CUNY School of Law

What is the cost of studying for a year at CUNY School of Law?

The annual cost of attending CUNY School of Law is more than tuition. A workable budget includes mandatory fees, books and supplies, housing, food, transportation and personal expenses; the amount a student pays depends in part on residency, enrollment intensity, living arrangements and aid eligibility.

CUNY Law publishes tuition schedules and a financial aid cost of attendance for the applicable academic year. New York resident and nonresident tuition should be compared using the same year and enrollment level. The cost-of-attendance budget is an estimate used in financial aid calculations, not a bill for every listed expense. Students living with family, renting independently or carrying different commuting costs may spend more or less than its allowances.

J.D. students should review the school's scholarship terms, federal student-loan eligibility and any relevant veteran or military education benefits. Graduate and professional students generally do not qualify for the undergraduate Pell Grant or New York's undergraduate Tuition Assistance Program merely by attending CUNY. Federal aid normally begins with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); scholarship applications or priority dates may require additional action. To estimate borrowing, compare the current published budget with a personalized aid offer and account for whether a scholarship renews in later years.

What are the work-study opportunities at CUNY School of Law?

CUNY School of Law students may pursue paid work while studying, but a job is not the same as Federal Work-Study or a clinical placement. Federal Work-Study is a need-based financial aid program that pays eligible students for approved employment; receiving an award does not itself assign a job.

Students interested in Work-Study should submit the FAFSA, review their aid offer and ask the financial aid office how approved positions are advertised. Ordinary part-time jobs have their own hiring and pay arrangements. Clinics and externships should be evaluated separately for academic credit, supervision, scheduling and any compensation restrictions.

The school's career-development resources are particularly relevant for finding legal work. Students can seek guidance on résumés, interviews, professional contacts and public-interest or other legal job searches. They should check the current career office schedule for appointments and employer events, and plan around the time demands of coursework and supervised practice.