McGeorge School of Law awards a considerable number of scholarships. Many of these awards are made available by the allocation of University general funds, as well as the generosity of donors by means of endowed funds and alumni contributions. Financial aid, in the form of scholarships and fellowships, is based on full-time enrollment, financial need, academic merit and personal achievement. Scholarships and grants, when combined cannot exceed the banded rate of tuition.

Other terms and conditions: If you have applied for outside scholarships or need-based financial aid, please note that total assistance, including scholarships, cannot exceed your costs of attendance. In addition, the combined value of a Pacific grant or scholarship and any other tuition award cannot exceed your actual tuition. Total tuition assistance may also be limited by policies associated with other programs or benefits, for example, Veterans Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation, employee tuition remission etc. The Financial Aid Office will coordinate your aid package and notify you of any necessary adjustments.

There are three types of scholarships:

  • Scholarships for applicants (first-year students)
  • Scholarships for continuing students
  • Outside scholarship opportunities

Scholarship recipients are determined during the admission review process based upon information in application materials. No separate application is required. Recipients are notified of an award in the letter of acceptance.

  • ABA/FJE Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund: The American Bar Association Fund for Justice and Education, together with the law school, sponsor a scholarship program to encourage racial and ethnic minority students to attend. This scholarship is designed to help increase the number of minority students in law school and to provide financial assistance to those students. The ABA/FJE Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund provides a $15,000 scholarship to entering students, disbursed in three annual increments of $5,000. McGeorge provides matching funds of $5,000 for each of three years a recipient attends the law school. The total amount of financial assistance over three years is $30,000. All candidates must first be admitted to McGeorge and be awarded the Legal Opportunity Scholarship before they qualify for matching funds from the law school. McGeorge is committed to improving diversity in the legal profession and is proud to be a sponsor of the ABA/FJE. Go to the ABA/FJE website to find out more information or to obtain an application.
  • Other Applicant Scholarships based on receipt of funding from donors

Continuing students can take advantage of numerous scholarship opportunities. They include a wide range of endowed scholarships, which have various selection criteria. The most significant program which recognizes academic achievement is the Academic Achievement Scholarship. Some of the scholarships and awards are automatic and do not require an application or establishment of need.

Many endowed scholarships also include financial need as part of the selection criteria. Therefore, if you are applying for any endowed need-based scholarships, you must complete the FAFSA and submit the scholarship applications by the first Monday of March each year. All continuing students are encouraged to apply for scholarships. Please do not wait for grades to be released. The selection of recipients will occur after grades are released for the academic year. Not all scholarships specify academic achievement as a requirement.

All scholarships, awards, and grants administered by McGeorge are credited directly to the students' account in two equal installments, one-half for the Fall semester and one-half for the Spring semester. A student must register for a particular semester to be eligible for that semester's portion of the scholarship. In the event a student registers for a semester but withdraws prior to the start of the semester, the amount of the scholarship will be reduced to an amount equal to the portion that was allocated to the semester in which the student was actually enrolled. In addition, if a student withdraws during the semester, the student's scholarship will be pro-rated to the percentage the student was charged for tuition for that semester. If a student will be graduating in December, the student's award will be reduced to receiving a Fall semester allotment only.

Other terms and conditions: If you have applied for outside scholarships or need-based financial aid, please note that total assistance, including scholarships, cannot exceed your costs of attendance. In addition, the combined value of a Pacific grant or scholarship and any other tuition award cannot exceed your actual tuition. Total tuition assistance may also be limited by policies associated with other programs or benefits, for example, Veterans Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation, employee tuition remission etc. The Financial Aid Office will coordinate your aid package and notify you of any necessary adjustments.

The Financial Aid Office encourages students to take advantage of outside scholarship opportunities and services. McGeorge does not endorse fee-based scholarship search organizations; we do support students' efforts by providing resources to help guide them in the appropriate direction. The most valuable tool in searching for scholarship opportunities is the Internet. There are also a number of informative publications available at your local bookstore or library. Scholarships may also be available through local bar associations, state government offices, public organizations, private organizations or employers. Numerous private agencies notify our office of scholarship opportunities and provide application materials to be distributed to students. All scholarships are posted on the bulletin board located near the Financial Aid Office and TWEN.