Incoming students may receive a merit scholarship for their first year, which will be applied in equal portions to the fall and spring semesters. A tiered retention policy has been instituted whereby (1) students ranked in the top 40 percent of their class after each academic year will retain 100 percent of their award, (2) students ranked in the top 41-50 percent of their class after each academic year will retain 50 percent of their scholarship and (3) students ranked in the top 51-60 percent of their class after each academic year will retain 25 percent of their scholarship. Since no retention data for the tiered system is available yet, estimated retention rates under the tiered policy were applied to historical 2011 and 2010 information below.
Scholarship Retention Data
| Students Matriculating In | Number Entering With a Conditional Scholarship | Number Whose Conditional Scholarships Have Since Been Reduced or Eliminated | Percentage Whose Conditional Scholarships Have Since Been Reduced or Eliminated | Number Who Earned Back Their Scholarship After the Second Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2011 | 243 | 125 | 51.4% | N/A |
| Fall 2010 | 256 | 135 | 52.7% | 13 |
| Fall 2009 | 245 | 138 | 55.9% | 3 |
Estimate Based on the New Tiered Retention Policy
| Students Matriculating In | Number Entering With a Conditional Scholarship | Number Whose Conditional Scholarship Would Have Been Eliminated | Percentage Whose Conditional Scholarship Would Have Been Eliminated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2011 | 243 | 80 | 32.9% |
| Fall 2010 | 256 | 84 | 32.8% |
Incoming students may receive a merit scholarship for their first year, which will be applied in equal portions to the fall and spring semesters. This scholarship is renewable each year after the first year for the remainder of law school enrollment, provided that students maintain a cumulative academic rank that places them in the top 40 percent (not rounded) of their entering class. Note that at the end of their first year, full-time and part-time students are ranked together. In subsequent years, students must maintain a cumulative academic rank that places them in the top 40 percent (not rounded) of their entire graduating class (all full-time and part-time students with a common anticipated graduation date). The cumulative academic rank used to determine students’ eligibility for renewal is calculated at the conclusion of the spring semester each year and is not reviewed again until the conclusion of the spring semester of the following year. For purposes of this scholarship, grades earned in the summer sessions, study abroad programs or the winter intersession are counted as if they occurred in the following fall or spring semester. This scholarship cannot be used to cover tuition expenses related to the summer sessions, study abroad programs or the winter intersession.
Incoming students may have received a merit scholarship for their first year, which was applied in equal portions to the fall and spring semesters. This scholarship is renewable each semester after the first year for the remainder of law school enrollment, provided that the student maintains a 3.25 cumulative GPA (a requirement that is strictly enforced). For purposes of renewing this scholarship, the cumulative GPA is calculated at the conclusion of the fall semester and reviewed again at the conclusion of the spring semester (so that, for purposes of this scholarship, grades earned in the summer sessions, study abroad programs or the winter intersession are included in the following fall or spring semester). This scholarship cannot be used to cover tuition expenses related to the summer sessions, study abroad programs or the winter intersession.
The Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University offers fellowship programs in Child and Family Advocacy; Health Law and Policy; and LGBT Rights. Fellows are selected each year from students in the incoming class.
Fellowship awards are renewed after the first year based on satisfactory academic performance and full participation in program activities. After the first year, fellowship awards are renewed each semester. Fellows in the class entering in fall 2012 are required to be in the top 50 percent of their graduating class to be eligible for renewal. Fellows in the classes entering in fall 2010 and fall 2011 are required to remain in good academic standing to be eligible for renewal.
