Harvard Law School is the most prestigious institution for Law in USA. With an acceptance rate of 7%, HLS admission process is highly competitive. In the last admission cycle, total 560 students were enrolled. Out of all, 11% of the students are international and 12% are enrolled under STEM majors. Check: Harvard Law School Admission!

The curriculum of Harvard law school is of over 260 courses and seminars covering a wide range of traditional and emerging legal fields. The main Harvard Law School campus consists of 19 buildings and offers students holistic development through 90 on-campus clubs. Out of all 33% of students stay on HLS campus. Students can apply for a work-while study program to cut down on high tuition fees. In order to do so, students can work upto 20 hours per week and earn more than 5,000 USD. Explore: Courses at HLS!

Harvard Law School cost of attendance is quite high and international students are required to pay approximately 1,00,000 USD (74 lakhs) which includes tuition fees, cost of living in the US, and personal expenses. To help the students financially, Harvard Law School scholarships and financial help are offered solely on the basis of need. International students can apply for need-based scholarships, student loans, and financial aid packages.

  • Harvard Law School offers programs such as JD program, SJD program and LL.M. 
  • Harvard Law School also offers programs in Criminal Justice, Law and Business, Law and History, Law and Science and Technology, Law and Government, and Law and Society. 
  • Harvard Law School also offers joint degrees with Harvard Business School (J.D./MBA),  Harvard Graduate School of Design (J.D./MUP), Harvard Kennedy School of Government (J.D./MPP or MPA/ID),  Harvard School of Public Health (J.D./MPH), Cambridge University Faculty of Law (J.D./LL.M.), and Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (J.D./PhD).

Harvard Law School Rankings

  • #4 in Best Law School by US News, 2023
  • #1 in Business/Corporate Law by US News, 2023
  • #2 in Healthcare Law  by US News, 2023

Harvard Law School Campus

  • Harvard Law School students have a wide range of interests, many of which are pursued through the more than 90 on-campus student organizations, groups, and activities.
  • Every HLS student is required to accomplish at least 40 hours of pro bono, or volunteer, work. It is a private university under the parent school of Harvard University. 
  • HLS buildings are integrated into the university campus in Harvard Square, a hub of student life in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with restaurants, bars, and shops. Students can live on campus in dorms, suites, and apartments, but more than 60% live off campus.

Harvard Law School Accommodation

On-campus housing is occupied by around 33% of HLS students. There are Dormitory and apartment-style on-campus residence options available for students. Listed below are the types of accommodation in USA and their prices:

Dormitory-style Rooms: room types charged are billed once per semester

Residences Room Type Price(USD)
Gropius Complex

Standard Single

3,939.85

Medium Single

4,941.00

Large Single

6,291.00

Hastings Hall

One-person suite/studio

7,964.66

Single in a 2-person suite

5,841.00

North Hall

Small Single with private bath

6,835.50

Standard Single with private bath

8,370.00

Large Single w/private bath

8,955.00

Single in a 2-bedroom suite w/semi-private bath

8,523.25

Students can opt for off-campus housing in USA including the unaffiliated housing options and the Harvard University Housing option. The HUH consists of more than 70 properties. However, two of them, Terry terrace and 29Garden street are located in the HLS block. The dining hall of the campus is located in the Harkness commons. Other on-campus dining options include Harkness Café, Pub Grille, and the Harkbox Caf

Harvard Law School Admission Process

International students who want to seek admission at Harvard Law School can follow the below-mentioned application details:
Application Portal: Law School Admission Council(LSAC) websiteApplication Fee: USD 85 (6,623 INR)
Admission Requirements:

  • Official transcripts
  • Resume - 1 to 2 pages in length
  • Personal statement - (two pages using a minimum of 11-point font, 1-inch margins, and double spacing)
  • LSAT test score
  • Submitted through the LSAC Credential Assembly Service 
  • Two letters of recommendation
  • Character and Fitness Test
  • Financial aid application
  • Interview (If invited) 
  • TOEFL iBT score- minimum 100

Harvard Law School Acceptance Rate

Harvard Law school admission is strict and competitive with an acceptance rate of only 7%. The J.D. class of 2024 has 560 students. Among 9,993 applications only 685 received an offer. Among all, there are 11% of international students representing 18 countries.

HLS J.D. Class of 2024

Harvard Law School Enrollment

Harvard Law School Cost of Attendance

The estimated cost of attendance for international students at the university depends on tuition fees and cost of living in USA. The estimate of the same is mentioned below. 

Category  Cost (INR)
Tuition and fee 51.29 lakhs
Room and Board 21.14 lakhs
Mandatory student health fee 94.69 thousand
Waivable insurance plan  3.05 lakhs
Books and supplies 1.21 lakhs
Travel allowance  1.26 lakhs

Harvard Law School Scholarships

Harvard Law School grant funding can be substantial for students in need, but no student receives a "full ride" grant award. Approximately half of all J.D. Student aid applicants qualify for Law School grant assistance. Many organisations seeking applications from Harvard Law School students will make direct contact with the Student Financial Services Office.

Some of the applications with upcoming deadlines are as follows:

Scholarship Grants(in USD)
Trial LawHER Scholarship 10,000
Lemon Law Experts Scholarships 1000
Buckfire & Buckfire Legal Diversity Scholarship 2000
Don H. Liu Scholars Program 15,000
Emery Reddy Legal Studies Scholarship 2,500
The other scholarships include controversial legal topic scholarships in USA, American association for justice scholarship minority corporate counsel association scholarship.

Harvard Law School Alumni

A few alumni benefits include full membership to the Harvard faculty club, an annual membership to the MIT/Harvard coop, discounts on all purchases in-store and online at the coop, inspection copies of the HLS case studies, an annual subscription to the digital magazine of HLS. 

Harvard Law School Notable Alumni:

  • Rutherford B. Hayes - 9th President of the United States
  • Barack Obama - 44th President of the United States
  • Charles Joseph Bonaparte - United States Secretary of the Navy and founder of the precursor to the FBI
  • William M. Evarts - Secretary of State and a Senator from New York
  • Merrick Garland - former Chief Judge
  • Kapil Sibal - Member of Indian Parliament

Harvard Law School Placements

Harvard Law School is ranked #1 in terms of the average starting salary among graduates working in private practice as law firm associates($180,000). Harvard Law graduates are in high demand by employers in law firms, government, business, and non-profit organizations. Employment details of the class of 2021 are given below in detail. Also Check: Jobs in USA!

Industry Employment Percentage Median Salary (INR)

Law Firms

60.10%

171.77 lakhs

Business & Industry

3.66%

113.85 lakhs

Government

3.66%

57.52 lakhs

Public Interest

12.02%

43.54 lakhs

Judicial Clerkship

19.51%

55.93 lakhs

Education

1.05%

55.93 lakhs

Harvard Law School provides its students with a challenging, supportive environment, as well as access to an unbeatable array of course and academic offerings, a global alumni network, and a thriving campus life. Harvard students have the option of pursuing a broad and diverse curriculum or a specialized program in one area of law, such as human rights, intellectual property, or business law, among others.

FAQs

Ques. What is Harvard Law School famous for?

Ans. HLS is the oldest law school in United States. This school possess the oldest law library in the world. HLS is mostly famous for its J.D. program. The school also offers LLM and SJD degrees.

Ques. Does HLS offer scholarships and financial aid to international students?

Ans. Harvard Law School offers many scholarships to international students in financial need. Scholarships like Trial LawHER Scholarship and Don H. Liu Scholars Program can grant up to 15,000 USD.

Ques. Is it hard to get admission at Harvard Law School?

Ans.Harvard Law School is strict with its admission with an acceptance rate of only 7%. Students with a GPA of 3.8(93%) and higher have stronger chances of getting selected.

Ques. Is Harvard Law School an Ivy League institution?

Ans.Yes. Harvard Law School is one of the oldest Ivy League members. The school ranks #1 in business/corporate laws and #4 in best law schools by U.S. News in 2023.

Ques. Is LSAT score required for Harvard Law?

Ans. Yes. An LSAT score of 170 and higher is required to get admission in Harvard Law School. Record shows, that the admitted students have their LSAT score in a range of 170 - 176.