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LLM Cost of Attendance

Thomas Jefferson School of Law is committed to helping students attain a legal education. We are proud that our institution is able to offer more affordable tuition than most other law schools in the nation.

The Cost of Attendance represents the amount believed adequate to cover the tuition, fees, books and living expenses of most students for the academic year. This figure also represents the maximum total financial aid a law student can expect to receive per year.

Because Thomas Jefferson School of Law is a private institution, students pay the same tuition rate regardless of their state residency. In addition, rates for tuition and fees are set annually and are subject to change.

Your actual expenses may differ from those listed here. In some cases, you may have lower expenses in one category to compensate for higher expenses in another area. We are limited in our ability to approve budget increases. You can request a budget increase for certain expenses such as child care costs, disability related expenses, etc. It will not be possible to obtain a budget increase to cover expenses such as credit card and other consumer payments.

2023/24 Academic Year

The Cost of Attendance represents the average amount believed adequate to cover the tuition, fees, books, and living expenses of most students for the academic year. This figure also represents the maximum total financial aid package a law student can expect to receive per year. Your actual expenses may differ from those listed here. In some cases, you may have lower expenses in one category to compensate for higher expenses in another area. We are limited in our ability to approve budget increases. You can request a budget increase for certain expenses such as child care costs and disability related expenses.

LLM Residential Program (Based on 9-month academic year)Fall/Spring Student Budget
Tuition (per academic unit) $1,340
Books (1) $900-$1,200
Living AllowanceDowntown (92101)San Diego CountyWith Parents
Room and Board (2) $30,600$26,100$5,400
Transportation (3)$650$4,500$4,500
Miscellaneous$2,700$2,700 $2,700
Mandatory Fees (4)$2,400
Health Insurance Fee (5)$4,279
Total Additional Expense Allowance Per Academic Year$40,629 + Books & Tuition$39,979 + Books & Tuition$19,279 + Books & Tuition

Notes To Student Budget:

  1. Part-Time students (7-11 units) are allowed $900 and Full-Time students (12-17 units) will receive a $1,200 book
    allowance.
  2. Rent allowance for students living downtown is $2,500/month. Students living outside downtown have a monthly
    rent of $2,000. Food is authorized at $600/month; utilities at $300/month. Students living at home have a total living
    allowance of $600/month.
  3. The law school uses the IRS mileage allowance to determine the transportation budget for students living at home
    with parents or living outside downtown San Diego (zip code 92101). The IRS data is based on the fixed and variable
    costs of operating an automobile. The current rate is $0.655/mile. The standard budget provides for 20 miles per day
    to allow students to go to campus and return home. A parking allowance is provided at $200/month for students
    residing outside of downtown. Students living downtown have a total transportation allowance equal to $72 per
    month.
  4. The non-tuition mandatory semester fees include: Student Fee $723; BarBri Materials Fee $459 (for students in the
    ALS program only); and Health/Wellness Fee $18.
  5. The cost of attendance includes an allowance for the law school provided health insurance. If you decide to opt-out
    of the school’s health insurance, the $4,279 annual cost will be removed from your student budget.
  6. Students are permitted one allowance of up to $1,200 to purchase a laptop during their LLM program. Proof of
    payment will be required to be submitted to the Financial Aid Office before a budget increase will be granted.
  7. The cost of attendance does not include an allowance for loan origination fees. For students applying for Federal
    PLUS loans, the federal loan origination fees of $2,000 will be included in the student budget.