Scholarship and Funding Opportunities

CUNY LAW SCHOLARSHIP CONSIDERATION AND CRITERIA

At CUNY School of Law, we believe attending law school shouldn’t be cost-prohibitive. We strive to make law school affordable by offering tuition that is the most affordable in New York State and among the lowest in the country. New York’s investment in CUNY’s public education system means that while you’re receiving an education from the number one public interest law school in the country, you’re also setting yourself up for better financial outcomes as you begin your career.

Expanding access to legal education is part of our mission, and scholarship dollars are meant to defray a portion of your tuition costs. Affordability – along with recruitment strategies created to admit a diverse student body – is central to our mission. With these priorities as our touchstones, we’ve made all scholarships need-based.

The Breaking Barriers Scholarship will be awarded on a rolling basis to students who are committed to a career in public interest law, have substantial public interest experience, have overcome obstacles, and will contribute to the overall diversity of the entering class. CUNY School of Law recognizes adversity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, (dis)ability, and socio-economic or geographic backgrounds as some of the ways that a student can contribute to making our campus more inclusive and rewarding for everyone. It is our hope that these scholarships will also help broaden the scope of individuals practicing in the legal world for generations to come.

Due to the high volume of deserving applicants and very limited funding available for scholarships, we strongly recommend that you apply by the January 1, 2024 scholarship priority deadline to ensure your best chances of receiving a scholarship. While we, unfortunately, are unable to award scholarships to every deserving candidate, additional funds may be available to apply for later in your studies in forms other than direct tuition assistance, such funding for otherwise unpaid summer fellowships.

To fully capture the needs, experiences, and hardships that make up the complexity of life, we have crafted a scholarship section within the 1L application as a means of collecting qualitative and quantitative information that will aid the scholarship sub-committee in determining financial need. We understand that this section may ask for personal information that may feel invasive, and you are welcome to input as much or as little information as you are comfortable. No questions in this section are required. The information collected in this section will remain completely confidential and used for the sole purpose of assessing financial need in support of scholarship determination once a student is already admitted.

Applicants may submit the following for consideration by the Admissions Committee to strengthen their request for CUNY Law’s need-based scholarship:

  • Upload an addendum to your application explaining your need for financial assistance that addresses the following prompts (please feel free to respond to each question individually or in a more structured narrative):
    • Have you faced, or are you facing, economic hardship through the course of your life (as a child and/or as an adult)?
    • Have you ever experienced housing insecurity throughout the course of your life (as a child and/or as an adult)?
    • Have you experienced food insecurity throughout the course of your life (as a child and/or as an adult)?
    • Please describe what receiving a $24,000 scholarship ($8000/year for full-time students; $6000/year for part-time students) would mean to you. 

The Admissions Committee considers your application, supporting documents that determine the extent of your commitment to public interest, and your financial need. The Committee focuses on the commitment to a career in public interest law, substantive public interest experience, and response to obstacles often created by systemic oppression, ableism, racism, and other ways the law and society affect opportunity and resources. The Committee also assesses potential contribution to the overall diversity of the entering class and community. CUNY Law recognizes adversity, sexual identity, gender ID/expression, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic and geographic backgrounds as just some of the ways that a student can contribute to representation, diversity, and inclusivity in our community and the legal field, which we see as a vital element for transformative justice and equality.

Those who applied on or before the Scholarship Priority Deadline of January 1 will be prioritized. The final selection process may include an interview and/or request for additional documents. Scholarship funding is limited and will be awarded on a rolling basis.

EXTERNAL SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

We understand that our affordable tuition can still be a barrier to some. Due to our commitment to having low tuition for all, scholarship funds are limited and will only be awarded to those who demonstrate tremendous financial need and a commitment to public interest law. To further assist you, below are some external funding opportunities for your legal education.

FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION AND RESOURCES

Navigating financial aid and budget for this new journey in your life isn’t easy. We encourage you to contact our Financial Aid Office at financialaidoffice@law.cuny.edu. They are here to help you!

AccessLex is a wonderful resource recommended by our Financial Aid Office. MAX by AccessLex is a free financial education program designed specifically for law students. Their Student Loan Calculator tool is excellent to use before, during, and after starting law school at CUNY.

To better serve you, we’ve compiled a list of useful information and resources you can find on our main website.