financing your education at the Nebraska College of Law

Tuition and Other Costs

For the 2012-13 academic year, tuition at the College of Law is $339.00 per credit hour for residents of Nebraska and $844.50 per credit hour for nonresidents. In addition to tuition, students pay University fees of $538.00 and a Law College fee of $1050.00 each semester.

First year students take 18 credit hours the first semester and 15 credit hours the second semester. First year tuition and fees for a resident are $14,363.00. First year tuition and fees for a nonresident are $31,044.50.

Upperclass students take an average of 15 credit hours each semester. A total of 93 credit hours is required to graduate.

The following schedule shows the tuition and fees for 2012-13:

Tuition Per Credit Hour:Resident $339.00/hourNonresident $844.50/hour
SemesterYearSemesterYear
12 $4,068.00 $8,136.00 $10,170.00 $20,268.00
15 $5,085.00 $10,170.00 $12,667.50 $25,335.00
18 $6,102.00 $12,204.00 $15,201.00 $30,402.00

FeesSemesterYear
University $518.00 $1,036.00
University Registration $20.00 $40.00
Law College $1,050.00 $2,100.00
Total $1,588.00 $3,176.00

Rules for Payment

Tuition and fees are due the second Wednesday in September for the Fall Semester, the second Wednesday in February for the Spring Semester, and at the beginning of each summer session. Students who do not pay all of their University financial obligations, including library and other fines, will not be permitted to receive a degree, leave the University in good standing, obtain transcripts, or register for classes.

Housing Costs

Residence Halls
University housing for graduate and professional students is available in Fedde Hall on East Campus and in Husker Hall, Selleck Hall, Husker Courtyards, and Husker Village on City Campus. The residence halls offer single and double rooms, as well as full-service dining, recreation, laundry, and lounge facilities. The rate for room and board for 2012-13 for a single room with the unlimited meal plan for seven days a week is $9,722. The cost of housing is dependent upon the dorm you select.

Additional information about residence hall accommodations can be obtained from the University Housing Office, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1115 North 16th Street, Lincoln, NE 68588-0622, by telephone at 402.472.3561 or at their web site. Students interested in living in the residence halls should apply for housing as soon as possible after being admitted to the College of Law.

Family Housing
University of Nebraska family housing is limited. The University operates 153 unfurnished one, two, and three bedroom apartments for full-time students who are either married or single parents. Because there is usually a long waiting list, students interested in this type of housing should apply as early as possible. Student interested in family housing may apply on-line here or call 402.472.3753 for more information.

Off-campus Housing
A wide variety of affordable off-campus housing is available throughout Lincoln, and a substantial number of apartments are available within walking distance of the Law College. The rents vary depending on the type of housing which is rented. View Lincoln Journal Star's classified listings or Apartments for You.

The Admissions Office has information on some of the apartments near the College of Law and compiles a list of students looking for roommates. If possible, students may want to drive around the residential areas near the College. A number of landlords do not advertise vacancies, but instead place "apartment for rent" signs in front of their buildings.

Scholarships

The College of Law administers its own scholarship program, awarding over $1,500,000 a year to incoming and upper class students. These awards include academic scholarships, opportunity scholarships, and nonresident scholarships.

How To Apply

All admitted students are automatically considered for scholarships and no separate application is required.

Academic Scholarships

Academic scholarships are awarded to incoming students with exceptionally strong academic credentials. Academic scholarships vary in amount. Academic scholarships are generally awarded to upper class students who rank among the top ten students in their class.

Opportunity Scholarships

The College awards opportunity scholarships to enhance the diversity of perspective in the entering class. Factors which are considered in awarding such scholarships are: financial need, economic or educational disadvantages which were overcome by the student to obtain his or her undergraduate degree, academic promise, whether the student was a first generation college student or would be a first generation law student; and whether student has a commitment to provide legal services to under-served communities after graduation from law school. Generally, opportunity scholarships approximate resident or a portion of nonresident tuition. Opportunity scholarships are renewable.

Nonresident Scholarships

The College awards scholarships to some nonresident students. These scholarships cover part of the difference between resident and nonresident tuition and are renewable. Students considered for nonresident scholarships are also considered for academic and opportunity scholarships.

Scholarships

View a full listing of scholarships available within the Nebraska College of Law.

Financial Aid

Although tuition at the University of Nebraska College of Law is lower than it is at many other law schools, most students need assistance in financing their legal education. At the University of Nebraska, that help can come in a variety of forms, including scholarships and federally sponsored student loans. The total amount of financial aid - academic scholarships, opportunity scholarships, and loans - cannot exceed the estimate of the student expenses for the academic year. The estimate of student expenses is set each year by the University of Nebraska Financial Aid Office. For 2012-2013, the maximum amount of a resident first-year student (living off-campus) could receive in aid is $28,844. The maximum amount a nonresident first year student (living off-campus) could receive in aid is $45,524.

Application Procedures

In order to apply for any financial aid other than an academic scholarship, you must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The federal financial aid school code for the University of Nebraska is 002565. Your FAFSA form should be filed after January 1, 2013 as soon as your 2012 tax return is complete. You should file your FAFSA form with Federal Student Aid Programs on-line at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. You need your student financial aid PIN number to file on-line. The PIN number can be requested at www.pin.ed.gov. You will receive a response in 2-3 working days if you supply an e-mail address when you apply for your PIN. The PIN number then replaces the need for a written signature. All admitted students are sent a more detailed financial aid handout with the letter of admission. It provides additional information about the FAFSA and the University financial aid processing system.

Federal Loans

Because the amount of scholarship money is limited, the primary sources of financial aid are the two types of federally sponsored student loan programs available to law students: Federal Stafford Loans and Federal Direct Grad/PLUS Loans. The amount that a student can borrow under the Federal Stafford Loan program is tied to the individual student's financial need, which is calculated pursuant to a standardized formula. The total amount of financial aid - scholarships and loans - cannot exceed the estimate of student expenses for the academic year.




Work and the First Year of Law School

The College discourages first year students from working, primarily because the first year of law school is a full-time job. Under ABA rules, full-time Law students may not work more than 20 hours per week.

Key Differences In Financial Aid for Law and Undergraduate Students

All law students are considered independent, and parental income and assets will not be considered in calculating a student's financial need. Some types of financial aid available to undergraduate students are not available to law students. Those include National Merit Scholarships, PACE Grants, Pell Grants, State Student Incentive Grants (SSIG), and Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG).

Residency

Students who come to Nebraska solely for the purpose of attending law school and have no previous connection to Nebraska, e.g., a Nebraska high school graduate, are usually unable to establish residency. However, the Law College non-resident tuition is lower than many schools, and a number of nonresident scholarships are offered to students. Click here for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Residency Policy.

Scholarship Retention Data

Academic scholarships awarded to entering students are renewable for the second and third years of law school provided the student remains in the upper 50% of the class when class rankings are computed at the end of the academic year.

Scholarship Retention Data
Students Matriculating in # Entering Students w/
Conditional* Scholarships		 # Students whose Conditional
Scholarships were eliminated
2011 48 13

 

*A ”conditional scholarship is any financial aid award, the retention of which is dependent upon the student maintaining a grade point average or class standing, other than that ordinarily required to remain in good academic standing.” ABA Rule 509-4. Grades at the University of Nebraska College of Law are based on a 9 point scale as follows:

    • 9=A+
    • 8=A
    • 7=B+
    • 6=B
    • 5=C+
    • 4=C
    • 3=D+
    • 2=D
    • 0=F

Good academic standing at the College of Law is a 4 (“C”) average. The upper 50% in the first year class is usually between a 5.8 and 6 average.

2013-2014 First Year JD Student Budget
  Tuition & Fees Room & Board Books & Supplies Personal Expenses Trans Loan Fee Unsub/Grand Plus Total
      RESIDENT STUDENT        
Resident Hall 14,440 10,132 1,490 1,824 1,990 134/282 30,292
Off-Campus 14,440 9,446 1,490 1,824 1,990 134/282 29,606
Living with Parents 14,440 2,596 1,490 1,824 1,990 134/282 22,756
      NONRESIDENT STUDENT        
Resident Hall 31,954 10,132 1,490 3,814 1,990 134/282 47,806
Off-Campus 31,954 9,446 1,490 3,814 1,990 134/282 47,120
Living with Parents 31,954 2,596 1,490 3,814 1,990 134/282 40,270

 

2013-2014 Upper Class JD Student Budget
  Tuition & Fees Room & Board Books & Supplies Personal Expenses Trans Loan Fee Unsub/Grand Plus Total
      RESIDENT STUDENT        
Resident Hall 13,422 10,132 1,490 1,824 1,990 134/282 29,274
Off-Campus 13,422 9,446 1,490 1,824 1,990 134/282 28,588
Living with Parents 13,422 2,596 1,490 1,824 1,990 134/282 21,738
      NONRESIDENT STUDENT        
Resident Hall 29,344 10,132 1,490 3,814 1,990 134/282 45,196
Off-Campus 29,344 9,446 1,490 3,814 1,990 134/282 44,510
Living with Parents 29,344 2,596 1,490 3,814 1,990 134/282 37,660

 

2013-2014 LLM Student Budget
  Tuition & Fees Room & Board Books & Supplies Personal Expenses Trans Loan Fee Unsub/Grand Plus Total
Resident Hall 28,252 10,132 1,490 1,824 1,990 134/282 44,104
Off-Campus 28,252 9,446 1,490 1,824 1,990 134/282 43,418
Living with Parents 28,252 2,596 1,490 1,824 1,990 134/282 36,568