Cost of Attendance
The Cost of Attendance, ("COA"), is a budget for the nine-month academic year. Each allowance may be divided in half to represent the allowance for one semester.
The COA includes the cost of flat fee tuition for full-time JD students (who may enroll in 12 or more credit hours per semester), or per-credit-hour tuition for part-time students, who take 11 or fewer credits per semester. For the 2025-2026 academic year, tuition is $2,650 per credit hour. The living expense portion of COA is the same for all students, with the exception of the books and supplies item, which varies slightly, based on your degree program.
The allowances in each cost of living category are based on surveyed average student costs at GW Law and the Consumer Price Index published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Room and board, personal, and transportation costs, added together and divided by the nine months of the standard academic year, gives the total amount our COA allows you to spend monthly on all non-fixed costs. Loan Origination Fees will be added to the COA post-acceptance of federal loans.
Plan carefully now so that your funds will be sufficient for the entire academic year. You will be living on a fixed income, and must establish spending priorities accordingly. Choosing to spend more in one area necessarily reduces your spending power in other areas. GW aid and loan funds are divided equally and disbursed at the beginning of each semester, and must cover educational expenses for several months. Therefore, budgeting carefully is essential for your funds to last until the next disbursement.
In no case may your aid package exceed the total cost of attendance for your enrollment period, including all sources of GW Institutional Aid, Federal/Commercial Loans, and any/all outside sources of aid.
For every $10,000 borrowed, you can expect to pay approximately $125 each month in debt service after graduation.
- JD
2025-2026 Academic Year (Fall and Spring) Cost of Attendance, JD program
Note that tuition rates and COA figures are subject to change at any time. For planning purposes, you should expect an annual tuition increase of about 3-5%.
2025-2026 Academic Year Expense Full-Time JD Part-Time JD Tuition and Fees $75,420 $55,650* Personal $3,150 $3,150 Room and Board $25,240 $25,240 Transportation $1,550 $1,550 GW SHIP $2,999 $2,999 Books and Supplies $2,100 $1,575 Loan Fees $216 $216 Total $110,675 $90,380 Full-time JD students (12 credits or more per semester) pay a flat tuition rate.
*Part-time JD students currently pay tuition at the 2025-2026 per-credit hour rate of $2,650.
Required Course Load
JD students must be enrolled for at least 6 credits (half-time) in each semester for which they are requesting aid. Enrollment changes may result in financial aid changes.
Full-Time Status Half-Time Status Fall/Spring Semesters 12 or more credits 6-11 credits Summer Session 5 or more credits 3-4 credits - LLM
2025-2026 Academic Year (Fall and Spring) Cost of Attendance, LLM program
Note that tuition rates and COA figures are subject to change at any time. For planning purposes, part-time students should expect an annual tuition increase of about 3-5%.
2025-2026 Academic Year Expense Full-Time LLM Part-Time LLM Total Cost of Attendance $98,855 $77,130 Tuition $63,600 $42,400 Books & Supplies $2,100 $1,575 Personal $3,150 $3,150 Room & Board $25,240 $25,240 GW SHIP $2,999 $2,999 Transportation $1,550 $1,550 Loan Fees $216 $216 Total Living & Book Allowance $32,040 $31,515 LLM students currently pay tuition for 2025-2026 at the per-credit hour rate of $2,650.
*24 credit, program maximum
- SJD
SJD Tuition
SJD tuition is charged at the full-time JD academic year rate applicable to the year in which you are admitted, and then divided by four, the four payments are made for the first four semesters of your study at GW Law. For example, if you are admitted in either fall 2025 or spring 2026 semester, you pay the full-time JD tuition for 2025-2026, $75,420 divided into four equal payments of $18,855, one for each of the first four semesters of your enrollment in the SJD program.
If you apply for loans, the living expense portion of the COA is the same as that of our Part-Time LLM students.
2025-2026 Academic Year Expense SJD Total Cost of Attendance $72,440 Tuition $37,710 Books & Supplies $1,575 Personal $3,150 Room & Board $25,240 Transportation $1,550 GW SHIP $2,999 Total Living & Book Allowance $31,515 Required Course Load
Graduate law students must be enrolled at least half-time (5-8 credits) in each semester for which they are requesting loans. Any enrollment change may result in financial aid changes.
Full-Time Half-Time Fall/Spring Semester 9 or more credits 5-8 credits Summer Session 5 or more credits 3-4 credits - MSL
2025-2026 Academic Year (Fall and Spring) Cost of Attendance, MSL program
Note that tuition rates and COA figures are subject to change at any time. For planning purposes, part-time students should expect an annual tuition increase of about 3-5%.
2025-2026 Academic Year Expense Full-Time MSL Part-Time MSL Tuition $63,600 $42,400 Personal $3,150 $3,150 Room & Board $25,240 $25,240 Transportation $1,550 $1,550 GW SHIP $2,999 $2,999 Loan Fees $216 $216 Books & Supplies $2,100 $1,575 Total Living & Book Allowance $32,040 $31,515 Total $98,855 $77,130 MSL students currently pay tuition for 2025-2026 at the per-credit hour rate of $2,650.
*24 credit, program maximum