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Scholarships and Financial Assistance

Each year, Duke Law School is able to offer merit- and need-based assistance to highly qualified LLM applicants. This financial assistance generally takes the form of varying amounts of tuition scholarships. Duke Law LLM scholarships include the Judy Horowitz Scholarship, offered to an outstanding student with a demonstrated commitment for public interest from a developing country, the Moskovitz & Stern Scholarship offered to an outstanding student from Israel, and a scholarship to a student with a proven commitment to environmental protection and advocacy. In addition, Duke Law scholarships include general need- and merit-based scholarships.

Applicants who wish to be considered for a Duke Law scholarship must submit a scholarship request letter with their LLM application. Candidates who believe their academic and professional backgrounds qualify them to be considered for a Duke Law scholarship must submit a scholarship request letter with their LLM applications. Applicants’ admissibility to Duke and applicants’ scholarship requests are considered separately, and scholarship decisions will generally be made after an applicant has already been admitted.

The scholarship letter should specify the following: (1) whether an applicant expects to receive sponsorship support from an external source such as a governmental agency, employer, foundation, or another third party; (2) what, if any, family and/or personal funds the applicant intends to use to cover their graduate study and living expenses at Duke Law School; (3) the reasons the applicant believes they qualify for financial assistance, merit- or need-based. Reasons could include, for example, an outstanding previous academic record and/or a commitment to a legal career in academia or the public interest. English language ability is also a factor in scholarship consideration.

Applicants are encouraged to seek scholarship information from the American consulate about available scholarships granted by the U.S. government and other sources. They should also seek information about scholarships in their home countries. A substantial number of Duke LLM students have been recipients of scholarships granted by the Fulbright Program, DAAD, the Rotary Foundation, the World Bank, and a variety of national, state, corporate, university, and law firm sponsors. Applicants should also use the web to search for other potential sources of funding. Please see Possible Funding Resources for International Students for suggestions. Some students are able to obtain students loans if they are able to present a U.S. citizen to co-sign the loan.

Duke Law School will be glad to provide any documentation necessary for sponsors and should be informed about any scholarship awards. Please let us know if sponsors request an early admission decision. In special cases, early decisions can be provided.

Once admission is offered and accepted, proof of financial support is necessary before the visa process can be started. Accompanying family members will require additional funding. Once a student has matriculated, no scholarship assistance can be awarded. Some international students identify positions at the Law School as library or faculty assistants, but the remuneration is not substantial. Enrolled students may work at the University for no more than 20 hours a week. Students may not seek employment outside the University during the academic year.

Students should also consult with a relevant tax authority in their home country regarding the possibility of deducting their tuition payments from taxes.

Loan Options for International Students

Duke University has established a list of recommended private lenders available for incoming international students. View the list of lenders on the ELMSelect website and select “View Loans”.

Cost of Living Comparison to Durham, North Carolina

 

Housing

Food & Groceries

Overall Index

Ann Arbor, MI

64% more expensive

3% more expensive

14% more expensive

Berkeley, CA

418% more expensive

15% more expensive

144% more expensive

Boston, MA

160% more expensive

12% more expensive

57% more expensive

Charlottesville, VA

25% more expensive

2% more expensive

10% more expensive

Chicago, IL

1% less expensive

2% less expensive

10% more expensive

Los Angeles, CA

198% more expensive

5% more expensive

81% more expensive

New York, NY

194% more expensive

18% more expensive

73% more expensive

Palo Alto, CA

1,174% more expensive

25% more expensive

344% more expensive

Washington, DC

141% more expensive

15% more expensive

55% more expensive

*Data derived from 2025 Cost of Living Calculator provided by Sperling's Best Places at https://www.bestplaces.net/cost-of-living/.

Live Better on a Budget

The cost of housing and other living expenses vary significantly from city to city in the United States.  It is important to understand costs outside of tuition when picking the right school for you.  Choosing a place to live in Durham, North Carolina will be a pleasant and often more economical process, a nice change from living in a large, crowded city. Housing options are plentiful near Duke: You can choose from traditional apartment complexes (most come with pools, exercise facilities, and on-site laundry), urban lofts in transformed tobacco warehouses (also loaded with amenities and usually within steps of restaurants, coffee shops, and retail shops), and homes and condominiums for rent. Many students choose to share an apartment with a classmate; some rent their own place. Whatever your preference, Durham has something to offer.

Bring the Family

Many LLM students find Durham to be the ideal place for their families to live. Durham and nearby communities offer ample child-care options, high-quality schools, and endless opportunities for family fun and entertainment, including Durham's Museum of Life and Science, Chapel Hill's Kidzu, Raleigh's Marbles Museum, and myriad parks, lakes, forests, pools, and sports clubs — to name just a few.

Weather-Friendly City

Better weather equals more time to enjoy the beautiful outdoor experiences throughout North Carolina.  Whether you want to drive to the beautiful North Carolina beaches or to the amazing Blue Ridge Mountains, our moderate temperatures throughout the fall, winter and spring make North Carolina an ideal location for an LLM experience.

 

Annual High Temperature1

Annual Low Temperature1

Average

Snowfall2

Sunny Days Per Year3

Durham, NC

21°C

9°C

(Raleigh) 20 cm

(Raleigh) 217

Ann Arbor, MI

15°C

5°C

(Detroit) 109 cm

(Detroit) 180

Berkeley, CA

20°C

9°C

----

(San Francisco) 260

Boston, MA

15°C

7°C

112 cm

201

Chicago, IL

15°C

6°C

102 cm

189

Los Angeles, CA

22°C

13°C

----

292

New York, NY

17°C

9°C

76 cm

234

Palo Alto, CA

21°C

8°C

----

(San Francisco) 260

Philadelphia, PA

18°C

8°C

56 cm

205

Washington, DC

18°C

8°C

51 cm

----

1Annual High Temperature, Annual Low Temperature and Average Temperature provided by US Climate Data, https://www.usclimatedata.com.

2 Annual snowfall from NerdWallet article based data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/snowfall-totals-city/.

3 Sunny days per year by state provided by Current Results website based on data from the National Climatic Data Center and World Data Center for Meteorology, https://www.currentresults.com/Weather/US/average-annual-state-sunshine.php

 

DUKE LAW SCHOOL GRADUATE PROGRAM

LLM - Full Academic Year

ESTIMATED BUDGET
2025 - 2026

Living Expenses Single Student Married Student
Books & Supplies $1,492 $1,492
Rent & Utilities $13,842 $17,856
Food $4,320 $7,992
Miscellaneous (local travel, entertainment, etc.) $6,462 $11,115
Total Estimated Living Expenses $26,116 $38,455
Educational Expenses Single Student Married Student
Tuition $80,100 $80,100
Health Fee $1,007 $1,007
Medical Insurance** $3,500 $6,700
Law Student Activity Fee $150 $150
Graduate Student Activity Fee $38 $38
Graduate Student Services Fee $24 $24
Transcript Fee $120 $120
Recreation Fee $389 $389
Total Estimated Educational Expenses $85,328 $88,528
TOTAL ESTIMATED EXPENSES $111,444 $126,983

PLEASE NOTE: This is an ESTIMATED budget as some educational fees have yet to be confirmed. Additionally it does not account for individual differences in housing accommodation, food selection, extensive travel, or owning a car during your stay. If dependents are joining you at Duke, proof of funding required to apply for your visa will need to include the additional amount noted above for your spouse, as well as $5,000 for each child.

**ALL F-1 and J-1 visa holders are REQUIRED to purchase the Duke University-sponsored Student Medical Insurance Plan (SMIP). The amount noted is for the current academic year and will be updated once Student Health confirms the new rate for students and dependents.

Bar application fees and the cost of bar exam preparatory courses are NOT included in the above amounts. Bar preparation courses are offered by private vendors, not by the Law School, and can cost several thousand dollars.

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Possible Funding Resources for International Students

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Scholarships Recipients