Division Changes

JD students apply for and are admitted to a particular division. During the first year of law school, one tuition rate applies for all students in the full-time division and a lower tuition rate applies for all students in the part-time division.

After the 1L year, students are permitted to change divisions in any given semester by submitting an online form. A change from full-time to part-time may permit flexibility for an activity like moot court, editing a law journal, or working a job. A change from part-time to full-time may accelerate the completion of your degree.

During the regular academic year (Fall/Spring), upper-division JD students are charged tuition based on their division and the number of credits being taken.

• Full-time ‘day’ division students take 13 or more credits in a semester.
  • One tuition rate applies for typical full-time loads of 13-15 credits. A tuition surcharge applies for each credit beyond 15.
• Part-time ‘evening’ division students take 12 or fewer credits in a semester.
  • One tuition rate applies for typical part-time loads of 8-11 credits. A tuition surcharge applies for a 12th credit.
  • Underloads: Students with special circumstances can email lawreg@lclark.edu and petition to take 7 or fewer credits and pay tuition by the credit hour in that semester. Note that JD students must be enrolled at least half time (defined as 6+ credits during Fall/Spring semesters) to receive new federal student loans and to qualify for in-school deferment status on prior federal student loans.

The deadline to request a division change (or switch to a standard tuition band) and receive a tuition adjustment is listed in the academic calendar.

Please refer to the Law Registrar’s website for more information about division changes.

Division Change Form

Scholarship Implications

JD merit-based scholarships are normally awarded in Fall/Spring semesters only. The amount you receive is based on your division and your award is subject to an overall cap. If you were admitted to the full-time division, your cap is three times the amount offered to you upon admission. If you were admitted to the part-time division, your cap is four times your initial scholarship offer.

If you change from the full-time division to the part-time division (or vice versa) at any point during law school, your scholarship will be prorated to reflect the different rate of tuition.

• In full-time semesters, your scholarship amount will be one-sixth of your overall award cap.
• In part-time semesters, your scholarship amount will be one-eighth of your overall award cap.

Transfer students who were offered a merit-based scholarship upon admission can find their overall award cap in their scholarship letter. If you change divisions, your prorated per-semester scholarship amount will be determined by the Financial Aid Office and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

JD merit-based scholarships are intended for tuition. If your tuition costs during any semester are less than your scheduled award for that term, your award amount will be reduced accordingly.

Should your academic plans result in completion of 90 credits at Lewis & Clark before reaching your overall award cap, you may contact the Associate Dean for Student Affairs in your final year and request a review of your scholarship situation.

Financial Aid and Student Account Implications

Financial aid eligibility is limited by your Cost of Attendance, a figure that includes estimated tuition charges for the year as well as modest allowances for living expenses, transportation, personal spending, and books. A division change affects your tuition, and therefore it also impacts your Cost of Attendance and financial aid eligibility. For most law students, a division change will result in changes to their merit-based scholarship (see above) and their maximum eligibility for the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan.

You will be notified by email when your revised financial aid offer is available to view online. Any required loan reduction will be processed by the Financial Aid Office automatically. If additional loan eligibility is offered to you, you will need to take action if you wish to secure it.

Please monitor your student account activity as the changes to your charges and financial aid go through. In some cases a division change generates a refund, but in others a balance is created. The Student Account Center is accessible through WebAdvisor > Student Finance Self Service.