Are you taking the bar exam this year? As you prepare to take the bar exam, we would like to share some helpful resources to finance bar related expenses.
Bar Exam Fees
California bar exam fees are added to the Cost of Attendance (COA) automatically, starting the 2023-24 academic year. Please read this document for a detailed explanation of the update to the COA. The table below reflects how much is added to your budget for the bar exam fees and for which semester the bar fees are added.
|
Bar Registration |
$119 |
1L Fall semester |
|
Determination of Moral Character application |
$551 |
3L Spring Semester |
|
Live Scan Fingerprint |
$82 |
3L Spring Semester |
|
Application Fee |
$677 |
3L Spring Semester |
|
Laptop Computer Fee |
$153 |
3L Spring Semester |
|
Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam (MPRE) fee |
$150 |
3L Fall Semester |
|
TOTAL |
$1,732 |
|
If you are taking multiple bar exams or your actual bar exam costs are higher than costs included in your budget, you may complete the Cost of Attendance Adjustment Request (COAAR) to ask for an additional bar exam fee. Please note that you cannot request a COAAR for the bar exam fees that are already included in your budget. If you are borrowing student loans to cover your bar exam fees, it is important that you set aside this money to pay for bar exam fees as you may not be asked to pay the fees when your loan is disbursed to you. You may find more information about federal loans under the Bar Loans section below.
COSTS NOT COVERED: Bar exam courses / Bar prep material
Bar Loans
You may increase your loan eligibility to specifically cover direct bar exam fees. You can complete the Bar Exam Fee Addendum Form to request your budget to be increased. Starting 2023-24 academic year, the California bar exam fees will be added to your budget automatically. If your bar exam fees are higher than what we budgeted for you (see Bar Exam Fees above), please complete the Cost of Attendance Adjustment Request (COAAR) form. Should your request be approved, you will see the additional bar fees added to the cost of attendance and receive an offer to accept additional loan eligibility via CalCentral. Once accepted and processed, the funds will be disbursed to you in the form of a refund (make sure to set up Direct Deposit on CalCentral or you will need to pick up a check in person). Deadline to submit the Bar Exam Fee Addendum Form for the 2022-23 academic year is April 7th, 2023.
The University Bar Study Loan is intended to cover bar exam costs and living expenses while preparing for the examination. The application is available on our Berkeley Law Forms Page.
Private banks or lending institutions offer bar study loans to cover direct and indirect bar costs. The University of California Office of the President (UCOP) maintains a Preferred Lender List. Choose UC Berkeley and then search “Bar” on the Program Type menu. Loan amounts and interest rates vary by lender.
Bar Scholarships
There are some organizations that offer scholarships and fellowships that could be used toward bar preparation and bar exam expenses. You can find a list of scholarship databanks that may offer Bar related scholarships.