IU McKinney Scholarships for Incoming J.D. Students
At the IU McKinney School of Law, we understand that while law school is an investment, many students need help paying for their tuition. To help, we offer a variety of scholarship programs. Each scholarship has its own criteria, but most emphasize academic achievement or promise. They are usually awarded on an annual basis.
We encourage you to contact our office if you have specific questions about available awards or the scholarship offers you have received.
MERIT-BASED AID
As an incoming JD student at IU McKinney, you will be automatically considered for merit-based scholarship awards. Recipients are chosen based primarily on a combination of their undergraduate GPA and their LSAT performance. Awards are available to both resident and non-resident students, full time or part time. Amounts vary and may be renewed up to 3 years for full time students and 4 years for part time students who maintain a specified minimum cumulative grade point average. To be considered, you must submit an application by the March 1 priority deadline.
Kennedy law Scholars
The Kennedy Law Scholar award is the law school's largest scholarship and was established in 2004 in honor of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy who delivered the keynote address at the dedication to Lawrence W. Inlow Hall in 2001, which houses the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law.
To be considered for this prestigious award the applicant must submit a complete application through LSAC no later than February 1, have a minimum of a 3.65 cumulative undergraduate GPA and a 162 LSAT score, and take part in a virtual interview in late February. Recipients are selected by the law school’s scholarship committee and are notified the first week of March.
Kennedy Law Scholars will receive full tuition (renewable with a 2.90 GPA) plus an annual stipend for living expenses (full-time students receive $6,000 per year for three years; part-time students receive $4,500 per year for four years). In addition, Kennedy Law Scholars will be invited to exclusive experiential/networking opportunities each semester of law school, typically in the spring of their 1L year. The award is limited to a maximum of two recipients from the incoming class.
DONOR-FUNDED scholarships
To be considered for one of our endowed scholarships, J.D. applicants must complete the Additional Questions for Scholarship Purposes section in the law school application. Recipients are chosen based on criteria specified for each award such as academic achievement, demonstrated leadership, interest in public service, need, or diversity. Award amounts vary and most of them are one-time awards. Student will be notified of selection in the spring after receiving a decision letter.
There are resources outside the School of Law that provide scholarship opportunities to new and/or continuing law students. Awards may be substantial, ranging up to $20,000 per year. Separate applications must be submitted to be considered for these awards. The following are just some of the external awards that are available; you may be able to research more opportunities on your own.
Sidney B. Williams, Jr. Intellectual Property Law Scholar: The Foundation for Advancement of Diversity in IP Law’s Mission is to support members of underrepresented racial and ethnic groups in their pursuit of careers in intellectual property law in the United States.
Thurgood Marshall College Fund: Established in 1987, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) is the nation’s largest organization exclusively representing the Black College Community. TMCF member-schools include the publicly supported Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs). Publicly supported HBCUs enroll over 80% of all students attending HBCUs. Through scholarships, capacity building and research initiatives, innovative programs, and strategic partnerships, TMCF is a vital resource in the K-12 and higher education space. The organization is also a source for top employers seeking top talent for competitive internships and good jobs.
AccessLex Law School Scholarship Databank: AccessLex Institute® fosters broad-based access to quality legal education for talented, purpose-driven students and works to maximize the value and affordability of a law degree through policy advocacy, research and student-focused initiatives. Use the link above to search over 800 carefully curated and vetted scholarship opportunities and writing competitions — totaling more than $3 million in aid.
BARBRI Law Preview Scholarships: BARBRI (the nation's largest law school prep course) has teamed up with BigLaw firms and Fortune 500 Companies to provide Law Preview Scholarships to entering 1Ls. To learn more about this academic enrichment opportunity and see if you qualify, visit http://bit.ly/Indy-Law-LP-Scholarship.
Pipeline to Practice Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit committed to diversifying the legal profession by providing diverse students with programming and attorney mentors throughout law school. Additionally, the Foundation has partnered with BARBRI to ensure that its students receive free access to BARBRI Law Preview's law school prep course (before law school) and a BARBRI Bar Review course (when they graduate). Founded in 2016, the Pipeline to Practice Foundation has already profoundly impacted the lives of diverse law students and attorneys. The scholarship application deadline is May 15, 2022.
IU McKinney Scholarships for Returning JD Students
After your first year you are encouraged to apply for donor-funded scholarships for returning students. These scholarships will have internal and external selection committees and have varying deadlines. Current students generally have until March 31 each year to complete scholarship applications for any scholarships awarded by the IU McKinney Scholarships and Awards Committee. The returning students scholarship application can be found under the Current Students tab.
