Financial aid is the single most important way the Law School can more equally distribute opportunity and welcome the most talented students. This support has the potential to transform not only the lives of these students, but also the lives of every client and cause they will go on to represent and every community they serve. As a result, the financial aid we provide impacts thousands of people and families who may never set foot on the Harvard Law School campus.
Natasha Onken, Assistant Dean for Student Financial Services
Financial aid awarded$40M+
Average LIPP participants annually600+
1Ls who receive SPIF support>55%
Giving Opportunities
By making a gift to financial aid, you are supporting students who will go on to advance justice and uphold the rule of law. From scholarship funds that support generations of students during their time on campus to LIPP funds that enable graduates to explore all possible career paths, there are numerous opportunities to make a difference across all aspects of the Harvard Law School experience.
As one of only two U.S. law schools offering exclusively need-based financial aid, Harvard Law School aims to make a world-class legal education accessible to every student, regardless of their background, and to reduce the debt our students incur upon graduation, enabling them to pursue work that brings them fulfillment.
Endowed HLS Opportunity Fund
Make a life-changing commitment to our J.D. students with the highest financial need, enabling some to attend tuition-free, through your gift to establish a new Opportunity Fund scholarship. Opportunities start at $250,000.* Read more about the Opportunity Fund.
HLS Opportunity Funds
Together with other supporters, you can make a collective impact on J.D. students with the greatest financial need with a gift of any size to our endowed (long-term impact) or current-use (immediate impact) group funds. Read more about the Opportunity Fund.
Endowed Scholarship Fund for J.D. or Graduate Students
Create a permanent fund offering need-based financial aid grants annually to HLS students, with no expectation of repayment. Opportunities start at $250,000.*
*Naming opportunities available
Endowed Low-Income Protection Plan (LIPP) Fund
Establish a permanent fund for our loan repayment assistance program supporting J.D. graduates working in lower-paying positions in public service, the government, and nonprofits. Opportunities start at $250,000.*
Provide substantial aid to a J.D. student now with a current-use gift of $25,000.*
*Naming opportunities available
The Annual Fund
No Minimum
Make an immediate impact with a gift of any size to the Annual Fund, which supports need-based financial aid for J.D. students.
Graduate Program Financial Aid Fund
No Minimum
Make a gift of any size to this fund to direct immediate financial aid to talented LL.M. and S.J.D. students from across the globe.
Student Voices
Sofia Bottinelli ’26
“I would not be able to be at a place like this without financial assistance. At HLS, I have met some of the most important people in my life: advocates, leaders, and dear friends. I have been challenged and pushed, and I have felt connections and community that I didn’t expect to find. None of that would be possible without my scholarship, loans, and LIPP. More importantly, pursuing a public interest career would be off the table if it weren’t for this financial support. Thank you, deeply.”
Sofia Bottinelli ’26, recipient of the Bethuel M. Webster Scholarship and Loan Fund
Nicholas Baca ’25
“My scholarship helped ease the financial burden of attending Harvard Law School. Coming from a low-income background, every bit of support made a difference, and I am deeply grateful for the opportunity it provided. Law school is challenging in many ways, and knowing that someone believed in me enough to invest in my future was incredibly meaningful. To my scholarship donor, I want to say thank you. Your generosity was not just financial support; it was a reminder that people want to see students like me succeed. It reinforced that I belonged here and that my hard work was worth it. As I return to New Mexico to begin my legal career, I will carry that support with me and use my education to give back to the community that shaped me.”
Nicholas Baca ’25, recipient of the Herbert A. Bergson Memorial Fund
Students share their perspectives on life at Harvard Law School, including the role financial aid plays in making an HLS education possible.
Donor Voices
Harold P. Hope III ’99
“When I look across my classmates, they came from all walks of life, with different opinions and interests. I have friends who are in law, government, business, nonprofits, and even Hollywood. That diversity gives Harvard Law School such an advantage. The free exchange of ideas, dialogues, and experiences I had with my classmates was one of the greatest gifts of my education. I would like my support of financial aid to continue to attract students from all different backgrounds, who will add infinitely to the quality and experience of an HLS education.”
Harold P. Hope III ’99, donor of the Harold Hope Family/Goldman Sachs Gives Financial Aid Fund
Debra L. Lee ’80
“LIPP is a tremendous resource that benefits both HLS graduates and the communities where they serve. I was thrilled to support this unique program, which was the first of its kind at a law school. Through LIPP, the Law School can preserve freedom of job choice and enable HLS students to follow the pursuit of justice wherever it may lead them.”
Debra L. Lee ’80, donor of the Debra L. Lee Endowed LIPP Fund for Public Service
