According to an email that was issued to students on Wednesday from Professor of Law and SLS Dean Jenny Martinez, Stanford Law School (SLS) will pay full tuition fees for JD students whose families have an income that is less than 150% of the federal poverty threshold beginning in the autumn.
According to Reuters, the tuition assistance program would be available to students whose families have an annual income of at least $41,625 for a family of four or $20,385 for an individual. With a tuition of $64,350 for the academic year 2021-22, SLS is the nation’s second-lowest-cost law school. Yale Law School has announced a scholarship program that eliminates tuition for JD students in financial need, which was announced earlier this year.
According to Martinez, one of the numerous adjustments being made to better accommodate students’ financial needs is tuition coverage. It’s unclear exactly how much money SLS plans to spend on LRAP, but Martinez stated that it represents a 10% increase in financial aid and a 40% increase in financing for the following fiscal year. Scholarships for students with financial need will be enhanced, summer public interest funding will be increased, and the school’s LRAP will see “major upgrades,” she said.
Changes were made to improve financial fairness and access, which stem from the law school’s efforts on diversity, equity, and inclusion, says Martinez. Individual and group meetings with students were held as part of this effort, according to the woman in charge of the Ad Hoc Committee on Financial Access.
Additionally, the university’s support and “the profound commitment of this administration to resolve issues presented by students to the Committee” contributed to the adjustments.
Increasing financial assistance for law students has been one of Martinez’s main goals as dean since taking the position. In spite of these changes, she said, the law school would continue its efforts to improve financial access and fairness.
