FREE LAW SCHOOL

Introduction

Pursuing a law degree needs a significant financial commitment. After accounting for living expenses, tuition, fees, and other charges, the average law school debt taken on by law is more than $100,000. “How to pay for law school?” is one of the most important concerns that prospective students must consider. 

The good news is that options exist for attending law school at little or no cost through scholarships, grants, and financial assistance programs. This article covers a list of free schools that offer full scholarships and tips to minimize debt and access funds to go to law school for free.

Navigating Law School Cost Relative to Salary Potential

Deciding whether law school is a worthwhile investment means comparing the cost to your predicted income afterward. That’s why asking questions like “What to do after law school?” and “How much do lawyers make out of law school?” matters tremendously.

Law school tuition varies greatly depending on whether you attend a public or private school and if you are an in-state resident. This impacts what the cost of attending will be.

In-state students at public law schools have the lowest average tuition at around $29,610 per year. Out-of-state students pay more at public schools – their average is $42,754 annually. Private law schools are the most expensive. The typical tuition at a private law school is $53,034 per year. That’s almost double what in-state students pay for public law programs.

Make sure to also include in your budget other expenses, such as rent, food, books, tools, transportation, health insurance, and other charges. Thoughtfully projecting post-grad salaries against the total investment in your legal education steers you away from scenarios of excessive debt relative to earnings. And researching ways to reduce costs through free law school programs or scholarships is a big help. 

Best Paying Legal Jobs

The legal profession offers some of the highest-paying careers out there for those who put in the work to get the proper education and training. 

Job Title	Average Salary Range
Banking Attorney	$212,500-$237,500
Trademark Attorney	$133,500-$226,500
Energy Attorney	$97,000-$205,500
Corporate Associate	$46,000-$202,000
Principal Investigator	$86,000-$200,000
Privacy Attorney	$132,500-$196,500
Chief Legal Officer	$125,000-$195,500
General Counsel	$108,500-$190,000
Bankruptcy Attorney	$76,500-$187,000
Corporate Counsel	$130,000-$183,500
Employee Benefits Attorney	$88,500-$180,000
Patent Attorney	$112,000-$175,000
Corporate Lawyer	$103,000-$174,000
In House Counsel	$118,500-$172,000
Contracts Director	$99,500-$171,500
Real Estate Attorney	$91,500-$171,500
Mergers and Acquisitions Attorney	$134,000-$170,500
Employment Attorney	$102,000-$170,500
Legal Entity Controller	$100,000-$170,000
Deputy General Counsel	$111,500-$167,000
Commercial Litigation Attorney	$110,500-$166,000
Regulatory Attorney	$100,000-$166,000
Workers Compensation Attorney	$100,000-$163,500
Workers Compensation Defense Attorney	$105,500-$163,000
Managing Attorney	$108,500-$161,500

Top 10 Law Schools in the United States with Full-Ride Scholarships

In the United States, many programs from law schools provide free tuition through full-ride law school scholarships. If you are qualified, these full-ride law school scholarships make attending law school affordable by covering your entire cost of attendance, leaving you responsible only for your living expenses and necessary resources for law school.

Here are 10 schools where exceptional applicants can potentially attend law school for free via full-ride scholarships:

• UCLA School of Law
• Duke Law School
• New York University Law School
• The University of Pennsylvania Law School
• Boston University Law School
• The University of Virginia Law School
• Arizona State University Law School
• The University of Texas Law School
• Washington University Law
• University of Chicago Law School

Free tuition law school is possible even at top U.S. programs if you stand out as a candidate. By highlighting your strengths and financial needs, you can potentially attend an elite law school without taking on debt.

List of Free Law Schools Outside US

If you’ve ever asked “Can you go to law school for free?” – the answer is yes, even outside the United States. Here are three tuition-free law schools in Europe that allow you to earn a top legal education and fulfill travel aspirations:

• University of Bergen (Norway) 

This public university provides free tuition, even for international students. They offer a Master of Laws graduate program taught fully in English. You need existing bachelor’s credits to qualify for admission.

• Heidelberg University (Germany) 

Heidelberg lets German students attend tuition-free and charges international students around $3,000 USD annually – still far cheaper than the U.S. It carries prestige as a major research institution.

• Arctic University of Norway (UiT) 

UiT’s law curriculum showcases environmental law. Attending this tuition-free law school lets you graduate debt-free while positioning yourself as an eco-law expert.

The bottom line is that law school free tuition is achievable in Europe. These universities blend affordability with quality academics, travel opportunities, and specialized legal focus areas. Each provides an elite yet budget-friendly path to your law degree abroad.

How to Go to Law School for Free

Attending law school without incurring massive debt is doable with the appropriate financial strategies. What is the cheapest way to go to law school? It requires a multiple approach – applying for aid, leveraging school benefits, exploring alternative paths, and researching affordable programs worldwide.

Aside from free law schools, here are the possible options you can do to lessen cost and fund your education:

Attending Lower-Ranking Law Schools for Higher Scholarships

Applying to respectable but lower-ranked law schools can pay off tremendously in scholarship money, especially if get a perfect score on the LSAT. Schools want to attract standout candidates and will entice them with generous aid offers. Graduating from a non-Top 50 institution with little to no debt still allows you to land well-paying legal jobs if you excel academically.

Another option to reduce law school costs is attending an institution that offers a 2-year law school program. Although these accelerated programs are rigorous and demanding, they allow students to enter the workforce faster, thereby reducing the total tuition expenses and opportunity costs associated with longer programs. 

Working for Law Firms with Tuition Reimbursement

Can you work while in law school? Seeking out law firms and organizations with robust tuition reimbursement programs for employees can be a strategic move. You offset the high expense of law school by getting the company to cover some or all of the cost while also gaining valuable professional experience. Some even reimburse in exchange for a commitment to stay on staff for a certain timeframe after earning your degree.

Applying for Fee Waivers

If money is extremely tight, request  LSAC fee waivers to write off the costs of vital exam and application expenses. Also, if you score exceptionally on the LSAT itself, schools may take notice and send unsolicited waivers your way. Saving hundreds on logistical fees provides relief.

Leverage Every Scholarship and Grant Opportunity

Funding a law degree through law school scholarships and grants can hugely minimize debt from loans. Opportunities exist across the spectrum – some cater to academic excellence, others to promoting diversity, some to specific practice interests, and others to financial need.

For instance, the ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund grants $15,000 distributed over three years to applicants from diverse backgrounds pursuing public interest law. Or 7Sage’s $7,000 scholarship for those winners chosen from two short essay prompts. 

Many state and local bar associations provide grants – tap your network for insights on these. Beyond diversity and academics, flaunting financial need through essays and FAFSA forms can unlock university funding and private hardship scholarships. Be persistent and creative in hunting down every scholarship and grant option possible to avoid debt.

Look Into Loan Repayment Assistance Programs

Loan debt should not deter you from pursuing a career in public interest law. Many top law schools have adopted Loan Repayment Assistance Programs (LRAPs) allowing graduates to work without being crushed by debt. These programs provide grants to cover monthly payments over a set timeline so you aren’t squeezed by loans while earning a nonprofit or public sector salary.

For example, Stanford Law’s LRAP forgives law school loans over 10 years for grads working full-time in public interest legal positions. The more years you commit, the higher the percentage they cover. NYU and Harvard also have generous LRAPs on a sliding scale – the less you earn annually in your public interest role, the more assistance granted to repay school loans each month. Other schools like Duke, Penn, and Berkeley do the same.

The eligibility details and repayment schedules differ across schools but the purpose is united – make public service careers viable for grads by lifting the burden of debt. LRAPs change the equation so you can take that non-profit or government legal role advocating for needy clients without loans forcing you toward corporate law.

Military Service Commitments

Funding law school through military service is a strategic move for some prospective students. Military tuition assistance programs can cover 100% of your law degree costs in exchange for a return commitment of 3-6 years on active duty post-graduation.

While that is a substantial commitment, the benefits also prove worthwhile financially and beyond. You eliminate worrying about debt while gaining invaluable life and leadership abilities that distinguish you later as a job seeker. The skills built around discipline, grit under stress, problem-solving, legal ethics, teamwork, and communication serve any legal career exceptionally.

Strategies To Go To Law School For Free

Attending law school without incurring enormous student debt is doable with proper planning, diligence, and perseverance. While nothing is assured, implementing several important methods might increase your chances of receiving free or significantly reduced tuition.

Ace The LSAT

Many law schools offer lucrative merit-based scholarships and grants for students with standout LSAT scores. To become an appealing candidate for these full or near full-ride awards, meticulously prepare for the LSAT exam. Investing ample time and effort into LSAT prep can yield huge dividends financially.

Inserting expert guidance can also give your LSAT prep a vital boost. Enrolling in comprehensive courses and working one-on-one with seasoned tutors can help you achieve a higher level of LSAT mastery. 

• LSAT Prep Course

Unlock your path to a tuition-free law school with our LSAT Prep Course, designed to maximize your scores and secure your admission. Our Test Prep LSAT Prep Courses systematically build skills across all LSAT sections through online or in-person instruction, thousands of real LSAT questions to practice, timed practice tests, and more. Their expert instructors help equip students with robust knowledge spanning LSAT logic, strategies, and tactics.

• LSAT Tutoring

Let our LSAT Tutoring service guide you towards success, ensuring you stand out in the competitive admissions process for free law schools. You can also choose to work one-on-one with an LSAT tutor to get personalized insight that meets your needs. They identify weaker areas through diagnostic exams, supply tailored drills, teach time-saving test tips, and boost confidence heading into the stressful exam day. 

Maintain a Strong Undergraduate GPA

While LSAT performance factors more heavily into law school admissions and scholarships, your college grades still matter. Strive for the highest GPA realistically feasible through good study habits and time management. Some schools do award small scholarships for outstanding GPAs alone.

Apply Broadly to Maximize Options

Applying to numerous law schools increases the chances of receiving fee waivers, acceptance offers, and scholarship packages to then compare. Attend lower-cost informational events to research each school thoroughly. Tailor details in supplemental application components to strongly convey why you are an ideal fit at each respective institution and invested in attending if offered adequate aid. 

Negotiate Scholarship Offers

If scholarship amounts initially awarded do not suffice to meet near or full-tuition goals, professionally negotiate by highlighting your enthusiasm to attend along with accomplishments and skills that strengthen your candidacy

Optimize Your Law School Application

You can increase your chances of securing full scholarships not just by having outstanding grades and test scores, but also by crafting every component of your law school applications meticulously. Admissions committees award coveted full rides based on a holistic review covering all submitted materials. 

Gain a competitive edge in securing admission to a tuition-free law school with our Law School Admissions Consulting, crafting a compelling application that sets you on the path to success. Our Law School Admission Consulting services help identify each applicant’s unique strengths and shape narratives to maximize scholarship eligibility. This personalized guidance supports creating complete, cohesive application profiles catered to each candidate’s goals.

Final Thoughts: Can I Go to Law School for Free?

Though law school often carries a reputation for massive tuition fees, there are ways prospective students can earn a law degree at little or no cost. You can obtain your law degree for free by using the advice in this article or even enrolling in one of the free law schools recommended.

It’s crucial to remember that the LSAT and a high LSAT score play a pivotal role in your law school application process and can significantly contribute to securing scholarships that may ultimately facilitate attending law school for free. As an additional opportunity, explore the path to law school confidently through our free LSAT class—a 3-week trial covering the initial three sessions of our comprehensive LSAT Prep course.

It takes effort and sacrifice, but attending law school tuition-free is possible for some committed individuals if they optimize all available resources.