J.D. Program

J.D. Costs & Financial Aid

At Vanderbilt, we are committed to controlling tuition costs, providing substantial scholarship assistance, and offering strategies and tools for students managing expenses, debt, and personal finances.

J.D. Costs & Financial Aid
Section Contents

How to Finance your Vanderbilt J.D.

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At Vanderbilt Law, all admitted applicants are automatically considered for Law School merit scholarships. The Law School also provides innovative Access2VLS need-based grants to entering J.D. students with the greatest financial need for tuition funding.

Additionally, Federal Direct Loans are available for tuition costs not covered by scholarships / grants and living expenses. Vanderbilt Law students also have access to MAX, a comprehensive personal finance program created exclusively for law students by AccessLex, free of charge throughout their time at Vanderbilt Law School. 

Scholarships Awarded in the Admission Process

During the J.D. 1L admission process, all admitted applicants are automatically considered for Law School merit scholarships that are awarded in varying amounts based on an individuals' full application for admission in the context of the admitted pool. All scholarships and need-based grants awarded in the admission process automatically renew each semester the recipient is enrolled in the Law School.

In a separate, subsequent process, admitted students may request consideration for Access2VLS need-based grants, which are allocated to those with demonstrated need for funds to pay tuition costs not covered by their Vanderbilt Law School merit scholarships.

Vanderbilt Law does not award conditional scholarships. Students must remain in good academic standing to retain their Law School scholarships or grants. 

While we provide Law School scholarship decisions as soon as possible following an offer of admission, timing will vary in individual cases.

Law Scholar Merit Awards

Each year, Vanderbilt provides several merit awards valued at full tuition to admitted applicants through a competitive selection process. To be considered, admitted applicants must complete the Application for Law Scholars Merit Awards contained in the Vanderbilt Law Application Status Portal. The deadline for submitting Law Scholars applications is January 10.

The selection committee reviews candidates' Law Scholar applications along with their applications for admission. All admitted applicants who have submitted timely Law Scholar applications will be considered for all available Law Scholar Awards. Recipients are normally notified in February. The following Law Scholar Merit Awards provide full-tuition scholarships making each currently valued at more than $200,000 over 3 years of law studies.

Learn more about Law Scholar Merit Awards.

External Scholarships

We maintain a listing of external scholarship opportunities that come to our attention. In addition, school counselors, civic associations, local bar associations, and other organizations may be helpful to identifying scholarship funds for law school.

Support for U.S. Military Veterans

  • Bass Military Scholars Program

    Vanderbilt University recognizes the leadership qualities and capabilities of US military veterans. The Bass Military Scholars Program awards scholarships annually to highly talented veterans pursuing graduate and professional degrees across five Vanderbilt schools.

    The Bass Military Scholars Application window is open from August 1st to February 15th annually. Apply through the Bass Military Scholars website.

  • Yellow Ribbon Program

    Vanderbilt Law School is committed to helping veterans transition to law school and to funding the maximum allowed under the Yellow Ribbon Program to all eligible students. We recommend that students who are eligible for Post-9/11 GI Bill® Benefits review the criteria for the Yellow Ribbon Program to determine whether or not they are eligible for this benefit.

    Once your eligibility for the Yellow Ribbon Program has been confirmed, if your tuition charges exceed the amount of the national cap, the Yellow Ribbon Program provides additional funding up to the maximum approved by the VA based on unmet need. At the present time, Vanderbilt Law School will award up to 50% of the unmet need in Yellow Ribbon funds, to be matched by the Veterans Administration.  For additional information regarding veterans’ educational benefits at Vanderbilt University, please contact Vanderbilt’s VA school certifying officials at VASCO@vanderbilt.edu.

    Details on Vanderbilt University's Yellow Ribbon Program benefits and military benefits are available through the Office of the University Registrar. A full description of the Yellow Ribbon program can be found on the Veterans Benefits Administration website.

Scholarships Awarded to Rising 2Ls

Vanderbilt's George Barrett Social Justice Program offers comprehensive, hands-on training, and mentoring specifically designed to prepare graduates for work in the public interest, and our Assistant Dean for Public Interest coordinates public interest law opportunities and facilitates public interest law careers for students and recent graduates. 

Each year, the Law School selects at least one Garrison Social Justice Scholar from among current first-year J.D. students who apply. This award includes a supplemental scholarship for the second and third years and summer stipend support for the 2 summers prior to graduation. 

Alumni Scholarships

  • George Barrett Social Justice Fellowship

    The Barrett Social Justice Fellowship honors the legacy of renowned Nashville civil rights attorney George Barrett ’57 by enabling a Vanderbilt Law graduate to carry out a one-year public interest project under the supervision and sponsorship of a host organization. The Law School will provide funding to enable the Fellow to receive a $40,000 salary and health insurance from the host organization.

  • Public Sector Pathways

    Designed for new lawyers pursuing public interest employment, Public Service Pathways (PSP) enables new Vanderbilt Law graduates to gain valuable public-sector work experience as they continue to pursue permanent employment in a location of their choice. Graduating students secure volunteer legal internships with government agencies, in judicial chambers, with public defenders’ or prosecutors’ offices, or with nonprofit advocacy organizations, which are funded by Vanderbilt Law School stipends after graduation. While some graduates have garnered permanent positions at the organizations they originally joined as interns, others have secured full-time legal employment elsewhere. The PSP is reviewed and funded annually and currently provides financial assistance for bar preparation in addition to stipend support for up to six months.

  • Loan Repayment Assistance Program

    Vanderbilt Law School Loan Repayment Assistance Program pays from 20 to 50 percent of annual loan repayment obligations for up to 10 years for graduates in qualifying public service positions.

Estimating personal cost of attendance

We encourage prospective students to estimate their personal cost of attendance at Vanderbilt as an important factor in deciding where to attend law school. The value of outlining a personal budget cannot be overstated; small differences in expenses can reap large rewards. Consider that reducing expenses $5.00 per day, five days per week, saves $3,900 over three years. Consider further that the total interest on a $3,900 loan repaid over ten years at an annual interest rate of 6.8% would be $2,264, making savings equal to $6,164. Looking for opportunities to lower law school expenses before you enroll can pay off in the future by protecting your future income from debt repayment obligations.

Personal cost of attendance = (Vanderbilt tuition - scholarships received) + your estimated living expenses

  • Tuition

    Annual tuition ($76,440 in 2025-26) is a fixed charge to all students. Scholarship funds are credited to tuition charges and the remainder represents the net tuition amount a student must pay. Total net tuition costs over three years equal:

    [(3 times tuition) minus (3 times scholarship)] + (potential tuition increases in years two and three).

    It bears mention that a student receiving equal scholarship offers from schools with different tuitions are not equal values. For example, a $20,000 annual scholarship is worth more at a school where annual tuition equals $55,000 than at a school with a tuition of $60,000. At the former, the student would pay $35,000 net tuition compared to $40,000 at the latter.

  • Living Expenses

    It can be difficult to estimate living expenses when moving to a new location. A law school's living expense estimate is a good place to start, but these estimates may include expenses that you might or might not personally incur. Your personal choices and circumstances that influence spending (e.g., living alone or with a roommate; eating out or at home; spending on entertainment, owning a car or using public transportation; etc.) will shape the amount you actually pay for your living expenses during law school.

    Many Vanderbilt Law students live comfortably while spending less than the amounts estimated by the University, thereby minimizing the indirect cost of their legal education. We encourage admitted students to consult the Obiter Dictum: Your Insider's Guide to Vanderbilt Law School in your admission packet while estimating considering their personal living expenses in Nashville. The Obiter is an extremely valuable resource written by current Vanderbilt Law students that saves new students time and resources by providing helpful detailed information about where to live, getting set up, where to eat, where to shop (services and retail), and other topics.

  • Borrowing based on your estimated expenses

    Most Vanderbilt Law students pay for law school with a combination of savings, earnings during law school, and student loans. About 60% of Vanderbilt Law students borrow to cover some of their personal tuition and living expenses during law school. Students are normally eligible to borrow up to the full cost of attendance (equal to tuition and fees plus the school’s estimate for living expenses) minus scholarships. This means that they are eligible to borrow the amount of tuition and fees not covered by scholarships, plus the full amount of estimated living expenses. While this figure is the maximum loan amount the university will approve for a qualified student borrower, you may borrow less.

    Even with the best information and advice available, estimating your living expenses for your first year can be difficult. Some new students coming to Vanderbilt take the approach of accepting the full amount of loans for which they are approved and later reducing the amount of their loans for the first year once they have arranged their living situation and established their actual personal budgets.

    Reducing the amount you borrow protects your future income from debt repayment obligations. Using savings and other assets, gifts from family and others, and in-school earnings to pay law school expenses can help keep your educational debt as low as possible.

2025-26 J.D. Estimated Cost of Attendance

Direct CostsTuition and Fees
Tuition$76,440 $38,220 for each of two semesters; flat rate tuition for all students.
VU Student Services Fee$677Recreation / Wellness Center and other University services and activities.
Law School Programming Fee$700Student programming, technology, professional development, and co-curricular engagement .
One-time transcript fee$100 All VU students are assessed a one-time lifetime transcript fee during their first semester. Vanderbilt University only issues official transcripts.
Student Health Fee$882Expanded access to student health care and wellness resources, including Telehealth care options, focusing on mental and physical health, nutrition, and sleep. Enhanced satellite services with multiple care locations across campus.
Total Tuition & Fees$78,799Pending Vanderbilt Board of Trust final approval.
Indirect Costs9-month estimates.

While actual individual indirect costs vary depending on personal choices and circumstances that influence spending (e.g., living alone or with a roommate, eating out or at home, transportation choices, etc.), the University makes the following indirect cost estimates which determine the maximum federal loan amount available. Please note, however, that students whose actual total indirect costs are less than the total estimated cost can borrow less than the maximum amount available while knowing that additional funds (up to the maximum) are available should the need arise.
1L Only Books / Supplies$1,700$1,700 for 1L students; $500 for 2L & 3L students.
Housing$16,030 $1,781 per month. Studio or shared multi-bedroom typically less.
Food$7,488$3,744 per semester.
Personal and miscellaneous / Health$6,086For personal expenses not itemized elsewhere and Health Insurance.
Transportation$1,526
Loan fees$2,104Average loan fees incurred by similarly classified borrowers during the previous academic year. $0 for non-borrowers.
Total estimated indirect costs$34,934Figure at left applies to first-year students. Due to the lesser estimate for books, as above, total estimated a second- or third-year student may borrow up to $33,734.
Total Estimated Cost of Attendance, 2025-26
Tuition & Fees

(Direct Costs)
$78,799$39,399.50 each of two semesters. A student may borrow the amount of tuition and fees not covered by scholarship or need-based grant, e.g., a student with a $35,000 scholarship may borrow up to $43,799, or a student with no scholarship or grant may borrow up to $78,799
Estimated Indirect Costs$34,934Amount at left includes $1,700 estimate for 1L books. Estimated indirect costs for books as above, for 2L and 3L students is $33,734. As a practical matter, students indirect costs will differ based on personal choices and circumstances. A first-year student may borrow any amount for indirect costs, as needed, up to the amount at left.
Total Estimated Cost of Attendance$113,733$112,433 for 2Ls and 3Ls due to lower book cost estimates as above.

Comparing Estimated Living Expenses

Law schools' living expense estimates are not tied to cost-of-living differences between locations, and they are not necessarily based on comparable living situations. This means that schools with lower living expense estimates do not necessarily cost less to attend.

Tuition Payment

Tuition for the academic year is payable in 2 equal installments, at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters. In addition to tuition, fees include:

  • A nonrefundable seat deposit when you accept admission, which is credited toward the fall semester bill.
  • Student health insurance through Vanderbilt which may be waived if you have comparable coverage through another provider.
  • Annual activities and recreation fee, which provides access to the campus recreation center, the Sarratt Student Center and many campus events.

Refunds of Tuition and Other Charges, Tuition Payment Programs, and Other Information on Student Accounts is available from the Vanderbilt University Office of Student Accounts. 

Loans

Most students pay their tuition charges and living expenses through a combination of savings, earnings during law school, and education loans. If a student decides to borrow, the first step is to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and list Vanderbilt University's Title IV code, 003535. 

An admitted student who submits a FAFSA to Vanderbilt will receive a Financial Aid Award Notice that shows:

  • Vanderbilt Law School tuition and estimated living expenses for the coming academic year;
  • Scholarship funds Vanderbilt Law School has offered to the student; and
  • The maximum amount of loans the student may borrow to pay tuition expenses that are not covered by scholarship funds and living expenses for the coming academic year.

Please note that the maximum amount students may borrow is not necessarily the amount each student actually needs to borrow. Living expenses depend, in part, upon personal choices regarding housing, food, entertainment, transportation, and other non-tuition expenses, and many students live comfortably while spending less than estimated by the University. In addition, many students pay some tuition and living expenses using savings, gifts, and income earned during law school, which limits borrowing, thus protecting future income from loan repayment obligations.

Complete information for Vanderbilt graduate / professional students applying for loans is available through the University Office of Student Financial Aid, which awards all forms of federal aid, including Federal Direct Stafford Loans, Federal Work-Study, as well as alternative loans.

The importance of good credit

Your credit history stays with you for a long time and can impact your eligibility for student loan programs. It is a good idea to check your credit report 6 to 9 months before you apply for student loans. A free copy of your credit report from each of the 3 national consumer reporting agencies is available at Annual Credit Report.