Financial Aid * Scholarships & Awards  

Scholarships & Awards

The University of West Los Angeles
SCHOOL OF LAW
Scholarship Opportunities

The University of West Los Angeles offers a variety of endowed and institutional scholarships for full-time and part-time students enrolled in the School of Law. Most scholarship awards will be credited to student accounts during the month of September. Institutional scholarships are awarded solely in the form of tuition credits and have no cash value.

This section is intended to provide you with information about the various scholarships currently available at UWLA and how you can apply for them.  All eligible students are considered for some scholarships based on criteria such as grade point average or performance in a specific course.  Other scholarships are awarded after application forms and supporting documents have been submitted and reviewed by the Scholarship Committee or other appropriate committee. These scholarships and awards are intended to help make UWLA an affordable law school in California.

If you have any questions concerning these scholarships, please call the School of Law office.  If you have any questions relating to how a scholarship award might affect receipt of a student loan, please call the Office of Financial Aid.

Please note that the application deadline for most competitive scholarships is in mid-September. Scholarship applications must be delivered to either School of Law office (West Los Angeles or San Fernando Valley). Late applications will not be considered.

The following scholarships sare available for students in the School of Law for the Academic Year:

New Student Scholarship Program

The University of West Los Angeles School of Law is pleased to provide new students a substantial tuition scholarship and help make law school affordable if the criteria outlined below are satisfied:

  1. The applicant has earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
  2. The applicant has achieved an LSAT score at or above the 40th percentile.  (Scores more than 5 years old are unacceptable.)
    • IIf the applicant’s LSAT score is in the 40-49th percentile, a 10% tuition scholarship is available
    • If the applicant’s LSAT score is at the 50th percentile or higher, a 25% tuition scholarship is available.
  3. Transfer students from ABA or state-accredited law schools may be eligible for a 10% tuition scholarship, if they have a law school cumulative GPA of 2.70 at the time of transfer.

Applicants that qualify will be offered the scholarship upon admission to the program. To secure the scholarship, the “New Student Scholarship Acceptance Form” must be returned by the deadline in the applicant’s acceptance letter.

In order to continue to receive the scholarship, the following conditions must be met:

  1. The student must be enrolled in at least 3 units in the summer, 9 units in the fall and 9 units in the spring. However, if you choose to attend in the summer and are enrolled in 3 units, you can still qualify for the scholarship with a minimum of 6 units in the fall. We will calculate your GPA at the end of the fall semester based on the first 9 units (if Part Time student) and the first 12 units (if Full Time student), which will include the 3 units from summer. Dropping below these standards in any term will result in a forfeiture of the scholarship for that term.
  2. The student must earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.70 at the end of each term to receive the scholarship for the succeeding term. (If the student fails to earn a cumulative grade point average of 2.70 at the end of any term, the scholarship will not be provided for the succeeding term. Upon achievement of a cumulative grade point average of 2.70 at the conclusion of a later term, the scholarship will be provided for the succeeding term.)

Questions regarding the program should be directed to the Associate Dean Toni Smith at 310-342-5210 or Tsmith@uwla.edu.

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FACULTY MERIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

The School of Law is pleased to announce the availability of scholarship awards to students through the Faculty Merit Scholarship Program.

Scholarship awards, in the form of partial tuition remission to help make our California law school more affordable, are available for continuing students for the fall and spring semesters.

Interested students are encouraged to apply each semester for a scholarship. Eligibility requirements are outlined below:

  • Cumulative Grade Point Average (3.0 or higher)
  • Personal Statement

Please contact the School of Law from application deadlines. Applications may be submitted to either School of Law office.

University of West Los Angeles
School of Law

San Fernando Valley
9201 Oakdale Avenue #201
Chatsworth, CA. 91311
(818) 775-4500

West Los Angeles
9920 S. LaCienega Blvd. #404
Inglewood, CA 90301
(310) 342-5250

APPLICATION FOR FACULTY MERIT SCHOLARSHIP

Merit scholarships are in the form of tuition remission.  Awards under this program are for partial tuition for an individual semester.  Expenses for books and fees are not covered by the award.

The Scholarship Committee gives considerable weight to many qualitative factors in order to make award decisions.  You must attach a short personal statement, which includes facts about yourself and your background that you feel may be significant to the evaluation.  In addition, you may use the personal statement to clarify or expand information set forth in this application.

The School of Law does not discriminate on the basis of gender, religion, disability, national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, personal matters or financial aid programs.

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Endowed Scholarships

Endowed scholarships are made possible through the generosity of individual donors who wish to help make UWLA an affordable law school in California.

  1. Ronald Allen Scholarship: Established by the Law Alumni Association in memory of 1975 UWLA School of Law alumnus and tireless University advocate Ronald Allen.
    Value: $2500
    Number of Awards Per Year: 2
    Eligibility Criteria: Available to UWLA students in good academic standing who have completed at least two semesters and can provide evidence of community service or involvement and financial need.
    Application Procedure: Submit a UWLA Scholarship Application Form, a 500-word typewritten statement describing recent community service or involvement, and a copy of your latest Federal Income Tax Return or UWLA Income/Expense Form.
    Selection:Ronald Allen Scholarship Committee of the Law Alumni Association.

  2. Alan R. Frieman Scholarship: Established in memory of beloved UWLA Law Professor and former Trustee Alan R. Frieman.
    Value: $125
    Number of Awards Per Year: 2
    Eligibility Criteria: One award to the student who achieves the highest course grade in Evidence I during the fall semester and one award for the student who achieves the highest course grade in Evidence II during the spring semester. In the event of a tie, the recipient will be the student with the highest UWLA cumulative grade point average.
    Application Procedure: All eligible students are considered. No application necessary.
    Selection: Faculty Senate.

  3. Bernard S. Jefferson Scholarship: Established by UWLA President Emeritus, renowned jurist and School of Law Professor Justice Bernard S. Jefferson.
    Value: $500
    Number of Awards Per Year: 1 Full-Time Student, 1 Part-Time Student
    Eligibility Criteria: Awarded to one full-time and one part-time student who have completed at least two semesters of study at UWLA.
    Application Procedure: Submit a UWLA Scholarship Application Form, a 500-word typewritten statement on career goals, and a copy of your latest Federal Income Tax Return or UWLA Income/Expense Form.
    Selection: Faculty Senate.

  4. Louis & Elsa Kelton Scholarship I: Established by former UWLA Trustee and University benefactor Louis L. Kelton and his wife Elsa.
    Value: $1,000
    Number of Awards Per Year: 1
    Eligibility Criteria: Scholarship awarded to an incoming First-Year student based on academic potential. Selection based on a review of Admissions files.
    Application Procedure: All eligible applicants are considered. No application necessary.
    Selection: Faculty Senate.

  5. Louis & Elsa Kelton Scholarship II: Established by former UWLA Trustee and University benefactor Louis L. Kelton and his wife Elsa.
    Value: $1000
    Number of Awards Per Year: 3
    Eligibility Criteria: Scholarship awarded to School of Law students who demonstrate the most improvement between their first and second year of study at UWLA.
    Application Procedure: All eligible students are considered. No application necessary.
    Selection: Faculty Senate.

  6. Sherman D. Paver Scholarship:The Paver Scholarship, established in memory of 1973 UWLA Law School alumnus, Sherman D. Paver, is awarded preferably to a full-time law student whose primary academic goal is professional advancement on a personal level, for example, a law degree to complement their current occupation or facilitate a career change. Community service or contributions to world “causes” are not criteria for selection.

    Endowed award is to be applied for tuition costs by direct payment to the university. Additional contributions to the original endowed scholarship fund may be awarded to a scholarship recipient for books, supplies, online library research fees, etc.
    Value: $750
    Number of Awards Per Year: 2
    Eligibility Criteria: Available to UWLA students who have completed their first year of study in good standing, preferably not receiving any other awards.
    Application Procedure: Submit a 500-word typewritten essay on the role of a legal education in complementing your current occupation or in facilitating your career change.
    Selection: Faculty Senate.

  7. Jack & Geraldine Weichman Scholarship: Established by 1978 UWLA School of Law alumnus, former University Trustee, and benefactor Jack Weichman and his wife Geraldine.
    Value: $1,000
    Number of Awards Per Year: 1
    Eligibility Criteria: Awarded at the end of the spring semester to a student who achieved Dean's Honor List, in the previous fall or spring semester, and who demonstrates financial need.
    Application Procedure: Submit a UWLA Scholarship Application Form, a 500-word typewritten statement on career goals, and a copy of your latest Federal Income Tax Return or UWLA Income/Expense Form.
    Selection: Faculty Senate.

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Institutional Scholarships

Institutional scholarships for the School of Law students are funded by the University's Annual Operating Budget and are intended to help make UWLA an affordable California law school. Some scholarships may not be available every academic year.

  1. Dean's Scholarship I: Scholarship awarded to three incoming first-year students based on previous academic performance and potential.
    Value: $500
    Number of Awards Per Year: 3
    Eligibility Criteria: Awarded to three incoming students who demonstrate the potential to be successful in the study of law.
    Application Procedure: All eligible applicants are considered.
    Selection: Faculty Senate.

  2. Dean's Scholarship II: Scholarship awarded to three students entering the second year based on academic performance.
    Value: $500
    Number of Awards Per Year: 3
    Eligibility Criteria: Awarded to the top three students who met the eligibility requirement for the Dean's List in the previous fall and spring semesters.
    Application Procedure: All eligible students are considered. No application necessary.
    Selection: Faculty Senate.

  3. Dean's Scholarship III: Scholarship awarded to three students entering the third year based on academic performance.
    Value: $500
    Number of Awards Per Year: 3
    Eligibility Criteria: Awarded to the top three students who met the eligibility requirements for the Dean's List in the previous fall and spring semesters.
    Application Procedure: All eligible students are considered. No application necessary.
    Selection: Faculty Senate.

  4. Dean's Scholarship IV: Scholarship awarded to three students entering the fourth year based on academic performance.
    Value: $500
    Number of Awards Per Year: 3
    Eligibility Criteria: Awarded to the top three students who met the eligibility requirements for the Dean's List in the previous fall and spring semesters.
    Application Procedure: All eligible students are considered. No application necessary.
    Selection: Faculty Senate.

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