Scholarships, Fellowships, & Pipelines for Black Law School Applicants (2022)
View Our 2023 Scholarship List Here
As an African American who desires to go to law school, you might be worrying about how to get into law school and whether you can afford to pay for it. Fortunately, if you know where to look, many resources are available to black applicants that can reduce obstacles that might prevent you from going to law school. Below, I've compiled a list of many scholarships, fellowships, and pipeline programs for black law school applicants. Each entry includes specifics about funding, program type, support, eligibility, and application information. This list is not exhaustive but will give you a good start.
Scholarships for Black Law School Applicants
Scholarships are merit- or need-based funds you receive and do not need to pay back, including:
United Negro College Fund (UNCF) Social Justice Scholarship
Each year the UNCF awards ten juniors or seniors in college $5,000 if they plan to attend law school. Applicants must be black and reside in Connecticut, Vermont, New York, or New Jersey. Applicants must have at least a 2.50 GPA and submit one letter of recommendation and a statement of interest with their online application. Further, applications typically open on December 1st, with a deadline near the end of January.
Underrepresented and Oppressed Law Student Scholarship
In an effort to combat disparity among groups represented in the legal profession and promote diversity in law, the Colorado Lawyer Team awards $1,000 scholarships to law school applicants. Further, you must have acceptance to a law school, have a 3.0 GPA, and submit a 750 to 1000-word essay. Each year, the application closes at the end of February and opens in the fall.
Sarita and Claire Wright Lucas Foundation
The Sarita and Claire Wright Lucas Foundation Scholarship provides $5,000 for black female law students getting ready to take the bar exam in Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, or Pennsylvania. Further, the scholarship covers the cost of the bar application and bar exam preparation. They also provide an additional $5,000 for those who want to become prosecutors. The application deadline for 2022 is March 28th and usually occurs around the same time each year.
American Bar Association (ABA) Legal Opportunity Scholarship
The ABA awards the Legal Opportunity Scholarship to first-year minority law students each year to encourage minority students to apply to law school. The ABA typically offers $15,000 to between 10 and 20 incoming students. The award is spread out over their three years in law school. The application opens each February, and the final deadline typically occurs in April. The 2022 deadline is April 15th. Applicants must provide a personal statement and at least two letters of recommendation.
Fellowships for Black Law School Applicants
A fellowship often comes with full tuition. Typically, recipients do not have to pay back the fellowship but must commit to certain activities during law school. This might mean pursuing studies in a specific area of law, attending workshops or summer programs, or committing to engaging with mentorship activities. Here are some fellowships exclusively for black or minority law school applicants.
Sidney B. Williams, Jr. Scholar Program
The Foundation for Advancement of Diversity in IP Law sponsors the Sidney B. Williams, Jr. Scholar Program. The program awards scholars $10,000 for three years of law school. Applicants must come from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group and intend to explore patent law while attending law school. The fellowship also includes mentoring and career readiness throughout a student's career. Receiving money in the second and third years is contingent upon academic performance. You must submit the application by April 30th of the year of enrollment, but they review applications on a rolling basis, so it's best to apply as soon as possible.
Berkley Diversity and Community Fellowship
Berkley's Diversity and Community Fellows Program awards a yearly stipend to graduate and professional students, including law students, who agree to advance Berkley's diversity and inclusion goals across campus. This might include a variety of projects such as peer mentorship, graduate training on specific issues, or outreach to current underrepresented students. Fellows who commit to 20 hours of service per month receive a $7,500 yearly stipend. The deadline to apply is typically in late April, with interviews in May for the committee to make final decisions.
Pipeline Programs for Black Law School Applicants.
Finally, pipeline programs provide an introduction and experience in specific areas of law. Many provide mentorship and help guide aspiring law students during their high school and/or college years; some even offer programs for middle school students. Pipeline programs for black law school applicants include:
Just the Beginning
Just the Beginning (JTB) is a pipeline organization that provides education to high school and college students to introduce them to the legal profession. If you are an undergraduate, JTB also offers the Jumpstart Program. Jumpstart, indeed, helps aspiring law students learn the skills they need to succeed and provides classes focusing on class preparation, note-taking, outlining, and legal writing. The program also offers networking opportunities for law school applicants.
SEO Law Fellowship & Catalyst Program
The SEO Law Fellowship Program gives underrepresented students the chance to work at a firm the summer before entering law school. Applicants need to have a 3.0 GPA and submit their applications by late February each year. Although they call it a fellowship, SEO's programs are logistically more of a pipeline program, especially their Catalyst program. This nine-month program helps underrepresented students through the law school application and admissions process. Those accepted into the program, indeed, receive a free LSAT prep course, workshops, a review of their application materials, mentorship, and more.
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.