J.D./M.B.A. Financial Information

The J.D./M.B.A. program is a cost-saving program for students interested in pursuing both a J.D. and an M.B.A. by reducing what would be a five-year degree program to four years. If you are enrolled in the J.D./M.B.A. program, your first two years are spent in full-time study at each of the two schools. During your third and fourth years, you will be enrolled in both the Law School and the Business School.

Detailed program information can be found on the Academic Degrees Program page.

Please note that financial aid processes and funding will differ between schools. Be sure to consult with each school’s aid office when considering any joint degree program.

Financial Aid Information

  • Application Process

    The Law School Student Financial Services Office will process your aid for the year you are full-time at the Law School and in the fourth year of the joint program. The Business School will process your aid application for the year you are full-time at the Business School and in the third year of the program. The chart below demonstrates the two possible scenarios for all four years in the JD/MBA program.

    SCENARIO 1

    YEAR IN ATTENDANCE SCHOOL IN ATTENDANCE SCHOOL PROCESSING AID
    Year 1 Law School Law School
    Year 2 Business School Business School
    Year 3 Law School & Business School Business School
    Year 4 Law School & Business School Law School

    SCENARIO 2

    YEAR IN ATTENDANCE SCHOOL IN ATTENDANCE SCHOOL PROCESSING AID
    Year 1 Business School Business School
    Year 2 Law School Law School
    Year 3 Law School & Business School Business School
    Year 4 Law School & Business School Law School
  • Your Student Budget

    In your third and fourth years of this program, your budget will be adjusted to reflect the costs associated with your degree. In both your third and fourth years, you will be charged 65% HLS tuition and 40% HBS tuition. The Law School will also give you a JD/MBA budget increase in your fourth year for extra expenses related to your joint degree program, however, this budget increase is not eligible for grant assistance. A sample budget for students completing the final year of this program, using the 2022-2023 academic year budget is below:

    HOW TO CALCULATE AMOUNT FOR 2022-23
    Tuition: 65% of HLS tuition* $45,780
    40% of HBS tuition* $29,376
    Fees: Full UHS Fee $1,304
    Harvard Student Heath Insurance Plan $4,080
    Program Fee $750
     Other: 65% of HLS Books/Supplies $1,056
    40% of HBS Program Support Fee $1,020
    Full HLS Rent/Food/Personal $27,923
    Full HLS Travel $1,700
     JD/MBA Allowance HBS Room/Utilities + HBS Board/Personal – HLS travel –HLS Rent/Food/Personal $1,829
    Total Budget $112,989
    Total HLS Grant Eligible Budget   $114,818

    Since the JD/MBA Allowance of $1,829 is not eligible for grant assistance, we would use the grant eligible budget to determine a student’s eligibility for HLS grant assistance.

    *Tuition percentages are correlated to the number of courses required for each degree.

  • Budget Adjustments Due to Health Insurance Waiver

    Under Federal student aid regulations, an allowance for the Harvard Student Health Insurance Plan may be included in the student’s budget only for students who enroll in the plan. For students who waive this coverage, the allowance will not be given, and the total student budget will be reduced by the amount of the plan fee. This means that if you are an HLS grant recipient, your HLS grant will be reduced by the fee amount as well.

    Students may request, upon appeal, to have the documented cost of an alternate health insurance plan, for which the student pays, be added to the student’s budget.

  • Cash Advances and Refunds

    If you are eligible for a cash advance or a refund, you will receive it after you have registered (1L’s have the additional requirement of a completed entrance interview). All cash advance and refund checks are mailed to the official address on file with the Registrar’s Office unless you have direct deposit set up with the Student Accounts Office.

  • Summer Work Requirement

    You will be held to the same summer work requirement as other Law School Students. See the Student Contribution from Income section for details on the summer work requirement.

  • 4th Year Exit Interview Requirement

    Before graduating, you will be required to attend a loan repayment Exit Interview at either the Law School or the Business School in order to be cleared for graduation.