Paying For Law School

Tuition & Fees (based on 30 credits)

2020-21 Academic Year	Resident	Non-Resident
General Tuition	$6,288	$27,818
Law School Tuition	$6,450	$6,450
Fees	$2,203	$2,275
Total Tuition & Fees*	$14,941	$36,543

*Tuition and fees are subject to modification by the Board of Regents and the University without notice.

Refund Policy

If a student completely withdraws from school, tuition and fees are 100% refundable before classes begin; 90% refundable during the first week of classes; 75% refundable during the second week of classes; 50% refundable during the third week of classes and nonrefundable after the third week of classes. The $60 application fee and $500 deposit are nonrefundable.

Financial Aid Budget

All financial aid starts with the FAFSA. The FAFSA is available on October 1 and should be submitted by February 15.

The following is based on the cost of attendance for the 2020-21 academic year for graduate students taking 12+ credits.

Cost of Attendance	In-State	Out-of-State	TARA
Tuition and Fees	$8,348	$29,950	$8,420
Room and Board*	$12,952	$12,952	$12,952
Books and Supplies	$800	$800	$800
Loan Fee Allowance	$162	$162	$162
Transportation	$1,500	$2,200	$2,200
Miscellaneous	$2,016	$2,016	$2,016
Total	$25,778	$48,080	$26,550

*An additional $1,214 is added to the Room and Board allowance for students with dependents other than a spouse.

Please visit the University of Montana's Financial Aid website for more information.

Other Expenses

Mandatory health insurance coverage, with the right of waiver, is required for all students. Health insurance is available through UM’s Student Insurance Plan.

Parking on campus is $248.50/year for the 2020-21 academic year.

A reasonable allowance for the purchase of a computer will be determined and considered by the financial aid office upon request. Any approved amount will be added to the financial aid budget.

Seat Deposit: Accepted applicants who wish to reserve a seat in the entering class must make a nonrefundable advance deposit of $300 by the deadline stated in the acceptance letter. An additional deposit of $200 will be due by July 1st. Any applicants admitted after July 1st will pay a one-time $500 deposit. The deposit will be credited toward total University tuition and fees at the time of registration. Accepted applicants who do not pay the deposit by the deadline, have declined the offer of admission and any scholarship awarded.

Scholarships

For the 2020-21 academic year, the Blewett School of Law offered scholarships to 69% of the current first-year law students with an average award of $5,046 for residents and $12,905 for non-residents. All 1L applicants are considered for scholarships without the need of a separate application.

Scholarships may be awarded with a letter of acceptance, but many are awarded later in the admissions cycle, as prospective students make final decisions where they will attend law school. Most 1L scholarships are merit based and awards are dependent upon the strength of an applicant as compared to others. Some scholarships are more specific, being dependent on student interests, place of residence, family, etc. For a complete list of scholarships available, visit our Scholarships & Writing Competitions page.

Deadline	Scholarship Information
December 23, 2019	Wallin & Klarich Scholarship - This scholarship is awarded to an entering first-year law school student who overcame obstacles to be admitted and now faces financial burden associated with receiving a degree. Successful applicants must be interested in practicing criminal justice in the future.
March 1, 2020	Blewett Scholarship - Scholarships awarded from the Fund are designated for graduates of Montana State University – Bozeman who will be enrolled at the Blewett School of Law. The Blewett Scholars shall be selected based upon academic merit and financial need. There will be three award recipients each year. The amount of the award is equal to half the cost of in-state tuition at the School of Law.
March 10, 2020	A-1 Auto Transport Scholarship - Three awards worth $1,000, $500 and $250 will be awarded under the A-1 Auto Transport Scholarship. Applicants write an essay of at least 1,000 words about a topic related to transportation and shipping.
April 1, 2020	LexScholars by AccessLex - LexScholars is for prospective law students from underrepresented racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds who possess the potential for law school success but may be unlikely to gain admission due to unfavorable LSAT scores and/or undergraduate grades. Participants will benefit from free access to various resources, including LSAT preparation, law school admissions counseling, financial education, writing skills development and wellness training.
April 2020	ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund - The ABA Legal Opportunity Scholarship grants 20 incoming diverse law students with $15,000 of financial assistance over the course of their three years in law school.
June 15, 2020	Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr. Scholarship Program - The Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA) offers the LMJ Scholarship for diverse individuals entering an ABA-accredited law school as full-time first-year law students. Established in 2004, the LMJ Scholarship Program seeks to nurture the academic and professional careers of outstanding law students and advance the diversity pipeline to the legal profession.
June 17, 2020	Lloyd M. Johnson, Jr. Scholarship Program - The Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA) offers the LMJ Scholarship for diverse individuals entering an ABA-accredited law school as full-time first-year law students. Established in 2004, the LMJ Scholarship Program seeks to nurture the academic and professional careers of outstanding law students and advance the diversity pipeline to the legal profession.

Scholarship Retention Data

Students Matriculating In	Number Entering with Conditional Scholarships	Number Whose Conditional Scholarships Have Since Been Reduced or Eliminated
2020	62	0
2019	60	2
2018	45	0
2017	43	5
2016	41	8
2015	3	0
2014	3	0
2013	0	0
2012	0	0

Residency

The Montana University System classifies all students as either in-state or out-of-state. This classification affects admissions decisions and fee determinations. The basic rules for making the classification are found in the Board of Regents' Policy. It is each student's responsibility to secure and review a copy of the policy. Failure to be aware of the rules will not be a cause for granting any exceptions to them.

With certain exceptions, in order to be eligible for in-state status, a person must meet a 12-month durational residency test. You will have to demonstrate a bona fide intent to become a Montana resident. The 12-month period does not start until some act indicative of an intent to establish residency is taken. Mere presence in Montana or enrollment at a unit will not serve to start this period. Sufficient acts to start the period are registration to vote, obtaining a Montana driver's license, registration of a motor vehicle in Montana, purchase of home in Montana, or filing of a resident Montana tax return. The 12 months must be completed by the fifteenth instructional day to qualify for that term.

For more information regarding residency, please see "Residency Information" on the Office of the Registrar's website.

Tuition Comparison of Regional Law Schools

Law School	Resident Tuition & Fees*	Non-Resident Tuition & Fees*
University of Montana	$14,114	$34,647
University of Wyoming	$15,901	$32,311
University of Idaho	$22,260	$41,496
University of Oregon	$37,886	$47,102
University of Washington	$37,050	$48,588
University of Colorado	$31,836	$38,622
Willamette	$45,920	$45,920
Gonzaga	$40,665	$40,665
University of Seattle	$48,330	$48,330
Lewis & Clark	$48,172	$48,172
Sturm College of Law	$52,922	$52,922