About the Program
ChangeLawyers’ Next Gen Scholars Program exists to launch the careers of vigilant changemakers who harness their power for good in California.
Our reimagined program will provide holistic support for scholars in two distinct ways:
- Direct support - $50,000 to each scholar, including $15,000 per year for three years and a $5,000 post-graduate stipend specifically designated for bar exam preparation.
- Leadership development - curated experiences with a cohort, including leadership and wellness trainings, career support, and mentorship.
A full description of the program can be found here.
Requirements
The Next Gen Scholars Program is open to all who:
- Applied to a full time JD program at an accredited California law school for Fall 2026 admission;
- Plan to practice law in California; and
- Demonstrate financial need
Applicants will also:
- Exhibit service and commitment to under-resourced communities;
- Showcase resilience in the face of hardship; and
- Desire to harness their power for good in California
Applications will close on March 26, 2026 at 11:59 PM (PST).
Applications must be fully submitted by this deadline. A fully submitted application includes completion of all required questions in Submittable, as well as a signed letter of recommendation uploaded to the platform.
It is recommended that you provide your recommender ample time to complete their letter. It is your responsibility to remind your recommender to turn in their letter. If we do not receive your letter of recommendation by 11:59 pm (PST) on March 26, 2026, your application will not be considered.
Application Tips
We recommend completing the application on a laptop or desktop computer with the most recent version of Chrome, Firefox, or Safari. Using a mobile device or tablet is not recommended.
The application consists of four parts: an applicant questionnaire, four narrative questions, a letter of recommendation, and self-certifications. The questionnaire and certification portions of this application should take you approximately 35-40 minutes to complete. The time required to complete the narrative portion depends on how much you choose to write.
You can preview the application here and the narrative questions can be found here.
Please have the following available as you complete the application:
- Undergraduate transcript(s) (unofficial copies accepted)
- List of academic awards, honors, or distinctions
- Updated resume or CV in PDF format
- Total amount of outstanding debt from undergraduate and/or other degrees
- Law school financial aid package (if applicable)
You are not required to complete the entire application in one sitting, and we recommend saving your work frequently. Although Submittable will periodically autosave your application, we suggest clicking the “Save Draft” button at the bottom of the page as you go to confirm that your work is saved.
We recommend answering long form questions in a separate document (MS Word, Google Docs, etc.) to prevent losing any drafts in the event of an error, internet interruption, or other unpredictable occurrence.
What to Expect After You Submit
Our selection process is two rounds. Once your application is submitted, our team will review internally and determine which applicants will move on to the second round. Round two will include a virtual panel interview for finalists. We will make our final decisions following the interviews and applicants will be notified by June 2026 (subject to change).
Accommodations
If you need accommodations in order to submit your application, please email scholarships@changelawyers.org for assistance. Please note that ChangeLawyers staff support will not be available after 3:00 PM (PST) on March 26th.
Using Submittable
If you are new to the Submittable platform, please watch this video to learn how to create an account and submit your application. If you need more information, you can visit Submittable’s applicant hub.
To ensure that you are receiving all communications from ChangeLawyers and Submittable (reminders, messages, etc.), please safelist the Submittable email addresses.
If you are having technical issues with Submittable, you will need to reach out to them directly, as the ChangeLawyers staff is unable to address issues with the Submittable system. You can find out how to do that by watching this video.
Frequently Asked Questions
Please find the answers to frequently asked questions here.
If you have any outstanding questions, please email scholarships@changelawyers.org. ChangeLawyers staff support will not be available after 3:00 PM (PST) on March 26th.