All admitted students are considered for a Dean’s Scholarship. In determining the scholarship amount, both merit and financial need can be considered. Dean’s Scholarships are for all three years of the J.D. program and there is no need to reapply after your 1L year. No new applications are accepted in the 2L and 3L years.

Instructions for students entering their 1L year in Fall 2023 (students currently enrolled at UCLA School of Law should visit MyLaw):

Merit Component
Before we can determine your eligibility for merit, all admitted students must complete the Dean’s Scholarship Consideration Form, provided to you by the UCLA Law Admission’s Office. No additional application is needed for merit consideration.

Need Component
UCLA Law has a generous need component, providing significant assistance to domestic students with financial need. Each case is individually considered, but a student who qualifies for a Dean’s Scholarship, based on both merit and need, will generally receive a larger total gift award. If you are unsure whether you will qualify for a need award, we strongly encourage you to apply, even if you believe you will also qualify for a merit award.

Our awarding process for need-based scholarships takes into account both students' and their parents' financial resources. In order to help the law school’s Financial Aid Office estimate financial need, students and parents must complete the FAFSA or the California Dream Application and the Law School Financial Need Application, both of which collect data about the family profile. The variables considered include family size, assets and income, among other things.

Application Instructions:

1. Determine if you must provide your parents’ information on the FAFSA and the need application (see criteria below)
2. Complete the FAFSA or the California Dream Application (for undocumented AB540 eligible students). UCLA School Code is 001315.  If you have exceptional personal circumstances and are unable to submit either of the two applications, you may email our office. 
   Note: UCLA requires asset information be included on the FAFSA.
3. Complete the Law School Financial Need Application when it becomes available in mid-January.

• As part of the need application, admitted students and/or their parents are required to upload their 2021 Tax Return Transcripts (foreign transcripts/tax returns cannot be evaluated). In the rare case when a tax return transcript is not available, the school may accept a signed copy of the 2021 Federal Tax Return along with Schedules 1, 2 and 3, if applicable. Hard copies of tax documents will not be accepted. Please note that all Social Security Numbers (SSN) must be redacted on each tax transcript/tax return submitted.
   
• Admitted students and/or parents who had U.S. income in 2021 but did not file a U.S. federal tax return must note this on the FAFSA. In lieu of federal tax return transcripts, parents must upload the IRS verification of non-filing. The verification documentation may be requested from the IRS by submitting form 4506-T. Upon review, additional documentation may be requested. Students who did not file a 2021 U.S. Federal Tax Return are able to attach a self-certified statement in lieu of verification of non-filing.
   
• Even though your Social Security Number is not required on the admission application, the school will not receive your FAFSA and thus will be unable to determine your need eligibility unless you provide us with your SSN. If you have omitted the SSN from your admission application, please contact the UCLA Law Admissions Office at (310) 825-2080 to add it to your application.

The determination of your financial-need award will only be possible once you have been admitted, and both the FAFSA and the need application have been completed.

Criteria for determining submission of parent information:

Students must provide their parents' information on the Law School Financial Need Application and FAFSA unless the student:

• will be 29 years of age or older by December 31 of the academic year for which he/she is applying
• can provide documentation that no one has claimed him/her on their tax returns for the last seven years
• has a dependent other than a spouse (i.e., a child) and provides more than 50% to their support
• is a veteran
• was considered as an independent by his/her undergraduate institution through dependency override, and not based on age or marital status. (Documentation required.)

Students who do not fit the above criteria and do not provide parents' information on the need application/FAFSA or do not upload the required tax documents will not be considered for a need award.

Newly admitted students who are applying for the need-based component of the Dean's Scholarship should provide both the student's and parents' information on the FAFSA.

The FAFSA and the Financial Need application should be submitted as early as possible after January 1.

UCLA Law's donor-supported program consists of numerous endowments and scholarships funded by alumni and friends of the school, as well as law firms in our community. Consideration for student eligibility for these scholarships will take place during the admission process.

The Thomas A. Kirschbaum Scholarship in Tax Law

The Thomas A. Kirschbaum Scholarship in Tax Law provides financial and other support to students who are interested in pursuing careers in tax law and policy and places these students at the center of a robust and supportive network of tax law professionals. These merit-based scholarships are awarded annually to incoming students.

Read more

Latham & Watkins Scholarship in Business Law

The Latham & Watkins Scholarship in Business Law provides financial and other support to students who are interested in pursuing careers in business law and policy and places these students at the center of a robust and supportive network of business law professionals. These merit-based scholarships are awarded annually to incoming students.

Read more

A. Barry Cappello Scholarship in Trial Advocacy

Starting in fall 2022, the University of California Native American Opportunity Plan ensures that in-state systemwide mandatory tuition and fees are fully covered for California residents who are members of federally recognized Native American, American Indian and Alaska Native tribes.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this award, students must meet all of the following criteria:

1. Newly admitted or a current law school student
2. California resident
3. Enrolled member in a federally recognized Native American, American Indian and/or Alaska Native tribe
4. Enrolled in a state-supported UC degree program (i.e., students in self-supporting and certificate programs do not qualify)

If you are a member of a tribe that is not federally recognized, additional support may be available through external organization, including the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria Scholarship Fund.

Documentation Requirements

Students should file a FAFSA, but no additional application is required.

Students who are potentially eligible must submit tribal enrollment documentation from their federally recognized tribe or the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).  All documents must be uploaded to www.my.ucla.edu under the ‘Documents’ section of ‘Finances and Jobs.”  Documentation may include any of the following:

• Certification of tribal enrollment on tribal letterhead
• Enrollment/membership card that contains the tribal seal and/or official signature of a tribal leader
• Certification of Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB) if the CDIB includes tribal enrollment information
• Tribal identification card with an enrollment number

Students must also submit tribal contact information (address, phone, email) if it is not evident on submitted documentation.

NAOP Award Amount

For eligible students, Native American Opportunity Plan will fully cover UC systemwide tuition ($11,700) and Student Services Fees ($1,152).  The maximum NAOP award for the 2022-23 academic year is $12,852.

If you are already receiving law school gift aid (merit, need, and/or a donor-based scholarship, GOFP) at least in the amount of the NAOP award, then the Native American Opportunity Plan promise has been satisfied.  However, if your law school gift aid does not fully cover UC systemwide fees and Student Services Fees, your Native American Opportunity Plan will cover the difference with additional funding.

Examples:

1. Your law school gift aid is $15,000.  The Native American Opportunity Plan promise has been satisfied as your gift aid is greater than the NAOP award.
2. Your law school gift aid is $10,000.  You would receive an additional aid amount of $2,852 under the Native American Opportunity Plan.

UCLA School of Law receives notices and information about various scholarships, fellowships and writing competitions sponsored by foundations, alumni associations, bar associations, etc. The Financial Aid Office will post applicable notices on this page or our intranet site as received.   Please note that the posting of these scholarships does not imply endorsement of any organization/scholarship.

Outside scholarship checks should be sent to UCLA’s Payment Solutions and Compliance office.  The checks should be made out to the UC Regents and contain the student’s name and University ID on the check/accompanying paperwork.  The address is:

UCLA Payment Solutions & Compliance
Box 957089, 1125 Murphy Hall
405 Hilgard Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90095-7089 
 

A number of students each year receive non-university scholarships from a variety of organizations, agencies, companies and private individuals. These are not administered by UCLA Law. Criteria may include academic achievement, special talent, leadership ability, and group affiliation. UCLA Law makes information available to students concerning outside scholarship opportunities as it becomes available. You can also view these useful links to gain access to outside scholarship search engines:

• Big Future by The College Board
• Federal Student Aid – Scholarship Search
• Sallie Mae's Scholarship Search
• Wells Fargo Scholarship Search
• AccessLex Law School Scholarship Databank

Private loans are offered by lenders independently of the Department of Education. Private loans are best utilized only if eligibility for Federal Direct Loans has been exhausted. Private loans are not guaranteed by the federal government. These loans are based on credit and their terms vary based on the lender, from whom you borrow as well as on your (and, if required cosigner’s) credit-worthiness.

Credit-Based Private Loans

Federal student loans are available to most students regardless of income and provide a range of repayment options, including income-based repayment plans and loan forgiveness benefits, which other education loans are not required to provide.

Some students find it necessary to finance a portion of their education through private loan sources. These lenders offer loans to offset the cost of attending law school. The loan terms are printed directly on the application and also are governed by federal and state lending regulations. The choice of lender rests solely with the student, but he/she will need to meet the lender’s credit requirements. Please see UCLA's Preferred Lender List and Code of Conduct – Preferred Lenders.

Bar Loans

Law students may apply for Bar Loans for the period after graduation when they are studying for the bar. A Bar loan is an unsecured consumer loan offered to graduating law school students to assist with expenses related to the bar process. These related expenses may include the following: bar examination fees, bar review courses, and living expenses during the period after graduation and prior to being notified of the exam results.

Bar Loan interest rates are generally higher than those of federal and private loans. Students should review the product guidelines and repayment options before applying. See UCLA’s Preferred Lenders List for a list of Bar Loan lenders.

Please note: For graduates needing to obtain a Bar Loan after graduation, when using UCLA’s Preferred Lender List (ELM Select), please indicate that your graduation date will be in the future in order to obtain a potential list of lenders that offer this product.

Earned Aid includes job opportunities for students wishing to reduce loan indebtedness such as UCLA Teaching and Research Assistantships, Summer Public Interest Fellowships.

Teaching Assistantships

Through UCLA’s Graduate Division, advanced graduate and professional students have an excellent opportunity to gain practical teaching and tutoring experience in departments outside of the law school while earning an income to offset the cost of their tuition and fees. In-state students who are employed 45 percent or more are entitled to a fee remission of 75 percent of the Education Fee, a fee remission of 75 percent of the Registration Fee, and a fee remission of 100 percent of the Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan. These fee remissions significantly reduce the student’s out-of-pocket expenses for the academic year. This reduction may, in turn, affect a student’s total loan eligibility.

For more information and to obtain an application, please visit the Graduate Division website.

Summer Public Service Fellowships

Through an array of funding sources, UCLA School of Law provides stipends to first-and second-year students who engage in otherwise unpaid summer internships with nonprofit organizations or government agencies (judicial externships are not categorized as internships with government agencies). The application process begins in the spring semester, and students with eligible positions must submit an application in order to be considered for this Fellowship. In summer 2020, UCLA School of Law funded approximately 250 students.

UCLA School of Law participation in the Post-9/11 GI Bill^® Yellow Ribbon Program

The Yellow Ribbon Program is a provision of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008. This program allows degree-granting institutions of higher learning in the U.S. to voluntarily enter into an agreement with the VA to fund eligible veterans' tuition expenses that exceed the in-state tuition and fees at public institutions. Details and eligibility guidelines for Post-9/11 benefits, including the Yellow Ribbon Program, can be found at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill under Education Benefits. Alternatively, you may inquire with the VA at 1-888-GIBILL1 (442-4551).

How Yellow Ribbon Works at UCLA School of Law:

• The Post-9/11 GI Bill^® will pay 100 percent of in-state tuition and fees for eligible individuals attending a public institution. This payment will be sent directly to the school.
• Under the Yellow Ribbon Program, UCLA School of Law will cover 50 percent of the difference between resident and non-resident tuition and fees, with the other 50 percent to be matched by the VA.
• UCLA School of Law has established a limit of 10 veterans to receive this benefit in each academic year.
• Federal law states that Yellow Ribbon awards must be made on a first-come, first-served basis.
• In order to apply for Yellow Ribbon benefits at UCLA School of Law, an applicant must: 1) be admitted to UCLA School of Law, 2) have 100 percent of the benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill^® Program, and 3) submit a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to the Law School Financial Aid Office. An applicant must first be admitted to the law school before submitting his/her COE.
• Admitted applicants will be placed in the queue based on the date their COE is received by the Law School Financial Aid Office. (Phone calls and email inquiries will not hold a place in the queue).
• UCLA must reapply every year to participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program.
• A student who receives a Yellow Ribbon grant from UCLA School of Law will continue to receive it as long as the following conditions exist:

The student reapplies each year with the Law School Financial Aid Office by submitting the COE letter;
The student remains continuously enrolled in the program for which he/she initially received the benefit; and
The student complies with all VA and UCLA School of Law deadlines and procedures.

***Students in joint-degree programs must consult
with both programs regarding Yellow Ribbon participation***

You may email, mail, or hand deliver your Certificate of Eligibility to the Law School Financial Aid Office. 

UCLA School of Law
Office of Financial Aid
​385 Charles E. Young Drive East
1242 Law Building
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1476
Tel: (310) 825-2260
email: finaid@law.ucla.edu

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at http://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.

• FAFSA
• Federal Student Aid Info
• National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS)
• ​Debt Management Session (Entrance Loan Counseling)
• Graduate Division
• Residency Requirements
• Free Credit Report
• MAX by AccessLex

UCLA School of Law offers a robust Loan Repayment Assistance Program commonly referred to as LRAP.  This program can provide financial support for recent J.D. graduates employed in public interest or public service settings, where salaries are significantly lower than in the private sector. Graduates may participate in the Program for up to 10 years.

Through LRAP, UCLA Law has in the past decade covered roughly $4.5 million in student loan payments for J.D. graduates who work in public interest jobs, government positions or judicial clerkships.

Under UCLA Law School’s LRAP guidelines, alumni with incomes up to $75,000 may have their entire eligible loan payments fully covered. Applicants with incomes up to $100,000 may now receive partial assistance.

“Student loans are one of the biggest barriers for law students who want to pursue public interest careers,” says Brad Sears, UCLA Law’s associate dean of public interest law. “The support that LRAP provides helps bridge that gap and allows the full diversity of our student body to pursue public interest careers, including students who carry a significant amount of student loan debt.”

To qualify for LRAP, a graduate must meet the LRAP guidelines which include working for a nonprofit organization, a clerkship or an agency of government in law-related employment that makes substantial use of legal skills.  Because most educational loans offer a six-month grace period following graduation, graduates going directly into qualifying employment will usually receive their first LRAP loan approximately six months after graduation.

Kia Hayes ’13, a staff attorney at the Innocence Project New Orleans, says that she could not afford to pursue her career without UCLA Law’s LRAP.:

“I came to UCLA Law because I wanted to dedicate my professional life to criminal and racial justice,” says Hayes, who has helped win the freedom of five men who were imprisoned after being wrongly convicted. “I would not be able to do this work were it not for LRAP. I relied on student loans to cover nearly all my tuition, and I would not be able to cover my monthly loan payments without LRAP.”

The School of Law’s Public Service Fellowship Program seeks to support graduating students who have demonstrated a longstanding commitment to public service, enabling them to work with a variety of nonprofit organizations and government agencies, both domestically and abroad.

Through the Professional Opportunity Program, UCLA Law and Liberty Hill Foundation have partnered to set up a one year fellowship to allow successful candidates the opportunity to work full-time for up to one year with nonprofit organizations, government agencies or judges. Participants are paid monthly stipends.

The New Graduate Opportunity Program funds part-time, temporary work with nonprofit organizations and government agencies for up to 200 hours at up to 20 hours per week. Participants are paid by UCLA School of Law - therefore negating any employer concerns regarding unpaid interns - and  have a unique opportunity to further build their resume and to enhance their legal skills while awaiting bar results. Although participating employers are not required to permanently hire these graduates, many host employers have offered our graduates long-term employment at the conclusion of the program.