Financial Aid and Scholarships
Law school is a significant financial investment. Below are resources to help you in deciding how to pay for law school.
The AccessLex Institute has a helpful Law School Scholarship Data Bank to search over 800 carefully curated and vetted scholarship opportunities and writing competitions. AccessLex also has a beneficial Paying for Law School Guidebook and offers free financial coaching.
Another useful website is Law School Transparency; it is free to create an account as a pre-law student. Law School Transparency has information about living expenses and debt-to-income ratios. In addition, they have a resource on budgeting, where you can determine your cost of attendance and projected debt.
For information on scholarships and grants a particular law school may offer, be sure to contact that law school admissions office directly!
Make sure to try to take full advantage of scholarships and grants before resorting to loans. To apply for financial aid for law school, you will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you need help filling out the application, contact the financial aid office serving the law schools to which you are applying. Start the financial aid process early; you should not wait until after you receive admission offers to begin the planning process. Information on Student Loan Repayment and Forgiveness can be found here.
LSAC also has a helpful infographic on paying for law school.
If you are admitted to a law school but offered financial aid that you think is insufficient, you may have the option of appealing the school's financial aid decision. Contact the financial aid office to determine the possibility of appeal.