Cost of Attendance
Penn State’s Board of Trustees meets every summer to establish tuition rates and mandatory fees for the upcoming academic year.
Our Office of Admissions and Financial Aid provides estimated costs of non-tuition related expenses to assist students with budgeting. Each Cost of Attendance chart reflects actual or estimated costs for the 9-month academic year. Financial aid is not available during periods of non-enrollment (i.e., summer sessions). Please be aware that scholarships and grants are available to help defray the cost of tuition.
Billing Schedule
Student account statements are prepared on a monthly basis. Billing begins in early August for Fall semester and early December for Spring semester, with a due date on the 22nd of the month. To avoid a 1.5 percent late fee charge, statements must be paid by the due date. More information about tuition due dates may be found here.
Tuition Refund Policy
Students who withdraw from classes after the start of the term are subject to the tuition refund policy.
-
Cost of Attendance
Below is a list of estimated expenses per academic year for each location, Carlisle and University Park.
All J.D. applicants are considered for merit scholarships and may apply for a need-based grant.
Estimated 2025-2026 Academic Year - Carlisle Estimated 2025-2026 Academic Year - University Park Tuition $60,048 $60,048 Student Fee $182 $680 Books and Supplies $2,082 $2,082 Housing* $15,012 $13,428 Food $4,608 $7,128 Transportation $3,474 $2,916 Misc. Expenses** $2,736 $3,348 Estimated 2025-2026 Academic Year - Carlisle Estimated 2025-2026 Academic Year - University Park Total Estimated Cost $88,142 $89,630 Other Costs (same for Carlisle and University Park) One-time computer purchase*** Up to $1,300 upon request Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE)**** $160 Bar Exam Registration***** $852 *The housing amount includes the expected cost of utilities.
**The miscellaneous expenses amount includes allowances for clothing, laundry, recreation, personal care, and a cell phone plan.
***Any student may request a one-time Cost of Attendance increase for the purchase of a laptop or desktop computer. Interested students should contact the Dickinson Law Director of Admissions & Financial Aid to provide documentation for this increase. Such increases typically grant a student additional access to loan funds.
****Second-year J.D. students will receive an aid eligibility allotment for the MPRE.
*****Graduating J.D. students will receive an aid eligibility allotment for the first professional credential, including bar exam test registration fee and other required fees (e.g., background check, fingerprinting, technology fee, etc.). The standard allotment is based on the cost of registration for the Pennsylvania UBE. Students whose bar exam registration costs exceed the standard allotment may request an increase to their Cost of Attendance so long as they provide documentation of costs exceeding the allotment. Interested students should contact the Penn State Dickinson Law Director of Financial Aid.
-
Cost of Attendance
Below is a list of estimated expenses per academic year for each location, Carlisle and University Park.
Qualified LL.M. applicants are considered for merit-based scholarships.
Estimated 2025-2026 Academic Year - Carlisle Estimated 2025-2026 Academic Year - University Park Tuition $60,048 $60,048 Student Fee $182 $680 Books and Supplies $2,082 $2,082 Housing* $15,012 $13,428 Food $4,608 $7,128 Transportation $3,474 $2,916 Misc. Expenses** $2,736 $3,348 Estimated 2025-2026 Academic Year - Carlisle Estimated 2025-2026 Academic Year - University Park Total Estimated Cost $88,142 $89,630 Other Costs (same for Carlisle and University Park) One-time computer purchase*** Up to $1,300 upon request Bar Exam Registration**** $852 Required University Health Insurance***** $3,623 *The housing amount includes the expected cost of utilities.
**The miscellaneous expenses amount includes allowances for clothing, laundry, recreation, personal care, and a cell phone plan.
***Any student may request a one-time Cost of Attendance increase for the purchase of a laptop or desktop computer. Interested students should contact the Dickinson Law Director of Admissions & Financial Aid to provide documentation for this increase. Such increases typically grant a student additional access to loan funds.
****Graduating LL.M. students who plan to take a bar exam in the U.S. may request an increase for all documented bar exam registration fees, including the test registration fee and other required fees based on jurisdiction (e.g., background check, fingerprinting, technology fee, etc.). Such increases typically grant a student additional access to loan funds. Interested students should contact the Dickinson Law Director of Admissions & Financial Aid.
*****Health insurance is mandatory at Penn State for international students and their accompanying dependents (spouse and/or children). For full information on requirements, please review the University Health Services website. Health insurance costs for the next academic year are typically available in June.
-
Cost of Attendance
Below is a list of estimated expenses for the required year of residency, which will take place at the Carlisle location. Post-candidacy scholars should refer to the note on S.J.D. tuition structure, below, for additional information.
Please note that scholarship support and graduate assistantships are not available for students enrolled in the S.J.D. program at Penn State Dickinson Law.
The Office of Academic Affairs maintains grant funds in support of S.J.D. students and their professional advancement and scholarly research. Grant funds are intended to provide partial assistance to S.J.D. students to present results from their research at professional meetings and conferences. Grant funds may also be used to cover expenses related to primary data collection or field research. For more information, see S.J.D. Travel/Research Grant.
Estimated 2025-2026 Academic Year - Carlisle Tuition $30,024 Fees $182 Books and Supplies $2,082 Housing* $15,012 Food $4,608 Transportation $3,474 Misc. Expenses** $2,736 Estimated 2025-2026 Academic Year - Carlisle Total Estimated Cost $58,118 Other Costs One-time computer purchase*** Up to $1,300 upon request Bar Exam Registration**** As documented, upon request Health Insurance***** $3,623 *The housing amount includes the expected cost of utilities
**The miscellaneous expenses amount includes allowances for clothing, laundry, recreation, personal care, and a cell phone plan.
***Any student may request a one-time Cost of Attendance increase for the purchase of a laptop or desktop computer. Interested students should contact the Penn State Dickinson Law Director of Financial Aid to provide documentation for this increase. Such increases typically grant a student additional access to loan funds.
****Graduating S.J.D. students who plan to take a bar exam in the U.S. may request an increase for all documented bar exam registration fees, including the test registration fee and other required fees based on jurisdiction (e.g. background check, fingerprinting, technology fee, etc.). Such increases typically grant a student additional access to loan funds. Interested students should contact the Penn State Dickinson Law Director of Financial Aid.
*****Health insurance is mandatory at Penn State for international students and their accompanying dependents (spouse and/or children). For full information on requirements, please review the University Health Services website. Health insurance costs for the next academic year are typically available in June.
S.J.D. Tuition Structure
During the required period of residency, S.J.D. scholars are charged full-time tuition and fees per semester. Post-candidacy, and irrespective of residency, scholars remain enrolled as full-time students but are assessed a lesser tuition rate. For 2025-2026, that rate will be $5,000 per semester.