Applying to UC Irvine Law – First Year JD

An application will be considered complete and eligible for review by the Admissions Committee when the following items are received by the deadline dates specified in the Application Instructions:

• Complete application;
• Undergraduate and graduate transcripts from all postsecondary institutions attended;
• Credential Assembly Service Law School Report (CAS Report);
• Official score reports for all standardized test scores (LSAT and/or GRE);
• A minimum of two (no more than three) letters of recommendation (must be included in your CAS Report);
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae;
• Personal Statement (750-word limit);
• Why UCI Law? Essay (750-word limit);
• Character & Fitness/Conduct Statement if applicable;

If you have a pending standardized test score and wish to hold your application from going into review, you must submit a request in writing within one week after submitting your application to admissions@law.uci.edu. Similarly, if ETS has already sent us a valid GRE score, your file will be complete and will be forwarded to the committee unless an affirmative request is received from the applicant within one week after your application has been submitted. If the application is already in review or the request comes later than one week after the application was submitted, it will not be held for a future test score.

Application Deadlines

Application Review Timeline

Applications for admission are accepted beginning September 1 and are reviewed on a rolling basis beginning in late November with Early Decision applicants reviewed first. You should complete the application process as early as possible, as an early application may yield an earlier decision.

• Binding Early Decision: It is the goal of the Admissions Committee to render a decision for all Binding Early Decision applications by the end of December. Any ED applicants held over to the Regular Decision pool will receive an updated decision by April 15, 2025.
• Regular Decision: It is the goal of the Admissions Committee’s goal is to render a decision to all Regular Decision applicants that submitted a completed application by our March 31, 2025 priority deadline by May 15, 2025, or earlier. For applicants whose application becomes complete after our priority deadline, the goal of the Admissions Committee is to render a decision by July 15, 2025 or earlier.

When submitting your application for admission, please strictly adhere to all application instructions. Detailed instructions regarding all application components are included with the application.

• Electronic Application
• Application Status Check
• No Application Fee
• Credential Assembly Service (CAS)
• Standardized Test
• Required Essays
• Letters of Recommendation
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae
• Optional Essays

Electronic Application: The application is available through the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) website beginning on September 1. After you submit your application, you will receive an e-mail confirmation of our receipt of your Fall 2025 1L application.

Application Status Checker: After applying, you will receive your log-in credentials for the Applicant Status Online system within 72 business hours of submission (3 business days). Please check all your folders and/or tabs for this e-mail.

Application Status Online >

No Application Fee: There is no application fee to apply. Please do not contact the Admissions Office requesting a fee waiver as it is unnecessary. Due to our limited resources, we are unable to grant CAS Report fee waivers.

Credential Assembly Service (CAS): All applicants must register for and utilize the LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS). The CAS houses your transcript(s), letters of recommendation, and, as applicable, your LSAT score(s) and LSAT writing. If you are applying through Regular Decision, your CAS Report may be received after the application priority or final deadline.

• Continuing Obligation to Update: All applicants are under a continuing obligation to provide updated transcripts at all times. If you apply while currently an undergraduate student, you must update your transcript with LSAC following each semester or quarter, including after receipt of your admissions decision. Upon conferral of your bachelor’s degree, you should send your updated final transcripts to LSAC. UC Irvine Law must receive a final transcript showing conferral of your undergraduate degree prior to matriculation (first day of Orientation).
• All Transcripts Required: Transcripts from every college or university attended (except study abroad transcripts from foreign universities) must be submitted for inclusion in your CAS Report. Failing to include a transcript may result in your file being marked as incomplete (and may also delay delivery of a CAS report) and delay review by the Admissions Committee.

Standardized Test: All applicants must take either the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) or the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) and submit valid test result(s) as part of the application for admission. We do not waive this requirement under any circumstances. The Law School will accept LSAT or GRE scores up to five years after the test date. If you take either test more than once, we will use your highest score(s) when evaluating your file. 

We accept official score reports for only one type of standardized test, not both. If you have taken or will take the LSAT, we will not request or download an official GRE Score Report.

• Law School Admissions Test (LSAT): LSAT results are sent directly to UC Irvine Law from LSAC as part of your CAS Report. Therefore, if you have taken the LSAT and have or will have a valid reported score on file, it cannot be waived from your application. Applicants may register for the LSAT through the LSAC website. If you elect to apply for our Binding Early Decision program, your application must be complete by the deadline of November 15, 2024. Therefore, the October 2024 LSAT is the latest test date acceptable for Early Decision applications. For Regular Decision applicants, applicants should take the LSAT no later than February 2025 so that if admitted, you have the best opportunity to potentially participate in UCI Law's Admitted Student Weekend program. Although later test results are permitted, waiting for these results may delay review of your application. To be considered for Fall 2025 admission, the final LSAT administration is April 2025.  

• Graduate Records Examination (GRE): In the alternative, you may submit their GRE result(s) for the Admissions Committee to consider only if you have not taken the LSAT or do not have a valid LSAT score on file. If you elect to submit your GRE scores for consideration and have taken the GRE more than once in the last five years, then you must submit all valid GRE results. GRE results are sent directly to UCI from ETS. UCI Law uses the graduate school's GRE school code which is 4859. Please see the application form for additional directions. You may submit official results from only one test, if you have taken or will take the LSAT we will not accept a GRE Score Report. If you elect to apply for our Binding Early Decision program, you must apply with the LSAT. The GRE will not be accepted for Early Decision applications. For Regular Decision applicants, we recommend taking the GRE no later than October 2024 so that if admitted, you have the best opportunity to potentially participate in UCI Law's Admitted Student Weekend program. Although later test results are permitted, waiting for these results may delay review of your application. To be considered for Fall 2025, admission the last GRE administration is April 20 2025.

Note: If you apply with a GRE Score and receive a decision of "Admit" but later obtain a LSAT Score, the Admissions Committee reserves the right to reevaluate your file and make a new decision taking the LSAT into account.

Required Essays: As part of our review process, we require two separate essays. A Personal Statement and a "Why UC Irvine Law" essay. Each essay has a strict word limit of 750. In preparing the essays, applicants should respond using Microsoft Word and format all your documents to 8-1/2 x 11 inches, double spaced, with 12-point font and one-inch margins. Most importantly, please include your name, LSAC number, and statement type (e.g. Personal Statement, Why UC Irvine Law essay, etc.) at the top of each page.

We will not accept revisions to either required essays after you have submitted your application. Additional instructions and information regarding the required essays are included in the application instructions.  

Letters of Recommendation (LOR): Two (2) letters of recommendation are required. You may also submit an additional LOR for three (3) made for this cycle. The letters should be completed by someone who may evaluate your academic performance (e.g., college professor) or your professional performance (e.g., current, or former supervisor, client, or co-worker). The Committee discourages purely personal references. Please be certain to designate UC Irvine School of Law as a recipient of these letters through your CAS Report.

Resume or Curriculum Vitae: Applicants must submit a resume illustrating their work history, volunteer experience, extracurricular activities, and any awards and/or honors. There is not a page limit; however, the Admissions Committee encourages that an applicant’s resume be professionally formatted with all sections listed in chronological order with the most recent first. Most resumes received are between 1-2 pages.

Optional Essays: Applicants are welcome to provide additional information about themselves through optional essays. These essays include an Inclusive Excellence Essay and/or an Addendum.

• Inclusive Excellence Essay: One of the overarching values at UC Irvine Law is our commitment to inclusive excellence. This optional statement gives you the opportunity to discuss how you will contribute to UCI Law's commitment to inclusive excellence. The total word count for this optional essay must not exceed 500 words. Please do not send revisions of the inclusive excellence essay after application submission.
• Addendum: An optional addendum is your final opportunity for the Admissions Committee to receive additional information about your candidacy. The two topics you may cover are (1) your performance on standardized tests and/or (2) your academic performance/undergraduate GPA addendum. Applicants may answer both prompts, but the total word count must not exceed 500 words. Please do not send revisions of optional essays after application submission.
• Note: Conduct disclosures are separate and distinct from optional statements. There is no word count limitation on conduct disclosures, please utilize the space you need to fully explain any incident(s) and rehabilitation. Please refer to the Character & Fitness/Conduct Information section below for more detailed information. 

An affirmative answer to any of the character and fitness questions on our application requires a detailed written explanation and supporting documentation that needs to be included with the application. If an applicant answers in the affirmative to these questions and does not provide the required statement(s), the application will be considered incomplete and will not be reviewed. All applicants have an ongoing duty to disclose changes to their application especially as they relate to conduct matters (criminal or disciplinary) to our office by sending an email to admissions@law.uci.edu. 

Applicants educated abroad (excluding approved study abroad from a domestic institution) must utilize the LSAC CAS Authentication & Evaluation Service. Internationally educated applicants may apply and be admitted to UCI Law so long as the Authentication & Evaluation Service indicate the degree is equivalent to a bachelor’s degree that is earned in the United States. The Admissions Office will not discuss concerns regarding the validity of transcripts, United States degree equivalency, or accreditation acceptability until the LSAC Report is received with the application.

• UCI Law's Early Decision program is binding.
• If admitted through the Early Decision program, you must commit to matriculating at UC Irvine Law and submit a non-refundable $750 seat deposit by the date(s) indicated with your admission letter. You must also withdraw all your applications to other schools and refrain from initiating any new applications.
• You may not be an Early Decision candidate at more than one law school.
• All components of your application must be received in our office by the November 15, 2024 deadline. We strongly recommend that you submit your application well in advance before November 15 to ensure all materials are received on time.
• The last acceptable LSAT score for Early Decision consideration is October 2024. Early Decision applicants must have at least one valid LSAT score.
• Applicants applying with a GRE are not eligible to apply for admission through the Early Decision program.
• All applicants must sign and return the Early Decision Certificate directly to the Office of Admissions. Your ED Certification will not be transmitted by the Credential Assembly Service and must be sent directly to our office. Applicants must sign the certificate (electronically or with ink) and email it as a PDF to admissions@law.uci.edu. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure the Early Decision Certification is received in our office and in a format that is readable by the November 15, 2024 deadline.
• If any component of the Early Decision application is received after the deadline, it will be moved over to the Regular Decision pool and the binding nature of Early Decision removed.
• No deferrals will be granted to applicants admitted under binding Early Decision for any reason.

ED applicants will receive either a decision of Admit or Review for Regular Decision. Applicants will not receive a decision of denial or waitlist during the Early Decision review. It is the goal of the Admissions Committee to render ED decisions by the end of December.

• If Admit: If you receive a decision of Admit, your ED Certification becomes active, and you must immediately withdraw all applications to other schools. You will secure your seat in the class by submitting your Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) and paying the non-refundable monetary seat deposits by the dates provided with your offer of admission. UC Irvine Law reserves the right to contact other schools to inform them of your ED admission if necessary, and you grant permission for other law schools to inform UCI Law regarding your application status with that school.
• If Held for Regular Decision Review: If you receive a decision of “Review for Regular Decision” you are free to apply to any other program and your ED Certification is no longer binding.

Applicants who receive an offer of admission through our Binding Early Decision process are guaranteed a scholarship of $30,000/year renewable for the duration of your law school education (six (6) semesters) at UCI provided you maintain good academic standing.

For applicants who receive a decision of “Review for Regular Decision”, and subsequently receive an offer of admission, eligibility will be evaluated by the Scholarship Committee for UC Irvine Law scholarship funds. These scholarships may be higher or lower than those granted in the ED process.

Every student admitted to our JD program is considered for UCI Law Scholarship. The scholarship will be offered to those whose academic records demonstrate exceptional promise for outstanding law school performance. It is renewed up to three years (six semesters) of full-time enrollment, and the student is to remain in good academic standing at the end of each year.

While timing is not dispositive regarding scholarships, since our scholarship budget is finite, awards may become limited as we move through the application cycle. Therefore, it's in an applicant’s best interest to apply by the priority deadline to maximize their potential scholarship award.

UC Irvine Law provides need-based grants to JD students to supplement other aid to decrease the potential debt burden incurred by students who have experienced or are experiencing extreme financial hardship. Students who wish to be considered for these need-based grants must submit the Free Application for FAFSA or the California Dream Application by the March 2, 2025, deadline.

Eligibility is determined by using the information submitted to the FAFSA or the California Dream Application. Eligibility is determined before the first year, and awards are automatically renewed for up to three years (six semesters), provided full-time enrollment is maintained. Initial eligibility for need-based aid is subject to verification.

As an expression of the law school's commitment to supporting students interested in the public sector admitted JD students may be considered for the Public Service Scholarship (PSS) by submitting a separate application demonstrating their history of public service and dedication to entering a career in public interest law after graduation. The PSS is offered to a few incoming students and is renewable for the 2L and 3L years. This scholarship requires the student to remain in good academic standing at the end of each year, work both their 1L and 2L summers in the public interest and work at least three years in public interest law after graduation.