Scholarships
The Sturm College of Law offers numerous scholarship opportunities for first-year students, from the full-tuition Chancellor’s Scholars Program, to other merit scholarships offered through the admissions process. Additionally, continuing students can apply for named scholarships once they are enrolled at the Sturm College of Law.

First-Year JD Student Scholarships
-
Sturm Elevation Initiative
Thanks to a multi-million-dollar investment by the Denver-based Sturm Family Foundation, the University of Denver Sturm College of Law is in a position to fund twenty full-tuition merit scholarships, with a first year stipend, to incoming JD students with outstanding academic credentials.
Sturm Elevation Initiative -
Chancellor’s Scholarship Program
Entering first-year JD students with a demonstrated history of excellence in academics and public service are encouraged to apply for the Chancellor’s Scholarship Program, which offers full-tuition scholarships to students interested in pursuing careers in public interest law.
-
Yellow Ribbon Program
The Sturm College of Law is a proud supporter of the Yellow Ribbon Program, which provides tuition assistance for American Military Veterans. Universities that participate in the Yellow Ribbon Program make additional funds available for veterans attending an out-of-state or private university. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs matches all contributions made by an institution.
Learn More -
Merit Scholarships
Entering first-year JD students are automatically considered for Merit Scholarships through the admissions process, these awards generally range from $15,750 to $38,000, with a few awards going up to full tuition.

Master's & LLM Scholarships
We are thrilled to offer various departmental scholarships that are available for Graduate Legal Studies students and are awarded by the admissions committee based on a student’s demonstrated ability. We recommend submitting all application materials as early as possible.
All applicants are considered for merit scholarships. Admission decisions are made without regard to a student’s ability to meet the financial obligations of their individual program.
Students may also want to consider external sources of funding; explore the resources below for additional financial aid opportunities.
-
Merit/Departmental Scholarships
All applicants are considered for merit scholarships. Admission decisions are made without regard to a student’s ability to meet the financial obligations of their individual program.
Students will be notified of any awards with their acceptance letters, or through an official e-mail if a scholarship award is allocated after an admission decision is made.
-
External Scholarship Opportunities
Students may want to explore other options when considering the financial responsibilities of their studies. Our students could possibly qualify for other scholarships through private grants and foundations. The following list of resources may be helpful in financing your graduate legal education. This should serve as a starting point and is by no means exhaustive. Each prospective student is encouraged to explore all funding options available. Additionally, please visit the website of the DU Financial Aid Office to continue exploring scholarship possibilities.
- LLM-guide.com provides an overview of LL.M. funding options and could be helpful to begin your scholarship exploration.
- Department of Human Development, Education and Culture of the Organization of American States Scholarships and Loans
Available only to OAS citizens and residents.
-
Funding for International Students
- Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation
Scholarships for students from Greece.
- American Association of University Women Educational Foundation Fellowships and Grants
Advances educational and professional opportunities for women around the globe.
- American-Scandinavian Foundation
For students from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway or Sweden.
- Arthur C. Helton Fellowship Program
Offers micro-grants for students studying with a focus on Human Rights.
- Australian Federation of University Women Scholarships & Fellowships
Available for women who have studied in Queensland, Australia.
- Australian Federation of Graduate Women
Scholarships for women who are Australian citizens.
- Becas Chile
Scholarships for students from Chile.
- Baltic America Freedom Foundation Graduate Scholarship Program
Provides financial support to Lithuanians, Latvians and Estonians who wish to pursue postgraduate studies in the U.S.
- Brain Capital LL.M. Education Fund
Financing program for German LL.M. students.
- Canadian Federation of University Women
Scholarships for students from Canada.
- COLFUTURO
Scholarships for students from Colombia.
- College Women’s Association of Japan
Graduate scholarship for Japanese women.
- Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia
Scholarships for Mexican citizens.
- Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
Scholarship program for students from Brazil.
- DAAD
Scholarships for German citizens.
- Denmark-America Foundation & the Fulbright Commission
Grants and advising for Danes and Americans.
- Égide
International exchange programs for French students and interns studying abroad.
- Finlandia Foundation National
Administrates grants and scholarships to celebrate, support, and strengthen Finnish heritage and Finnish-American culture and traditions.
- Golden Key National Honor Society Member Scholarship
Grants scholarships to visionary students who “dream big, and never, ever stop.”
- Houtan Scholarship Foundation
Scholarships for students from all origins who have high academic performance and proven interest in promoting Iran’s culture, heritage, language and civilization.
- Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program
For students from certain countries based on their potential for leadership and a demonstrated commitment to public service.
- Organization of American States Leo S. Rowe Pan American Fund
Helps citizens from Latin America and Caribbean OAS Member States finance their studies or research at accredited universities across the United States by awarding interest-free loans.
- International Federation of University Women
Scholarships for women from Australia, France, Great Britain, India, Israel, Japan, Norway, South Africa, Switzerland and USA.
- International Student Organization in the USA
A list of scholarships for international students attending school in the United States.
- Iranian American Bar Association
Law School Scholarship for students of Iranian heritage.
- Iranian-American Scholarship Fund
Provides scholarships to full-time students who are citizens of Iran and attend undergraduate and graduate schools in the United States.
- Kosciuszko Foundation Fellowships & Grants
Scholarships for students who are Polish citizens.
- Mackenzie King Scholarships
Available for students from Canada.
- Narotam Sekhsaria Scholarship Program
Awards scholarships to Indian students with a consistently good academic record.
- National University of Ireland
Available for Irish students.
- Norway-America Association
Scholarship program for students from Norway.
- Organization of Istanbul Armenians Scholarship
Students of Armenian descent with an excellent academic record are qualified to apply.
- Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans
Honors the contributions of immigrants and children of immigrants to the United States.
- Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.) International
A program which provides scholarships for selected women from other countries for graduate study in the United States and Canada.
- Point Foundation
Empowers LGBTQ students to achieve their full academic and leadership potential to make a significant impact on society.
- Postgrad Solutions Global LL.M. Study Bursary
Helps students fund their chosen Master of Laws program anywhere in the world. - Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation
Supports students who demonstrate a commitment to the study of natural resources law. - Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarships
Invests in future leaders and philanthropists by funding scholarships for undergraduate and graduate study. - Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation Scholarship
Provide the opportunity to Indian students to broaden their vision abroad and improve their skills. - Serbian Bar Association of America
Scholarships for individuals of Serbian birth or ancestry and/or their spouses. - Turkish Educational Foundation Foreign
Scholarships for graduate students from Turkey.
- Ukrainian American Bar Association Scholarship
For law school students of Ukrainian descent and residents of Ukraine who attend law school in the U.S.
- World Bank Fellowship and Scholarship Programs
Awarded to students who promote economic development and shared prosperity through investing in education and developing human resources in the developing world.
- World Bank Group Family Network Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund
Provides grants to women from developing and middle-income countries to further their education and strengthen the professional and leadership skills they need to improve the lives of women and children.
- World Wildlife Fund’s Education for Nature Program
Open to students from Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
- Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation

Tax Scholarships
We offer various merit scholarships to qualified applicants. All students are considered for these merit scholarships upon an initial application review by the admissions committee. We recommend submitting all application materials as soon as possible to be considered for the best scholarship opportunities. Students will be notified of any awards with their acceptance letters.

Continuing JD Students
Named Scholarships
Continuing JD students are encouraged to apply for our named scholarships, which are awarded on an annual basis and range from $1,000 to $25,000.
Retaining Scholarship Eligibility
-
Scholarship Renewal Requirements
- Merit scholarships, except full-tuition awards, are renewable for up to 6 semesters for full-time students and up to 8 semesters for part-time students.
- Full-tuition scholarships are renewable for up to 90 credits, except for dual-degree students for whom they are renewed for up to 80 credits.
- Students starting in August 2019 or later:
- If receiving the Chancellor's or Yegge Scholarships, must maintain good academic standing, defined as a 2.3 cumulative GPA.
- If receiving the Sturm, Provost's, Dean's, and Crimson & Gold Scholarships, must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA in order to retain scholarship funding (unless otherwise indicated in your admission letter/email).
- At Denver Law, classes are graded on a curve. Based on last year’s grades, obtaining a 3.0 means that you are roughly in the top 85% of your class after the first year.
- Students starting before August 2019:
- Students receiving scholarships must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA in order to retain scholarship funding.
- At Denver Law, classes are graded on a curve. Based on last year’s grades, obtaining a 3.0 means that you are roughly in the top 85% of your class after the first year.
- Students receiving scholarships must maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA in order to retain scholarship funding.
-
Scholarship Probation and Cancellation
For students who start at Denver Law in August 2019 or later, the Office of Financial Management will verify GPAs after the end of the first academic year, and every fall and spring semester thereafter. If, after the first 2 semesters, your cumulative GPA falls below the required GPA indicated in your admission letter/email, you will receive 1 semester of probationary scholarship eligibility. If you are receiving a Chancellor or Yegge Scholarship, and your cumulative GPA falls below a 2.3, you will receive 1 semester of probationary scholarship eligibility.
For students who started at Denver Law in August 2018, the Office of Financial Management will verify GPAs after the end of the first academic year, and every fall and spring semester thereafter. If, after the first 2 semesters, your cumulative GPA falls below a 3.0, you will receive 1 semester of probationary scholarship eligibility. For students who started at Denver Law before August 2018, the Office of Financial Management will verify GPAs after the each fall and spring semester. If your cumulative GPA falls below a 3.0 after 1 semester, you will receive 1 semester of probationary scholarship eligibility.
During the probationary semester, you will retain your scholarship and must raise your cumulative GPA to the requirement listed above. If you are successful in raising your GPA, you would continue to be eligible for your scholarship, so long as you maintain that cumulative GPA. You have only 1 semester of probation, so if your cumulative GPA drops below the requirement a second time, your scholarship will be canceled.
If you do not raise your cumulative GPA as required during the probationary period, your scholarship will be canceled. Once canceled, the scholarship will not be reinstated, even if you raise your cumulative GPA above the requirement in a later term.
The Office of Financial Management will notify you via email if your scholarship is placed on probation or canceled. Notifications are sent after grades become available for the fall and spring semesters, typically in late-January and late-June.
In some cases, a scholarship may be canceled after it has already disbursed to your student account. In this case, you will be left with a balance on your account for which you are responsible. You can cover this balance with your own funds or by borrowing additional funding through student loans.
-
Extenuating Circumstances
Scholarship Cancellation
If your scholarship is canceled and you have extenuating circumstances surrounding your inability to obtain the necessary cumulative GPA, you may appeal the cancellation to the Scholarship Committee in writing.Appeals must be received by the deadline established by the Office of Financial Management; deadlines are included in the emailed notification of scholarship cancellation.
Each appeal is reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Scholarship Committee. Appeal decisions are emailed to students within 3 weeks of the appeal submission deadline. Appeal decisions are final.
Scholarship Duration
In certain circumstances, students may appeal, in writing, to the Scholarship Committee to have their scholarship eligibility extended beyond the 6 or 8 semester limit.If approved, the appeal would not increase the total amount of the scholarship but would allow a student to receive the scholarship amount over an additional semester or semesters.
-
Scholarship Retention Data
The chart below lists the number of students who entered Denver Law with a merit scholarship in each of the last three years and the number of students who subsequently had their scholarship canceled or reduced.
Students Matriculating in Number of Merit Scholarships Awarded Number of Scholarships Canceled after 1st Year Fall 2019 158 6 Fall 2018 144 13 Fall 2017 129 6
Contact
Office of Financial Management
-
-
-
-
-
2255 E. Evans Ave., Suite 115
Denver, CO 80208 -
Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.