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 Report (CAS Report)
• Official score reports for all standardized test scores (LSAT 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 UC Irvine Law?" Essay (750-word limit)
• Character & Fitness/Conduct Statement, if applicable

Applicants who wish to delay review of their application pending a future standardized test score must submit a written request to admissions@law.uci.edu within one week of submitting their application. Similarly, if we have already received a valid GRE score report from ETS, your application will be considered complete and forwarded to the Admissions Committee unless you request that we hold it within one week of submission.

Once an application has entered the review process, or if a hold request is received more than one week after submission, the application cannot be held for a future test score.

Application Deadlines - Fall 2027

Application Review Timeline

Beginning September 1, applications are accepted for admissions and are reviewed on a rolling basis, starting with Early Decision applications. You should complete the application process as early as possible, as an early application may yield an earlier decision.

• Binding Early Decision:
  • Round 1: Notifications will be rendered by late December 2026. 
  • Round 2: Notifications will be rendered by mid-March 2027.
  • Early Decision applicants held over to the Regular Decision pool will receive an updated decision by May 1, 2027.
• Regular Decision:
  • Complete applications submitted by the March 31 priority deadline: Notifications will be rendered on or around May 15, 2027 or earlier.
  • Applications that become complete after the priority deadline: Notifications will be rendered on or around July 15, 2027 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
• 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 September 1. After you submit your application, you will receive an email confirmation of our receipt of your Fall 2027 1L application.

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.

APPLICANT STATUS CHECKER

Within 72 hours of submitting your application (3 business days), you will receive your login credentials for the Applicant Status Checker system. Please check all your folders and/or tabs for this email.

Applicant Status Checker >

CREDENITAL 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, your LSAT score(s), and LSAT writing sample. If you are applying through Regular Decision, your CAS Report may be received after the application priority or final deadline. 

• All Transcripts are Required:
  • Transcripts from every college or university attended (study abroad transcripts from foreign universities are not required).
  • Missing transcripts may result in your file being marked Incomplete, delaying your CAS Report and application review.
  • Applicants are under a continuing obligation to provided updated transcripts to LSAC at all times. 
    • Current undergraduates must update their transcripts after each semester/quarter.
    • Admitted students must submit final transcript showing degree conferral before matriculation (first day of Orientation).

STANDARDIZED TEST

As part of their application, all applicants must submit valid Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) or the Graduate Records Examination (GRE) score(s) received in the last five years. This requirement cannot be waived for any circumstance. If either tests have been taken more than once, the Admission Committee will use your highest score when evaluating your file.

Applicants may submit either LSAT or GRE score(s), not both. If you have taken or plan to take the LSAT, GRE score(s) will not be accepted. Additionally, if you are admitted based on a GRE score and subsequently submit an LSAT score, your application may be reevaluated, and a new admission decision may be made with consideration of the LSAT score.

• LSAT Requirements:
  • Scores(s) Submission: Results are sent directly to UC Irvine Law from LSAC as part of your CAS Report. If you have taken the LSAT and have or will have a valid reported score on file, it cannot be waived from your application. 
  • Registration: Register for the LSAT via the LSAC website.
  • Early Decision (ED) - Round 1:
    • Deadline for Complete Application: November 20, 2026
    • Last LSAT accepted for ED Round 1: October 2026
  • Early Decision (ED) - Round 2:
    • Deadline for Complete Application: February 1, 2027
    • Last LSAT accepted for ED Round 2: January 2027
  • Regular Decision: Applicants should take the LSAT by February 2027 to ensure the best opportunity to participate in UC Irvine Law's Admitted Student Weekend program, if admitted. Although later test results are permitted, waiting for these results may delay review of your application.
    • Priority Application Deadline: March 31, 2027
    • Final Application Deadline: May 1, 2027
    • Last LSAT accepted for Regular Decision: April 2027
• GRE Requirements:
  
  • Score(s) Submission: You may submit GRE score(s) only if you have not taken and do not plan to take the LSAT. Through ETS, you must select UC Irvine Law (graduate school code 4859) to receive all valid GRE score(s) from the last five years. 
  • The GRE will not be accepted from Early Decision applicants.
  • Registration: Register for the GRE via the ETS website.
  • Regular Decision: Applicants should take the GRE by October 2026 to ensure the best opportunity to participate in UC Irvine Law's Admitted Student Weekend program, if admitted. Although later test results are permitted, waiting for these results may delay review of your application.
    • The GRE must be taken no later than April 20, 2027 to be considered for Fall 2027 admission.

REQUIRED ESSAYS

Applicants must submit two separate essays:

1. Personal Statement
2. "Why UC Irvine Law?" Essay

Each essay has a strict word limit of 750. 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. 

Revisions will not be accepted once statements have been submitted. 

LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION (LOR)

Two Letters of Recommendation are required, with an option to submit a third. 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 sure 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. The Admissions Committee encourages resumes to be professionally formatted with all sections listed in chronological order and the most recent first. Although there is not a page limit, most resumes received are between 1-2 pages.

OPTIONAL ESSAYS

Applicants are welcome to submit one or both of the following optional essays below. You may address one or both topics, however, maximum word count allowed is 500.

• Inclusive Excellence Essay: UC Irvine Law is deeply committed to fostering inclusive excellence. Please describe how you will contribute to that commitment within our law school community. 
• Addendum: An optional addendum is your final opportunity to give the Admissions Committee additional information about your candidacy. The two topics you may cover are (1) your performance on standardized tests and/or (2) your academic history/undergraduate GPA. 

Applicants who answer affirmatively to any character and fitness question must provide a detailed written explanation and supporting documentation, if applicable, as part of their application. Conduct disclosures have no word limit. Please utilize the space you need to fully explain any incident(s) and rehabilitation.

 Applications will be considered Incomplete and will not be reviewed if:

• An applicant answers "Yes" to any Character and Fitness questions but fails to submit the required Conduct Information statement.
• An applicant answers "No" to a Character and Fitness question, but information related to that issue is disclosed elsewhere in the application materials, such as in a required or optional statements, the CAS Report, their academic transcripts, etc.
• A Character and Fitness statement is submitted without a corresponding affirmative response to the applicable Character and Fitness question.

Applicants in any of the above situations will be contacted and asked to provide clarification. The application will remain Incomplete and will not be considered Complete and Ready for Review until all required information has been submitted.

Applicants educated abroad (excluding study abroad from a domestic institution) must utilize the LSAC CAS Authentication & Evaluation Service (CAS A&E). Internationally educated applicants may apply and be admitted to UC Irvine 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.

• All applicants must submit an Early Decision Certificate:
  • Sign your ED Certificate and submit it directly to the Office of Admissions at admissions@law.uci.edu.
  • Seperate certifications are required for ED Round 1 and ED Round 2.
  • It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure their ED Certification is received in a readable PDF format by the ED Round 1 and Round 2 application deadlines.
  • Deferrals will not be granted to applicants admitted under Binding Early Decision for any reason.
• UC Irvine Law's ED program is binding. If admitted through the ED program, you must:
  • Commit to matriculating at UC Irvine Law.
  • Submit a non-refundable $750 seat deposit by the date(s) indicated in your admission letter.
  • Withdraw all other law schools applications and refrain from initiating any new applications.
• You may not be an Early Decision candidate at more than one law school.
• Early Decision applicants must have at least one valid LSAT score. GRE scores are not accepted for ED consideration.

ED Round 1:

• Applications must be received and marked "Complete and Ready to Review" by November 13, 2026. 
• To ensure all required materials are received by the deadline, we recommend submitting your application by November 1, 2026.
• October 2026 is the last LSAT administration accepted for ED Round 1.
• ED Round 1 Decision notifications will be sent late December 2026.

ED Round 2:

• Applications must be received and marked "Complete and Ready to Review" by February 1, 2027.
• To ensure all required materials are received by the deadline, we recommend submitting your application by January 15, 2027.
• January 2027 is the last LSAT administration accepted for ED Round 2.
• ED Round 2 Decision notifications will be sent early- to mid-March 2027.

The UC Irvine Law Early Decision option allows you to receive a decision of either "Admit" or "Held for Regular Decision".

If you apply for ED Round 1 and are not admitted, your application will move to Regular Decision and you may not request to move to ED Round 2. If you are unable to complete your ED Round 1 application by the November 15, 2026 deadline, you may request consideration for ED Round 2 by emailing admissions@law.uci.edu by November 15, 2026, and submitting the ED Round 2 Certification. Requests received after November 15 will not be considered and the application will be moved to Regular Decision. No exceptions will be granted.

If you apply ED Round 2 and are unable to complete your application by the February 1 deadline, your application will be moved to Regular Decision and your application is no longer be binding.

Applicants who receive an offer of admission through our Binding Early Decision process are guaranteed a scholarship of $30,000 per year for the duration of their law school education (six semesters) at UC Irvine Law, provided they 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.