External Scholarships
Need additional sources of funding available to help finance your legal education? Below is a list of external scholarships offered by nonprofit organizations, foundations, law firms, and networking groups.
External Scholarships
Organizations, groups, and nonprofits occasionally contact California Western with information about scholarships their agencies offer. While this is not an exhaustive list, the following are some of the scholarships currently being offered:
AccessLex Law School Scholarship Databank
The AccessLex Institute® invites you to utilize their newest tool to find money that’s already available to help pay for law school and lower your student loan burdens. Search over 800 carefully curated and vetted scholarship opportunities and writing competitions, with filters to help you find the ones best suited for you.
AccessLex Scholarship Databank
JABA Educational Foundation Scholarships
The Japanese American Bar Association Educational Foundation (JEF) is pleased to offer up to four scholarships in the amount of $3,000 each. Applications are currently being accepted from law students and recent law school graduates with a connection to the Japanese American and/or Asian/Pacific Islander (“API”) community who have a demonstrated commitment to community service. Additional factors may include financial need, adversity, academic achievement, leadership, service to the Japanese American and/or API community, and present and/or potential future involvement with JABA and/or the JABA Educational Foundation. Deadline is February 17, 2025.
JABA Educational Foundation Scholarships
FALSD Bar Exam Scholarships
Filipino American Lawyers of San Diego (FALSD)’s mission is to ensure that attorneys of color, particularly Filipino American lawyers, have access to equal opportunities in the legal profession. FALSD aims to develop multicultural solutions, foster diversification in the profession, and sustain multicultural coalitions in all channels of the legal system. FALSD will award scholarships of at least $1,000.00 to eligible individuals to take the California Bar Exam in 2025. The scholarship will assist in covering the cost of the California Bar Exam. One of the scholarship recipients will be awarded the Peter Quon Memorial Scholarship for displaying a demonstrated commitment to the advancement of Asian/Pacific Islander law students or early-career legal professionals in the San Diego community. Applications and any supporting materials must be received by February 20, 2025 at 11:59PM PST.
California ChangeLawyers 3L Next Gen Scholarship
ChangeLawyers and co-sponsor, the Tom Homann LGBTQ+ Law Foundation want to support you, the brightest changemakers of tomorrow, by eliminating the roadblocks that exist between you and success, including the costs related to the California Bar Exam. If selected for the ChangeLawyers Next Gen Scholarship, you will receive a $5,000 cash award and receive access to exclusive programming from ChangeLawyers including but not limited to: Bar exam coaching, mentorship access, exclusive bar exam prep discounts, and support from/access to, our over 1,300 ChangeLawyers alumni. The deadline to apply is February 25, 2025 at 11:59 PM.
California ChangeLawyers 3L Next Gen Scholarship
Future Defense Lawyer Scholarship
The Bowman and Brooke Foundation has established a scholarship program to assist students
currently enrolled in first year of Law School Studies (1L) who plan to enroll full-time
at an ABA–accredited law school for the entire upcoming academic year. Applicants
must possess a demonstrated interest in representing defendants in civil actions and
self–identify as one or more of the following: Black or African American, American
Indian or Alaska Native, Hispanic or Latino, Asian, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific
Islander, LGBTQIA+ and/or an individual with a disability. Up to two $5,000 awards
will be granted. Deadline to apply is February 27, 2025 at 3:00 pm CT.
Future Defense Lawyer Scholarship
SCWLF Summer Paid Fellowship Program
The Sarita and Claire Wright Lucas Foundation (SCWLF) sponsors a summer Fellowship Program to provide Black female law students paid summer internship opportunities in the Massachusetts District Attorney’s offices and the DeKalb County, Georgia District Attorney’s Office. Each Fellow receives a $7,000 stipend for the 10-week summer program. This program aims to ensure that young Black female law students from all backgrounds gain meaningful experience in public interest law. The program accepts applications from students at ABA-accredited law schools who are interested in exploring careers in public service as prosecutors. Applications must be submitted online by February 28th, 2025.
SCWLF Summer Paid Fellowship Program
Second Amendment Research and Writing Competition
The NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund now proudly announces its Annual Law Student Second Amendment Research and Writing Competition. Any law student currently enrolled in an ABA Accredited law school is eligible to enter the competition by writing a scholarly article suitable for publication on a specific Second Amendment issue. The awards are $10,000.00 for first place, $7,000.00 for second place, and $3,000.00 for third place. Articles must be submitted on or before March 1, 2025.
Second Amendment Research and Writing Competition
FCBA Foundation Summer Internship Stipend Program
The Federal Communications Bar Association (FCBA) Foundation will award stipends to outstanding law students employed as unpaid summer interns, through the FCBA Foundation’s Law School Summer Internship Stipend Program. The FCBA Foundation is actively looking to help students from around the country who want to dedicate their time and talent over the summer to government service in areas related to telecommunications, media, and technology (TMT) law, including broadcasting, cable, information technology, television, telephony, satellite, wireless, internet law and policy, privacy, cybersecurity, copyright, emerging technologies, and related policy and legal issues. The application for the stipend will be available online until Monday, March 3, 2025.
FCBA Foundation Summer Internship Stipend Program
FCBA Foundation Scholarship Program
The Federal Communications Bar Association (FCBA) Foundation Law School Scholarship Program provides financial assistance to rising second or third-year students currently enrolled in accredited law schools in the United States who have a demonstrated interest in pursuing a career in TMT law. The scholarships range from $2,000 to $5,000 each and will be payable to the applicable law school in one lump sum to help cover the student’s tuition and other education-related expenses in the 2024-2025 academic year. Awards will be determined by a number of factors, including financial need and merit. The deadline for submitting applications is Monday, March 3, 2025.
FCBA Foundation Scholarship Program
George H. Nofer Scholarship for Law
The George H. Nofer Scholarship for Law is for full-time graduate students with bilateral
moderate to profound hearing loss who are attending full-time an accredited law school.
The George H. Nofer Scholarship for Law was established to recognize the late George
H. Nofer’s service
and generosity to the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
(AG Bell) and to the fields of law and deafness research and education. Up to three
awards of up to $5,000 each may be awarded in any given year. The deadline for applications
is March 15, 2025, before 5:00 p.m. EST.
George H. Nofer Scholarship for Law
Constantine Cannon Law School Scholarship
The Constantine Cannon Whistleblower Team is pleased to announce the launch of its Fourth Law School Scholarship Essay Contest on the Importance of Whistleblowers. This is an opportunity for law school students to share their thoughts on what it means to be a whistleblower and the critical role they play in serving the public good. They are especially interested in your own personal experience in speaking out and standing up for a particular cause or issue that rubbed against your moral compass, or in learning about a particular whistleblower who inspired you because of their noble effort to bring truth to power. What you can win, First Place: $1,000, Second Place: $500, Third Place: $400, Fourth Place: $300, Fifth Place: $250. Submit your essay by March 15, 2025.
Constantine Cannon Law School Scholarship
Supporting Prisoners’ Families Scholarship
The Pullan & Young Supporting Prisoners’ Families Scholarship was established to help students who have loved ones who have been convicted of criminal offenses. They believe that every student should have access to an education, regardless of their circumstances, and their goal is to help make college more accessible and affordable for those affected by incarceration in their family. This $1000 scholarship will be awarded to one student per semester. The deadline for the Spring 2025 scholarship is March 17, 2025.
Supporting Prisoners’ Families Scholarship
SCWLF Scholarship
The Sarita and Claire Wright Lucas Foundation (SCWLF) awards $5,000 scholarships to African American female law students who have committed to careers as prosecutors. The mission of the SCWLF is to support and encourage young African American women as they pursue careers in justice with the goal of helping to ensure a fair and more equitable justice system. For these future prosecutors the Scholarship program covers the cost of the bar application and preparation up to $5,000. The Scholarship program also offers a $5,000 incentive for scholarship recipients who secure employment as prosecutors. Students who are interested in applying for the SCWLF Scholarship are strongly encouraged to review the eligibility criteria and program description before submitting an application. Deadline to apply is March 31st, 2025.
Criminal Justice Scholarship
Murphy & McKinney Law Firm, P.C. Criminal Justice Scholarship provides recipients with an award of $1,000 to use toward their tuition fees and educational expenses. They are committed to helping those who are dedicated to making a positive impact in the field of criminal law with this scholarship program, specifically designed for law students who are interested in helping individuals within the criminal justice system. All materials must be submitted by May 14, 2025.
Committing to Justice Scholarship
The Texas law firm of Hutchison & Foreman is offering a $1,500 award each semester to a law student through their Committing to Justice Scholarship. They aim to support the futures of law students who are interested in pursuing similar paths to their own. If you are a law student who hopes to pursue a career representing plaintiffs in civil rights or employment discrimination cases, you are highly encouraged to apply. Applications are due June 9, 2025 by 11:59 PM.
Committing to Justice Scholarship
Jewish Heritage Scholarship
Diamant Gerstein, LLC is proud to offer the Jewish Heritage Scholarship to recognize and support Jewish students who demonstrate outstanding leadership skills. This $1,000 scholarship is open to students with a history of exceptional leadership. Qualified candidates must be able to demonstrate to our scholarship committee their commitment to uplifting their community and supporting the values that are dear to the Jewish community, such as respecting others and giving back through charity or "tzedakah," as it is known in Hebrew. Submit applications and any related materials by July 2, 2025.
The Andrew Flusche Law School Scholarship
Attorney Andrew Flusche wants to hear about why you want to become a lawyer. What inspired you to enter into such a challenging profession? More importantly, how you will make a difference in the community as you progress through your legal career? One winner will be selected and awarded $1,000 to put towards their law school tuition. Deadline is July 30, 2025.
Andrew Flusche Law School Scholarship
Aaron D. Wersing Federal Employment Rights Scholarship
The Federal Employment Law Firm of Aaron D. Wersing is specifically focused on federal employee law and is committed to educating and raising awareness for workplace injustices. They want to hear from law students on their thoughts on the following questions. How are federal employees’ rights different from employees working in the private sector? Do you feel that federal employees have more or less protections than employees in the private sector? One winner will be awarded with $1,500 to apply towards their law education. Deadline is November 18, 2025.
Aaron D. Wersing Federal Employment Rights Scholarship