Scholarships and Financial Aid (LL.M. and S.J.D.)

Dean’s Scholarships

The Law School awards a small number of Dean’s Scholarships to exceptional LL.M. candidates, in recognition of their academic and professional achievements and potential for outstanding contributions to academia, public service, or the legal profession. The highly selective Dean’s Scholarships are the most prestigious awards granted by the Law School to LL.M. candidates. In making these awards, the Law School devotes particular attention to candidates’ academic and professional records, personal statements, and demonstrated commitment to academic excellence, leadership, and service.
 

Financial Aid

The Law School also awards financial aid in the form of grants to some LL.M. candidates.

If you receive a financial aid grant, it will not cover your tuition and living expenses. Generally, our financial aid grants, when given, cover less than one-third of the cost of tuition. University regulations do not permit “waivers” of tuition. We cannot provide assistance for all deserving applicants, and funds must be allocated on the basis of comparative merit and financial need. Most students must therefore expect to meet their expenses from other sources. Applicants from abroad are encouraged to contact the educational attaché at the U.S. Embassy or consulate in their home country for assistance that may be available under the Fulbright or similar programs.

The Law School does not offer financial aid to S.J.D. students.

Applicants requesting financial aid should provide detailed and accurate information regarding their finances and, where applicable, the finances of their spouses or parents. In calculating the amount of financial aid to be requested, it is important to distinguish “wants” from “needs” and to apply only for that amount of aid that is actually needed to attend the Law School.

Any award of financial aid from the School of Law is tentative. If you receive an outside award, you are required to notify the Graduate Program of any changes in your financial situation. Any award from the University of Virginia may be reduced or withdrawn completely due to a change in your financial situation.

The employment status of foreign students is closely regulated by U.S. immigration laws. Students with F-1 status may seek limited employment on campus under certain conditions and with the approval of the chair of the Graduate Program Committee. In any case, Law School policy prohibits employment of more than 20 hours per week. The Law School does not have teaching fellowships. Some students may be able to receive limited compensation as research assistants for individual faculty members or from working in the law library. These positions are not available through the Graduate Studies Office but must be individually arranged after the student has completed registration at the Law School.

Admissions decisions are made without regard to requests for financial assistance. Awards are generally made only after an applicant has responded with interest to an offer of admission.


Loans

Financial assistance through the Federal Direct Loan Program is available only to citizens and permanent residents of the United States.   To inquire about possible loan opportunities for international students, please contact the Law School’s Financial Aid Office at financialaid@law.virginia.edu.

Tuition and Fees
 

GRADUATE STUDIES OFFICE
University of Virginia School of Law
580 Massie Road
Charlottesville, Virginia 22903-1738

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Telephone: (434) 924-3154
Fax: (434) 982-6682
e-mail: graduatestudies@law.virginia.edu