Santa Clara University

Financing Your Legal Education

As noted previously, the cost of attending law school is quite high and variable. About 75% of law school students rely on educational loans as their primary source of financial aid. It is very important that you have a good credit history; failure to pay your financial obligations in a prompt and timely manner while an undergraduate at SCU may seriously jeopardize your eligibility for law school loans. Although scholarships, grants, and fellowships are available, they are quite limited and are usually awarded by the law schools themselves. The first step in applying for financial aid for law school is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), available at the financial aid office at SCU or the law school to which you are applying. For complete information on financing your law school education, contact the financial aid office at the individual law school(s) to which you apply.