Law School Admission
Overview
The goals of the admission process for the Law School are:
- to identify those students with the greatest probability of success in law school, considering proven predictors (standardized test scores, undergraduate grade point average, undergraduate school and major) and giving appropriate weight to all other factors in the applicant’s file;
- to identify students who exhibit a demonstrated commitment to public service, leadership, and other qualities valuable to the legal profession;
- to identify students whose background, experience, and other qualities are likely to be of value in the classroom and in the Law School; and
- to provide a service to the state of Texas by educating its citizens from underrepresented regions of the state and disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds.
The application procedures for all applicants is described on the Law School's website. Additional information about admission to the Law School as a first-year student, a transfer student, or a transient student is detailed in the Law School catalog and The University of Texas School of Law Admissions Bulletin.
The Law School provides full-file review to all complete applications. The Admissions Committee reviews each application in its entirety. Among the criteria the Committee considers are the following: rigor of the undergraduate course of study as reflected by the applicant’s college transcripts; graduate study; demonstrated commitment to public service; work experience; leadership experience; extracurricular or community activities; history of overcoming economic or other disadvantage; race and ethnicity; personal experiences with discrimination; overcoming disability; disadvantaged socioeconomic background; geographic diversity (particularly underrepresented regions of Texas); diversity of experience and background; maturity; ability to communicate well, exceptional writing skills; professional competencies presented in an applicant's interview; foreign language proficiency; honors and awards; service in the Armed Forces; publications; and any other personal characteristics or experiences that would contribute to the diversity and overall enrichment of the Law School.
Application Procedures
Please refer to the Law School’s website and the Law Catalog for detailed information about the policies and procedures.
First-Year Applicants
To be considered for admissions as a first-year student, an applicant must register with the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) and the Credential Assembly Service (CAS), take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and demonstrate that they have earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. university, or the foreign equivalent whose program has been deemed of comparable quality, prior to the start of the first fall semester at Texas Law. Further, all applicants must have achieved a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 2.20, as calculated by LSAC (unless the applicant was enrolled as an undergraduate under the Academic Fresh Start option pursuant to Section 51.931 of the Texas Education Code).
Transfer Applicants
To be considered for admissions at Texas Law as a transfer student, an applicant must be attending a law school that is accredited by the American Bar Association and a member of the Association of American Law Schools. The applicant must register with the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) and the Credential Assembly Service (CAS), and demonstrate that they have completed the first-year curriculum in good academic standing.
Transient Applicants
To be considered for admissions at Texas Law as a transient student, an applicant must have completed the first-year curriculum in good academic standing at a law school that is accredited by the American Bar Association and a member of the Association of American Law Schools and register with the Law School Admission Council (LSAC).
Deadlines
The following deadlines are non-negotiable.
First-Year Applicants
Early decision admission. Applicants for early decision admission must submit a complete application to the Law School by November 1. They must have a valid LSAT and/or GRE score received and all required application materials submitted in order to be evaluated for admission.
Regular decision admission. Applicants for regular decision admission must submit a complete application to the Law School by March 1. They must have a valid LSAT and/or GRE score received and all required application materials submitted in order to be evaluated for admission.
Transfer Applicants
Applicants for transfer admission must submit a complete application to the Law School by June 15. All required application materials must be submitted in order to be evaluated for admission.
Transient Applicants
Applicants for transient admission must submit a complete application to the Law School by the following deadlines based on the enrollment period the applicant wishes to enroll:
- Summer Semester – May 15
- Fall Semester – June 15
- Spring Semester – November 15
Please note that course availability for the Summer Semester varies each year. Before applying for the Summer Semester, please check with the Admissions Office about course availability at admissions@law.utexas.edu.