can help to save acceptance letters and anything in writing from schools that offer admission.
Suggestions for Negotiating Law School Scholarship Offers
Offer letters could be shared with competing schools, asking if they’re able to match another university’s aid. It might be uncomfortable asking for more tuition assistance upfront, but a little discomfort now could help applicants shoulder less law school debt later on.
Doing research on law schools (and figuring out the likely cost of living expenses at each institution) could help applicants to determine which scores or grades to aim for in an effort to make law school more affordable for them. Tabulating expenses (and having records on hand) may also demonstrate to universities that the amounts being negotiated are based on well-documented expenses.
Recommended: Law School Loan Forgiveness and Repayment Options
Federal vs Private Loans for Law School
Students wanting to apply to law school should consider the differences between federal and private student loans. Federal loans come with certain benefits not guaranteed by private ones (such as forbearance or income-driven repayment), and should be used first before seeking private student loans.
Private student loans can also help applicants cover the expense of graduate school. They typically offer competitive rates and terms, but you need to have a solid credit score to qualify.
It’s important to note that private student loans don’t offer the same benefits and protections afforded to federal student loan borrowers, like Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). If a law school applicant is interested eventually in becoming a public defender or pursuing non-profit legal work, forgiveness and forbearance perks may play a role in their decision.
The Takeaway
Students looking to offset law school costs with scholarships can look to their law school, scholarship databases, local law firms, and other organizations for resources. Consider contacting the financial aid office at your law school if you are looking for scholarship resources. If students interested in law school find themselves coming up short on funds for the JD after scholarships and federal aid, additional options may be available.
If you’ve exhausted all federal student aid options, no-fee private student loans from SoFi can help you pay for school. The online application process is easy, and you can see rates and terms in just minutes. Repayment plans are flexible, so you can find an option that works for your financial plan and budget.
FAQ
What LSAT score will get me a scholarship?
One general rule of thumb is that students who have a LSAT score (and sometimes GPA) above the median for a certain school could qualify for a scholarship. Chances of qualifying are even greater if your score falls in the 75th percentile for the school.
What is a good scholarship for law school?
Any scholarship for law school is a good scholarship. Scholarships typically don’t need to be repaid and can help reduce a student’s debt burden. Students looking for law school scholarships can apply for institutional aid and aid through other sources like nonprofit organizations.
Do top law schools give scholarships?
While some top law schools do not offer scholarships, many law schools do offer law school scholarships to students. For example, in the 2023-2024 class at Yale, 71% of students qualified for some form of financial aid and 62% qualified for an institutional law school scholarship. Check directly with the schools you are interested in to see if they offer scholarships to students.
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