Scholarships, Fellowships, & Pipeline Programs for Black Law School Students (2023)
One of the main barriers to education in the U.S. is the high cost of education, especially higher education. Statistically, Black students are at a greater disadvantage when it comes to affording higher education.
Here are some of the facts when it comes to professional programs and graduate school:
Black students take on 50% more debt for graduate programs than white students.
Black wealth would increase 40% if $50,000 in student loan debt was erased per student.
Black law school graduates’ loan debts are 97% higher than white law school graduates.
Here at Barrier Breakers®, Inc., we are determined to help Black students on their path through law school without breaking the bank. There are many resources available to Black students that can reduce obstacles that may prevent you from going to law school.
We have compiled a list of scholarships, fellowships, and pipeline programs for Black law school students. This list includes opportunities for applicants and current students!
More on Law School Financial Aid
Our list includes three different financial award types: scholarships, fellowships, and pipelines. We’ve given you a brief overview of what each of these are below:
Private Scholarships: Private scholarships (sometimes also referred to as “outside scholarships”) are created by organizations and businesses that are interested in supporting students through scholarship money. There may be terms depending on the scholarship, but they are typically a one-time or recurring “donation” to your law school education that goes directly to the school or your school-related expenses with no strings attached. Note that we only compiled private scholarships in our list; you should still be looking for scholarships specific to your school.
Fellowships: Student fellowships are typically offered to law school students with a specific area of interest. They may require the student to work with a specific firm in return for scholarship funds or a stipend to put toward your school expenses. They are coveted positions that can help law students transition into other full-time positions. Post-graduate fellowships are also available, where fellows receive a stipend on top of their wages for accepting a public interest job after graduation.
Pipeline Programs: These programs are designed to support and coach prospective, current, and recently graduated law school students with their professional and academic development. Most programs provide mentoring, coaching, and leadership skills training. These programs are particularly beneficial for first-generation or minority law school students who may not have the resources to navigate the process alone. Some programs fund your education, while others offer valuable support and resources.
Two of the funding opportunities that we didn’t include in our list are loan repayment assistance programs and internal scholarships. Read more about them below:
Loan Repayment Assistance Programs (LRAPs): This type of assistance is typically offered to law students who are interested in working in the public interest sector. LRAPs require a commitment to work in the public interest for five to ten years after graduation in return for support paying back your law school loans.
Internal Scholarships: Unlike private scholarships, these are scholarships that are provided by your specific school(s). Make sure to visit the website of the school(s) you are applying to learn about the scholarships they are providing to applicants or returning students. Sometimes these scholarships will require a separate application, and other times a student will automatically be considered for them when they apply. If you have questions about a specific scholarship, reach out the school’s admissions office.
I hope that you find this resource helpful on your law school journey! No matter where you are in the process, we are here to help! The team at Barrier Breakers® Admissions Advising is here to support you through this law school application cycle! Whether it's through discounted advising for BIPOC, first-generation, and LSAC Fee Waiver applicants, our essay review services and courses, or just downloading our free Essential Guide to Applying to Law School, we're here to help make this process easier.
As always, feel free to reach out to us at hello@barrier-breakers.org with any of your questions! You can also submit a question to be answered on our weekly Break Into Law School® Podcast, streaming wherever your favorite podcast service is.