Scholarships

All admitted students are automatically considered for recruitment scholarships. A student’s undergraduate GPA and LSAT play an important role in that process, but we also consider each student’s professional and personal accomplishments, as well as how a student may contribute to the Notre Dame community. Potential students should submit their completed 1L application as early as possible after our application opens on September 1 for the best chance at receiving a merit scholarship.

Some scholarship funds have a greater weight towards financial need rather than LSAT and undergraduate GPA. In certain cases, we can include some of this need-based funding in a student’s recruitment scholarship.

Funding is combined into one award per student and is distributed by the Law School Admissions Office. Applicants may complete an optional Supplemental Scholarship Information Form to document their financial circumstances. The information provided may be utilized in the determination of scholarship eligibility, but the Admissions Committee will not review this information before making an admissions decision. Applicants may access the Supplemental Scholarship Information Form through their LSAC application. Loan eligibility and other financial aid information will be sent from the University’s Office of Financial Aid to students who submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to Notre Dame (federal code: 001840).

Scholarship Notification

To ensure that we can make our most competitive scholarship offers, the Scholarship Committee will convene in February after we have received the majority of our applications. We will notify applicants of their scholarship award (if any) as soon as possible thereafter. Students admitted in February or later will be notified of their scholarship award (if any) at the time of admission.

Scholarship Retention

Scholarships offered by the Law School are automatically renewed for students who remain in good academic standing as defined in the Law School’s Hoynes Code of student conduct.

Scholarships with Special Application Processes

Polking Family Fellowship

The Polking Family Fellowship aims to cultivate the next generation of leaders who understand that law and public policy are essential elements in building a sustainable culture of life. Recipients of this fellowship will receive a scholarship along with the opportunity to work closely with the de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture. Polking Fellows will be invited to attend and participate in special center events, work with its visiting fellows, interact with speakers and guests of the center, conduct scholarly research, and receive special career mentoring and summer internship opportunities.

Edward J. Murphy Fellowship

Notre Dame Law School’s Program on Church, State & Society is proud to offer its distinguished Edward J. Murphy Fellowship. The Murphy Fellows, in addition to a generous scholarship, will have opportunities to meet with judges and visiting speakers, as well as access to special programming focused on religious freedom and church-state relations. Interested students may participate in Notre Dame Law School's Religious Liberty Clinic. Learn more about Edward. J Murphy, for whom the fellowship is named.

To apply for the Polking Fellowship and/or the Murphy Fellowship:

  • Students must apply for admission to Notre Dame Law School as a first-year J.D. student before December 1.
  • In addition to their regular application materials, students should also submit an additional personal statement(s) outlining their specific interest in the Fellowship as an addendum in their LSAC application.
    • If you have already submitted your application without including your fellowship statement but still wish to apply for the Polking Family Fellowship or Murphy Fellowship, you may send your statement(s) as a PDF attachment in an email, addressed to the Office of Admissions at bulletin@nd.edu. Please include “Polking Fellowship Personal Statement” or "Murphy Fellowship Personal Statement" in the subject line of the email.
    • If you are interested in both fellowships, you should submit two separate statements, however, a student may be selected for only one fellowship program.
    • Each statement should be no longer than two pages, double-spaced. The statement should have the student’s name and LSAC number in the header, in addition to the title of the document.
  • A complete application for admission and the Fellowship personal statement(s) must both be submitted by December 1 for consideration for either fellowship.
  • The Selection Committees will notify students of their status in mid-February.

Dean's Initiative for Leadership and Scholarly Excellence (LSE)

Program Description

The Dean’s Initiative for Leadership and Scholarly Excellence (LSE) is open to applications from all incoming Notre Dame Law School students to develop future leaders in the legal profession. This prestigious program will especially benefit incoming JD students who have had less exposure to the legal profession, offering a supportive foundation as they transition into law school. The LSE Initiative will provide valuable insights into the law school experience, connect LSE participants to Notre Dame’s extensive resources, and build essential academic and professional skills. After completing the program, LSE scholars will benefit from a series of enriching monthly activities and programming throughout their first year of law school. The LSE Initiative marks the beginning of an extraordinary journey at Notre Dame Law School, equipping participants to become a different kind of lawyer.

The Dean’s Initiative for Leadership and Scholarly Excellence (LSE) occurs over ten days in early August, prior to regularly scheduled Welcome Week programming.The LSE cohort will receive a one-time $2,000 housing stipend at the start of the program and an annual $10,000 scholarship (to be added to the initial recruitment scholarship from Admissions, not to exceed the cost of tuition).

The LSE August program includes: 

  • An overview of the law school process, the first-year curriculum, preparing for classes, reading the law, and legal writing;
  • Experiencing a law school classroom, including class preparation, sample lectures, and exam skills;]
  • Learning about financial support, wellness services, and other Notre Dame resources;
  • Connecting with NDLS alumni, faculty, staff, and students;
  • An introduction to legal careers, the summer hiring process, mentoring and networking, and career development support;
  • Experiencing the Notre Dame and South Bend communities.

In addition, monthly programming will be offered throughout the first-year for the LSE cohort to connect and build on the August program.

Application Instructions

Applicants interested in the LSE program must respond to the LSE essay prompt within their Notre Dame Law School application via the LSAC application. All components of the LSAC application will also be considered by the LSE Committee. Only admitted students will be considered for LSE participation. The deadline to apply for priority LSE consideration is January 15, 2026. Initial offers to August 2026 LSE participants will be sent by March 1, 2026. Later applicants will be considered until the program is full.

  • The essay should be no longer than two pages, double-spaced. The essay should include the student’s name and LSAC number in the header, in addition to the title of the document.
  • If you have already submitted your admissions application without including your LSE essay but still wish to apply, you may send your statement as a PDF attachment in an email, addressed to the Office of Admissions at bulletin@nd.edu. Please include “LSE Essay” in the subject line of the email.

Kopko Family Fellowship

The Kopko Family Fellowship seeks to support J.D. candidates who have exhibited academic excellence and wish to pursue careers in public service or social justice, including academia or the judiciary. Recipients of this fellowship will receive a full tuition scholarship, renewable for three years with good academic standing. Students must apply for admission to Notre Dame Law School as a first-year J.D. student before December 1. Interested students must submit the “Why Notre Dame Law School?” statement in addition to all other LSAC application materials. Students may access additional details and prompts for the “Why Notre Dame Law School?” statement here.

External Scholarships

A great source of additional financing is available through national and regional scholarship awards offered by philanthropic organizations throughout the U.S.

You can find a compilation of scholarships in the AccessLex Law School Scholarship Databank.

Dual Degrees

Please note that Law School scholarships may only be applied to Notre Dame Law School tuition. Pursuing a dual degree will affect a student's funding from the Law School.

Students pursuing a J.D. dual-degree with the MBA, Master of Global Affairs, M.A. in English, ESTEEM, or M.S. in Engineering programs will be charged Law School tuition for five of their semesters at the University. It will only be during those five semesters in which the student is billed Law School tuition that the student will receive their scholarship support from the Law School.

Students pursuing a J.D. dual-degree with a Ph.D. at the Graduate School have unique funding scenarios depending on the Ph.D. program. Interested students should contact the Office of Admissions directly regarding scholarships and funding scenarios.