Paying for Law School

A Law School education is often expensive, and the academic rigor makes it harder to work your way through a full-time law program the way many undergraduate students do. However, there are a number of ways that students can lower their costs and receive financial aid in order to pay for their legal education.

Student Loans

Most law students who receive financial aid do so through the federal student loan program. Students may apply for subsidized and unsubsidized student loans through the U.S. Department of Education. Unlike undergraduate student loans, a student's family income generally does not impact the financial aid decision for graduate and professional education. Students must begin repaying their loans after graduating from law school. The student loan programs offer an accessible means by which large numbers of students pay for their education.

Scholarships

Law school scholarships are also available for qualifying students. Although scholarships vary among schools, many law schools offer full or partial tuition waivers through scholarship awards.

Shop Around

The cost of law school can vary dramatically from school to school. Another way to lower legal education expenses is to attend a law school with lower tuition and fees.

Although law school can be expensive, you don't have to be rich to become a lawyer. Fortunately, there are ways to pay for law school and/or minimize law school expenses.