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Top Scholarships for Law School Students
These private law school scholarships could reduce the amount you have to borrow for your JD.
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Ryan Lane Assigning Editor | Small business, student loans
Ryan Lane is an editor on NerdWallet’s small-business team. He joined NerdWallet in 2019 as a student loans writer, serving as an authority on that topic after spending more than a decade at student loan guarantor American Student Assistance. In that role, Ryan co-authored the Student Loan Ranger blog in partnership with U.S. News & World Report, as well as wrote and edited content about education financing and financial literacy for multiple online properties, e-courses and more. Ryan also previously oversaw the production of life science journals as a managing editor for publisher Cell Press. Ryan is located in Rochester, New York.
Des Toups Lead Assigning Editor | Student loans, repaying college debt, paying for college
Des Toups was a lead assigning editor who supported the student loans and auto loans teams. He had decades of experience in personal finance journalism, exploring everything from car insurance to bankruptcy to couponing to side hustles.
Most law school scholarships come from the schools themselves to attract the best candidates. But private awards are available, and taking the time to apply could reduce the amount of law school student loans you borrow — or help you land a job post-graduation.
To simplify your search, here’s a list of top law school scholarships. Even if the deadlines for these awards have passed, many scholarships are cyclical. You may want to revisit ones that interest you next year.
NerdWallet ratingNerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula for student loan products takes into account more than 50 data points across multiple categories, including repayment options, customer service, lender transparency, loan eligibility and underwriting criteria.
Fixed APR
3.59-17.99%
College Ave Student Loans products are made available through Firstrust Bank, member FDIC, First Citizens Community Bank, member FDIC, or M.Y. Safra Bank, FSB, member FDIC. All loans are subject to individual approval and adherence to underwriting guidelines. Program restrictions, other terms, and conditions apply. (1)All rates include the auto-pay discount. The 0.25% auto-pay interest rate reduction applies as long as a valid bank account is designated for required monthly payments. If a payment is returned, you will lose this benefit. Variable rates may increase after consummation. (2)As certified by your school and less any other financial aid you might receive. Minimum $1,000. (3)This informational repayment example uses typical loan terms for a freshman borrower who selects the Flat Repayment Option with an 8-year repayment term, has a $10,000 loan that is disbursed in one disbursement and a 7.78% fixed Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”): 54 monthly payments of $25 while in school, followed by 96 monthly payments of $176.21 while in the repayment period, for a total amount of payments of $18,266.38. Loans will never have a full principal and interest monthly payment of less than $50. Your actual rates and repayment terms may vary. Information advertised valid as of 11/1/2024. Variable interest rates may increase after consummation. Approved interest rate will depend on creditworthiness of the applicant(s), lowest advertised rates only available to the most creditworthy applicants and require selection of the Flat Repayment Option with the shortest available loan term.
Variable APR
5.34-17.99%
College Ave Student Loans products are made available through Firstrust Bank, member FDIC, First Citizens Community Bank, member FDIC, or M.Y. Safra Bank, FSB, member FDIC. All loans are subject to individual approval and adherence to underwriting guidelines. Program restrictions, other terms, and conditions apply. (1)All rates include the auto-pay discount. The 0.25% auto-pay interest rate reduction applies as long as a valid bank account is designated for required monthly payments. If a payment is returned, you will lose this benefit. Variable rates may increase after consummation. (2)As certified by your school and less any other financial aid you might receive. Minimum $1,000. (3)This informational repayment example uses typical loan terms for a freshman borrower who selects the Flat Repayment Option with an 8-year repayment term, has a $10,000 loan that is disbursed in one disbursement and a 7.78% fixed Annual Percentage Rate (“APR”): 54 monthly payments of $25 while in school, followed by 96 monthly payments of $176.21 while in the repayment period, for a total amount of payments of $18,266.38. Loans will never have a full principal and interest monthly payment of less than $50. Your actual rates and repayment terms may vary. Information advertised valid as of 11/1/2024. Variable interest rates may increase after consummation. Approved interest rate will depend on creditworthiness of the applicant(s), lowest advertised rates only available to the most creditworthy applicants and require selection of the Flat Repayment Option with the shortest available loan term.
NerdWallet ratingNerdWallet's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The scoring formula for student loan products takes into account more than 50 data points across multiple categories, including repayment options, customer service, lender transparency, loan eligibility and underwriting criteria.
Fixed APR
3.49-15.49%
Lowest rates shown include the auto debit. Advertised APRs for undergraduate students assume a $10,000 loan to a student who attends school for 4 years and has no prior Sallie Mae-serviced loans. Interest rates for variable rate loans may increase or decrease over the life of the loan based on changes to the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) rounded up to the nearest one-eighth of one percent. Advertised variable rates are the starting range of rates and may vary outside of that range over the life of the loan. Interest is charged starting when funds are sent to the school. With the Fixed and Deferred Repayment Options, the interest rate is higher than with the Interest Repayment Option and Unpaid Interest is added to the loan’s Current Principal at the end of the grace/separation period. To receive a 0.25 percentage point interest rate discount, the borrower or cosigner must enroll in auto debit through Sallie Mae. The discount applies only during active repayment for as long as the Current Amount Due or Designated Amount is successfully withdrawn from the authorized bank account each month. It may be suspended during forbearance or deferment. Advertised APRs are valid as of 10/25/2024. Loan amounts: For applications submitted directly to Sallie Mae, loan amount cannot exceed the cost of attendance less financial aid received, as certified by the school. Applications submitted to Sallie Mae through a partner website will be subject to a lower maximum loan request amount. Miscellaneous personal expenses (such as a laptop) may be included in the cost of attendance for students enrolled at least half-time. Examples of typical costs for a $10,000 Smart Option Student Loan with the most common fixed rate, fixed repayment option, 6-month separation period, and two disbursements: For a borrower with no prior loans and a 4-year in-school period, it works out to a 10.28% fixed APR, 51 payments of $25.00, 119 payments of $182.67 and one payment of $121.71, for a Total Loan Cost of $23,134.44. For a borrower with $20,000 in prior loans and a 2-year in-school period, it works out to a 10.78% fixed APR, 27 payments of $25.00, 179 payments of $132.53 and one payment of $40.35 for a total loan cost of $24,438.22. Loans that are subject to a $50 minimum principal and interest payment amount may receive a loan term that is less than 10 years. A variable APR may increase over the life of the loan. A fixed APR will not.
Variable APR
5.04-15.21%
Lowest rates shown include the auto debit. Advertised APRs for undergraduate students assume a $10,000 loan to a student who attends school for 4 years and has no prior Sallie Mae-serviced loans. Interest rates for variable rate loans may increase or decrease over the life of the loan based on changes to the 30-day Average Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) rounded up to the nearest one-eighth of one percent. Advertised variable rates are the starting range of rates and may vary outside of that range over the life of the loan. Interest is charged starting when funds are sent to the school. With the Fixed and Deferred Repayment Options, the interest rate is higher than with the Interest Repayment Option and Unpaid Interest is added to the loan’s Current Principal at the end of the grace/separation period. To receive a 0.25 percentage point interest rate discount, the borrower or cosigner must enroll in auto debit through Sallie Mae. The discount applies only during active repayment for as long as the Current Amount Due or Designated Amount is successfully withdrawn from the authorized bank account each month. It may be suspended during forbearance or deferment. Advertised APRs are valid as of 10/25/2024. Loan amounts: For applications submitted directly to Sallie Mae, loan amount cannot exceed the cost of attendance less financial aid received, as certified by the school. Applications submitted to Sallie Mae through a partner website will be subject to a lower maximum loan request amount. Miscellaneous personal expenses (such as a laptop) may be included in the cost of attendance for students enrolled at least half-time. Examples of typical costs for a $10,000 Smart Option Student Loan with the most common fixed rate, fixed repayment option, 6-month separation period, and two disbursements: For a borrower with no prior loans and a 4-year in-school period, it works out to a 10.28% fixed APR, 51 payments of $25.00, 119 payments of $182.67 and one payment of $121.71, for a Total Loan Cost of $23,134.44. For a borrower with $20,000 in prior loans and a 2-year in-school period, it works out to a 10.78% fixed APR, 27 payments of $25.00, 179 payments of $132.53 and one payment of $40.35 for a total loan cost of $24,438.22. Loans that are subject to a $50 minimum principal and interest payment amount may receive a loan term that is less than 10 years. A variable APR may increase over the life of the loan. A fixed APR will not.
Credible lets you check with multiple student loan lenders to get rates with no impact to your credit score. Visit their website to take the next steps.
American Bar Association Legal Opportunity Scholarship
First-year law students are eligible for the American Bar Association Legal Opportunity Scholarship. This award is available to 10 to 20 students over their three years in law school. Students can receive $15,000 overall.
How to qualify: The American Bar Association Legal Opportunity Scholarship is for students who are racial or ethnic minorities. The selection committee also considers financial need, participation in community service and other factors.
The American Association for Justice Law Student Scholarships
The American Association for Justice offers multiple scholarships to help cover the costs of law school, ranging in value from $3,000 to $5,000.
How to qualify: Qualifications vary by award. For example, the Richard D. Hailey Scholarship is available to minority students at any point during their law school career, whereas the Mike Eidson Scholarship is just for female students entering their 3L year. The Trial Advocacy Scholarship is open to all second- and third-year students.
The NAACP Legal Defense Fund's Scholarship Program
The NAACP Legal Defense Fund offers two renewable scholarships. The Herbert Lehman Scholarship is worth $2,000 annually for up to four years, while the Earl Warren Scholarship award is $10,000 per year for three years.
How to qualify: Qualifications vary by award. For both, you must be a U.S. citizen and attending an accredited four-year institution.
When to apply: April 24 (Herbert Lehman Scholarship); May 1 (Earl Warren Scholarship). Learn more.
Sidney B. Williams, Jr. Scholarship
The American Intellectual Property Law Education Foundation provides a $10,000 annual scholarship to law students interested in intellectual property law. The scholarship is renewable for up to three years.
How to qualify: This scholarship is available to incoming and current law students. To qualify, you must display a demonstrated interest in intellectual property law, as well as financial need and high performance in school.
The Rizio Liberty Lipinsky Lawyer Scholarship is a $10,000 scholarship available to all law students in the United States.
How to qualify: The primary application material is an essay of 1,000 words or less detailing why you’re pursuing a legal career and how the scholarship will help you achieve those goals.
The Judge John R. Brown Scholarship Foundation offers this award to recognize excellence in legal writing. First place receives $10,000, while four additional finalists receive prizes ranging from $1,000 to $5,000.
How to qualify: The scholarship is open to any law student enrolled in the United States seeking a JD or LLB degree. To apply, submit two copies of your writing to the foundation, as well as a letter of recommendation from a law school faculty member or legal professional.
This scholarship awards $10,000 to first-year law students who are interested in working in a law firm and/or a corporate law department. Up to six awards are available for 2019.
How to qualify: You must be planning to enroll full time in an ABA-accredited law school in the United States, with a GPA of at least 3.2 from your undergraduate studies.
The Arent Fox Diversity Scholarship is a summer associate scholarship program. Each of the firm’s offices offers a $20,000 scholarship and salaried position to a second-year law student. The student receives half the award over the summer and the other half after joining the firm post-graduation.
How to qualify: Interested students must apply to a specific Arent Fox firm — they have multiple locations on the East and West coasts. Applications are for the summer of 2020.
Many large law firms have similar diversity programs for 2L students. If you’re interested in a career in Big Law, look for options at firms that interest you.
Federal loans are usually the best bet due to their payment flexibility. Federal loans may also qualify for loan forgiveness and repayment programs that help law students manage their debt. These programs are typically for lawyers who work in the public sector or have low salaries, though.
If you go the summer associate route and end up choosing a private sector career with a strong income projection, refinancing your law school loans could save you money in the future.
