All first year applicants are considered for institutional, merit-based scholarships as part of the admissions application process. These awards include the Ralph Johnson Bunche Distinguished Graduate Award, the Dean's Merit Scholarship, the Carol and Paul Miller Scholarship and the Justice Morris Pashman Scholarship. Returning students can also compete for institutional scholarship opportunities by submitting an institutional scholarship application each year.
The Ralph Johnson Bunche Distinguished Graduate Award  provides a $15,000 stipend plus tuition remission for as many as two years to exceptional, incoming, full-time students with backgrounds of substantial educational or cultural disadvantage.  Established in 1979, this fellowship is named after Ralph Johnson Bunche, the African-American Statesman, Nobel Peace Laureate, and 1949 recipient of an honorary Doctor of Laws from Rutgers. Bunche fellows are chosen by a university-wide selection committee.
The Dean's Merit Scholarships are offered to students with a history of achievement and academic excellence who show great promise for the study of law. Every admitted student is considered for a Dean's Merit Scholarship. Grants range from $3,000 to full tuition and may last for your entire career at the law school.
The Carol and Paul Miller Scholarship was created by Paul (RUSLN '62) and Carol Miller in gratitude for the scholarships that made his education possible. This full-tuition, three-year scholarship is awarded to an incoming student with significant financial need and strong academic potential. Mr. Miller was born to a very poor family and was the first in his family to attend college. He was able to attend Rutgers Law School only because he received a full scholarship. He rose to the top of his profession as executive vice president and general counsel of Pfizer, Inc. He was among the key leaders responsible for the growth and success of Pfizer and was named one of the 100 Most Influential Lawyers in America. 
The Justice Morris Pashman Scholarship supports students, preferably in the Minority Student Program, who demonstrate exceptional talent and financial need.  he scholarship, established in 1999 by his family, friends and colleagues, celebrates the memory of Justice Morris Pashman (RUSLN '35), who served on the New Jersey Supreme Court for 10 years. It provides full tuition and fees for the recipient's law school career. Recipients serve as reminders of the high standards of scholarship, dedication and professionalism that Morris Pashman brought to his 28-year career in the judiciary. 
The Martin Unger Scholarship supports a full-time law school student with strong academic credentials, significant financial need and a sincere interest in becoming a trial attorney. A student will receive preference who is the first member of his/her family to obtain a professional school education and who hopes to enter public service. Preferred public service includes service in the U.S. Military, or in a prosecutor's office (especially the U.S. Attorney's Office) or in a public defender's office.

In addition to this merit-based funding, need-based funding is widely available. In fact, most law students are eligible for and will receive a financial aid package to help defray their educational expenses. To be considered for a financial aid package and/or need-based scholarships at Rutgers Law School-Newark, applicants and students must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with the U.S. Department of Education. FAFSA is a need-analysis tool developed by the Department of Education and is the only financial information required by the law school. Information will be requested regarding your income, assets, and other financial resources. This information should be submitted no sooner than January 1st and no later than March 15th to be considered for the fall term of each academic year. Be sure to answer "YES" to the question: Will you be a graduate or professional student for the upcoming year? All graduate and professional students are considered "independent" for the purposes of determining federal aid eligibility. FAFSA applications are available in the Financial Aid Office or students can file electronically. To fill out and submit a FAFSA over the Internet go to www.fafsa.ed.gov. The information submitted via the Internet or paper application will be processed and sent electronically to each school selected on the application. Use Title IV School Code 002629 to identify Rutgers Law School-Newark as a selected school.
The Rutgers Financial Aid Office will calculate your eligibility for all the various sources of financial aid based on this information. Eligibility for different programs will be determined by computing your financial need (the difference between your resources and the university's stated cost of attendance.) They will also develop your student budget based on the cost of attendance; this budget will include tuition, student fees and books, as well as a factor for living expenses, transportation and personal expenses. Students will be notified by mail of the resulting financial aid package. It will be comprised of one or more of the following programs:

New Jersey State Grant: Full-time New Jersey residents who can demonstrate financial need are eligible. The maximum amount allowed is $1,000 per year.  Federal Perkins Loan: Full- or part-time graduate students who can demonstrate financial need are eligible. The maximum amount allowed is $2,000 per year. William D. Ford Federal Direct Stafford Loan: Full- or part-time graduate students are eligible. Those who demonstrate financial need may qualify for a subsidized loan. Other students may qualify for an unsubsidized loan. Graduate students may receive up to $18,500/year of which up to $8,500 may be subsidized. The interest on the subsidized loan is paid by the federal government until 6 months after graduation or 6 months after dropping below half time enrollment. The unsubsidized loan has a variable interest rate which is capped at a maximum of 8.25%. Students are responsible for the interest on the unsubsidized loan which starts to accrue from the disbursement date of the loan. Federal Work-Study: Full- or part-time graduate students who demonstrate financial need are eligible. Graduate students may receive awards ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 depending upon financial need and job assignment. Full-time law students may not work more than 20 hours per week. Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF): Full-time New Jersey residents with backgrounds of historic poverty and early educational disadvantage may apply for EOF grants. Students who received EOF grants as undergraduates are eligible if their incomes fall within the required range; others must document their eligibility. Grants up to $2,850 per year may be awarded. Private Educational Loans: Commercial lenders offer a variety of private educational loans as a supplement to the federal and institutional aid programs listed above. Generally, these loans are unsubsidized and are limited to the cost of attendance less other financial aid received. Unlike the federal loan programs, borrowers must be creditworthy or provide an acceptable cosigner to be approved for these loans.

The law school's Financial Aid office is available to assist you with your financial aid questions. We can provide additional information regarding the above programs as well as counseling on consumer credit issues and debt management strategies. For our graduates interested in pursuing jobs in the public interest/public service sector, we also have information regarding the law school's Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP).
Inquiries regarding Financial Aid should be directed to:

Ms. Nicky Fornarotto

Financial Aid Coordinator

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

School of Law-Newark

Center for Law and Justice

123 Washington Street

Newark, NJ 07102

973-353-1702