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Law School Scholarships: What You Need to Know

by | Jan 13, 2021 | lawstudent, Features

As an aspiring law student, you may be looking for money to finance your education. The good news is there is plenty of money available for law school. Boston University School of Law, University of Texas School of Law and New York University Law School are just a few universities that offer full scholarships to eligible law students.

The average cost of law school is approximately $44,600 per year. If you don’t have the money, law school expenses can be an obstacle to achieving your career goals. But this doesn’t have to be the case. Professional organizations like Corporate Counsel Women of Color and government agencies offer financial support for prospective law school students.

Want to learn more about financing a law degree? Here is some useful information about law school scholarships that every potential applicant should know.

Merit-Based Scholarships for Law School

Many performance-based scholarships are offered by the university you hope to attend. Typically, the determination about how much money you will receive is linked to how well you perform in undergraduate school and on the LSAT (Law School Admission Test). 

Because these scholarships are based on grades and test scores, you will have to compete for them. However, that should not deter you from applying for these opportunities. If your hard work and previous efforts have produced impressive results, then a scholarship may be within reach. Additionally, there are generous law school grants that reward academic achievements.

Law School Scholarships for Minorities

Universities offer additional types of financial aid that are endowed to the school by donors. Because this money is provided to the school by a specific organization or individual, there is usually explicit criteria attached to who is eligible to receive it. 

One of the more common expectations for donated scholarships is that they are exclusively connected to the diversity goals established by the institution or the program. As a result, there are numerous law school scholarships for minorities.

The Law School Admission Council lists among its granting organizations:

  • The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
  • Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
  • The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association
  • American Indian College Fund

If you’re interested in many of the scholarships available to minority students, a comprehensive list can be found here.

It is worth noting that scholarships for the purposes of encouraging diversity on law school campuses are not solely related to race and ethnicity. There are also law school scholarships available for students with disabilities.

Companies That Pay for Law School

One of the most common sources of financial support for law school is law firms. In many instances, private law firms set aside scholarship money for student interns or part-time employees. These scholarships are based on professional relationships and performance.

Typically, this means a student has already enrolled in law school and is working towards a degree. So, while interning at a law firm is a great opportunity to experience the “real world” of legal work, it can also become even more profitable than that.

That said, you don’t have to intern or work at a law firm to earn a scholarship. Numerous law firms offer scholarships to students either currently enrolled in a program or attempting to get into a school to encourage more people to pursue a law career.

Corporate Counsel Women of Color is a professional network that supports the goals of current and future women attorneys of color. You can sign up for a Premium Membership with us today. If you’re a young woman of color looking for scholarship opportunities, you can get more information on our offerings here.

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