Paying For Law School

Tuition & Fees (based on 30 credits)

Proposed 2023-24 Academic Year*

Resident

Non-Resident

UM Graduate Tuition

$6,888

$30,648

Law School Program Fee

$15,420

$15,420

Mandatory Fees

$2,329

$2,579

Total Tuition & Fees*

$24,637

$48,647

*Tuition and fees are subject to modification by the Board of Regents and the University without notice. 

Refund Policy

If a student completely withdraws from school, tuition and fees are 100% refundable before classes begin; 90% refundable during the first week of classes; 75% refundable during the second week of classes; 50% refundable during the third week of classes and nonrefundable after the third week of classes. The $75 application fee and $750 deposit are nonrefundable.

Financial Aid Budget

All financial aid starts with the FAFSA. The FAFSA is available on October 1 and should be submitted by February 15.

The cost of attendance for the 2022-23 academic year for graduate students taking 12+ credits. Please visit the University of Montana’s Financial Aid website for more information on the full cost of tuition.

Other Expenses

Mandatory health insurance coverage, with the right of waiver, is required for all students. Health insurance is available through UM’s Student Insurance Plan.

Parking on campus is $264/year for the 2022-23 academic year.

A reasonable allowance for the purchase of a computer will be determined and considered by the financial aid office upon request. Any approved amount will be added to the financial aid budget.

Seat Deposit: Accepted applicants who wish to reserve a seat in the entering class must make a nonrefundable advance deposit of $450 by the deadline stated in the acceptance letter. An additional deposit of $300 will be due by July 1st. Any applicants admitted after July 1st will pay a one-time $750 deposit. The deposit will be credited toward total University tuition and fees at the time of registration. Accepted applicants who do not pay the deposit by the deadline, have declined the offer of admission and any scholarship awarded.

Scholarships

For the 2022-23 academic year, the Blewett School of Law offered scholarships to 71% of the current first-year law students with an average award of $5,258 for residents and $6,217 for non-residents. 1L LSAT applicants are considered for scholarship without the need of a separate application. For a list of external scholarships, visit our Scholarships & Writing Competitions page.

Residency

The Montana University System classifies all students as either in-state or out-of-state. This classification affects admissions decisions and fee determinations. The rules for making the classification are set by the Montana University System Board of Regents. They can be found in Board of Regents’ Policy 940.1. Please review those rules carefully as you consider applying. They are interpreted strictly, and the Blewett School of Law does not have the ability to grant exceptions.

As a general mater, to be classified as an in-state applicant, a person must meet a 12-month durational residency test. The 12-month period does not start until some act indicative of an intent to establish residency is taken. Mere presence in Montana will not serve to start this period. Sufficient acts to start the period include: registering to vote in Montana; obtaining a Montana driver’s license; registering a motor vehicle in Montana; and purchasing a home in Montana. In addition to taking at least two of those steps, an applicant must file a Montana resident income tax return and must have been financially independent from any non-resident for at least 12 months. The 12-month period must be completed prior to the fifteenth instructional day of the semester to qualify for that term. In other words, a student applying to attend in the fall semester can be classified as in-state as long as they took sufficient acts to demonstrate an intent to establish residency at least 12 months prior to the fifteenth day of fall classes.

Please note that, under Board of Regents Policy 940.1(I)(H), a student who matriculates at the Blewett School of Law as a non-resident “is not eligible for reclassification as an in-state resident and shall remain classified as an out-of-state student for the duration of the student’s enrollment in the professional program.”

For more information regarding residency, please see “Residency Information” on the Office of the Registrar’s website.