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Searching through these outside scholarship pages for the University of Idaho College of Law, you may find yourself thinking, "I don't have diabetes, I'm not of Armenian ancestry, and I don't come from Scott County, Kansas. Where is a scholarship I qualify for?"
Which underscores the point: All the scholarships listed are examples of scholarships you might find. Most scholarships on these pages won't apply to you, but they likely apply to a law student somewhere. In seeking outside scholarships, your job is to know yourself, then look for scholarships oriented toward for people like yourself. Just as more law jobs are available than are advertised, so too more scholarship monies are available to law students than are posted on law scholarship sites. Using the lists on these pages as inspiration, research the pool of scholarships which apply to you.
Look for areas of similarity with family members as well as yourself. Scholarship donors often open scholarships to the families of people with certain attributes. Some examples are children of military veterans and family members of cancer victims.
So take stock of yourself, and your family of origin:
- Where did you grow up?
- Where did you graduate from high school?
- What sports or activities have you been part of?
- What is your faith community?
- What college did you attend?
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Were you a member of a college sorority, fraternity, sports team, or organized activity?
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What jobs have you held? Were you part of a professional organization? What professional contacts do you have?
- What is your ethnicity or national origin?
- Do you have a serious medical condition or a disability?
- Are you a member of any organizations? What are your hobbies or interests?
- What are your interests in the legal field or in public interest?
Once you have asked yourself these questions, use that to guide your scholarship search. Contact:
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The guidance counselor at your high school to see if there are scholarships for graduates as well as high school seniors.
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Community foundations and bar associations for the locality where you grew up, as well as service clubs such as Rotary, Elks, Odd Fellows, etc.
- Your church on the local, regional, and national levels
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Former employers, your parents' employers, and unions or professional organizations to which you or your parents belonged
- Fraternal organizations to which you or your parents belong
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Advocacy, social, and fraternal groups linked to your ethnicity or national origin
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Medical support groups if you or a family member has a serious medical condition
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Interest groups you have joined, or which hold similar values to organizations you're been a member of
- Public interest groups or special interest bar associations.
When looking for scholarships for which you are eligible on the basis of your ethnic heritage, think on three levels:
- Your specific ethnic or national origin (e.g., Hmong, Finnish)
- Your general ethnic background (e.g. Asian, European)
- If applicable, your non-Caucasian status (e.g., "diversity," "minority")
Those interested in diversity scholarships should research the following potential scholarship sources:
- Ethnic bar associations (e.g., Iranian-American Bar Association)
- Relief societies (e.g., Armenian Relief Society)
- Ethnically-based scholarship funds (e.g., Iranian-American Scholarship Fund)
- Ethnically-based advocacy groups (e.g., Japanese-American Citizens League)
- Ethnic or nationality-based lodges (e.g., Knights of Lithuania)
- Ethnic or nationality-tied religious groups (e.g., Russian Orthodox Church)
- Diversity or minority scholarships
- Law firms.
Persons with medical conditions and/or disabilities can search for scholarships from the following sources:
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Pharmaceutical companies, and companies which manufacture or market assistive technology
- Patient advocacy groups
- Support groups
- Professional societies dealing with the disability
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Diversity scholarships with broad-based definitions such as "historically under-represented in the legal profession."
Here are some specific tips for special situations:
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Many diversity scholarships define diversity widely, often including non-traditional status, sexual orientation, and economic disadvantage among the diversity factors they consider.
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Native American students should check out diversity scholarships as well as funding from their tribal government. Religious organizations are often a fruitful source for scholarships for Native Americans.
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Legal and non-profit employers will sometimes give a small scholarship stipend following the period of employment.
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Sexual orientation scholarships are often available for family and allies as well as LGBT persons themselves.
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Fraternity and sorority scholarships are plentiful: check not only with your chapter but on the national level as well.
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If you are in a joint or concurrent degree program, look for scholarships for students in your specialty field as well as for law students.
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If you are interested in a field of law, join specialty bar associations in that field to establish your credentials and build your network of contacts.
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Foreign nationals should contact several universities in their home countries to ask for assistance. Specifically ask about websites and search engines targeted to students in your home country.
Finally, once you have done your research and found potential scholarships -- Apply!
Go back to the main scholarship page.
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