The UCLA Law Distinguished Scholars Program is a binding early-decision program providing full tuition for three years to exceptionally qualified students ready to commit to UCLA Law. The UCLA Law Achievement Fellowship is non-binding and provides full tuition for three years to high-achieving students who have overcome significant personal, educational or socio-economic hardships.

Read more.

All admitted 1L students are considered for a Dean’s Scholarship. In determining the scholarship amount, both merit and financial need can be considered. Dean’s Scholarships may be awarded 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 2025 (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 must complete and the Law School Financial Need Application, which collects 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 Need Application (see criteria below).
2. 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 2023 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 2023 Federal Tax Return along with Schedules 1, 2 and 3, if applicable. Hard copies and emailed copies of tax documents will not be accepted. Please note that all Social Security Numbers (SSN) and any account information must be redacted on each tax transcript/tax return submitted.
   
• Students who did not file a 2023 U.S. federal tax return will need to upload a self-certified statement of non-filing to their UCLA Need Application. 
   
• Parents who did not file a 2023 U.S. federal tax return must upload an official IRS verification of non-filing. This verification documentation may be requested from the IRS by submitting form 4506-T. 

The determination of your financial-need award will only be possible once you have been admitted and the Law School Need Application have been completed.
 

Criteria for determining submission of parent information on the UCLA Law School Need Application:

Students must provide their parents' information on the Law School Need Application 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 or do not upload the required tax documents will not be considered for a need award.

 

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.

Tax and Business Law Scholarships (TABLS)

UCLA Law and the Lowell Milken Institute for Business Law and Policy (LMI) annually award four scholarships to students who are interested in tax and business law and policy. These scholarships are part of LMI’s Tax and Business Law Scholarship (“TABLS”) Program. The Program is led by Jim Barrall ’75, a Senior Fellow in Residence at LMI and a retired partner of Latham & Watkins LLP.

Read more

A. Barry Cappello Scholarship in Trial Advocacy

Cappello Scholarships, sponsored by program namesake A. Barry Cappello, provide financial awards to admitted students with a history of success and interest in trial advocacy. The Irving H. Green Prize, named for the successful Los Angeles trial lawyer, is awarded annually to the graduating students who have demonstrated excellence in trial advocacy.  This financial support is another way that UCLA’s commitment to trial advocacy is virtually unique among top-tier law schools. 

For more information, contact Justin Bernstein, Director of A. Barry Cappello Program in Trial Advocacy.

Chris Cornell Memorial Human Rights Scholarship

This scholarship is designed for students who have a background in and demonstrated commitment to international human rights. Students who express an interest in human rights law on their application will be automatically considered for this award. For more information, email Associate Director of Admissions Danae McElroy at mcelroy@law.ucla.edu.

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. In addition, the Law School will also cover Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition for NAOP eligible students beginning with the class starting in fall 2024.  

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 organizations, 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).  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.

In June, the law school Financial Aid Office we reach out to NAOP potential candidates with documentation submission instructions.

NAOP Award Amount

For eligible students, the Native American Opportunity Plan will fully cover UC systemwide tuition ($13,140), and Student Services Fees ($1,290) and the Law School will fully cover Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition ($45,944).  The maximum combined NAOP and Law School PDST award for the 2025-26 academic year is $60,374.

If you are already receiving gift aid (law school merit, need, and/or a donor-based scholarship, GOFP), veteran’s tuition benefits and/or external scholarships that are tuition specific and the total of your gift aid is equal to or more than your UC systemwide tuition, Student Services Fees and Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition, then the Native American Opportunity Plan promise has been satisfied.  However, if your law school gift aid does not fully cover UC systemwide fees, Student Services Fees, and Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition, your Native American Opportunity Plan will cover the difference with additional funding. 

Examples:

1. Your gift aid is $61,000.  The Native American Opportunity Plan promise has been satisfied as your gift aid is greater than the NAOP award. 
2. Your gift aid is $20,000.  You would receive an additional aid amount of $40,374 under the Native American Opportunity Plan.
    

The tuition, fees and awards listed here are estimates based on existing amounts. These figures may not be final. Actual tuition, fees, and charges are subject to change and could be affected by state funding reductions.  

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 and/or 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

 

Deadline: June 30, 2025
SAIL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
The scholarship is awarded to a 2L student starting in the 2025 Fall Semester (current 1L students should apply) who has outstanding professional promise and leadership potential. he NAPABA Law Foundation will award from the SAIL Scholarship Fund at least one $7,500 scholarship each year, half of which would be distributed to the recipient in his or her second year of law school and the remainder of which would be distributed to the recipient in his or her third year of law school.  

Deadline: June 30, 2025
Jensen Truth, Justice, and Fairness Scholarship 
The Truth, Justice, and Fairness scholarship promises $2,500 to a student whose engagement with modern personal injury law benefits disenfranchised communities. As a law firm committed to obtaining justice and fair compensation for all, we want to help ease the financial burden of the next generation of students who are struggling to pay for their tuition.

Deadline: June 30, 2025
SAIL SCHOLARSHIP
The scholarship is awarded to a 2L student starting in the 2025 Fall Semester (current 1L students should apply) who has outstanding professional promise and leadership potential. The NAPABA Law Foundation will award from the SAIL Scholarship Fund at least one $7,500 scholarship each year, half of which would be distributed to the recipient in his or her second year of law school and the remainder of which would be distributed to the recipient in his or her third year of law school.

Deadline: July 1, 2025
REPRESENTING REAL PEOPLE SCHOLARSHIP
Patrick Malone & Associates is offering two scholarships of $5,000 each to law students committed to a career representing individuals.  We call this our “Representing Real People” scholarship. Our goal is to make a dent in the high cost of law school for students who want to represent individuals, to make it a little easier to choose such a career path.

Deadline: July 1, 2025
THE FINNEY INJURY LAW SCHOLARSHIP
The Finney Injury Law Scholarship empowers students to pursue their educational dreams. Cost, support, and guidance are often barriers preventing smart and driven individuals from seeking higher education. Our scholarship will help deserving students overcome those barriers, accomplish their educational goals, and prepare for a future in law. Two (2) individual $10,000 scholarship awards to be used towards tuition, books, housing, or LSAT course reimbursement.

Deadline: July 1, 2025
LAW SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP FOR VETERANS
Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick LTD awards an annual $1,500 scholarship to a deserving veteran enrolled in or accepted to a U.S. law school. Veterans of all branches of the U.S. military are eligible to apply (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard).

Deadline: July 3, 2025
Nancy de Ita Scholarship
The San Mateo County Bar Association’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee is pleased to announce its 2025 Nancy de Ita Scholarship. The scholarship is open to all incoming and currently registered law students. The Nancy de Ita Scholarship is given to an incoming/current law student, or recent graduate who has not passed the bar exam to encourage and support their commitment to the legal profession and diversify our community. Applicants must complete the application and submit a 1,000 word (max) essay on the topic “How Diversity Strengthens Our Profession.” The winner of the scholarship will be gifted $1500 in aid.

Deadline: July 12, 2025
ADAM Z. RICE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
CJF offers a need-based scholarship to aspiring law students in California through the Adam Z. Rice Memorial Scholarship. The CJF now has an incredible opportunity to continue Adam’s legacy and fulfill its mission, promote education, and make a lasting impact on future generations devoted to the rule of law and equal access to justice. The scholarship can gift up to $4000 in aid.

Deadline: July 26, 2025
SUTLIFF & STOUT LAW SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP CONTEST
The Sutliff & Stout Injury and Accident Law Firm is guided by the idea that everyone is entitled to high-quality legal representation, regardless of wealth or social status. In an effort to enable more students who have a passion for law to be able to pursue that passion, our Houston car accident attorney are offering an annual scholarship contest which will award a law student with a $1,500 award to be put toward his or her law school costs.

Deadline: August 4, 2025
ALFORD LAW PLLC STUDENTS IN NEEDSCHOLARSHIP
The Alford Law PLLC Student in Need Scholarship is designed to assist students facing financial challenges in their pursuit of higher education. The scholarship aims to support students who demonstrate a strong academic record, financial need, and a commitment to achieving their educational and career goals. Scholarship gifts students $2000 in aid.

Deadline: August 15, 2025
MORAL RESPONSIBILITY AND THE APPLICATION OF LAW SCHOLARSHIP
Koffel, Brininger, and Nesbitt Criminal & DUI Law Attorneys is excited to announce the annual Moral Responsibility and the Application of Law Scholarship, available to both undergraduate and graduate students. This scholarship promises $2,500 in financial support to a student whose critical thinking skills and personal dedication put them a step ahead of the rest.

Deadline: August 15, 2025
CHAMPION THE CAUSE LAW SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP
O’Connor, Parsons, Lane & Noble is pleased to announce our Annual Graduate School Scholarship. This $1,500 scholarship is open to law students attending or planning to attend law school in the United States. Scholarship money will go directly to the winner’s school and can cover school-related expenses.

Deadline: August 31, 2025
GERALD MILLER ASPIRING CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER LAW STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP
Gerald Miller PA. Is again thrilled to offer a $2500 scholarship to support law students who aspire to become criminal defense Lawyers. The purpose of The Aspiring Criminal Defense Lawyer Law Student Scholarship Is twofold. First to provide financial assistance to alleviate some of cost in attending law school and second to validate the law school students goals and aspirations of becoming a Criminal Defense lawyer.

Deadline: September 1, 2025
REDUCING DRUNK DRIVING IN OUR COMMUNITIES SCHOLARSHIP
As drunk driving remains a concern across communities today, Shelly Leeke Law Firm, LLC, wants to encourage students to devise creative ways to keep their communities safer. As such, Shelly Leeke Law Firm, LLC, is debuting its “Reducing Drunk Driving in Our Communities” Scholarship. This scholarship provides students with $2,500 of academic support based on the arguments for increased roadway safety they present in a 500- to 1,000-word article describing what means their communities could use to reduce instances of drunk driving.

Deadline: September 15, 2025
FINANCIAL EDUCATION PSA SCHOLARSHIP
The goal is to provide students with an outlet to educate their fellows in an area of financial literacy that interests them. You will write a public service announcement (PSA) addressed to your peers. Choose a topic related to financial literacy and craft a persuasive and informative PSA video according to the guidelines below. The winning submission, selected by our scholarship selection committee, will receive $1,500.

Deadline: September 15, 2025
FUTURE LAWYERS SCHOLARSHIP
Having dedicated our lives to the legal profession, the attorneys with Andrew Cores Family Law Group are excited to assist law students with expenses related to their college education. Each semester, the firm is offering an aspiring or current law student the opportunity to win $2,000 through the Andrew Cores Family Law Group Future Lawyers Scholarship.

Deadline: September 15, 2025
END TO STIGMA WITHIN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM SCHOLARSHIP
The End to Stigma Within the Justice System Scholarship offers $2,500 to a student who thinks critically about how stigma impacts the pursuit of justice. Winston Law intends to use this scholarship to encourage the next generation to think critically about the ways they and their peers can work to reduce the stigma that parties pursuing justice face in court.

Deadline: September 15, 2025
ADAMSON AHDOOT LLP SCHOLARSHIP GRANT
Many face significant financial burdens while pursuing higher education, so we started an initiative to help aspiring lawyers overcome these challenges and achieve their dreams. The Adamson Ahdoot LLP scholarship grant is our opportunity to assist students who need financial support. Five aspiring attorneys will receive $5,000 each, amounting to $25,000.

Deadline: October 1, 2025
ANIDJAR & LEVINE COMMUNITY SERVICE SCHOLARSHIP
The Law Firm of Anidjar & Levine will award a $2,500 scholarship to the student who best demonstrates the relationship between their community service and future career goals and ambitions. We encourage all students who serve their community to apply for the Anidjar & Levine Community Service Scholarship and keep giving back to your community!

Deadline: October 1, 2025
UPLIFTING COMMUNITIES’ SCHOLARSHIP
The Law Office of Donald L. Bell are providing $1500 scholarship available to undergraduates and graduates of any major and aims to support individuals dedicated to uplifting underserved communities.

Deadline: October 1, 2025
FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP
Attorney David Kadzai appreciates the resilience and hard work it takes to become a first-generation college student. He hopes to alleviate some of the stress and difficulty of this journey by offering financial assistance to students. His law firm established Kadzai Law Group, LLC First Generation College Student Scholarship to make higher education more attainable for those who are embarking on this journey. The First Generation Student Scholarship  provides a $2500 in aid.

Deadline: November 1, 2025
FRIEDMAN & SIMON, L.L.P. 2025
As part of that goal to supply young people with resources for success, Friedman & Simon, L.L.P. created a scholarship to help a devoted and deserving student attend college. Friedman & Simon, L.L.P. awards an annual $1,500 academic-based scholarship to a deserving student who is pursuing a higher education at an accredited college or university.

Deadline: November 1, 2025
ROBERT A. MCNEW LAW STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP 
The Robert A. McNew Law Student Scholarship promotes the practice of federal law by annually awarding at least one scholarship of $5,000 to a law student attending an ABA accredited law school who also is an Federal Bar Association (FBA) student associate member or has an interest in federal practice.

Deadline: November 15, 2025.
White Law Paying it Forward Scholarship
White Law wants to use this scholarship to encourage students who might not otherwise pursue an academic degree to both chase their dreams and use their new skill sets to aid others in need. The firm is set to offer $2,500 in scholarship funds to students who submitted videos detailing their plans for the future to the appropriate parties.

Deadline: November 30, 2025
THE EMERY | REDDY LEGAL STUDIES SCHOLARSHIP
Our mission to help and empower workers extends beyond our commitment to help them with their Washington state L&I claims or employment or labor law matters. We are proud to empower the next generation of workers by offering annual scholarships to students in pursuit of higher education. Emery | Reddy, PLLC awards a total of $5,000

Deadline: December 1, 2025
TRUCK ACCIDENT AWARENESS SCHOLARSHIP
The Fitch Law Firm is awarding a Truck Accident Awareness Scholarship to a promising college student who can share solutions for helping reduce trucking accidents on our roads. The $2,500 academic award can go toward tuition, books, and other education-related expenses.

Deadline: December 1, 2025
INVESTOR FRAUD AWARENESS SCHOLARSHIP
The Law Office of Robert Wayne Pearce is offering a scholarship to deserving undergraduate and graduate students with an interest in learning about investment fraud for the fourth consecutive year. The hope is that this scholarship will not only help financially but educate younger generations about the “The Pros and Cons of Investing in Real Estate Investment Trusts.” so they can invest with confidence. The winner for the scholarship will be gifted up to $2500 in aid.

Deadline: December 2, 2025
WELLS CALL INJURY LAWYERS LAW SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP
At Wells Call Injury Lawyers, we believe that everyone deserves a chance to pursue a higher education, regardless of background. In order to help more students who are passionate about law and helping others in the industry, Wells Call Injury Lawyers are sponsoring a law school scholarship. Students who are pursuing law degrees are able to win a $2,500 scholarship to put towards their law school education. 

Deadline: Varies Depending on Scholarship
AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS FOR YOUNG LAWYERS AND LAW STUDENTS
We know every little bit helps when you’re trying to pay for law school. That’s why several ABA groups offer scholarships for law students. Scholarship amounts vary.

Deadline: See website
GLORIA BARRON WILDERNESS SOCIETY SCHOLARSHIP
The Gloria Barron Wilderness Society Scholarship seeks to encourage individuals who have the potential to make a significant positive difference in understanding wilderness and how to protect it. The scholarship is available to current qualified graduate students. It was created in honor of Gloria Barron, a dedicated educator and tireless advocate for wilderness protection. Two separate awards of $25,000 each will be given to two graduate students to support their research and preparation of a paper on an aspect of wilderness.

---

Attention Scholarship Donors: All submitted scholarship offers are reviewed, and if a scholarship is deemed as a possible good fit for our student population the offer will be posted on either our intranet (students only) or our external website. Due to the volume of requests, we are unable to respond to individual inquiries regarding the posting of scholarships.

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

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a government form which enables the school to determine students' eligibility for federal loans (Direct Unsubsidized and Graduate PLUS). The FAFSA must be completed each year by all who wish to be considered for federal financial aid at UCLA.

Completing the FAFSA online reduces errors and improves turnaround time. You can do this by going to studentaid.gov. Request that a copy of the FAFSA be released to UCLA by indicating our school code: 001315.

The FAFSA should be submitted as early as possible after January 1. Admitted students who file a FAFSA will receive an electronic Provisional Award Letter (ePAL) in late March. Students filing applications after late March will receive an ePAL on a rolling basis.

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.

William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan

The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan program enables qualified graduate and professional students to receive up to $20,500 in a federally guaranteed loan. For the 2024-25 academic year, the Direct Unsubsidized Loan has an interest rate of 8.08 percent, and a loan fee of 1.057 percent for loans disbursed before October 1, 2025. The federal government will automatically deducted the loan fee from each disbursement; therefore, your original (gross) amount requested and the disbursed (net) amount will differ.

The student is responsible for the interest, which accrues immediately upon disbursement. Repayment begins six months after graduation or upon dropping below half-time enrollment.

All applicants must submit a FAFSA in order to be considered. Once the FAFSA has been processed and the data has been received by UCLA, the borrower will receive an electronic Financial Aid Notification (eFAN) indicating the types and the amounts of financial aid offered.

The U.S. Department of Education allows all eligible recipients to receive a lifetime amount of $138,500, including Undergraduate and Graduate Federal Loans. However, no more than $65,500 can come from the Federal Subsidized Loan.

Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan

Graduate and professional students are allowed to borrow through a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS (GPLUS) Loan. For the 2024-25 academic year; the GPLUS loan has an interest rate of 9.08 percent, and a loan fee of 4.228 percent for loans disbursed before October 1, 2025. The federal government will automatically deduct the loan fee from each disbursement; therefore, your original (gross) amount requested and the disbursed (net) amount will differ.

The GPLUS Loan does not have annual or aggregate loan limits (other than the cost of attendance less other financial aid) but requires a credit review. Just as with the Direct Unsubsidized Loan, GPLUS borrowers are eligible for an in-school deferment if they are enrolled at least half-time. The GPLUS has the same payment options, the same deferments and forbearances, and the same cancellation provisions as a Direct Unsubsidized Loan. The student is responsible for the interest, which accrues immediately upon disbursement. Repayment begins six months after graduation or upon dropping below half-time enrollment.

All applicants must submit a FAFSA in order to be considered. Once the FAFSA has been processed and the data has been received by UCLA, the borrower will receive an electronic Financial Aid Notification (eFAN) indicating the types and the amounts of financial aid offered.

How is APR different than an interest rate?

In most cases, you have seen APR (Annual Percentage Rate) related to private loans, car loans and your credit card. What you are being charged for your loan isn’t actually just an interest rate; it’s really the APR. So, what is the APR?

The APR is the annual cost of your loan. It includes the interest rate and certain fees. In order to accurately compare the cost of loans, you should always compare the APRs rather than just the interest rates.

---

Entrance Counseling

Important! All first-time federal loan borrowers at UCLA need to be informed about borrowers’ rights and responsibilities. Law students will satisfy this requirement by completing an online Entrance Counseling Session. This can be accomplished by reviewing the counseling session materials and taking an online quiz. All quiz results are transmitted electronically to the UCLA Student Loan Services and Collections Office.

Please be sure to indicate "UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles" as your institution when registering your account to ensure that you are directed to the entrance exam.

Failure to follow through with this requirement will delay disbursement of your eligible Federal Direct Loan proceeds.

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.

• 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, effective January 2025, alumni with incomes up to $80,000 may have their entire eligible loan payments fully covered. Applicants with incomes up to $120,000 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.