Admissions

Tuition

University tuition is determined by the Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama in June and is subject to change each year. The cost of a legal education at the University of Alabama School of Law is reasonable compared with that at private law schools; it also compares favorably with the tuition at other state-supported schools. In fact, the National Jurist and PreLaw Magazine named UA Law the “Best Value Law School.”

Tuition 2012-13
In-state tuition: $19,660
Out-of-state tuition: $32,920

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Scholarships: Despite the reasonable cost of tuition, the Law School provides a significant amount in scholarships. Law School applicants are considered automatically for first-year scholarships, which are awarded based on criteria established by the donors and the Scholarship Committee. (Students admitted through the Law-Honors Program should refer to the application for information on scholarship consideration.) Scholarship criteria include undergraduate grade point average and performance on the LSAT and may also include other relevant factors, including economic background. The Law School Admissions Office notifies scholarship recipients of these awards.

Approximately 70% of 2011-12 scholarship recipients in the first-year class retained their scholarships from the first year to the second year. Most scholarship recipients must maintain a particular academic standard consistent with the school’s memorandum of understanding with the scholarship donor.  The Law School discloses any such standard at the time a scholarship is offered to a student.

For the conditional scholarships offered to the Fall 2012 first-year students, the Law School has guaranteed to fund a portion of those scholarships for the students’ second and third years, even if those students were unable to maintain the academic standard.

A few second- and third-year merit scholarships may be available to students who did not receive scholarships as incoming first-year students. These awards depend on available funding and usually are based on academic performance. If funding is available, the Law School awards second- and third-year scholarships during the summer. Students are considered automatically for these awards.

The Law School has a long-standing commitment to public service. Numerous Alabama graduates have chosen a career serving their community and their country. As part of our continued dedication to public interest work, the Law School awards Public Interest Scholarships to incoming students who have excelled academically and have shown a devotion to public interest. The Law School may award up to two of these Public Interest Scholarships to Teach for America Corps Members or Alumni whose service is indicated in an applicant’s file. The Public Interest Scholarships are awarded in the same manner as all Law School scholarships for incoming students. The Law School considers all applicants automatically for these awards and notifies the students if they receive a scholarship.

Student Loans: Many students also receive assistance through the University’s Student Financial Aid Office. The University of Alabama participates in the Federal Direct Lending Program for federally guaranteed student loans, allowing students to borrow directly from the government instead of a private lender.  Students interested in seeking financial aid must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon after January 1 as possible. The results of the application will be sent to The University of Alabama in the form of a Student Aid Report (SAR) if the student designates UA as an institution in the FAFSA. Following acceptance to the Law School, each student, who applied for federal aid and designated UA, receives a financial aid packet from Student Financial Aid. Additional information may be requested for the FAFSA or from The University of Alabama. Please respond immediately.

The FAFSA may be completed online at fafsa.ed.gov. More information on financial aid may be obtained by contacting Student Financial Aid, The University of Alabama, Box 870162, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0162; (205) 348-6756 or by visiting 106 Student Services Center. Also, more information can be found at financialaid.ua.edu or by sending an email to financialaid@ua.edu.  Law Students with questions may also contact Mary Ksobiech, Assistant Dean for Students, in Room 254 or at 348-7035.

A Childcare Allowance can be added with documentation provided each year by the student for day care or after-school care expenses.

A one-time allowance for a laptop computer may also be added for incoming first-year students as long as the student has not reached the maximum federal loan amount.

The maximum Unsubsidized Stafford Loan amount for the academic year is $20,500.00.