Understanding UC Law School Tuition Costs

Navigating the financial landscape of law school can be daunting. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of tuition costs at University of California (UC) law schools, along with information on financial aid, living expenses, and other factors that can impact the overall cost of attendance.

Tuition and Fees: An Overview

Tuition, fees, and charges posted to the student billing statement are estimates based on existing amounts. These figures may not be final. Actual tuition, fees, and charges are subject to change by the Regents of the University of California and could be affected by state funding reductions. It's important to remember that these figures represent currently approved or proposed amounts and may not be final.

Factors Influencing Tuition Costs

Several factors can influence the tuition costs at UC law schools:

Residency Status: Tuition is dependent on residency, and detailed information about residency is available at the UC Davis Office of the Registrar's website. Residency status for your application is different from residency for tuition billing purposes.
Method of Instruction: Some or all instruction for all or part of the academic year may be delivered remotely. Tuition and fees have been set regardless of the method of instruction, and will not be refunded in the event instruction occurs remotely for any part of the academic year.

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University of California Policies: Actual tuition and fees are subject to change by the University of California as determined to be necessary or appropriate.

Specific Fees and Charges

In addition to tuition, students can expect to encounter several other fees and charges:

UC Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan (GSHIP): The University of California requires all students to have major medical health insurance as a non-academic condition of enrollment. All law students are automatically enrolled in the UC Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan (GSHIP), and the premium for this insurance is assessed each term on the law student's registration fee statement. Students can visit the UCI Student Health Services webpage for detailed information about GSHIP. Students who can demonstrate that their health insurance meets the University of California’s minimum criteria may request a waiver from UCSHIP. Students who have successfully waived out of UCSHIP will not be charged the Health Services Fee and will not have access to Carbon Health as a student. If you are interested in waiving out of GSHIP for the 2025-2026 academic year, the waiver request period is listed on the SHC webpage. If approved, the waiver is in effect for the current term and the remainder of the 2025-2026 academic year. A new waiver request must be submitted at the beginning of each academic year.
Mandatory Document Fee: The one-time mandatory document fee is charged to every new, incoming and transfer law student in the fall semester. The fee provides lifetime access to official transcripts and academic verifications without a fee for in-person pickup or delivery by USPS.
UC Graduate and Professional Council Fee: The UC Graduate and Professional Council fee is a non-mandatory fee that graduate students are assessed during the fall and spring terms to support the systemwide UC Student Association.

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MBE Support Fee: MLS students will be charged the MBE Support Fee if they are enrolled in a course that requires the use of AdaptiBar (a tool for subjects that are tested on the California Multiple Choice Question Bar Examination/MBE).

Cost of Attendance: Beyond Tuition

While tuition is a significant expense, it's crucial to consider the overall cost of attendance, which includes living expenses, books, and other necessities.

Estimating Living Expenses

University of California, Irvine School of Law estimates cost-of-living and book expenses based on a modest but adequate standard of living. These costs are updated annually. The cost of living depends upon a student’s personal situation and choices. Students have the choice to live on campus in a residence hall or off-campus. Each of the living arrangements has a different cost. Please see typical off-campus housing costs near UC Irvine.

Additional Expenses

In special circumstances, J.D. students occasionally incur expenses during the year that may warrant an increase in our standard budget listed above. Some examples include:

Computer Purchases (up to $2,000).

Sample Cost of Attendance: UC Davis School of Law (2025-2026)

To illustrate the breakdown of expenses, here's the estimated cost of attendance for a first-year student at UC Davis School of Law for the 2025-2026 academic year:

CA Resident

Fees and Tuition: $59,870
Books and Supplies: $2,273
Housing and Food (Non-University Housing): $18,859
Personal Expenses: $2,130
Transportation: $3,018
TOTAL: $86,150
Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP): $7,992
TOTAL (with SHIP): $94,142

Non-Resident

Fees and Tuition: $72,115
Books and Supplies: $2,273
Housing and Food (Non-University Housing): $18,859
Personal Expenses: $2,130
Transportation: $3,018
TOTAL: $98,395
Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP): $7,992
TOTAL (with SHIP): $106,387

Financial Aid and Scholarship Opportunities

Fortunately, various financial aid and scholarship opportunities can help offset the cost of law school.

Institutional Financial Aid

The Office of Student Financial Services determines eligibility for institutional financial aid and ensures that eligible students are appropriately awarded federal student aid.

Scholarship Application Process

There is no separate application process for scholarships at UCI. Please simply check the box on your application at www.LSAC.org to be considered for a scholarship.

External Funding Options

Looking for additional funding? Law program provides real-world experience, a highly regarded education, and the opportunity to graduate in nine months. Interested in learning more? Request information today!

UC Law San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings Law) Financial Aid

UC Law SF is committed to making the MLS program accessible for working professionals. For detailed guidance on federal and private loans, contact the UC Law SF Financial Aid Office.

Eligible Master of Legal Studies (MLS) students are encouraged to apply for federal financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students who wish to borrow private student loans are encouraged to visit the Private Student Loans section of our educational loans page and should note the UC Law SF Preferred Lenders List. The choice of lender rests solely with the student and students will need to meet lenders’ credit requirements.

Employer Tuition Assistance

Note that employer tuition discounts can not be stacked. Many employers also offer their own tuition assistance programs, educational benefits, or professional development funds. The AllCampus Workplace Network offers exclusive tuition reductions and scholarships to support working professionals. Our enrollment specialists are here to help you understand if a discount is available.

Financial Aid for Military Service Members and Veterans

UC Law SF is proud to support our military service members, veterans, and their families as they pursue their academic and career goals. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). We accept a range of VA benefits, including the Post-9/11 GI Bill® (Chapter 33), Veteran Readiness & Employment (Chapter 31), Montgomery GI Bill® - Active Duty (Chapter 30), and more. Learn more about eligibility, required forms, and additional support services on our VA educational benefits page. An enrollment specialist can also walk you through what the admissions process looks like for military service members and veterans.

Seeking Financial Aid Guidance

Feeling lost? Schedule a personalized advising session. The Financial Aid Office invites admitted students and current students to reach out for individualized loan counseling. Have general questions? Want to read through policies or need a specific form? We have a page for that too. There are several resources and forms available to help guide you through the process. For anything and everything else financial aid-related, we’ve got you covered.

Payment Policies and Deadlines

Understanding payment policies and deadlines is crucial to avoid penalties and ensure enrollment.

UC Law SF Payment Policy

The payment deadline for all tuition and fees is 3:00 pm on the first day of classes for all semesters. UC Law SF does not have an installment payment plan for tuition and fees.

Students who are administratively withdrawn for non-payment will be considered for reinstatement once all tuition, fees, and any outstanding balance are paid in full.

Drop for Nonpayment Policy

The UC Law SF Drop for Nonpayment & Late Fee Payment Deadline Policy is intended to encourage students to enroll and pay tuition, fees, and any outstanding balance on a timely basis. This Policy allows UC Law SF (“UC Law SF” or the “College”) to effectively manage enrollment and registration and provides clear information to students about their financial obligations and the consequences for non-compliance.

If a student has timely applied for federal aid and the failure to timely pay tuition and fees is caused solely by the untimely disbursement of federal aid, such student is not subject to late fees or being dropped for nonpayment.

The College will not accept payment after seven days of the tuition deadline, which means that the student will be foreclosed from attending UC Law SF for that term once the seven-day period has passed. Students who have been dropped for nonpayment but who are otherwise eligible to continue as a student at UC Law SF may register for courses in a future term but must pay any outstanding balance prior to being allowed to register for the next term of courses. A leave of absence for an additional term must be requested and approved.

Failure to pay tuition by this deadline will result in the student being dropped from classes, which means that the student is prohibited from attending all classes and the student’s registration for that summer session(s) will be canceled.

UC Law San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings Law) MLS Program Cost

*All MLS units are billed at $1,875 per unit. Full-time enrollment is 10 units per semester. Students must complete a minimum of 24 units to earn the MLS degree.

Cincinnati Law as an alternative

Law School is one of the most important investments you’ll ever make. And the University of Cincinnati College of Law offers one of the most valuable ROI’s in higher ed. How? Through an unparalleled commitment to experience-based learning and career preparation. It’s part of our DNA.

Cincinnati Law provides low comparative tuition rates and competitive scholarship offers. In addition to receiving a world-class legal education, students are able to take advantage of fellowships and work-study options to help lower the price of law school. Earning a JD or LLM leads to life-changing opportunities, which is why we believe in making our programs financially accessible. Through various forms of financial aid, we assist students in fulfilling goals while setting them up for success.

Cincinnati Law is proud to boast one of the lowest debt-upon-graduation rates in the nation. For the Class of 2024, the average debt at graduation was $68,623. This is a stark difference from the national average for public and private law schools, which recently stood at nearly $130,000 according to the Education Data Initiative.

Cincinnati Law offers more than $3 million scholarship dollars each year. These range from a few thousand dollars to the full cost of tuition.

The University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Law are committed to giving back to those service women and men who have sacrificed so much for our freedom.

Cincinnati Law provides a competitive tuition rate, scholarships, work-study, and other financial aid options for both JD and LLM students. Located in one of the most affordable cities in the country, Cincinnati Law opens a world of opportunities to those wanting to pursue careers as lawyers. Interested in learning more?

Tuition & Fees (Doctorate)

$24,810 (in-state)

University of Cincinnati Law School Overview

The College of Law at University of Cincinnati has an application deadline of March 15. The full-time program application fee at the College of Law at University of Cincinnati is $40. The part-time program application fee at the College of Law at University of Cincinnati is $0. Its tuition is full-time: $24,810 (in-state) and full-time: $29,810 (out-of-state). The student-faculty ratio is 5.6:1.

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