Law School Scholarships
Key takeaways:
- The median cost of a US legal education is $198,788 (in addition to the cost of college).
- The average indebted law student borrowed $112,500 for law school.
- Scholarships and public service loan forgiveness programs can ease the student debt burden of law school graduates.
A law degree can grant access to a broad range of sectors. Lawyers work across the private, government, and non-profit sectors, as well as academia. They provide legal services through law firms and in-house counsel, contribute to policy planning, and more.
However, a legal education can be hard to access. The conventional route to practicing law in the US involves earning a three-year graduate degree, the Juris Doctor (JD), and passing a licensing exam in the jurisdiction where you intend to practice, known as the bar. The median cost of getting qualified is $198,788 — without counting undergraduate fees.
Many students take on the expense; 85% of them get into debt. If you are considering law school, read on to find out how to avoid or minimize student loans.
Jump to:
- What are law school scholarships?
- 25 best law school scholarships
- Are there full tuition scholarships for law school?
- Are there scholarships for LLM and other non-JD law degrees?
- What is public service loan forgiveness?
- Do law firms offer law school scholarships?
- Can part-time students get law school scholarships and student loans?
What are law school scholarships?
A career in the law can be rewarding, intellectually stimulating, and well-compensated. Students with an eye for detail, a knack for solving problems, and an interest in procedural correctness might thrive in this setting. Scholarships can enable many to obtain the necessary education.
Since 2012, law schools have increased tuition by an average of $1,339 every year, according to the Education Data Initiative. The average yearly cost of tuition is $52,411 for the 2026-27 academic year.
85% of law school graduates borrow money to pay for their combined undergraduate and legal education. The average indebted law student borrowed $112,500 for law school alone.
The median annual wage for lawyers was $151,160 in May 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, salaries vary significantly by sector, particularly at entry level: according to the EDI, the median starting salary for a law school graduate working in the private sector is about $200,000, while the median starting salary for the public sector is $57,500.
Law school scholarships can lessen reliance on expected earnings to pay off debt. They can also offset loans.
Scholarships are offered by law schools and other institutions, and involve various conditions.
The 25 Best Law School Scholarships with Approaching Deadlines in 2026
Frequently asked questions about law school scholarships
Are there full-tuition scholarships for law school?
Law schools typically offer a small number of competitive, merit-based scholarships to the applicants they most want to attract. These are often the students with the high undergraduate GPA and Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores.
Some may cover the full cost of tuition, such as Duke Law’s Mordecai Scholars Program.
These merit-based, full-tuition law scholarships may also be conditional scholarships, which require applicants to maintain a certain GPA and class rank while in law school.
Some law schools also offer substantial need-based scholarships covering full tuition. For example, UCLA offers three different full-tuition scholarship programs for students who demonstrate financial need.
The Distinguished Scholars Award is a merit-based scholarship for exceptional applicants who select UCLA as their first choice. The Achievement Fellowship Program is a need- and merit-based scholarship for applicants who have overcome significant obstacles in pursuit of their education, including their legal education. The Graton Scholarship provides a three-year, full-tuition scholarship for students who are interested in native American law.
Are there scholarships for LLM and other non-JD law degrees?
A Master of Laws, or LLM, is a postgraduate degree requiring one full year of study beyond the Juris Doctor. It is intended to strengthen JD candidates and holders’ knowledge of a particular area of the law, and can help JD graduates or mid-career lawyers access opportunities for career development. It is not required and it does not enable graduates to practice law.
Law schools may offer merit-based scholarships to fund LLMs on a competitive basis.
American students with an undergraduate degree involving strong legal study may consider earning foreign LLMs or equivalent degrees, which do not require a JD.
Taking this route — particularly if funded by competitive, international scholarships for graduate students — could strengthen law school applications, increasing the odds of winning merit-based, full-tuition scholarships at US law schools.
PhD degrees in the US are typically funded, so JD/PhD students at US law schools do not have to pay for the PhD portion of their dual degree.
What is public service loan forgiveness?
The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program was created by Congress in 2007 to allow lawyers with student debt to pursue lower-paying careers in public service. PSLF enables lawyers working in nonprofit organizations, public defense, legal aid, and government to finance law school.
Under the PSLF program, the remaining balance on federal direct loans is forgiven for eligible borrowers after they make 120 qualifying monthly payments while working full-time for a qualifying employer, according to the American Bar Association.
After 2026, law students are eligible to borrow a lifetime aggregate limit of $257,500 in direct unsubsidized federal student loans. There is a cap of $50,000 per academic year and $200,000 for the entirety of their graduate studies.
Do law firms offer law school scholarships?
Some law firms and other institutions, such as state bar associations, may offer scholarships for programs which help students prepare for law school.
For example, the Yale Launchpad Scholars program, supported by Latham & Watkins, offers students from underrepresented backgrounds support and mentorship throughout the process of applying for law school.
Can part-time students get law school scholarships and student loans?
Several universities offer part-time JD degrees, allowing students to earn a law degree while fulfilling other commitments.
For example, Georgetown University and the University of Illinois at Chicago law school offer part-time law degrees, as well as a range of need-based and merit-based awards for eligible students.
Students must meet their school’s benchmark for part-time enrollment to be eligible for direct unsubsidized federal student loans.