Financial Support

Northwestern Pritzker Law through the Public Interest Center offers public interest students an array of financial support opportunities throughout their time as students and post-graduation. Please visit these financial support pages to learn about generous public interest summer funding, summer fellowships, post-graduate fellowships, the Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP), and full-tuition scholarships.

Public Interest Post-Graduate Fellowships

The Law School recognizes that although the need for public interest lawyers is strong, many organizations lack the funding to offer entry-level opportunities. The post-graduate fellowships (pdf) launch public interest careers of dedicated graduates by providing a $50,000 salary and health care benefits to work for one year as a lawyer at a domestic nonprofit or government agency of the graduate’s choice. After a year as a fellow, recipients gain the experience needed to be hired for competitive public interest positions. Each year five to eight graduating students are awarded the fellowship through a competitive process. To date over 36 graduates have received the fellowship and are employed in public interest agencies across the country. 

Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP)

Northwestern Pritzker Law is committed to supporting graduates who pursue legal careers in the public interest. The program has been revised over the years to respond to changes in salaries and student loan debt. LRAP was recently revised in spring 2024 to align with recent changes to federal income-driven repayment (IDR) plans, including the new Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan. Our LRAP Program helps graduates with an adjusted gross income (AGI) up to $105,000 repay their student loans. Participants in the program with an annual AGI of $85,000 or less can receive benefits covering 100% of their SAVE Payment. Those with an AGI between $85,001 and $105,000 will receive benefits based on their income. The LRAP program is supported in large part by the generosity of the Estate of Dawn Clark Netsch (JD '52). Vist the Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) page for details.

Dawn Clark Netsch Public Interest Scholarship

Each year the law school awards one scholarship for full tuition to a student who demonstrates a strong commitment to public interest. The scholarship is in honor of our late graduate and faculty member Dawn Clark Netsch and is funded by a generous gift from her estate.