Continuing Student Merit Scholarship

No. The continuing merit scholarship is based on class rank with other rising 2L students. Class rank is determined by comparing your cumulative GPA with other students in your cohort group upon entering the law school. As a practical matter, full-time students will be evaluated after completing two regular (fall or spring) semesters and part-time students will be evaluated after finishing three regular semesters.

No, the law school will begin using the new “2L Continuing Student Merit” Scholarship for students who are just beginning their 2L year, starting with the Fall 2014 term. Unfortunately, this scholarship cannot be applied to students who have already begun their 2L and/or 3L years.

The matrix listed below will be your scholarship upon continuing your studies at TJSL into your 2L year. This is based on your class rank at end of your first year of law school.

Your Continuing Merit Scholarship is based on your class rank compared to other students in your cohort:  full-time students who have just completed their first two semesters at TJSL and part-time students who have just completed their first three semesters at TJSL.  Students who switch from full-time to part–time or part-time to full-time during their first two semesters are evaluated after those two semesters as part of the part-time cohort. Please note that your class rank for scholarship purposes may be different than the class rank that you receive from the Registrar’s Office. For example, after three semesters, part-time students’ academic class ranking is merged with full-time students who have completed three semesters. As a result, your academic ranking from the Registrar’s Office may be different from your scholarship ranking.

2L Continuing Merit Scholarships are initially awarded for the academic year, Fall and Spring terms (or in the Spring and Fall terms if the recipient first enrolls in January). Merit Scholarships are guaranteed to be renewed for your third year provided you remain eligible to continue enrollment at the law school and don’t take a leave of absence. A full-time student will receive his or her scholarship each semester for a maximum of four semesters. A part-time student will receive his or her scholarship each semester for a maximum of six semesters. 

There are no conditions or stipulations on your scholarship other than being eligible to continue enrollment and being enrolled at the law school.

Determinations of eligibility to continue to enroll at the law school for scholarship renewal purposes are made for both full-time and part-time students at the end of each subsequent Fall and Spring semester.

The financial aid office will use the higher scholarship award between your 2L Merit Scholarship and your Admissions Scholarship award. Under no circumstances will a maximum scholarship award exceed the tuition charged for the semester.

If you fail to enroll in any of the terms covered by the scholarship, the amount designated for that term is forfeited and will not be carried forward into a future term. For example, if you enroll in the Fall and take a leave of absence in the Spring, the Spring portion of the scholarship is forfeited.

No, TJSL scholarship funds may only be used to offset TJSL tuition.

No, TJSL scholarship funds may only be used to offset TJSL tuition.

Student Merit Scholarships may not be used to cover Summer or Intersession tuition.

Full-time awards are given to students who enroll for twelve or more units. Part-time awards are given for enrollments of seven to eleven units. Scholarship awards will be adjusted to correspond to the 2L Merit Scholarship matrix, based on your current enrollment status. This will be determined each semester.

A full-time student who switches to part-time will see the scholarship reduced by one-quarter. For example, if you are awarded a full-time merit scholarship for $10,000 a year ($5,000 per semester) and later switch to part-time, the scholarship will decrease to $7,500 ($3,750 per semester), but the total award will not decrease. You will receive your total award of $30,000, but in smaller increments over a longer period of time and in no event will the total amount exceed the $30,000 awarded.

A part-time student who switches to full-time will see an increase in their semester award by one-quarter, but the total award will not increase. For example, assume you are awarded a part-time merit scholarship for $10,000 a year ($5,000 per semester) and later switch to full-time status. Your scholarship will increase to $13,334 ($6,667 per semester), but the cumulative amount awarded will not exceed the $40,000 award.

Yes. When you enroll in six or fewer units, tuition is charged on a per credit basis. Your scholarship will be calculated by looking at your last regular semester to determine the percentage scholarship you received. That same scholarship percentage will be applied when you take 6 or fewer credits. For example, if your base scholarship is $8,000 per term and the tuition charged is $16,000; then your base scholarship percentage is 50%. If you then take 5 credits (assuming tuition is $1600/credit), your tuition will be $8000 per semester and your semester scholarship will be $4,000 (50% of your tuition).

You should contact our Director of Financial Aid, Marc Berman, at financialaid@tjsl.edu.