All students are encouraged to seek funding outside the Law School.
Many law students apply for funding from sources such as private foundations, governmental agencies, local bar associations, civic associations, professional organizations, and/or parental/spousal employers.
Students receiving awards from external sources must notify the Office of Financial Aid of the source and amount of the award. The external award plus any financial aid (loans and/or grants/scholarships) cannot exceed a student’s cost of attendance and may affect eligibility for federal loans (i.e., Direct Unsubsidized and Direct Graduate PLUS) and private educational loans. External awards will reduce loans first (starting with the least favorable). As an incentive for students to apply for external awards, Columbia Law School grant/scholarship aid is only reduced if the total of a student’s external awards combined with the Columbia Law School grant/scholarship exceeds the student’s cost of attendance. Again, regardless of the size of the external award, students must immediately notify the Office of Financial Aid of the source and amount of the award.
Columbia Law School is honored to participate in the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Yellow Ribbon Program. The Yellow Ribbon Program is a part of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 and provides education benefits to military veterans who have served on active duty since September 11, 2001.
During the 2022–2023 academic year, Columbia Law School contributed up to a maximum of $30,000 (to be matched by the VA) for qualifying post-9/11 veterans. There is no limit to the number of enrolling veterans who may receive Yellow Ribbon benefits from Columbia Law School for the 2022–2023 academic year. Students who choose to receive the Yellow Ribbon benefits will waive their eligibility for Columbia Law School aid.
Please note that information regarding the 2023–2024 academic year Yellow Ribbon Program will be announced in the spring of 2023. We welcome students to contact the Office of Financial Aid directly regarding the application process for Columbia Law School’s Yellow Ribbon Program. More details and eligibility guidelines for Post-9/11 benefits, including the Yellow Ribbon Program, may be found on the Distinct Student Populations/
Veterans sections of the Office of Financial Aid’s website. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid to apply for the Yellow Ribbon Program. You may also contact the VA directly at 888-GIBILL-1 (888-442-4551).
In accordance with Title 38 US Code 3679 subsection (e), this school adopts the following additional provisions for any students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Post-9/11 G.I. Bill (Ch. 33) or Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Ch. 31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from the VA. This school will not: prevent nor delay the student’s enrollment; assess a late penalty fee to the student; require the student to secure alternative or additional funding; deny the student access to any resources available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution, including but not limited to access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities. However, to qualify for this provision, such students may be required to: produce the Certificate of Eligibility by the first day of class; provide written request to be certified;
provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies.
For additional information on this policy, please refer to the university website: sfs.columbia.edu/departments/veterans-service.