On this website you may download or request a catalog and submit an electronic application for admission to the School of Law for the program leading to the Juris Doctor degree. Applicants can use the online application status check at the UC Davis website to monitor the progress of their application through the admission process.

A link on our Web site takes the applicant to the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) website and our electronic application. The $75 non-refundable application fee required by UC Davis School of Law is the only fee required for submission of the electronic application.

The last date for filing completed application forms together with all supporting documents – including a personal statement, LSAT score, Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS) report and 2 letters of recommendation – is February 1 of the year in which admission is sought. This is a postmark deadline. Early filing of all application material is strongly recommended and will materially assist the School of Law Admissions Committee in its consideration of the application.

The application must be accompanied by a $75 nonrefundable application fee in the form of a check or money order made payable to the Regents of the University of California. The UC Davis law school application fee waiver form is posted online for easy access. The UC Davis law school fee waiver application must arrive in the Admission Office on or before February 1. Fee waivers will be considered on a first-come basis.

Any fraudulent practices relating to the admission process will be considered grounds for disqualification by the Admissions Committee.

Applicants should register with the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS) no later than December preceding the year in which admission is sought by creating an online account at www.LSAC.org. Information about the registration process is included in the LSAT & LSDAS Information Book.

To evaluate your application, the Admissions Committee has available only the information that you supply. Applicants are therefore asked to write a statement that adds further dimension to the quantitative predictors. The statement may discuss any of a variety of factors, including academic promise, background information and any discrepancies in GPA and/or LSAT score; growth, maturity and commitment to law study as evidenced, for example, by extracurricular activities, community service, employment experience and advanced study; severe economic disadvantage or physical disability; other factors relating to diversity, including bilingual skills and unusual accomplishments, skills or abilities relevant to the legal profession. It is highly recommended that the personal statement be limited to three or four typewritten pages, double spaced.

The applicant must provide two letters of recommendation from responsible (and unrelated) persons who know the applicant well. At least one recommendation must come from a faculty member under whom the applicant has recently studied. Applicants not currently enrolled in an academic program may substitute references from employers if it is not possible to obtain an academic reference. The letters of recommendation should comment on the applicant's academic abilities, character and significant accomplishments, including extracurricular activities, community involvement and prior work experience. Applicants must submit recommendations through the LSDAS letter of recommendation service. Information about the service is in your LSDAS materials. Your letters will be copied and mailed to us as part of the LSDAS report. To use this service, follow the directions in the 2007-2008 LSAT & LSDAS Information Book.

The Admissions Committee cannot seriously consider an application before letters have been received.

All applicants are required to take the Law School Admission Test as early as possible and no later than December preceding the year in which admission is sought. LSAT scores earned before October 2004 are not valid for fall 2008 admission. Applicants should take the test by October and no later than December for admission the following fall.

Applicants should submit directly to the School of Law supplementary transcripts covering fall work as soon as the transcripts become available. Failure to do so may delay consideration of your application materials.

Successful applicants will be required to have the degree-granting institution submit directly to the School of Law a final transcript showing the award of a bachelor's degree and any graduate degrees earned. Transcripts submitted with an LSDAS report do not meet this requirement.

Applicants who reapply for admission must comply with all of the above procedures. The LSAT does not need to be repeated (scores received before October 2004 are not valid), but a current 2007-2008 LSDAS report must be provided in addition to the application and the $75 non-refundable fee. Letters of recommendation on file as part of a previously completed application need not be duplicated. An addendum to the previously submitted personal statement is strongly advised. Letters submitted without a formal application are not retained.

Applicants for admission to the professional curriculum of the School of Law, leading to the degree of Juris Doctor, must evidence a record of sufficiently high caliber to qualify for the study of law. A bachelor's degree or an equivalent degree from a college or university of approved standing must have been earned prior to the time the applicant begins work in the school.

The Admissions Committee is seeking law students of demonstrated academic ability, as evidenced by many factors including LSAT scores, the undergraduate grade point average (GPA), any economic or other disadvantages overcome by the applicant, graduate studies and extracurricular activities.

With over 3500 applications projected for the 2008 entering class of 195-200, the Admissions Committee will be looking beyond the LSAT and GPA for special qualities in its applicants. The committee is seeking law students of diverse backgrounds.

The students and faculty of the UC Davis School of Law recognize the desperate need for lawyers representing the diverse populations of California. Although a legal career is not the only way to address the effects of racism, poverty and the myriad social, political and economic problems that continue to affect this country, it is one way to work for change.

Experience or background that enables an applicant to bring a unique perspective to the study of law or contribute to serving the diverse populations of California may be taken into account in the admission process. Because it promotes learning, an important goal of the admission process is a student body with a diversity of backgrounds, interest and skills. The personal statement may be used to provide such information.

The School of Law Admission Committee reviews all applications. Students are admitted only on a full-time basis and may enroll only in August.

Students who have been disqualified at another law school will not be admitted to UC Davis.

Combined Degree Programs are available with the UC Davis Graduate School of Management and most of the master's degree programs offered through the UC Davis Department of Graduate Studies. Separate applications should be submitted to each department because the evaluation and decision processes are performed independently. If admitted to both programs, the applicant must enroll at the School of Law for the first year. Contact the appropriate department for additional information.

You are advised to contact the Committee of Bar Examiners in the state in which you intend to practice for information regarding qualifications for admission to the bar of that state. Admission to and successful completion of law school does not ensure that you meet the eligibility requirements for admission to the bar of California or any other state.

The law school admission process does not take residency into consideration although tuition and fees are based on residency. Detailed information about Residency is provided at the UC Davis Office of Registrar's web site. Specific questions about residency should be directed to the UC Davis Residency Deputy.