Scholarships

The law school provides a range of scholarships to reward academic performance and to help lessen financial need. A summary of the types of available awards appears below. All scholarship awards are governed by the law school's scholarship policies

Admitted students who wish to have their award reconsidered by the Scholarship Committee should review the procedure for scholarship appeals.

New Students

All new first-year and transfer students are automatically reviewed for available merit scholarships as part of the admissions process and are not required to submit financial aid documents unless specifically seeking student loans or consideration for need-based scholarships (first-year applicants only).

Chicago-Kent Merit Scholars are selected based on factors that include academic achievement, test scores, leadership ability, and potential contributions to the law school community. There is no separate application for scholarship consideration. Students selected to receive scholarship awards will be notified in the letter of acceptance. Awards range from first-year grants to renewable full- and partial-tuition scholarships. All renewable scholarship awards are guaranteed as long as the student is enrolled in classes at Chicago-Kent. There is no GPA renewal requirement.

Admitted first-year full- and part-time J.D. applicants with significant financial need may apply for need-based scholarship assistance. Awards are extended as three (or four) year scholarships and are renewable annually as long as the recipient is enrolled in classes at Chicago-Kent. The total amount of all Chicago-Kent scholarships (merit and need-based) awarded to an applicant may not exceed the cost of tuition.

To apply for need-based scholarship consideration, you must be eligible to borrow federal financial aid (be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident) and must not be in default on a prior federal loan. Undocumented applicants who are ineligible for federal financial aid may also apply. The following J.D. applicants are not eligible to apply for need-based scholarships: transfer applicants, international applicants, applicants receiving Illinois Tech employee tuition benefits, Honors Law BA/JD students, and Chicago-Kent merit scholarship recipients receiving annual awards of $40,000 or more (full-time) or $30,000 or more (part-time).

Award determinations will be made based on the information submitted on your FAFSA and on the need-based scholarship application and will also consider merit scholarship aid you are receiving. To be considered for need-based aid, applicants who are eligible to complete the FAFSA (as indicated on the FAFSA) must submit the FAFSA and include Chicago-Kent's FAFSA school code (E00773). Applications are considered on a rolling basis beginning in February. Funds are limited, and applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.

The link to the need-based scholarship application will be sent to first-year applicants who are admitted to the entering class.

The Chicago-Kent Honors Scholars Program provides renewable scholarships of full-tuition and special seminars to a select group of students who demonstrate exceptional academic and leadership ability.
 

Continuing Students

Scholarships for continuing students are typically posted to financial aid awards in late July for the upcoming academic year. Students selected to receive awards will receive revised financial aid award notifications. Available awards for continuing students are as follows:

Continuing students who received renewable scholarships upon admission to Chicago-Kent will have their award automatically renewed for the upcoming academic year.

Class rank merit scholarships reward upper-level law students without renewable awards who demonstrate outstanding academic performance. See the sections below for the eligibility criteria and award amounts based on your entering class year.

Renewable scholarships and class rank merit scholarships are not cumulative, and students will receive only the highest award for which they qualify. For example, a student receiving a renewable scholarship, who then qualifies for a merit scholarship based on class rank, will receive the higher of the two awards.

2021 Entering Class and Beyond

Beginning with the 2021 entering class, students are eligible for merit scholarship awards based on academic performance in law school if they rank in the top 5% or 10% of their graduating class at the end of the first academic year at Chicago-Kent. Class rank awards will be made to rising 2L students and will be renewable in subsequent years as long as the recipient is enrolled in classes at Chicago-Kent.

Class Rank Merit Award Amounts
Division Top 5% Rank Top 10% Rank
Full-time Day Division $20,000 $10,000
Evening Division $13,500 $6,750
Part-time Day Division $13,500 $6,750

2014-2020 Entering Classes

For the 2014-2020 entering classes, students are eligible for merit scholarship awards based on academic performance in law school if they rank in the top 5% or 10% of their graduating class at the end of each academic year. Students must meet the specified class rank at the end of each academic year in order to qualify for a class rank merit scholarship for the upcoming year.

Class Rank Merit Award Amounts
Division Top 5% Rank Top 10% Rank
Full-time Day Division $20,000 $10,000
Evening Division $13,500 $6,750
Part-time Day Division $13,500 $6,750

Currently, students may be eligible for activity scholarships if they hold select leadership positions on the Chicago-Kent Law Review, Moot Court Honor Society and Student Bar Association. These awards supplement any existing renewable or class rank merit scholarships. However, the total of all awards may not exceed the cost of tuition.

Organization and Position Scholarship Award Amount
Moot Court Honor Society  
President $6,500 per year
Vice Presidents 2 credit hours for the academic year
Communication Directors 2 credit hours for the academic year
Appellate Advocacy Course Assistants 1 credit hour for the semester
Law Review  
Editor-in-Chief Full-tuition for the academic year
Managing Editor 2 credit hours per semester (4 per year)
Executive Notes & Comments Editor 2 credit hours per semester (4 per year)
Executive Articles Editors 2 credit hours for the academic year
Student Bar Association  
President $2,000 per year
Vice Presidents $1,000 per year
Treasurer $1,000 per year
Secretary $1,000 per year

Chicago-Kent occasionally has donor-funded scholarships for which current students may apply. Available awards and application instructions are posted in the "Scholarships" section of the Chicago-Kent Record as awards become available.

Additional Scholarship Opportunities

Throughout the academic year, the Office of Admissions receives notices of scholarships that are offered through external organizations and from Chicago-Kent donors. Information about available scholarship awards is posted on the law school's External Scholarships page.