LL.M. Program Scholarships and Financial Aid

When it comes to financing your pursuit of an LL.M. degree, there are a number of options to consider for securing funding. While the list of options below is not exhaustive, it provides links to a variety of resources for learning about scholarship, fellowship, grant, and loan opportunities through private, non-profit and governmental sources. International students are encouraged to seek financial aid funds from additional sources in their home countries. Consider contacting the U.S. embassy or consulate in your home country to inquire about sponsoring organizations and agencies.

  • UCLA School of Law Resources

    Dean's Tuition Fellowship Awards

    All applicants receive full consideration for our very limited number of Dean's Tuition Fellowship awards. No application is necessary; grantees will be notified by the LL.M. Program after receiving their offer of admission. Awards are granted on both a need-based and merit-based basis. In the "Finances" section of the online LL.M. Program application, you are welcome to bring to the Graduate Studies Committee's attention any information that will assist the committee in making a determination regarding a financial aid award.

    Law Library Research Assistants Program

    Research Assistants are occasionally hired to help law professors with their research needs. Students typically work 10 hours per week for a rate of approximately $25.00 per hour. Successful candidates must demonstrate academic excellence as well as research proficiency. The number of positions available in a given year is dependent on the needs of the faculty, and thus is highly variable. In some years, there may be no open positions. Openings for Research Assistant positions are posted with the Office of Career Services, and applications are accepted after the start of the academic year in August.

  • Financial Aid Resources for U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents

    StudentAid

    StudentAid is a resource from the U.S. Department of Education's office of Federal Student Aid .

    FinAid

    FinAid provides detailed information about scholarships, loans, military aid, and other funding opportunities for U.S. students seeking financial assistance for graduate study.

    Gould & Jefferson of Beverly Hills Scholarship

    Gould & Jefferson of Beverly Hills offers a $2,500 scholarship for students experiencing financial strain. Candidates must demonstrate financial need, provide proof of academic excellence, and complete an essay on one of three available prompts. Both international and domestic students are eligible for consideration.


    Educational Loan Information

    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.

    You can submit a FAFSA by going to studentaid.gov. Request that a copy of the FAFSA be released to UCLA by indicating our school code: 001315. The FAFSA may be submitted after January 1. 

    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 2022-23 academic year, the Direct Unsubsidized Loan has an interest rate of 6.54 percent and a loan fee of 1.057 percent for loans disbursed before October 1, 2023. 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 2022-23 academic year; the GPLUS loan has an interest rate of 7.54 percent and a loan fee of 4.228 percent for loans disbursed before October 1, 2023. 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.


    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.

  • Financial Aid Resources for International Students

    Please note that the outside funding organizations listed below are not affiliated with or endorsed by UCLA School of Law.

    eduPASS
    EduPASS provides financial aid information for international students who plan to pursue higher education in the U.S. This site presents information about how to calculate college costs, scholarships and loans for international students, and other tools and resources for financing education as a foreign student in the U.S.

    Fulbright Foreign Student Program
    The Fulbright Foreign Student Program brings citizens of other countries to the United States for Master’s degree or Ph.D. study at U.S. universities or other appropriate institutions. Foreign students apply for Fulbright Fellowships through the Fulbright Commission/Foundation or U.S. Embassy in their home countries.

    Gould & Jefferson of Beverly Hills Scholarship
    Gould & Jefferson of Beverly Hills offers a $2,500 scholarship for students experiencing financial strain. Candidates must demonstrate financial need, provide proof of academic excellence, and complete an essay on one of three available prompts. Both international and domestic students are eligible for consideration.

    Institute of International Education
    IIE offers foreign students a toolkit of resources for funding study in the U.S., with a focus on sources such as the Fulbright Program, Education USA, and Funding For U.S. Study.

    IIE PEER
    The Institute of International Education (IIE) and the Catalyst Foundation for Universal Education together have launched the IIE Platform for Education in Emergencies Response (IIE-PEER). This platform serves as an online clearinghouse that connects displaced and refugee students with educational opportunities, scholarships, and language learning or online courses in numerous countries across the globe to provide continued access to formal and informal higher education.

    internationalstudentloan.com
    InternationalStudentLoan.com provides financial aid resources, articles, videos, and comparison tools to help students navigate their financial aid options. The site offers loan information for international students pursuing study in the U.S.

    International Student
    International Student serves as a resource for international students who will be entering and living in the U.S. Along with immigration, visa, and health insurance information, the site provides foreign students seeking guidance regarding financial aid and study in the U.S. with an overview of scholarship sources, how to create a budget, loans, and other related assistance.

    International Student Organization in the USA (ISO)
    ISO provides a detailed list of organizations which offer scholarships and grants to international students based upon factors such as background and area of interest.

    Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.) International
    The P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship (IPS) provides scholarships up to $12,500 for women from other countries for full-time graduate study in the U.S. and Canada.

    Postgrad Solutions Global LL.M. Study Bursary
    Postgrad Solutions offers 10 global and U.S. LL.M. study bursaries per year of £500 each to domestic, international, and UK students who have been accepted to an LL.M. Program in the U.S. or abroad. Eligible candidates must have already accepted an offer at the chosen institution where they intend to pursue the LL.M.

    UCLA Lender List
    A list of private loan lenders.  Click on "International" for program type.

    University of California Code of Conduct in Regard to Preferred Lender Arrangements
    The UC code of conduct for preferred lenders. Note: International students would select “International” under program type.

    Asia

    Bridgat Technology Limited
    The Bridgat Scholarship Program awards merit-based funds in the form of a one-time $6,500 scholarship to graduate students pursuing an advanced degree (either masters or doctoral) in any subject at an accredited U.S. institution. Eligible candidates must be citizens of an Asian country.

    Belgium

    The Belgium American Educational Foundation (BAEF)
    BAEF offers non-renewable grants to Belgian citizens for one academic year of graduate study in the U.S. The Foundation will pay up to $30,000 for tuition and health insurance at a U.S. institution and $18,000 to cover living and travel expenses.

    Brazil

    Fundação Estudar
    Fundação Estudar offers scholarships to Brazilian nationals and citizens who want to further their education by pursuing undergraduate or graduate study in Brazil and abroad.

    Instituto Ling
    Instituto Ling/EAGV-LLM offers partial scholarships to Brazilians who have been accepted to an LL.M. Program in the U.S. or Europe and can demonstrate a need for funding. Individual amounts of funding vary, but a typical award is approximately $5,000 to $25,000.

    Canada

    Aide Financière Aux Études
    Aide Financière Aux Études provides Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are residents of Quebec with financial assistance for full-time study at an educational institution in or outside of Quebec through the Loans and Bursaries Program. Funding is provided in the form of loans or bursaries in varying amounts.

    Government of Canada
    Scholarships for graduate level study/research offered to Canadians wishing to study abroad.

    Czech Republic

    Bakala Foudnation Scholarship
    Financial support to highly-achieving Czech students looking to study abroad. Eligibility: prospective students seeking an integrated bachelor's or master's programs at a leading university abroad. Student must have Czech citizenship or a permanent residence permit in the Czech Republic and be no older than 33 years of age at the time of application.

    The Kellner Family Foundation
    Grants available for Czech students to use towards tuition fees, and costs of living such as apartment rent, books and other necessities.

    Nadace Sophia
    This foundation focuses on supporting talented students in their university studies of Economics and Law.

    Nadace Nadání Dání Josefa, Marie A Zdeňky Hlávkovych
    See webpage for further details.

    Region-Specific Scholarships

    Fond Renesance
    Scholarships available for Czech students from Ústí nad Labem.
    Ostrava Region Scholarships
    Scholarships available for Czech university students from Ostrava region.
    Olomouc Region Scholarships
    Scholarships available for Czech for high-school and university students from Olomouc region.

    Prague Scholarships
    Scholarships available for Prague high school and university students.

    Světluška Scholarship
    For Czech students with visual impairments.

    Finland

    Finlandia Foundation National P.J.C. Lindfors Legal Studies Fund
    The P.J.C. Lindfors Legal Scholarship is open to citizens of Finland who have applied to, been accepted to, or enrolled in an ABA-approved law school. Typical awards are offered in the amount of $1,000 - $3,000.

    France

    White & Case Annual Business Law Scholarship
    White & Case awards an annual €40,000 scholarship (split among three students) to economically disadvantaged law students interested in study abroad. This scholarship is unique among law firms in Paris.

    Germany

    Brain Capital: The LL.M. Education Fund
    The LL.M. Education Fund offers income-based repayment financing options to cover tuition fees and living expenses for LL.M. studies. German students seeking to pursue an LL.M. degree abroad are eligible, and applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Fund recipients receive financial support to cover their program fees and living expenses, and income-based repayment will begin after graduation from the LL.M. program.

    Italy

    ASLA-ALMA Joint Scholarship
    ASLA (Association of Italian Law Firms) and ALMA (Italian LL.M. Association) jointly award two €5,000 scholarships per year to Italian law graduates seeking to pursue an LL.M. at a U.S. law school.

    Italian Student Loan Fund (Fondo per Studenti Italiani)
    The fund offers financial aid to Italian university graduates who wish to attend a post-graduate course (master or Ph.D.) in the U.S. Financing is awarded at a maximum of €20,000.

    Los Angeles County Italian-American Lawyers Association (IALA) 
    IALA has annually awarded this $3,000 scholarship since its founding in the 1970s, principally to advance Italian-American lawyers onto the bench.

    Latin America and the Caribbean

    COLFUTURO
    COLFUTURO provides Colombian citizens seeking postgraduate study abroad with scholarship loans of up to $25,000 per year for a maximum study period of two years through the "Crédito Beca" program.

    The Rowe Fund (Organization of American States)
    The Rowe Fund helps qualified citizens from Latin America and Caribbean OAS Member States finance their studies across the U.S. with awards of interest-free loans of up to $15,000.

    Netherlands

    WilWeg
    WilWeg lists a variety of scholarship programs for study abroad, including the Holland Scholarship and others administered by EP-NufficStudy in Holland provides a comprehensive database of grant and scholarship opportunities, within which candidates may search on the basis of awards covering the field of law. The Beursopener search engine additionally provides a listing of over 250 grants and scholarships for Dutch students seeking internships, research opportunities, and positions abroad.

    Scandinavia

    American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF)
    ASF offers funding to citizens of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, or Sweden to pursue study or research programs (typically at the graduate level) in the U.S. for up to one year.

    NORAM Scholarships
    The Norway-America Association offers stipends to Norwegian citizens for graduate study and research in the U.S. in the amount of $2,000 to $20,000. Up to 35 scholarships are awarded each year, and a maximum of two grants may be received from NORAM for Master's and Ph.D. studies in the U.S.

    Scotland

    St. Andrew’s Society of the State of New York
    The Society provides funding in the amount of $20,000 to $30,000 for two Scottish graduate students to study in the U.S. per year. Funds should be used initially against tuition, then board, transportation and other expenses.

    Singapore

    Kathryn Aguirre Worth Memorial Scholarship
    Established with support from White & Case, Standard Chartered Bank, and other donors in Singapore and New York, the scholarship is open to National University of Singapore (NUS) LL.B. graduates who plan to pursue an LL.M. degree at an accredited U.S. law school. The scholarship provides a stipend of up to $15,000.

    Spain

    Fundación Rafael del Pino
    This foundation provides limited scholarships per year for Spanish students who plan to pursue graduate-level study in Spain or abroad.

    Ukraine

    WorldWideStudies Scholarship
    The Victor Pinchuk Foundation's WorldWideStudies Scholarship offers grant awards covering 60% of expenses required to complete a Master's degree abroad up to $30,000. Eligible candidates must be Ukrainian citizens under the age of 35 at the time of enrollment in the degree program.

    United Kingdom

    British Universities North America Club (BUNAC)
    BUNAC Educational Scholarship Trust (BEST) scholarships offer financial assistance to UK passport holders seeking to undertake postgraduate study in the U.S. or Canada. Individual award amounts vary, but a typical award is in the amount of approximately £5,000 to £10,000.

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