Get Paid to Study Law
Grants for Law Students
Law students seeking grant monies to supplement college costs may consider a number of viable sources:
- law schools
- professional law associations and organizations
- private sources
Minorities and women will most likely find many grants for their law school purposes given the fact that law has traditionally been dominated by white males. The push, overall, is to diversify the field.
Applying
Students who are eligible for law student grants must prove a financial need for supplemental college funds. If you are applying, contact the associated fund and request an application. You can search online, your local library or through a career or financial aid advisor. Make sure you meet the criteria requirements stipulated on the grant.
Should you require grant money for every year of study, expect to reapply each time.
Law School Grants
Along with applying for Federal student loans, consult financial aid advisors of the law school you are interested in attending regarding grants for law students. Most schools offer them. The Washington College of Law's grant includes students who are pursuing their JD degree, or Doctor of Law degree. The JD degree is one of the only professional doctorate degrees and is commonplace among students as a stepping off point for further law specialties.
One of the nation's top law schools, Columbia School of Law, supports law students with grant monies, as well. Request information and applications directly from the financial aid office and you must be enrolled as a full-time law student to qualify, besides meeting financial need requirements.
How do law schools provide grant money again and again? This is one of the purposes of encouraging notable alumni to donate monetary gifts. Colleges and universities often receive sizable sums of charitable contributions in the form of alumni gifts which can be made available for law school scholarship or grant purposes, among other institution needs.
Private Sources of Law Student Grants
One of the most notable professional organizations in the United States is the American Bar Association. The mission of the ABA is to support and advance the legal profession. For this reason, the ABA continues to support law students who present a financial need, particularly minorities.
Minority Law School Grants
Over the last decade or so the availability of grant and scholarship money for minority law students has increased exponentially. The purpose is to level and diversify the law playing field which as been decidedly white and male since the country was born. Minority groups such as African American, Hispanics and Native Americans will not have difficulty finding law school funding.
The American Bar Association extends a number of sizeable grants to minority law school students. For Latino students, the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund supports Latino law students who are enrolled in a JD program at an ABA affiliated law school. Among reputable law schools that support minority students are Cornell University and the University of Michigan.
