Open Doors Scholarship & Need-Based Grants
Open Doors Scholarship
The Open Doors Scholarship was created to enable extraordinary students with significant financial need to succeed at GW Law. Ten incoming scholars will receive a need-based scholarship of $135,000 ($45,000/year) for full-time students, or $120,000 ($30,000/year) for part-time students, which includes any need-based grants and merit scholarships awarded. Beyond financial funding, your Open Door advisors, Carmia Caesar, Associate Dean for Associate Dean for Experiential Programs & Equity, and Anthony Tiberio, Assistant Dean of Students, provide comprehensive programming and resources to support the Scholars.
Students who have received awards equal or greater than the Open Doors scholarship amount are still encouraged to apply given the resources and support available. Even though no additional funds would be awarded, the Open Doors program provides valuable support and programming for its recipients.
The Open Doors application form will be posted here on February 14, 2025. To hear back prior to the initial April 15 deadline, please submit your application, as well as all three steps for need-based grants to determine your need eligibility by March 15. Please note that your Open Doors application will be considered incomplete without completing these three steps. International students can apply for Open Doors and should reach out to [email protected] with any questions.
We expect the Open Door program to be availed only by self-selected students for whom GW Law is truly a top-choice law school. To that end, if you decide to accept an offer to be part of the Open Door Scholars program, a binding commitment will be required. The Open Door Application will remain open until all ten recipients are selected.
Need-Based Grants
GW Law School need-based grants are available to non-transfer JD students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, enrolled at least half-time, demonstrate significant financial need, and have not been awarded a merit-based scholarship of $20,000/year or more. GW employees receiving tuition benefits are ineligible for need-based grants.
Your parents, regardless of your age or marital status, must file the CSS Profile form with you if you wish to be considered for the GW Law Need-Based Grant. There are no exceptions to the institutional policy other than for orphans/wards of court, in which case supporting documentation is required. Missing parental data on CSS Profile is the most common cause of delay in our ability to complete a student's financial aid package when the need-based grant is requested. If you are married, then spouse financial data is also required on both the FAFSA and CSS Profile.
*For the purposes of the GW Law Need-Based Grant - the estimated family contribution (EFC) uses the financial data you provide via the FAFSA (School Code E00196) as well as the financial data that you and your parents provide via the CSS Profile (School Code 5587) forms in order to derive an institutional EFC.
Financial need is the difference between GW Law School's estimated costs of attendance for the aid year, a student's personal and/or family contribution, the $20,500 Federal Direct Stafford Loan, and any other assistance the student receives.
The GW Law Need-Based Grant is awarded contingent upon your full acceptance of the Federal Unsubsidized Loan for the specific aid year. The calculation of the need-based grant only covers a portion of a student's unmet financial need. The need-based grant application process is academic year specific, and subsequent year eligibility is not guaranteed.
The Financial Aid Office begins making awards in March for the upcoming academic year. Awards are not offered to an applicant until the admission process has been completed and the student has been admitted to GW Law School. Funds are limited.