Herbert Lehman Education Fund Scholarship for Graduates

The Herbert Lehman Scholarship - Graduate is available to graduate students studying for a law degree. Students who demonstrate a committment to racial justice and civil rights are welcome to apply. Recipients are chosen for their volunteer activities and demonstration of financial need. Applications for the 2025-2026 Herbert Lehman Scholarship are now open. The Herbert Lehman Education Fund is a national, highly competitive scholarship that makes annual awards to qualified, outstanding undergraduate and law school students. The scholarship, established in 1964, is named after the former Governor and United States Senator from New York in recognition of his integrity, courage, and persistence on behalf of numerous civil rights causes. Herbert Lehman Scholarships were initially awarded to help Black students attend formerly segregated four-year colleges and universities in the South and to increase the number of Black Americans in the legal profession. Today, the mission of the Herbert Lehman Education Fund is to help transform the promise of racial equality into a social, economic, and political reality by supporting talented undergraduate students with financial need to stay in school and successfully complete their bachelor's degree. The Herbert Lehman Education Fund also offers a limited number of law school scholarships to students committed to pursuing careers in public interest law. Law school scholarship awards are $15,000 per year for three years provided that the student continues full-time study, remains in good academic standing with their college or university, and fulfills all other program requirements. Law school scholarships are only available to students who will be attending accredited three-year law schools in the United States. There is no minimum LSAT or GPA requirement; candidates are judged holistically and by the full sum of their achievements and contributions. Any application review will consider a candidate's GPA, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, volunteer activities and personal essays; however, no single component of an application will determine a scholarship award. GRE scores are accepted in lieu of LSAT. Applications for law school students must be completed by May 1, 2026. Applicants must provide a copy of their FAFSA Form with the family/independent adjusted gross income line completed (the form must list a dollar amount). Family/Independent income must not exceed $70,000. Two letters of recommendation are needed. All applicants will be notified by mid-August/early September whether they do or do not receive a scholarship.