Paying for Law School

Here's a list of some sources of financial aid of various types (i.e., scholarships, grants, loans). If you know of others that are not included on this list, please e-mail me at jeremy.buchman@liu.edu.

Be certain to contact the law schools to which you have applied, since they will play a pivotal role in determining what kind of aid you get, and how much. MoneyGeek offers a comprehensive look at strategies for applying for financial aid, negotiating the best deal possible, and locating available grants, loans, and scholarships. Princeton Review's web site also offers financial aid tools and advice on a variety of subjects, from applying for loans to comparing aid packages to searching for scholarships.

Some particular sources of financial aid/scholarship funds:

• AAUW (American Association of University Women): Educational Foundation: Provides one-year fellowships, ranging from $5,000 to $12,000, to female graduate students in designated fields, such as law, in which women have been traditionally under-represented. Available to women of color only.
• ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarship: According to the American Bar Association, this scholarship is intended "to encourage racial and ethnic minority students to apply to law school and to provide financial assistance to ensure that these students have the opportunity to attend law school for three years." Recipients attending an ABA-accredited law school will receive $5,000 during their first year, with the funding being renewable for the second and third years. Click the link above for more information.

provide financial assistance to ensure that these students have the opportunity to attend law school for three

years.

The ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund will award $5,000 of financial assistance annually to each

scholarship recipient attending an ABA-accredited law school.

• FastWeb Scholarship Search maintains a substantial and frequently updated on-line database of available scholarships.
• FinAid lists a variety of sources of financial aid for law students.
• JD Scholarships and Fellowships: Compiled and updated by law and graduate school consulting firm JMK & Co., this site provides a comprehensive listing of scholarship and fellowship opportunities, with information about eligibility, size of awards, and links to the organizations providing them.
  
• The Law School Admission Council, which with you've already become familiar if you've applied for the LSAT, maintains a web page that discusses the process of procuring financial aid.
• The Online Master of Legal Studies Programs provides a guide to law school scholarship opportunities that includes scholarships targeting diverse applicants, women, and aspiring paralegals, as well as scholarships open to students at large. The site also includes pages covering a wide range of subjects relating to legal education and practice.
• STEPS (Student Training & Education in Public Service) Scholarships and Resources for Minority Students includes information about dozens of scholarship opportunities available to minority students, broadly defined.
• Zippia.com’s Lawyer Dream Job Scholarship: $1000 for winner. Win by describing, in 500 words or less, why you want to be a lawyer. Describe your dream job to them and tell them WHY this is your dream job.