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Scholarships
SCHOLARSHIPS
Welcome to the scholarships information and application pages. Thanks to generous supporters, various scholarships are available each fall and spring semester to currently enrolled students to cover a portion of the tuition and fees. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of scholastic achievement, financial need and/or service to the community. Please note eligibility requirements for each scholarship.
When you donate to one of our current scholarships, you're directly supporting students in their pursuit of higher education. Your generosity helps ease the financial burden, empowers academic achievement, and opens doors to brighter futures.
Ways to Give:
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Contribute to an existing scholarship.
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Establish a new scholarship.
To learn more on how you can impact a student's educational journey positively, contact Debbie Howitt, Assistant Dean of Development, at dhowitt@montereylaw.edu.
The following scholarships are available for students attending Monterey College of Law:
To be eligible to apply, you must have a minimum GPA of 70.0 and be in good financial standing. This means your account must be current or, if delinquent, you have made payment arrangements with the business manager.
Board of Trustees Scholarships (Fall & Spring):
Multiple scholarships are awarded by the Board of Trustees with funds contributed
by them and other supporters of Monterey College of Law and its branch campuses in
San Luis Obispo, Kern County, and Santa Rosa. These scholarships are based on either
financial need or academic excellence.
JoAnn Quilty Memorial Scholarship (Fall& Spring):
This scholarship is given to an outstanding re-entry student (second, third, or fourth
year). Re-entry is defined as someone who, like JoAnn, is pursuing a law degree to
re-enter the workforce or change careers. This endowed scholarship was created with
funds contributed by the family, friends, and classmates in memory of JoAnn Quilty,
a MCL graduate who was killed in a plane crash.
Monterey County Women Lawyers Association Scholarship (Fall & Spring):
This scholarship is awarded to a student in class year 2L or above in good academic
standing. Service to the community in Monterey County is a priority. The successful
candidate will also receive a one-year complimentary MCWLA membership.
Jack Kadushin Scholarship (Spring Only):
Endowed in his memory by his daughter, former MCL Dean Karen Kadushin, this scholarship
is awarded each Spring to a Monterey College of Law student who demonstrates the capacity
to successfully complete the J.D. program and pass the Bar Exam.
Judge Edward J. Smith Scholarship (Fall Only):
Endowed in his memory by his daughter and MCL Trustee, Patricia Smith Ramsey, this
scholarship is awarded to a First Year MCL Student in need of financial assistance.
Ms. Smith chose to direct this endowment specifically for entering MCL students in
order to encourage individuals with academic ability and motivation to pursue their
dream of a legal education, even in the face of financial restrictions.
MCL Studyships (Fall Only):
The Studyship was created from an endowment from former MCL Trustee member Patricia
Smith Ramsey. The award is to be given to a fourth year student who is unable, because
of financial obligations, to take an unpaid leave-of-absence from his/her/their job
in preparation for the bar exam. This award will help the student to be able to take
time off of work in order to prepare for the bar exam.
Christian Pollock Memorial Scholarship. (Coming soon.)
The following scholarships are available for students attending San Luis Obispo College of Law:
San Luis Obispo College of Law Advisory Board Scholarship (Fall only):
San Luis Obispo College of Law Advisory Board Scholarship offers an annual scholarship
to enrolled San Luis Obispo College of Law students who have at least completed the
fall semester of their IL year or are studying for the bar and graduated the same
year as the scholarship is being offered. Applicants are expected to provide a resume
and two current letters of recommendation and will be evaluated on their academic
performance in addition to the information provided in a brief personal statement
addressing why they are in law school, challenges or life experiences that have impacted
their law school experience, and plans for contributing to the local legal community.
The application opens during the summer session and closes late July. Scholarships
are awarded at the beginning of the fall session.
To Apply: To be announced.
To be eligible to apply for a Board of Trustees Scholarship, you must have a minimum GPA of 70.0 and be in good financial standing. This means your account must be current or, if delinquent, you have made payment arrangements with the business manager.
Board of Trustees Scholarships (Fall & Spring):
Multiple scholarships are awarded by the Board of Trustees with funds contributed
by them and other supporters of Monterey College of Law and its branch campuses in
San Luis Obispo, Kern County, and Santa Rosa. These scholarships are based on either
financial need or academic excellence.
Community Scholarships:
Women Lawyers Association of San Luis Obispo County:
Although not exclusively for students at San Luis Obispo College of Law, this scholarship
is available to current law students or students accepted for enrollment in law school
with a demonstrated connection to San Luis Obispo County. To learn more and to apply,
visit https://www.wlaslo.org/scholarships.
Northern Santa Barbara County Women Lawyers Association: Coming Soon
The following scholarships are available for second, third, and fourth year students attending Kern County College of Law and are available each fall semester:
Academic Excellence Scholarship (Fall Only):
This scholarship is awarded to a student with a cumulative GPA of 78.00 and above.
Overall Achievement Scholarship (Fall Only):
This scholarship is awarded to a student with a cumulative GPA of 75.00 and above.
U.S. Military Veteran/First Responder Scholarship (Fall Only):
This scholarship is awarded to a student who has a cumulative GPA of 72.00 and above,
and is a:
*U.S. MILITARY veteran with an honorable discharge from the U.S. military services or in reserve service, or a
*FIRST RESPONDER with one or more years employment as a first responder before or during law school. First responders include police officers, firefighters, and paramedics.
KCCL Scholarship Instructions and APPLICATION
To be eligible to apply for a Board of Trustees Scholarship, you must have a minimum GPA of 70.0 and be in good financial standing. This means your account must be current or, if delinquent, you have made payment arrangements with the business manager.
Board of Trustees Scholarships (Fall & Spring):
Multiple scholarships are awarded by the Board of Trustees with funds contributed
by them and other supporters of Monterey College of Law and its branch campuses in
San Luis Obispo, Kern County, and Santa Rosa. These scholarships are based on either
financial need or academic excellence.
The following scholarships are available for students attending Empire College of Law:
The two ECL scholarships may not be granted every year. They are granted as determined and/or earned by deserving candidates. The availability of funds held in the scholarship account varies annually.
The Olga Gracey Scholarship (Spring Only):
This scholarship is available to self-supporting women in their first year of study at Empire College of Law. The Olga Gracey Scholarship was established by
the Student Bar Association of Empire College School of Law in March 1981 in memory
of Olga Gracey, a first-year law student who died tragically in a fire in February
of the same year. Students, friends, and family members contributed to the original
trust fund. The purpose of the trust is to award a scholarship to qualified first-year
law students enrolled at Empire College. The amount awarded to each scholarship recipient
is intended to assist with the cost of textbooks required for the first-year course
of study for the academic year in which the scholarship is awarded.
To Apply: TBD
The Kerosky Gallelli Dream Scholarship (Spring Only):
Established in 2022 by Empire’s Immigration Law Professor Christopher Kerosky and
his firm, this scholarship is awarded to a student who is an immigrant or a child
of immigrants (first- or second-generation Americans). Recipients are selected based
on a student’s record of overcoming adversity in achieving academic success, providing
service to the community or other meritorious accomplishments. Academic promise and
financial need are also considered factors.
To Apply: TBD
To be eligible to apply for a Board of Trustees Scholarship, you must have a minimum GPA of 70.0 and be in good financial standing. This means your account must be current or, if delinquent, you have made payment arrangements with the business manager.
Board of Trustees Scholarships (Fall & Spring):
Multiple scholarships are awarded by the Board of Trustees with funds contributed
by them and other supporters of Monterey College of Law and its branch campuses in
San Luis Obispo, Kern County, and Santa Rosa. These scholarships are based on either
financial need or academic excellence.
Refer to your "home campus" for available scholarships.
