Merit Scholarships for Entering J.D. Students
Dean’s Scholarships are offered to highly qualified students in each entering first-year class. These scholarships vary in number and amount each year, and are renewable under the terms outlined below. As part of the Dean’s Scholarship program, we also offer at least two Dean’s Teach for America Scholarships. The terms and criteria for the Teach for America scholarships are the same as those for the Dean’s Scholarship program, except that only current or former Teach for America corps members will be considered. Every applicant accepted for admission to the J.D. program is automatically considered for available merit scholarships, and no additional application is required.
Criteria for Entering Student Scholarships:
Every J.D. applicant accepted for admission is automatically considered for available merit scholarships, and no additional application is required. The following factors are considered when awarding merit scholarships:
- Applicant's academic record, including previous undergraduate and/or graduate institutions and test scores
- Applicant's letters of recommendation
- Applicant's demonstrated interest in obtaining an advanced degree as evidenced by the personal statement and other application materials
- Other relevant qualifications
Merit scholarships awarded to entering full-time J.D. students, including Dean’s Scholarships and Dean’s Teach for America Scholarships, are renewable for all three years of the J.D. program, provided the student maintains continuous full-time enrollment and is in good academic standing. For part-time students, scholarships are for all four years of the J.D. program, provided the student maintains a continuous part-time course load and is in good academic standing. If the student transfers from the part-time program to the full-time program, the scholarship will expire upon graduation from the JD program or at the conclusion of the fourth year, whichever comes first.
Scholarships are paid in two equal installments each year, one each for the fall and spring semester. No payment is made for summer enrollment. The scholarship will be applied to the student’s university financial account.
Dean's Award Ceremony
The Dean’s Awards Ceremony will be held on Monday, April 11 at 5:00 PM. During this ceremony, the Law Center will recognize student achievement in a number of areas. Scholarships are also awarded.
Outside Scholarship Sources (JD & LLM)
All scholarship criteria and selection determinations are set by each individual donor (not the Law Center).
Applicants are encouraged to search for outside scholarships with individual organizations, sororities or fraternities, social clubs, religious or business organizations, employers of a parent, spouse or friend, foundations, town or city clubs, community organizations and civic groups such as the American Legion, YMCA, 4H Club, Elks, Kiwanis, Jaycees or girl & boy scouts. Any organization connected with your field of interest. Other options:
Entering Students Opportunities
Jackson Walker LLP and PracticePro Pre-Law Diversity Scholarship The goal of the Practice Pro Pre-Law Diversity Scholarship is to cultivate the diverse legal talent pipeline as early as possible by assisting underrepresented college-educated students with getting into the best law schools across the country while also understanding the fundamentals of navigating a legal career. Deadline: March 22, 2022 by 11:59 p.m. PST
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (The CB) announces Sept. 1 for a new loan repayment program benefitting recently appointed peace officers who have student loan debt.
Fellowships/Internships
All scholarship criteria and selection determinations are set by each individual donor (not the Law Center).
- Dallas Hispanic Law Foundation (DHLF) Internship The Dallas Foundation invites those law students who are in the process of completing their first or second year classes to apply for the DHLF Judicial Internship Program. Deadline: February 7, 2022 by 11:59 p.m. CST
Law Center Scholarships
Outside Scholarships (JD & LLM) - All scholarship criteria and selection determinations are set by each individual donor (not the Law Center).
- Modrall Sperling Max J. Madrid Law Diversity Scholarship $10,000 - To advance the goals of diversity and inclusion within the legal profession, Modrall Sperling has established the Max J. Madrid Law Diversity Scholarship. The scholarship provides tuition assistance toward an awardee’s second or third year of law school. Deadline: January 28, 2022
- Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas Joel White Scholarship $1,000 The scholarship honors the late First Amendment attorney Joel White Students and for students attending a Texas law school and interested in First Amendment law. Deadline: February 4, 2022
- State Bar of Texas Bar Exam Prep Scholarship 2021-2022 The Bar Exam Prep Scholarship serves to facilitate diverse students’ entrance into the legal profession by assisting them to meet the challenges and financial burdens of successfully preparing for the Texas Bar Exam. Those eligible for the scholarship are diverse third year law school students, or graduates within the past 12 months of an ABA-accredited law school, who are preparing for the 2022 Texas Bar Exam. Deadline: February 4, 2022 by 11:59 p.m. CST
- Joel Stern Scholarship $5000 The Joel Stern Scholarship seeks to provide financial support to students from diverse backgrounds who contribute to the diversity of their law school student body as they pursue their legal career. Deadline: February 11, 2022
- Association of Corporate Counsel 2022 Diversity Scholarship $5000, The Houston Chapter of the Association of Corporate Counsel (“ACC”) is pleased to again offer scholarships to promote diversity of attorneys in the legal profession. Deadline: February 14, 2022
- Association of Corporate Counsel 2022 Diversity Scholarship $5000 Applicants must be in their first or second year of law school. Deadline: February 14, 2022
- Dallas Hispanic Law Foundation 2022 Scholarship The Dallas Foundation has a number of scholarship funds, each with a different purpose and eligibility requirements. Deadline: February 21, 2022 by 11:59 p.m. CST.
- The Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law Equity and Inclusion Scholarship 2022-2023 $5,000-$7,000 The Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law (The Foundation) Equity and Inclusion Scholarship was established in 2020 to benefit Black and Indigenous students who demonstrate an interest in working in an area of natural resources or energy law, which includes for purposes of this application oil and gas law, mining law, renewable energy or electricity law, public land law, water law, environmental law, and related areas of Indian and Indigenous Peoples law and international law. Deadline: February 28, 2022
- The Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law Scholarships 2022-2023 $7,500-$23,750 The Foundation for Natural Resources and Energy Law (The Foundation) during the 2022-23 academic year, and who demonstrate a commitment to the study of natural resources or energy law, which includes for purposes of this application oil and gas law, mining law, renewable energy or electricity law, public land law, water law, environmental law, and related areas of Indian and Indigenous Peoples law and international law. The Foundation has a number of scholarship programs. Students may complete one application to apply for all of these programs, although students should pay special attention to the criteria for each scholarship and address those criteria in the application, if applicable. Deadlines: JD- February 28, 2022, LLM – March 25, 2022
- Energy & Mineral Law Foundation (EMLF) Scholarship Program $1,000-$5,000 Law students must demonstrate an interest in the study of natural resources, energy, environmental, or mineral law. Deadline: April 1, 2022
- Houston Bar Association Auxiliary Charitable Fund, INC., Scholarship The Charitable Fund Awards scholarships annually to deserving students at each of the Houston area law schools. The selection is based on scholastic achievement, need, and community involvement. Available to a 2L who will graduate in Fall 2022 or Spring 2023. Deadline: April 1, 2022
Writing Competitions
All award criteria and selection determinations are set by each individual donor (not the Law Center).
-
State Bar of Texas Women and the Law Section 2022 Harriet E. Miers Writing Competition $1,000 and published essay in its newsletter
- Louis Jackson memorial National Student Writing Competition in Employment and Labor Law $1,000-$3,000, Recognizes the best legal writing in the field of labor and employment law among current law students. The committee of five judges is drawn from among the most preeminent labor and employment law scholars in the country, and entries are anonymously judged. Deadline: Entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. (CST) on Tuesday, January 18, 2022
- The Harvey Saferstein Consumer Protection Student Essay Contest $2,000 - $5,000, Calling all 2Ls and 3Ls with an interest in antitrust and consumer protection law! The American Bar Association ("ABA") Antitrust Law Section ("Section") Consumer Protection Committee ("Committee") is hosting a student essay writing contest ("Contest") for 2021-2022. Deadline: Entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. (CST), January 31, 2022
- ABA Sponsored Robert Pitofsky Law Student Writing Competition $2,500 and a one-year free membership in the Antitrust Law Section. The goal of the American Bar Association Robert Pitofsky Law Student Writing Competition (“Competition”) is to encourage and reward law student writings on antitrust law and competition law subjects of general and current interest. Deadline: Entries must be received by 5:00 p.m. (CST) on January 31, 2022
- American Constitution Society (ACS) Richard D. Cudahy Writing Competition on Regulatory and Administrative Law $1500, Judge Cudahy’s distinguished contributions to the fields of regulatory and administrative law combined a keen grasp of legal doctrine, deep insight into the institutional forces that determine how doctrine is implemented, and an appreciation of the public impact of doctrinal and institutional choices, including the consequences for fundamental values such as fairness, participation, and transparency. This competition seeks to encourage and reward these qualities in the scholarship of others. The winning papers will receive special recognition at the 2022 ACS National Convention and on the ACS website. Deadline: February 6, 2022 by 11:59 p.m. CST
- 2022 Constance Baker Motley National Student Writing Competition $3000-$1000, As a civil rights attorney, first woman elected President of the Borough of Manhattan, and the first African-American woman appointed to the federal bench, Motley’s life-long commitment to equality for all aligns with ACS’s mission to ensure that law is a force to improve the lives of all people. ACS welcomes all student papers furthering and promoting a progressive vision of the Constitution, law, and public policy. The winning authors’ papers will be featured during the 2022 ACS National Convention and on ACS’s digital platforms. The top paper also receives an offer of publication in the University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law. Deadline: February 6, 2022 by 11:59 p.m. CST
- The New York Intellectual Property Law Association, Honorable William C. Conner Writing Competition$1,000 - $1,500, The competition is open to students enrolled in a J.D. or LL.M. program. The subject matter must be directed to one of the traditional subject areas of intellectual property, i.e., patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, unfair trade
practices and antitrust. Deadline: February 27, 2022
- American Indian Law Review National Writing Competition $1500-$400 and publication by the American Indian Law Review. The competition is open to students enrolled in J.D. or graduate law programs at accredited law schools in the United States and Canada. Deadline: February 28, 2022 by 5:00 p.m. (Central Time)
- Human Rights Essay Contest 2022 $1500, As part of the State Bar of Texas International Law Section’s commitment to providing information and guidance on international human rights issues, the Section sponsors a writing contest that is open to individuals attending law school (including LL.M. programs) within the State of Texas and Texas residents in law school of Texas. Deadline: April 1, 2022 on or before 11:59 p.m. (Central Time)
- Howard C. Schwab Memorial Essay Contest $350 - $1,500, This annual contest, conducted by the ABA Section of Family Law, was established by the Toledo Bar Association and the Ohio Bar Foundation as a memorial to Howard C. Schwab. Deadline: April 8, 2022
- Entertainment & Sports Law Section of the State Bar of Texas Lazzari Memorial Prize $1000, The winning author will have his/her paper published in the Texas Entertainment and Sports Law Journal and receive membership facilitated into the Section, a complimentary registration for the 2022 Entertainment Law Institute and Bootcamp in Austin, recognition at the Institute, and an invitation to the Institute’s private speakers dinner in Austin. Deadline: May 2, 2022
University of Houston Law Center
Financial Aid & Scholarship Office
4104 Martin Luther King Blvd
Houston, Texas 77204-6060
(713) 743-2269
School code 003652
lawfinaid@uh.edu
