To receive a law school scholarships, you need to be a new and first year (1L) law student in a Juris Doctor degree program. Many schools consider admitted students for merit scholarships while need based awards require you to fill out a FAFSA.
If you got this far, you likely took your LSATs already. The LSAT is accepted for admission purposes by many ABA accredited law schools. A high LSAT score may help you qualify for full funding for a three year Juris Doctor program. The highest possible score of the test is 180.
Schools generally use these scores as a metric for acceptance and the amount of scholarship money they offer you. As a college student, an impressive GPA plus high test scores may help you when it comes to getting graduate scholarships for law.
Once you earn your JD degree and pass the Bar Exam, one option may be to pursue a career at a law firm. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, many lawyers today earn a median annual salary of $135,740 per year.
How To Apply for a Law Scholarship?
Besides your test scores, each scholarship program comes with a set of criteria to meet. These awards could be for women, minority groups and specific law majors. But in most cases are for U.S. citizens.
Eligible law school students who qualify have to fill out a scholarship application form. It is wise to follow the directions and apply by or before the application deadline.
Along with the form, you might need to supply transcripts, resume, and explain your goals. Some providers seek a very strong community service background too. If there is an essay, be clear and use the directions as a guide.
10 Scholarships for Law Students You Can Apply for in 2024
Are you wondering what scholarships are available for graduate students attending law school? You’re in luck because we have hundreds of law school awards. These awards may help you pay for law degree and reduce your school debt by the time you graduate. Check out these ten scholarships that you can apply for now!
Anhelo Dream Project Scholarship
Legal Opportunity Scholarship
Earl Warren Scholarship
Herbert Lehman Education Fund Scholarship
MALDEF Law School Scholarship
Attorney Ken Nugent Legal Scholarship
ABA Academic Merit Scholarship
LimNexus Scholarship
La Raza Foundation Scholarship
Warner Norcross & Judd Law School and Paralegal Scholarship
WHAT IS THE AVERAGE COST OF LAW SCHOOL?
The cost of law school may vary depending on where you study. Tuition and fees differ across institutions and whether you are in state vs out of state. Additional college expenses such as housing, books, and transportation contribute to the cost of law school.
According to the NCES, the average tuition cost of a graduate degree is $11,617 per yea at a public school. If you choose a private school, you are likely to pay more at $26,551 per year at a nonprofit college. The difference between tuition and fees at private schools and public schools is huge: around $14,900.
The NCES also found that 75% of students who completed a professional doctorate such as a law degree had student loans. They also report the average total loan balance was about $145,500 per borrower.
Are There Full Ride Scholarships to Law School?
Full ride law scholarships are more common. These pay tuition and mandatory fees for all three years. Most schools make them available to first year students who may qualify.
For example, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School awards full tuition through the Toll Public Interest Scholars program. You also a receive a stipend to fund unpaid public sector internships. Eligible scholars must be in good academic standing, commit to work in public interest and the community.
Which Law Schools Offer Scholarships?
University of Chicago, New York University, and University of Virginia provide scholarships for admitted law students. Other major universities in the United States with Juris Doctor programs offer scholarships for graduate students studying law. Here are two prestigious law schools and their scholarships to check out.
University of Chicago
University of Chicago School of Law offers a Juris Doctor as well as a Joint JD /MBA program. In the first year of the JD, your courses may teach you about contracts, torts, property, criminal law and civil procedures. As you get into the upper level courses, you may study equality, civil rights, health law and taxation.
Every admitted student is automatically considered for scholarships. One to try for is the Tony Patiño Fellowship. Each year there are 1 to 2 Fellows, chosen on the basis of merit. Eligible students must exhibit leadership, academic success and initiative. Each recipient receives at least $10,000 per year for their studies and takes part in Fellowship events as a side benefit.
University of Virginia
University School of Law offers a JD that includes core courses in the first year. Second year law students focus on patent and administrative law, the federal courts and independent research. Year three is research focused and explores areas like trusts and estates. Students also have access to study abroad, dual degree options and externships.
You may qualify for graduate scholarships as a new law student such as the Karsh Dillard Scholarships. A Karsh Dillard Scholar receives a sufficient amount to cover full tuition and fees for three years of their legal education. Awardee must be in good academic standing in order to receive the scholarship.
Do Law Schools Give Merit Scholarships?
Yes, some law schools give merit scholarships. University of Pennsylvania and UCL
A are some universities where you may receive merit based awards. Sometimes, there is no separate application and eligible graduates may be automatically considered when applying for admission.
Many law schools look at your LSAT scores, undergraduate GPA, community service and school activities. The admissions office typically reviews eligible applicants for merit based aid. You may also request more financial aid based on admissions and scholarship offers from other schools.
University of Pennsylvania
Penn Law has a full time program leading to the JD. Penn Law also offers an LLM and other law graduate degrees. The JD course plan includes externships, pro bono duties, and senior research and writing project.
To help those who qualify, the school offers merit scholarships such as the Dean’s Scholarship. These awards range from $9,000 to $120,000 in tuition coverage. In addition to academic achievements, eligible students must show leadership, service, and personal or work experience.
University of California Los Angeles
UCLA School of Law offers two distinct merit scholarships. These scholarship opportunities use criteria such as grades, LSAT scores and leadership.
One is the the Distinguished Scholars Program. It is a binding merit based full tuition scholarship program. And, only for a few exceptionally qualified applicants.
Recipients of the award who are CA residents get full resident tuition and fees for three academic years. As long as they remain in good standing. Non CA residents will be awarded full non-resident tuition and fees for L 1. Then, full California resident tuition and fees for L 2 and 3.
Are There Scholarships for Minority Law Students?
Law school scholarships for minority law students and women help nurture diversity in the field. Such awards also provide valuable financial help to under served law graduate students towards their goals.
Doctorate degrees in legal professions and studies hold a 23% share of all degrees earned at this level. Recent NCES data shows a 50 /50 split in the number of men and women who attained law degrees. The numbers vary for various minority groups below.
Black – 23%
Hispanic – 33%
Asian – 13%
Pacific Islander – 24%
American Indian – 36%
Two or More Races – 26%
Law Scholarships for African American Students
The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund Inc is one provider of law scholarships for African American law students. NAACP is the legal organization that fights for racial justice through litigation, advocacy and public education. One of the programs they run is the Earl Warren Scholarship.
This is an annual award that goes to rising law students committed to racial justice. Eligible applicants tend to show potential as civil rights and public interest attorneys. To qualify, you must be a first or second year full time law student at an ABA accredited school.
Earl Warren Scholarship awards are $10,000 per year for three years or for a total of $30,000. Along with the award there are two opportunities for an LDF internship, externship, or guided research project and an invitation to LDF’s Civil Rights Training Institute.
African American law students might also find scholarships that are location specific. The James W. Stoudt Memorial Scholarship Fund of the Pennsylvania Bar Foundation is one example. It provides 3 scholarships of $3,000 each to support minority law students at a few partner schools.
Scholarships for Hispanic Law Students
The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) may be a good resource for Hispanic students. MALDEF supports law students who seek to further advance the civil rights of the Latino community in the United States.
In the past years, MALDEF awarded from 5 to 15 law school scholarships of $2,000 each to deserving Hispanic law students throughout the nation.
The program is open to eligible law students currently enrolled full time at an ABA accredited school. Other criteria they look at are grades, financial need and outside school activities. Above all, eligible applicant must show dedication to advancing Latino civil rights in their careers.
MCCA or the Minority Corporate Counsel Association offers law scholarships for Hispanic women. They offer the Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr. Scholarship Program. It helps law students pay for tuition, books and fees. Eligible fellows receive $10,000 a year for three years to help defray the cost of a JD degree. They also receive a one time award of $10,000 to assist with 1L expenses.
Law School Scholarships for Women
Female law students may find law school scholarships through the AAUW or American Association of University Women. They offer several fellowships and grants each year.
BARBRI, a provider of legal exam prep courses, offers One Lawyer Can Change the World Scholarship. It is for eligible incoming first year law students for fall semester. To apply, you need to write an essay about “How you hope to use your law degree to change our world”. The grand prize winner will receive $10,000 and $5,000 for second place. There are also 8 runners up who take away $1,000 each.
Law Scholarships for Immigrants and Children of Immigrants
The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans program is an annual award. It honors immigrants and children of immigrants who are in pursuit of a graduate degree. This year, due to COVID 19 they’ve expanded their criteria to include online law degree programs too.
To be eligible, you must be an eligible New American graduate student who is 30 years or younger by the application deadline. You may either be a naturalized US citizen, green card holder, adopted immigrant, DACA recipient, refugee and asylee. You must plan to start or continue in an eligible program full time in the United States. Each Fellow receives up to $90,000 in financial support over two years.
List of Law School Scholarships
Check out our list of scholarships for law school worth .
On October 3, 2020, a remarkable young man was alive, well, and living life to the fullest. As a U.S. Naval officer, Ensign Samuel Cleghorn looked forward to a bright career ahead of him. “Sam was the epitome of a person of high character, a young man I have known since he was a kid,” said John Fisher, founder and owner of the John H. Fisher law firm. But in the blink of an eye, Sam’s life was ended by a drunk driver.
In honor of Sam and the more than 10,000 individuals who have lost their lives every year due to drunk driving, John Fisher has established ‘The Sam’s Legacy – Fighting to End Drunk Driving – Scholarship’ to prevent drunk driving.
The $1,000 scholarship will be awarded annually to the applicant who writes the best 500-750 word essay promoting innovative and effective educational, legislative and enforcement programs that help all drivers understand the risks of driving drunk and how to make responsible decisions that ensure their safety as well as the safety of others on the road.
At The Bihm Firm, LLC, we believe in the power of problem-solving. Each day, our team uses thoughtful problem-solving skills to help our clients and their families through difficult situations. Now, we want to help others who have the courage and creativity to use their problem-solving skills to conquer conflict.
We created The Bihm Firm, LLC Conflict Conquerer Scholarship as an opportunity for students who demonstrate their ability to overcome the challenges they face.
“Family” is often defined as parents and children living together under one roof, individuals with a common ancestry, or those grouped together by common characteristics or values. It can also be described as a place where you feel safe, loved for, or a place where you feel a sense of belonging. As being family lawyers, we at The Law Firm of Charles D. Jamieson P.A. understand that families come in all shapes and sizes, and that oftentimes, goes beyond simply being related to one another. That is why we are proud to announce The Law Firm of Charles D. Jamieson, P. A. 2023 Family Scholarship to award one student with $1,000 to help fund their education!
Family and household situations play such a large role in defining who we are as individuals. We want you to share with us what “family” means to you and how your household situation has shaped you to be who you are today. Whether you are in a single parent home, adopted, in a foster home, a household of same sex parents, a traditional household with two parents, or any other non traditional home we want to hear your stories. This scholarship’s purpose is to hear different variations of the word “family”, to listen to your stories, and for the chance to reflect on how your family has shaped you into who you are today.
The Law Firm of Kevin A Moore is a workers’ compensation injury firm dedicated to helping those injured on the job. We are committed to providing legal support and advocacy for our clients. Through this scholarship, we are proud to extend that same level of support to the entire family, including students. That is why we are pleased to introduce our Beyond the Challenges Scholarship. This scholarship is aimed at those who have faced the struggle of experiencing a job injury or have a loved one who has experienced a job injury.
Facing the challenges of a job injury and recovery is far from easy. We want to hear about your journey and the lessons you have learned from the experience. For those interested in applying, we ask that you share a personal experience in which you or a loved one have faced a workplace injury. We are interested in hearing about the specific challenges you encountered, how it has impacted you, and the lessons you learned along the way.
We understand that the road to recovery can be difficult, but we believe that every individual has the power to overcome their challenges and emerge stronger than ever. We hope this $1,000 scholarship will inspire and motivate students who have faced trauma or injury and provide them with the resources they need to pursue their academic and professional goals.
At Kopfler & Hermann, we are pleased to continue our annual scholarship for 2023! This $1,000 award will be given to a student who has overcome adversity and emerged stronger.
With over 40 years of legal experience, Kopfler & Hermann law firm has served the Gulf Coast since 1992. As personal injury attorneys, we are committed to serving justice and ensuring injured workers and accident victims receive full compensation for their injuries and damages. Following this mission, the attorneys at Kopfler & Hermann established the Overcoming Adversity Scholarship and are offering it for the fifth year in a row.
Kopfler & Hermann, a personal injury law firm based in Houma, Louisiana, is excited to bring back to announce our annual scholarship for 2024. This $1,000 award will be given to a student who has overcome adversity and emerged stronger. With over 40 years of legal experience, Kopfler & Hermann law firm has served the Gulf Coast since 1992. As personal injury attorneys, we are committed to serving justice and ensuring injured workers and accident victims receive full compensation for their injuries and damages. Following this mission, attorneys Kopfler & Hermann established the Overcoming Adversity Scholarship and offered it for the sixth year!
At Mattis Law, we’ve dedicated our practice to Family Law, and we do everything we can to ensure that children and their families will have a safe and happy future. In this spirit, we’re offering a $500 scholarship to benefit a San Diego County high school senior or graduate who wishes to improve their future by pursuing higher education.
This scholarship is open to 2024 California high school graduates pursuing a four-year college degree and current college students who graduated from a California high school and are pursuing a four-year degree or are currently enrolled in a two-year college and planning to transfer to a four-year college degree program upon completion.
In this digital age, there are numerous streaming and content-sharing platforms. Each has its guidelines and rules. Some platforms, like Youtube, prohibit playing copyrighted music unless it follows Fair Use, while other platforms, like TikTok, can share copyrighted music freely.
At The Lomnitzer Law Firm, P.A., we believe in the freedom of expression and that the work of artists should be protected. We are offering this $1,000 scholarship to a high school senior, college student, or graduate student who can offer an interesting outlook on the fairness of each platform and how it relates to them, the creators on each platform, and the musicians. Do you believe that guidelines allow you to express yourself freely, or would you like to see changes in regulations?
Put simply, a teacher is an individual who assists in the educatation of another individual on a particular topic or subject. However, teachers are much more than simply educators for our youth. Teachers and professors work selflessly to shape the lives of our youth through educating, mentoring, instilling confidence, and guiding them through life to help them reach their aspirations. At Smith Hulsey Law, our attorneys have personal relationships with educators, which is why we are proud to announce our More Than A Teacher Scholarship to award two students $1,000 to use towards achieving their academic goals. One scholarship award will be awarded to a student within the state of Georgia, and the second scholarship award will be open to students within the United States.
We want students to share with us a story about their favorite teacher or professor and how they have influenced their lives and/or education. Please include how your favorite teacher has influenced your outlook on life. We will award our scholarships to two students who share a warm, inspiring story that describes the appreciation of an educator. Our attorneys understand how dedicated our teachers are to being an inspiration for their students. That is why we hope that our More Than A Teacher Scholarship sheds light on the significant roles that teachers and professors play in our lives, not only as educators, but for their guidance and service towards our youth.
Earn $500 toward your education by telling your story! Combs Law Group is excited to announce our current scholarship essay contest. See below for scholarship contest terms.
As a criminal defense lawyer, we often stand physically by someone’s side when they feel like the world (or at least the city, state, or federal government) are against them. Though our job is to defend our clients, it’s often not about whether or not we believe they are guilty or deserve punishment. It’s about giving them the protection and due process they are entitled to as someone accused of a crime in the United States.
Often, we also serve as a source of support and human compassion for our clients. We all need that person sometimes, regardless of who we are or what situations we find ourselves in.
Think about a time in your life when someone stood up for or defended you. Is there a go-to person who is always there in your corner? Or was there one particularly difficult situation where someone spoke up on your behalf? Write an essay reflecting on one or more of these questions for a chance to win a scholarship toward your education.
Learn more about the details and rules for this essay contest or submit your materials for the Combs Law Group Q3 2023 scholarship.
As a dedicated Maryland criminal defense attorney, Kush Arora focuses his practice on representing individuals who have been accused of a variety of offenses, from misdemeanors to felonies. The work of a criminal defense attorney is as tough as it is important. That is because the presumption of innocence, what many of us know as the right to be considered innocent until proven otherwise, is the cornerstone of our justice system. As such, it requires sound legal counsel for all those accused.
Attorney Arora takes his role and responsibilities seriously within the Maryland criminal justice system. He also values the need for students to recognize whether they believe the laws that govern are just or unjust, and why. These traits are valuable in all citizens, not just criminal justice professionals. Attorney Arora is dedicated to providing financial support and academic recognition to those who will pursue or support reasoned legal reform in the future.
Whether those goals are met with a law degree and practice, by pursuing a degree in another field that works within the criminal justice system, or through civic participation, Attorney Arora understands that the success of the criminal justice system depends on the success of the bright young individuals who are pursuing their academic dreams. To help students achieve their goals and further bolster the system he so proudly serves, Attorney Arora has established the Kush Arora Federal Justice Reform Scholarship. This scholarship will award $500 to a deserving student who has demonstrated a thoughtful, well-reasoned view of whether certain laws and criminal justice policies are just or unjust.
