Every law school publishes a cost of attendance (COA) at their institution. Currently, the published COA at American law schools can range from $75,000 to $270,000 for a three-year degree. Be sure to check these figures as you develop the list of law schools to which you’ll apply. However, you need to understand that the real cost may be even higher when all factors are taken into account. The real COA is composed of several parts:

• Tuition.
• Room and Board.
• Borrowing Costs.
• Books.
• Application Fees
• Opportunity Cost.

You need to consider all of these items to fully know the cost of attendance. This article can help you understand how much you’re likely to spend to obtain a legal education.”

Personal Savings/Family Support

If possible, set aside your own funds to help pay for law school. Talk with family members about whether they can help with law school expenses. Some students choose to live at home during law school to avoid paying rent.

Federal Financial Aid

Many students rely primarily on federal student aid programs to finance law school.

Total federal aid is available to cover (but not exceed) the law school’s student expense budget, which includes tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation, and other expenses. Because you may not borrow more than the cost of attendance at your school, minus any other financial aid you receive, you may receive less than the annual maximum amounts described below. As a graduate student, the federal government considers you independent of your parents for federal student aid.

The following federal financial aid programs are available to law students.

Direct Unsubsidized Loans: Students can borrow up to $20,500 per year directly from the U.S.Department of Education. You are not required to demonstrate financial need. Interest accrues from when the loan is first paid out.

Direct PLUS Loans for Graduate and Professional Degree Students. Many law students choose Direct PLUS loans instead of private loans to cover their remaining financial need beyond the $20,500 available through Direct Stafford Loans. Law students who do not have an adverse credit history are eligible for these loans; it is not necessary to demonstrate financial need.

Veterans Educational Assistance.The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs administers educational benefit programs for veterans that may be available to help finance law school. For more information, check with the Department of Veterans Affairs and veterans affairs offices on campuses of law schools to which you are applying.

Federal Work Study: Federal work-study funds are awarded by the schools to provide part-time jobs for graduate students with financial need. Many students work on campus for their schools; the program also encourages community service work in qualifying private nonprofit organizations and public agencies, and work related to the recipient’s course of study.

Credit is an important factor in securing private loans. Interest rates, fees, and terms of repayment vary significantly. It is best to work with your law school’s financial aid office before making a decision about loans for law school. Beware of direct marketing from private lenders. It is possible to finance your legal education entirely through federal financial aid programs described above, which are regulated by the federal government and typically have lower interest rates.

Law schools offer grants, scholarships, and loans, based upon criteria set by the schools, which can include academic merit, financial need, diversity, specific talents, residency, or other qualifications.

Check with each law school early in the application process for more information. Law schools may offer merit scholarships with an offer of admission to highly qualified applicants. When law schools consider your financial need, they may require family income information even if you are considered independent for tax purposes, or for federal education loans.

Some states provide limited grants for law school; there are no federal grants for law students.

Certain national foundations and organizations offer grants and scholarships for law school through a competitive application process. 

LSAC's Statement of Good Admission and Financial Aid Practices provides guidance in responding to scholarship offers, for example, if you receive multiple offers; in committing to schools then deciding to accept another school's offer; in paying deposits; etc. Cornell's pre-law advisors are also an excellent source of guidance for considering financial aid offers. 

The American Bar Association sets limits on the number of hours per week a first-year law student can work. After the first year, many law students obtain summer employment and part-time employment during the school year. This can help reduce the amount of money borrowed.

Review LSAC's Applying for Aid for a detailed guide to the financial aid application process.

Check your credit. Before you begin your financial aid application, request a free copy of your credit report at annualcreditreport.com so that you can identify and clear up any problems. Good credit is required for the Direct PLUS loans and private loans.

Apply early. Check each law school’s website for financial aid deadlines. Some schools have priority dates for submitting financial aid information; students who apply earlier have a better opportunity to obtain limited grant money.

Complete FAFSA (after October 1) of the year before you would attend law school.

• The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) can’t be completed before October 1.
• Completion is required for all federal student loan programs.
• FAFSA is also used by some law schools to collect information for their own institutional aid.
  • Some schools have separate applications for financial aid, while others use the law school application or the FAFSA. Schools vary in distributing their own funds.
• If you have special circumstances, inform the law school’s financial aid office. This information can be critical for law students who have been working full-time or who have unusual medical or family expenses.
• Do NOT wait to complete FAFSA until you are admitted to a law school . You can list up to ten law schools on the FAFSA, and update this list with additional schools.
• Parental income is not considered in determining eligibility for federal loans to graduate-level students.

To determine your financial need, schools take the estimated contribution calculated by the federal government on your FAFSA and subtract it from the school’s student expense budget. Law schools may require parental financial information for institutional grants, loans, and scholarships; law schools have specific policies and procedures regarding independent status for the allocation of institutional funds.

In deciding on a law school, it is important to balance your financial considerations with other criteria, such as reputation, location, size, faculty, programs, and employment success. Compare your projected costs at each school you are considering, offset by any offers of grants or scholarships from the school, to determine what you will need to make up through loans or personal funds.

Once you have chosen a law school, expect to receive important additional financial information from the school. Even though you have completed the FAFSA and law school financial aid forms, you must still follow additional steps to receive your loans. Your law school financial aid office is the best resource to help you with the process of securing federal financial assistance and any private loans, if needed.

Do your homework to compare fees and repayment terms for all of your loans, using loan calculators available on financial aid websites. Keep good records of all loan transactions. Borrow only what you need, and not more, to keep your debt low and your monthly repayment amount manageable.

Your law school financial aid office will help you identify the correct process for securing federal loans, and private loans if needed. Do your homework to compare fees and repayment terms for all of your loans, using loan calculators available on financial aid websites. Keep good records of all loan transactions. Borrow only what you need, and not more, to keep your debt low and your monthly repayment amount manageable.

• LSAC's Paying for Law School.
• Federal Student Aid.
• Access Group.
• ABA's Student Loan Repayment and Forgiveness section.
• Public Interest Law Resources: Equal Justice Works' Take Control of Your Financial Future.
• FinAid! The Go-To Guide for College Financial Aid.
• FastWeb scholarship search.