UCI Law School: Tuition, Fees, and Financial Aid

The University of California, Irvine School of Law (UC Irvine Law), established in 2007, is the fifth and newest law school within the University of California system. This article comprehensively examines the tuition and fees associated with attending UC Irvine Law, as well as available financial aid options for prospective students.

Tuition and Fees for J.D. Program

2026 Academic Year

For the 2026 academic year, the tuition and fees at UC Irvine Law are $61,208 for California residents and $73,453 for out-of-state students. Compared to the national average of $45,664 for public law schools in the United States, UC Irvine Law's tuition is notably higher.

Historical Trends and Future Projections

The tuition and fees at Irvine School of Law have increased by 3.71% compared to the previous year. If this rate of increase persists, the estimated tuition and fees for 2027 would be $76,178, reflecting an increase of $2,725.

Cost of Attendance

The total cost of attendance (COA) for the 2026 academic year is estimated at $84,468 for California residents and $96,713 for out-of-state students. This figure encompasses tuition and fees, living expenses, the cost of books and supplies, transportation and travel costs, and other living expenses. However, it might exclude health insurance fees, loan fees, and required exam fees.

Impact of Grants and Scholarships

After factoring in grants and scholarships, the average cost of attendance decreases to $66,713.

LL.M. Program Tuition and Fees

UC Irvine Law offers a Master of Laws (LL.M.) program. The tuition and fees for the LL.M. program are $59,143.

Additional Fees and Considerations

Health Insurance

The University of California mandates that all students maintain major medical health insurance as a condition of enrollment. Law students are automatically enrolled in the UC Graduate Student Health Insurance Plan (GSHIP), and the premium is charged each term on the student's registration fee statement. Students with sufficient existing health insurance coverage may request a waiver from GSHIP during the designated waiver request period at the beginning of each academic year.

Document Fee

A one-time mandatory document fee is charged to all new, incoming, and transfer law students in the fall semester. This fee grants lifetime access to official transcripts and academic verifications without additional charges for in-person pickup or delivery via USPS.

UC Graduate and Professional Council Fee

The UC Graduate and Professional Council fee is a non-mandatory fee assessed to graduate students during the fall and spring terms to support the systemwide UC Student Association.

Cost of Living and Book Expenses

The University of California, Irvine School of Law provides estimates for cost-of-living and book expenses based on a modest yet adequate standard of living. These costs are updated annually. The actual cost of living varies based on a student's personal circumstances and choices, including whether they choose to live on campus in a residence hall or off-campus. Typical off-campus housing costs near UC Irvine are available for review.

Read also: Affording ECU

Potential for Additional Expenses

In certain circumstances, J.D. students may incur additional expenses during the year that could warrant an increase in the standard budget. Examples include computer purchases, with a maximum allowance of $2,000.

Financial Aid for LL.M. Students

LL.M. students are primarily responsible for funding their own degrees, as financial aid funds offered by the Law School are extremely limited. However, partial scholarships based on merit may be offered to a few exceptional LL.M. applicants each year. Additionally, limited partial scholarships may be available to qualified LL.M. applicants from less developed countries. There is no formal application process for these scholarships.

External Funding Sources for LL.M. Students

Applicants are encouraged to research and apply for external scholarships to help cover the cost of attending the LL.M. program. Some potential funding sources include:

Prodigy Finance: Offers loans for UCI Law LL.M. students without requiring a co-signer and provides a 6-month repayment grace period after graduation.
Postgrad Solutions Global LL.M. Study Bursary: Provides study bursaries to students accepted into an LL.M. program.
Instituto Ling: Offers need-based partial scholarships for Brazilians accepted into an LL.M. program.
Finlandia Foundation National P.J.C. ASLA-ALMA Joint Scholarship: Provides scholarships for Italian law graduates seeking to pursue an LL.M.
St. Kathryn Aguirre Worth Memorial Scholarship: Open to National University of Singapore LL.B. graduates who plan to pursue an LL.M.

Admissions and Selectivity

Based on the 2025 ABA 509 Report, UC Irvine Law received 3720 J.D. applications, with 555 applicants receiving acceptance letters. Of those accepted, 188 chose to enroll.

Key Admission Statistics

For a competitive law school application to UC Irvine Law, students should aim to meet or exceed the following median statistics:

Read also: Withdrawals for College: A Guide

LSAT Composite: UCI Law ranks #22 with an LSAT composite score of 168.3 (average of 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile scores: 166, 169, 170).
GPA Composite: UCI Law ranks #52 with a GPA composite of 3.76 (average of 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile GPAs: 3.59, 3.80, 3.90).

Bar Passage Rates and Employment Outcomes

Bar Passage

UCI Law ranks #75 in terms of bar passage rate among first-time test takers (85.5%), outperforming the state of California's overall bar passage rate of 78.0% by +7.6%.

Employment

It is important to consider employment outcomes when evaluating the value of a law degree. "Bar-Required" positions are full-time, long-term roles that require bar admission, while "JD advantage" positions are those where a JD is required or considered an asset, but bar admission is not mandatory. Salary statistics reflect those of full-time, long-term employed law graduates for the Class of 2023, reported ten months after graduation.

tags: #UCI #Law #School #tuition #and #fees