Fellowships and assistantships
While first-year law students should limit how much they work during the school year, second- and third-year law students with superior records or specific skills may apply for assistantships housed in other IU departments. These students generally work about 20 hours per week. Fee remission and departmental stipend amounts may vary. Typically, graduate assistants at IU also receive a health insurance benefit. It is up to the student to secure one of these positions. Please note, if you receive a fee remission from another source (internal or external), your law school scholarship amount may be adjusted.
In addition to assistantships, members of our law school faculty employ second- and third-year students to work with them on research projects. The Jerome Hall Law Libary also hires law students to fill various library positions. Some of our students also work as Law Fellows, which are typically funded by federal work study. Fellows might serve as Practice Group Advisors, Career Services, Student Life, or Legal Writing Fellows, Admissions Ambassadors, or as Project Coordinators.
Financial opportunities for students pursuing a public interest legal career
The Law School believes in supporting students who want to pursue a public interest career. The Kintner Public Interest Fellowship Program is designed to assist students financially who are working in an unpaid summer public interest internship, including positions with the Stevens Fellow Program and the Rural Justice Initiative. In addition, active members of the Public Interest Law Foundation can apply for special summer fellowships using funds raised by the organization, which are matched by the Law School.
During the academic year, law students have the opportunity to apply for work study funded positions with Indiana Legal Services and District 10 Pro-Bono Project, two local nonprofits that provide free legal assistance to needy recipients. Students who want to attend the annual Equal Justice Works Conference can also apply for small travel grants to assist with those expenses.
After a student graduates, we offer Bar Study Support Grants to assist students financially while they are preparing to take the bar exam. After the bar exam, graduates have the opportunity to participate in the Bridge to Practice program. Bridge to Practice Fellowships are available to eligible graduates who secure unpaid volunteer positions with public interest organizations or small firms while continuing their job search after graduation.
Opportunities for veterans
As a member or veteran of the US military, we are committed to supporting you (and your family) during your tenure at Indiana Law. In terms of financial support, beyond the Law School’s generous merit scholarship awards, Indiana University offers current and former members of our armed forces the following benefits:
- Resident tuition rates for veterans who have been honorably discharged and who are enrolling at IU within 12 months of separation from service;
- Veterans family support grants for veterans with children under age 18;
- Yellow ribbon grants to non-residents who are post-9/11–eligible at the 100% tier. Please call 812-856-1985 or email vetserv@iu.edu with any questions about yellow ribbon.
IU's Veterans and Military Services benefits page has helpful information about various benefits programs and processing. You can also contact the law school's financial aid office for more information about how those benefits might interact with law school funding.
Federal assistance
For law students, federal student aid primarily consists of Direct Unsusbidized Loans and Federal Work Study. Students should try to file their 2026-2027 FAFSA well before the fall semester begins to ensure their aid is set up prior to the first day of class.
Federal student loans
Beginning in the Fall 2026 semester, eligible students who begin their studies July 1st, 2026 or later, can borrow up to $50,000 per year through the Direct Unsubsidized Loan Program. Students may borrow up to $200,000 lifetime, towards a professional degree. Loans borrowed as a graduate student count against that total. As a result, prior graduate school borrowing may impact future law school borrowing. Students who need to borrow more than $50,000 per year or who are not eligible for federal student aid, may need to apply for a private education loan.
Please feel free to schedule an appointment with our Director of Financial Aid if you would like to receive individualized student loan counseling. The law school's financial aid office can provide you with this help from the time you are admitted through your post-graduation employment. Estimating your costs, determining how much to borrow, planning for repayment, and Public Service Loan Forgiveness are some of the topics that can be discussed.
Private loans
Students that have need which cannot be fully met through the federal loan program may need to borrow private education loan. Private loan amounts are limited to the Cost of Attendance less other financial aid (scholarships & other loans) received. Some borrowers may need to obtain a cosigner in order for their credit to be approved or to receive the best loan terms.
