Law schools are some of the most expensive graduate schools out there, and affording law school tuition is far from feasible for most people. However, while graduate programs are known for giving less financial aid than their undergraduate counterparts, most law schools do give out plenty of scholarship money. Most law schools offer a diverse array of financial aid. From scholarships and grants to student loans, there are many ways to get a law degree at a reduced cost. For students interested in attending law school, scholarships may be the best option for you to make your graduate school tuition affordable without going into debt.
Depending on the law school that you attend, there may be tons of scholarships available to law students. Many law schools make scholarships available through the financial aid office. Reach out to your financial aid office to learn about different types of scholarships available to you, like merit based scholarships, need based scholarships, and more.
Types of Scholarships for Law School
Need-based scholarships are awarded by many law schools based on law students' demonstrated financial need. In order to be eligible for need-based scholarships through your school, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Depending on your level of financial need, you may be awarded grants from the federal government or offered a student loan package.
In addition to need-based scholarships, many law schools offer merit-based scholarships. Usually based on a student's academic achievement such as their LSAT score and undergraduate GPA, merit-based scholarships for law can help highly qualified students get scholarship opportunities beyond need-based aid. Merit-based scholarships for law typically look for academic excellence but other types of merit scholarships are available, such as scholarships for students who excel in art, music, athletics, community service, or other fields!
If the scholarships you earn from your law school are not enough to cover all of your costs, you can always search for additional scholarships from outside sources. In fact, you may even find law scholarships funded by real law firms. Private scholarships come from a variety of sources and have all different types of requirements. While some private scholarships are small and worth only a few hundred dollars, there are also private awards worth tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.
While private scholarships cater to all different types of students, there are plenty of private organizations that award scholarships specifically to law students. In order to pay for their law school education, students can also get scholarships or tuition repayment from law firms. These scholarships can require you to work at the law office when you graduate, so make sure that you check the scholarship requirements.
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Some law graduates are even eligible for loan forgiveness or repayment assistance programs! Lawyers who work in public service, for example, can often qualify for loan forgiveness. You can learn more about repayment and forgiveness options here!
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How Do Law Schools Determine Scholarships?
Law school scholarships can be competitive or they may have specific qualifications you must meet in order to apply. For need-based scholarships, a student's demonstrated financial need determines the amount of scholarship money that the student receives. For merit-based scholarships, though, the scholarship winners are determined by the specific criteria that they are looking for.
While the criteria for merit scholarships usually include academic excellence, law schools may be looking for students from specific identities or from a certain field of law.
Law schools sometimes offer scholarships specifically for diverse law students so that they can improve representation within the legal profession. Since law is still a white-dominated field, many law scholarships are open exclusively to minorities to help address the barriers students from these groups face when trying to pursue law. Since just 5% of lawyers are Hispanic, 5% are Black, 2% are Asian, and just 1% are Native American, scholarships are a crucial way to improve access to the field and create a more diverse and equitable workforce.
Organizations and schools may also offer merit-based scholarships for people who are studying a specific field, like criminal law or civil rights law. Regardless of the type of merit scholarship, though, every law school is looking for the best and brightest students when they determine how to award scholarships.
When you are applying to law schools, look into the types of different scholarships and financial aid offered by each institution. Once you've committed to a school, then you can look further into different law school scholarships that you are eligible for and interested in.
Check out law schools in Florida, Georgia, DC and more!
What LSAT Score Will Get Me a Scholarship?
90% of students with LSAT scores higher than 166 receive merit scholarships as law school students. While it is easier to get a scholarship with a high LSAT score, those with an LSAT score lower than 140 still have a 16% chance of receiving a merit scholarship. Some prestigious law schools may ask students to have a specific LSAT score in order to be eligible for merit-based scholarships, but you can still get plenty of scholarships without a high score.
As you begin the law school application process, be sure to research the scholarship criteria that each of the law schools offers. Not only can this help you find a goal for your LSAT score, but it can also help you choose which law school you want to attend.
How to Negotiate a Law School Scholarship
In order to negotiate a law school scholarship, you can reach out to your school's financial aid office. From there, they will be able to help you determine the right amount for your scholarship and other financial aid so that you can attend law school.
If you've secured a better financial aid package from another law school, you can use this offer to leverage a better package at your school of choice. Having a high LSAT score, GPA, and other impressive experience can make your school more accommodating since they won't want to lose a top performer to another competing school.
Frequently Asked Questions About Law School Scholarships
Is the LSAT more important than GPA?
While the LSAT will be the most important component of your application at most schools, GPA is still an important factor. While some scholarships may only look at your LSAT score, others may require a holistic assessment of your academic records and your test scores. Some schools may even prioritize your GPA over your LSAT score since your GPA is an indicator of performance and hard work over several years while a high LSAT score could just be a fluke.
Can you get a full scholarship to law school?
Yes, you can get full-ride scholarships for law, but they are extremely rare and difficult to win. You need a great LSAT score and GPA in addition to a great application and/or essay in order to have a good shot at receiving a full ride.
Additionally, while full-tuition scholarships are rare, you can also stack several smaller scholarships to cover all of your tuition expenses. Law school is incredibly expensive, and relying on your chances of winning a full scholarship may not be a good idea. Applying for different types of scholarships, whether there are law school scholarships or other criteria based scholarships, is a great way to alleviate some of the financial burden of law school.
Finally, a great way to increase your chances of winning a scholarship is to apply to scholarships with a lot of eligibility requirements. Fewer applicants will be eligible, so the recipient will be selected from a smaller pool of applicants. For instance, a scholarship for first year law students at law schools in Georgia or Michigan will have fewer applicants than a scholarship open to all graduate students.
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About Hailey
Hailey is adept at writing about financial aid and scholarships. Hailey has spent the majority of her high school and college career crafting her writing skills. In high school, Hailey’s writing experience included writing for her school’s yearbook as well as writing some articles for Redefy, an international non-profit whose goals are to fight stereotypes and promote positive perspectives. Hailey began studying Literary Arts and Africana Studies at Brown University after high school. In her studies, she has taken a variety of writing workshops that have helped her hone her craft as a writer. She will earn her bachelor's degree, which includes an honors degree in Creative Writing from Brown.
Hailey is also passionate about scholarships and financial aid, as she was a scholarship recipient through high school and college. Through the generosity of others, Hailey has been able to receive a quality education and would love to pass this gift on to others. As a current senior in college, Hailey has become well-versed in the ins and outs of scholarships, student debt, and college spending. With this experience and knowledge, she is readily prepared to help others as a Content Writer for Bold.org.
Hailey is no longer with the Bold.org Writing Team, but we continue to value and appreciate her contributions.