Vermont Law and Graduate School Scholar Awards

Recipients are selected based on their merit, academic promise, leadership strengths, and a commitment to service. This renewable scholarship is awarded to new incoming students or transfer students for all degree programs. Award recipients must maintain a Vermont Law and Graduate School cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale and remain in good academic standing.

Degrees Applicable

All On-campus Degree Programs and the Online Hybrid JD Program

Application Process

All accepted applicants are considered for Vermont Law and Graduate Scholar awards. No separate application form is necessary.

Decision Process

Award decisions are mailed with the Admission Packet on a rolling basis beginning in January.

Criteria for Retaining Renewable Scholarships

Juris Doctor Awards

• Award amounts are divided equally based on program year
• Awards apply to the JD portion only of any joint degree
• Traditional JD- Annual award amounts are divided between fall and spring semesters and renewable up to three years
• Accelerated JD*- Award amounts are divided equally between two semesters of the six semester program and are renewable every two semesters
• Extended JD- Applicants that plan to enroll in four-year extended track pay 80% of the published tuition fees for each of the four years and receive 80% of their scholarship funding each year
• Online Hybrid JD – Award amounts are divided equally over the 10 semesters
• Must maintain full-time enrollment
• Must maintain a Vermont Law School cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
• Must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress

*This scholarship is for the Accelerated Juris Doctor program. Students admitted into the Fall start AJD are required to have a 3.0 VLGS GPA at the end of the Fall semester to continue in the AJD program. Summer Start Honors student do not have a GPA requirement to continue in the program. Students who decelerate from the AJD program will have their scholarship reallocated based on the new JD program.

Masters and LLM Awards (one-year programs)

• Renewable semester to semester
• Must maintain full-time enrollment
• Must maintain the required Vermont Law and Graduate School cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
• Must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress
• Award amounts are divided equally over all semesters based upon program

Mission Scholarships

VLGS's Mission Scholarships support students who come to VLGS with a cause, and who want to use the power of the law to make a difference in their communities and the world. Mission Scholarships are available to students pursuing careers in public service/social justice, and environmental stewardship—the core values of the Vermont Law and Graduate School education. The scholarship aims to provide not only financial support to students, but to offer mentoring and research opportunities in the student's chosen field. Meet the current Environmental Mission Scholars, Social Justice Mission Scholars.

Scholarship Benefits

• $3,000 Public Service Internship Stipend
• Targeted Academic Advising
• Scholar Dinners and Events
• Alumni mentorship
• Collaborative Research, Clinical, and Networking Opportunities:
  • Environmental Track: Present a cutting-edge environmental research paper as part of the Environmental Law Center Public Lecture Series; priority access to our six environmental law centers
  • Social Justice Track: Leadership roles in pro bono legal service and projects

Degrees Applicable

All On-campus JD Degree Programs

Application Process

• Applicants should submit an additional scholarship essay not exceeding 800 words with their completed JD application via LSAC.org. If an applicant would like to be considered after submitting a completed application, the scholarship essay can be sent via email to admiss@vermontlaw.edu.
  • Environmental Stewardship:
    Discuss your environmental commitment and goals for using a law degree in environmental advocacy, the experiences that have most significantly influenced your goals, or any other points relevant to your qualification for the scholarship.
  • Social Justice:
    Discuss your history of public service and connect that service to what you hope to do as a lawyer. Include in the essay what in your life has led you to the decision to pursue the public interest service you identify and what you anticipate will be greatest challenges and rewards.

Application Deadline

Priority Deadline March 15. Later applications will be accepted and awarded based on funds availability.

Decision Process

All applications and scholarship materials are submitted to the Office of Admissions. Scholarship materials may be uploaded with your JD application or emailed to Admissions at admiss@vermontlaw.edu. Priority deadline recipients will be notified by April 15. Interviews may be requested.

Note: Applicants elect one track only. Multiple submissions will not be accepted.

Need Based Scholarships

Vermont Law and Graduate School funds a number of scholarships for students who meet specific criteria for financial need. For consideration, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). International students who are not eligible to submit the FAFSA may still complete the application form to be considered for need-based scholarship assistance.

Degrees Applicable

All On-campus Degree Programs

Application Process

• Submit your FAFSA at www.FAFSA.gov
• Please respond to your financial aid award notification email to request consideration for need-based aid.

Application Deadline

Priority Deadline April 3. Later applications will be accepted and awarded based on funds availability.

Decision Process

The Financial Aid office will notify you of your need-based award beginning late January.

Restorative Justice Scholarship

The Restorative Justice Scholarship is awarded to dedicated Master of Arts in Restorative Justice (MARJ) students committed to developing new ways of thinking about crime and justice. Applicants will be evaluated based on their commitment to addressing deficiencies in the justice system. The scholarship committee will also take into account the applicant’s academic excellence and potential for leadership.

Scholarship Benefits

The program provides a maximum scholarship award of $10,000 depending on how many candidates are offered the scholarship. The scholarship will be applied towards tuition only and may be combined with other VLS institutional aid but cannot exceed full tuition. Scholars are required to remain in good academic standing throughout their program.

Degrees Applicable

Master of Arts in Restorative Justice (On-campus students Only) Fall new applicants

Application Process

• Completed MARJ Application
• Short scholarship essay not to exceed 800 words. Discuss your interest and commitment to improving the justice system and the experiences that have most significantly influenced your goals, or any other points relevant to your qualification for the scholarship

Application Deadline

April 15th

Decision Process

All applications and scholarship materials are submitted to the Office of Admissions. Scholarship offers are expected to be made by May 15. Applicants are expected to notify VLS about whether they accept the scholarship by mid-June.

Animal Protection Policy Scholarship

The Animal Protection Scholarship is awarded to outstanding Master of Animal Protection Policy (MAPP) student(s) who plan to pursue a career in animal advocacy. Applicants will be evaluated based on their commitment to advancing protections for animals including companion animals, wildlife, and animals used for entertainment, experiments, and food. The scholarship committee will also consider the applicants' academic excellence and leadership potential.

Scholarship Benefits

The Animal Protection Scholarship program provides a maximum scholarship award of $10,000 depending on how many candidates are offered the scholarship. This scholarship will be applied towards tuition only and may be combined with other VLGS institutional aid but cannot exceed full tuition. Scholars are required to remain in good academic standing throughout their program.

Degrees Applicable

Master of Animal Protection Policy (On-campus Students Only)

Application Process

• Completed MAPP Application
• Short scholarship essay not to exceed 800 words. Discuss your interest and commitment to advancing legal protections for animals, experiences that have most significantly influenced your goals, financial need, or any other points relevant to your qualification for the scholarship.

Application Deadline

April 15th

Decision Process

All applications and scholarship materials are submitted to the Office of Admissions. Scholarship offers are expected to be made by May 15. Applicants are expected to notify VLGS about whether they accept the scholarship by mid-June.

Climate and Environmental Policy Scholarship

The Climate and Environmental Policy Scholarship is awarded to one or more Master of Climate and Environmental Policy (MCEP) student(s) who plan to pursue a career in environmental policy and are committed to public policy to confront climate change and environmental justice. Applicants are evaluated based on three criteria: commitment to environmental equity and combatting climate change, academic excellence, and potential for leadership.

Scholarship Benefits

The program provides a maximum scholarship award of $10,000 depending on how many candidates are offered the scholarship. This scholarship will be applied towards tuition only and may be combined with other VLGS institutional aid but cannot exceed full tuition. Scholars are required to remain in good academic standing throughout their program.

Degrees Applicable

Master of Climate and Environmental Policy (On-campus Students Only)

Application Process

• Completed MCEP Application
• Short scholarship essay not to exceed 800 words. Discuss your interest in relationship to climate change and how it affects environmental justice. Describe your experiences that have most significantly influenced your goals, financial need, or any other points relevant to your qualification for the scholarship.

Application Deadline

April 15th

Decision Process

All applications and scholarship materials are submitted to the Office of Admissions. Scholarship offers are expected to be made by May 15. Applicants are expected to notify VLGS about whether they accept the scholarship by mid-June.

Energy and the Environment Scholarship

The Energy and the Environment Scholarship is awarded to one or more outstanding Master of Energy Regulation and Law (MERL) student(s) who plan to pursue a career in energy and environmental public service. Each year the Environmental Law Center's Institute for Energy and the Environment evaluates applicants based on three criteria: commitment to reducing the energy sector's impact on the environment, academic excellence, and leadership potential.

Scholarship Benefits

The Energy and the Environment Scholars program includes:

• The program provides up to a scholarship award of $10,000 depending on how many candidates are offered the scholarship
• Academic advising on courses designed for leadership in energy advocacy
• Offer of a Research Associate position at the Institute for Energy and the Environment

This scholarship will be applied towards tuition only and may be combined with other VLGS institutional aid but cannot exceed full tuition. Scholars are required to remain in good academic standing.

Degrees Applicable

Master of Energy Regulation and Law (On-campus Students Only)

Application Process

• Completed MERL Application
• Short energy and the environment essay not to exceed 800 words. Discuss your interest and commitment to reducing the energy sector's impact on the environment, the experiences that have most significantly influenced your goals, or any other points relevant to your qualification for the scholarship

Application Deadline

April 15th

Decision Process

All applications and scholarship materials are submitted to the Office of Admissions. Scholarship offers are expected to be made by May 15th. Applicants are expected to notify VLGS about whether they accept the scholarship by mid-June.

Food and Agriculture Scholarship

The Food and Agriculture Scholarship is awarded to outstanding Master of Food and Agriculture Law and Policy (MFALP) student(s) who plan to pursue a career in sustainable food and agriculture systems. Applicants will be evaluated based on their commitment to improving food systems and its impact on the environment, public health, local economies, food security, and animal welfare. The scholarship committee will also take into account the applicants' academic excellence and leadership potential.

Scholarship Benefits

The program provides a maximum scholarship award of $10,000 depending on how many candidates are offered the scholarship. This scholarship will be applied towards tuition only and may be combined with other VLGS institutional aid but cannot exceed full tuition. Scholars are required to remain in good academic standing throughout their program.

Degrees Applicable

Master of Food and Agriculture Law and Policy (On-campus Students Only)

Application Process

• Completed MFALP Application
• Short scholarship essay not to exceed 800 words. Discuss your interest and commitment to improving food systems and the experiences that have most significantly influenced your goals, or any other points relevant to your qualification for the scholarship

Application Deadline

April 15th

Decision Process

All applications and scholarship materials are submitted to the Office of Admissions. Scholarship offers are expected to be made by May 15. Applicants are expected to notify VLGS about whether they accept the scholarship by mid-June.

First Nations Environmental Law Scholarship

Vermont Law and Graduate School is committed to helping tribal governments and the people of Indian communities deal with the challenges of protecting their environments. In addition to the First Nations Environmental Law Scholarship, the faculty of Vermont Law and Graduate School can help students to fashion individualized educational experiences in the field of Indian country environmental law, such as internships with intertribal organizations and independent research projects.

The purpose of the scholarship is to enable members of federally recognized Indian tribes to pursue careers in environmental management and resource conservation, as well as to assist them in developing the legal and institutional framework to administer environmental programs throughout Indian country. Masters or LLM students learn the basics of pollution control, land use, and resource allocation, as well as more sophisticated concepts of pollution prevention, ecosystem management, and international law. Special courses dealing with the unique jurisdictional and cultural aspects of Indian Country environmental issues are also offered.

Scholarship Benefits

The First Nations Environmental Law Scholarship provides financial assistance for tuition to one or more candidates admitted to the Masters or LLM degrees each year.

Degrees Applicable

All On-campus Environmental Masters and LLM Degrees (MCEP, MAPP, MERL, MFALP, LLM in Environmental Law, LLM in Food and Agriculture Law, LLM in Energy Law).

Application Process

• Completed Master's or LLM application.
• Additional statement describing their qualifications, experience, and commitment to public service.

Application Deadline

April 15th

Decision Process

All applications and scholarship materials are submitted to the Office of Admissions. The Environmental Law Center will notify applicants in early May whether they have been awarded the scholarship and the amount of the award

George Perkins Marsh Conservation Scholarship

The Marsh Scholarship is awarded to one or more Masters or LLM candidate each year. The Environmental Law Center welcomes applications from candidates who have demonstrated a commitment to environmental stewardship as exemplified by the works of George Perkins Marsh and as reflected in the ELC's Mission Statement.

Scholarship Benefits

Partial tuition award. Amount varies based on how many candidates are offered the scholarship.

Degrees Applicable

All On-campus Environmental Masters and LLM Degrees (MCEP, MAPP, MERL, MFALP, LLM in Environmental Law, LLM in Food and Agriculture Law, LLM in Energy Law).

Application Process

• Completed Masters or LLM application
• Additional statement describing their qualifications, experience, and commitment to public service

Application Deadline

April 15th

Decision Process

All applications and scholarship materials are submitted to the Office of Admissions. The Environmental Law Center will notify applicants in early May whether they have been awarded the scholarship and the amount of the award.

Environmental Law Center
International Scholarship

The ELC International Scholarship is awarded to one or more international LLM or Masters candidates each year. The purpose of this scholarship is to provide international students who are not eligible for financial aid in the United States the opportunity to study environmental law at Vermont Law and Graduate School.

Scholarship Benefits

Partial to full-tuition award depending on how many candidates are offered the scholarship.

Degrees Applicable

All On-campus Environmental Masters and LLM Degrees (MCEP, MAPP, MERL, MFALP, LLM in Environmental Law, LLM in Food and Agriculture Law, LLM in Energy Law).

Application Process

Applicants for the ELC International Scholarship must submit:

• Completed Masters or LLM application
• Additional statement describing their qualifications, experience, and financial need

Application Deadline

April 15th

Decision Process

All applications and scholarship materials are submitted to the Office of Admissions. Priority deadline recipients will be notified by April 15. Interviews may be requested.

All applications and scholarship materials are submitted to the Office of Admissions. The Environmental Law Center will notify applicants in early May whether they have been awarded the scholarship and the amount of the award.

Adirondack Foundation Restorative Justice Scholarship

The Adirondack Foundation Restorative Justice Scholarship funds a year-round resident of the Adirondacks, or adjacent north country, to earn a Professional Certificate in Restorative Justice through the Vermont Law and Graduate School Center for Justice Reform. Restorative justice creates less punitive responses to harm and builds and strengthens communities and organizations through relational practices and inclusive participation. Restorative justice practices are expanding in the criminal justice, child protection, and educational fields. The Professional Certificate in Restorative Justice is available fully online or residentially. A strong priority will be given to applications from first-generation college graduates with an interest in working in justice systems, education, or with underserved populations.

The scholarship recipient will have two years to complete the three course, nine credit certificate program. Credits earned for the certificate may be transferred to the 30 credit Master of Arts in Restorative Justice. The recipient will be asked to make a presentation upon completion of the Professional Certificate in Restorative Justice and may be featured in publications by Vermont Law and Graduate School or the Adirondack Foundation.

Degrees Applicable

Professional Certificate in Restorative Justice

Application Process

• Submit your completed Professional Certificate in Restorative Justice application. Click here for instructions on how to apply.
• Submit a short scholarship essay (not to exceed 500 words) that discusses applicant's interest and commitment to improving the justice system, and the experiences that have most significantly influenced those goals. Then, email your scholarship essay to admiss@vermontlaw.edu

Application Deadline

July 15th

Decision Process

All applications and scholarship materials are submitted to the Office of Admissions. Scholarship offers are expected to be made by August 10.

Professional Certificate in Restorative Justice Scholarship

This full-tuition scholarship is awarded to applicants committed to advancing restorative approaches in society's responses to crime and conflict. The Center for Justice Reform welcomes applications from a variety of professional backgrounds, with priority given to first generation graduate students with an interest in transforming justice systems, education, or supporting underserved populations.

Degrees Applicable

Professional Certificate in Restorative Justice

Application Process

• Submit your completed Professional Certificate in Restorative Justice application. Click here for instructions on how to apply.
• Submit a short scholarship essay (not to exceed 500 words) that discusses applicant's interest and commitment to improving the justice system, and the experiences that have most significantly influenced those goals. Then, email your scholarship essay to admiss@vermontlaw.edu

Application Deadline

August 1 for a fully complete application.

Decision Process

All applications and scholarship materials are submitted to the Office of Admissions. Scholarship offers are expected to be made by August 10.

Online Learning Student Scholarships

Vermont Law School offers limited Master's and LLM scholarships to our online degree students. The awards are based on academic abilities, achievements, leadership potential, and financial need. Scholarships are awarded to students who matriculate in the term the scholarship is offered. Deferred enrollment forfeits the scholarships award. Scholarships are awarded based on the 5-semester program, split between each term, and applied directly towards tuition. To retain the scholarship, students must successfully complete their first term and remain in good academic standing throughout the program. Scholarships are not offered every term and subject to funds availability. Please contact your enrollment advisor for more information or email admiss@vermontlaw.edu.