Financing LL.M. Study at Harvard Law School
A year in Harvard Law School’s LL.M. program is expensive. Tuition for the 2024-2025 academic year is $77,100; in addition, health insurance and health services fees, the LL.M. activities fee, dental insurance, the costs of housing, food, books and supplies, and personal and travel expenses for a single student come to at least $39,400, for a total of at least $116,500. For the 2024-2025 academic year, the standard budget for students with a spouse and/or children calls for at least another $16,000 in living expenses for the spouse and at least $8,400 for each child. (Note: Students who are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens and intend on using the U.S. federal loan program will be subject to federal regulations, which include a budget formulated using the criteria set by the U.S. Department of Education. The budget information provided here is not intended to comply with such criteria.)
2024-2025 Academic Year Tuition & Fees – Estimated Budget
| TUITION AND MANDATORY FEES | |
| Tuition | $77,100 |
| Health Insurance and Health Services Fees | 5,794 |
| Activities Fee | 400 |
| OTHER EXPENSES | |
| Housing | 18,000 |
| Food | 6,131 |
| Personal Expenses | 5,650 |
| Books and Supplies | 1,675 |
| Travel | 1,750 |
| TOTAL | $116,500 |
Financial Assistance from Harvard
All financial aid awards are primarily based on the applicant’s demonstrated financial need. Financial aid is offered in the form of both grants (scholarships) and loans. The average grant is approximately half of tuition; for a small number of students with particularly acute financial need, we are able to offer grants covering full tuition and a portion of living expenses. In addition to our grant funds, we are able to offer students with financial need access to educational loans. Everyone in the LL.M. class of 2024-2025 who demonstrated financial need received some form of aid, whether as grant, grant and loan, or loan only.
All applicants who wish to apply for financial aid should complete the online financial aid application. Because the processes for making admissions and financial aid decisions are completely separate, your application for financial aid will have no impact on your application for admission. In addition, given our funding limitations, prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to seek other sources of funds early in the application process.
Other Sources of Funds
Applicants seeking financial assistance should investigate funding sources in their home countries well in advance. Examples of such funding sources include employers, government agencies, and foundations. Applicants are encouraged to review this non-exhaustive list of outside funding opportunities. Loans from private lending institutions in the U.S. may also be available to international applicants.
The United States Embassy or consulate in an international applicant’s home country may have information on U.S. government grants under the Fulbright program and other information on fellowship opportunities. Applicants who are from certain countries or who meet certain specific criteria may be eligible for a number of scholarships administered by Harvard University’s Committee on General Scholarships. Please note that many of these scholarships have their own application procedures and deadlines, and students must apply for some of these funds by contacting committees or agencies in their home countries.
In some cases it may be possible for students to undertake part-time paid employment on campus, e.g., working in the Law School Library or as research assistants for faculty members. Generally speaking, students can expect to earn up to a total of $3,500 over the course of the academic year in return for 6–8 hours of work per week. These positions cannot be arranged through the Graduate Program Office. Admitted applicants interested in such employment must seek out such positions after arrival at Harvard Law School. Off-campus employment during the year of study is not permitted for international students.
2024-2025 Financial Aid Facts
Everyone in the 2024-2025 LL.M. program who demonstrated financial need received some form of aid, whether as grant, grant and loan, or loan only.
- Financial aid from Harvard Law School is based on demonstrated need
- Typical financial aid award is part grant, part loan
- 52% of 2024-25 LL.M.s received need-based aid (grant and/or loan) from or through Harvard Law School
- Median grant – $35,000
- Median loan – $27,000
- 35% of 2024-25 LL.M.s received grants from other sources within Harvard University (e.g., Frank Knox Memorial Fellowships and Jorge Paulo Lemann Fellowships) or non-Harvard sources (e.g., Fulbright scholarships)