Seton Hall University

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Application requirements

Deadline

Apr 01, 2026

Application fee

$65.00

Recommendations

2 to 3

Updated for 2025-2026 application cycle

Please consider and respond to the below questions regarding your collegiate (undergraduate and graduate) and/or law school records. In considering the response to this section, we advise you to consult your academic transcripts and other records or appropriate school officials. Omissions or incorrect responses may result in referral to the LSAC?s Subcommittee on Misconduct and Irregularities in the Admissions Process, impact state bar admissibility, or other consequences (up to and including dismissal) should you matriculate at Seton Hall University School of Law.

The submission of this application is an indication that you understand your obligation to update your responses should the answers change anytime between the submission of this application and enrollment.

If you answer any of these questions affirmatively, you must include a detailed explanation in the appropriate attachment found in the ?attachments? section of this application. The explanation should discuss the nature of the occurrence, as well as all relevant facts, dates, and events. Additional instructions are included with the appropriate attachment prompt.

1. Have you ever been placed on academic probation, asked to resign or permitted or advised to withdraw, warned, suspended, dropped or expelled for academic reasons from any post-secondary school, college, university, professional school or law school?

Have you ever been disciplined, reprimanded, suspended, placed on probation, expelled, asked or advised to resign, or permitted to withdraw from any post-secondary school, college, university, professional school or law school for other than academic reasons (including but not limited to housing violations and student conduct violations)?
Have you ever been the subject of a formal or informal disciplinary procedure, honor code charge, and/or student conduct code charge that was not disclosed above, regardless of the disposition of the charges?
If you previously enrolled in the JD or LLM program at any law school in the United States or Canada please give the name of that law school, the degree program, and the dates you attended. Please have a transcript from the prior law school sent to the LSAC to be placed in your CAS file. Additionally, please have a letter of standing sent from that law school to Seton Hall Law's Admissions Office. (maximum characters 100)

This section is optional.

If you are seeking admission via the LEO program, you must attach this supplemental essay that explains the educational disadvantages you have overcome in your journey to law school.

To be eligible for the LEO Program, students must demonstrate resiliency and perseverance in the face of social, economic or educational challenges, or other hardships, and bring determination, compassion, and leadership skills to the Seton Hall Law community. Your essay should not simply reference/refer to information you provided in other attachments to your application. Even if the nature of the explanation of your hardship is related to circumstances provided in other attachments, write your response as if this were a stand-alone document. Please note that eligibility for the LEO Program turns on challenges you faced before entering college (though you may also discuss challenges during college that impacted your college grades or standardized test score). When relevant to your application, you should please address the following issues:

Family Circumstances: Explain how your family circumstances affected your educational opportunities and/or achievements. Have any of your immediate relatives attended college? (If so, who?)

Economic Hardship: Explain how your family's economic circumstances have affected your educational opportunities and/or achievements. If you attended a private elementary or high school, what was the source of tuition/financing? Be sure to note in your application any income-dependent scholarships or grants that you received during college. Documentation of economic hardship may be submitted such as personal income tax return(s) for the last two years and/or financial aid award letters. These should be scanned and attached to the application, or mailed to the Admissions Office. (Please redact SSN and Dates of Birth from all documents.)

Inadequate Pre-College Schooling at under-resourced and/or low performing schools: Explain how the shortcomings of schools attended prior to college affected your education. Make sure to list in your application form the names and location (city/town, state) of schools you attended prior to college that you believe provided an inadequate education. Students must have been educated in the United States prior to college to be eligible for the LEO Program.

English is not your first language: If you were not born in the United States, when did you arrive? What was the primary language spoken in your home? At what age did you learn English? What is the current language spoken in your home? How did this impact your primary or secondary educational progression?

Physical/Learning/Other Disability: Describe the nature of the disability, including your age at onset and diagnosis. Describe what help, if any, you have had in dealing with this condition and how it has affected your educational development and academic record. Documentation of the existence and nature of the disability with recent reports from treating physicians, counselors, or other professionals may be scanned and attached to the application, or mailed to the Admissions Office.

Format this document to be 8-1/2 x 11 inches, double spaced, with 12-point font and one-inch margins, include your name, LSAC number, and "LEO Essay" in the top header of each page.

Please write a minimum of 350 words and a maximum of 1,000 words.

The American Bar Association Standards and Rules of Procedure require law schools to advise each applicant that state bar requirements deal with character and fitness of an applicant at the time they seek certification to register for a state bar examination. The ABA allows the law school to seek information on character and fitness to ensure that appropriate law school qualifications are met. Acceptance by the law school does not guarantee certification by state bar examiners. If you are concerned about facts that may impact your eligibility to practice law, you should discuss the matter with the Board of Bar Examiners in the state and jurisdiction where you expect to practice.

Please consider and respond to the below questions. When considering your responses to this section, we advise you to review each question carefully to determine whether your personal or professional history requires an affirmative response. Please consult judicial or administrative records, as appropriate, when responding to ensure that you need not amend your application later.

Your law school application is a living document, meant to represent your character and fitness to practice law from the time of application through admission to the bar. Submission of this application indicates your understanding that you have an obligation to update these character and fitness answers any time your answers change between the time of application submission and the time of admission to the bar. Updates should be sent to Seton Hall Law's Associate Dean for Academics.

A "Yes" answer to any "Yes/No" question in this section requires that you submit the appropriate "Character and Fitness" attachment. Your application will not be complete without the attachment(s).

In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.

1. Have you ever been cited for, charged with, taken into custody for, arrested for, indicted, tried for, pled guilty to, or convicted of the violation of any law (other than a minor traffic violation) or been the subject of a juvenile delinquent or youthful offender proceeding or received a conditional discharge, adjournment in contemplation of dismissal, or pretrial diversionary program? (Note: driving while intoxicated or impaired, driving without insurance, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident, and driving while suspended are NOT considered minor traffic offenses for the purposes of this section). The entry of an expungement or sealing order does not relieve you of the duty to disclose the matter(s). You may indicate the existence of such an order in your explanation.

Have you ever been charged with fraud, larceny, embezzlement, misappropriation of funds, misrepresentation, perjury, false swearing, conspiracy to conceal, or a similar offense, regardless of its status as a felony, misdemeanor, violation, or otherwise? The entry of an expungement or sealing order does not relieve you of the duty to disclose the matter(s). You may indicate the existence of such an order in your explanation.
Have you ever been a named party (e.g., plaintiff/defendant) in any civil proceeding, regardless of the age of the matter or whether the final disposition was a dismissal or a settlement? This includes, but is not limited to, negligence actions, medical/professional malpractice, unintentional torts, landlord/tenant matters, contract matters, or domestic relations matter, including divorce, custody, visitation, support, petitions for protection from abuse, restraining orders and/or peace orders. (If you were the child in question in a custody proceeding, you were not considered a named party).
Have you ever been discharged from any employment or requested or permitted to resign in lieu of disciplinary action? Or, in connection with your employment, have you ever been subject to any formal or informal charges of improper behavior that had any part in your quitting, being permitted to resign, being discharged or resulting in a suspension, demotion or loss of pay?
If you currently hold, or have ever held, a professional or occupational license of any kind, please list the license(s), dates held, and the jurisdiction or authority that issued the license. If you need additional space, please upload an attachment as a "Supplemental Document" to your application. (maximum characters 200)
Have you ever been disciplined as a member of any licensed profession or occupation including, but not limited to, being suspended from practice, reprimanded, censured, disqualified, revoked, permitted to resign, admonished, sanctioned or removed, or have any complaints or charges, formal or informal, ever been made or filed or proceedings instituted against you in such capacity? If yes, you must complete the "Character and Fitness" attachment explaining the nature of the matter, providing full details including a narrative of facts, dates, names of adjudication authorities and final disposition, including the current status (active, suspended, etc.) of any professional or occupational licenses held.

Seton Hall Law JD Application Instructions

To be eligible for admission to Seton Hall Law's Juris Doctor program, you must have earned a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university (or the U.S. equivalent from an international institution) or have completed the equivalent of six semesters and expect to graduate during the current academic year prior to the start of law school in Fall 2026 (or be in an approved 3+3 program with a partner institution completing your Junior/third year of study).

Typically, the Admissions Committee selects the first-year class from a pool of approximately 2,800 applicants. Decisions are based on several factors, including academic records, personal statements, optional essays, recommendation letters, standardized test results, extracurricular activities, work experience, leadership, and personal circumstances.

There is a non-refundable application fee of $65. You can request an application fee waiver.

All applicants must provide an electronic signature for the certification at the end of this application form.

Application Materials

Application Form
Credential Assembly Service (CAS) Report, which includes the following:
- Transcripts from all institutions attended
- LSAT score & LSAT writing sample (if applying with the LSAT)
- Two letters of recommendation
Current resume or CV
Personal statement
GRE Score Report & GRE writing sample (if applying with the GRE)
If applicable, Academic History and/or Character & Fitness responses
If applicable, Legal Education Opportunity (LEO) Program Essay

Additionally, you may submit an optional Lived Experience Statement, Advocacy Statement, and/or other supplemental statements.

Application Updates

Although the Office of Admissions strives to keep you informed about the status of your application, it is your responsibility to ensure that all parts of your application are received. You may remain abreast of the status of your application after September 15 via the Online Application Status Check system once we acknowledge receipt of your application. To receive this email, you must apply with a valid email address.

Applicants will be notified of their decisions electronically; therefore it is imperative that your email address remains correct. Decisions are not provided over the phone under any circumstances.

Application Formatting Guidelines

In preparing any of your written statements or Academic History/Character & Fitness responses, you should use a word processing software, like 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, lived experience statement, etc.) in the top header of each page and abide by any word limit.

If you have difficulty with the electronic application or lack access to a computer, you may request a PDF copy of the application by contacting the Office of Admissions at admitme@shu.edu. Being granted use of a PDF copy of the application does not absolve the applicant of any other requirements.

Demographic Information

While the application asks for race/ethnicity information, the information is masked from reviewers in accordance with the June 2023 Supreme Court decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. and is used for demographic reporting purposes only.

Credential Assembly Service Report

The Credential Assembly Service (CAS) Report contains a summary of each applicant?s academic transcripts, letters of recommendation, and LSAT scores and LSAT writing samples if applicable.

You are required to register for the CAS. Please request official transcripts from all your undergraduate institutions (and graduate institutions, if applicable) to be sent to the LSAC for inclusion in the CAS Report, regardless of age or number of credits obtained. Although the LSAC attempts to inform each applicant about the receipt of transcripts, you are responsible for ensuring all transcripts are received by the LSAC. Missing transcripts may delay your CAS Report and completion of your application.

If you received your undergraduate degree from an educational institution outside the United States, its territories, or Canada, you are also required to register with the CAS and their Authentication & Evaluation (A&E) services. The LSAC will forward your transcripts for evaluation and once the evaluation is complete your CAS will be available to the law school. The process for internationally educated applicants takes more time; please allow for this when requesting and transmitting the transcripts. Applicants who receive an undergraduate degree from a domestic college or university, and did a study abroad program through a domestic college or university, typically do not need to participate in the A&E service as long as a domestic transcript shows the study abroad coursework and any applicable grades.

Letters of Recommendation

Two (2) letters of recommendation are required and must be submitted through the CAS. You may also submit an additional letter for a maximum of three (3) for this cycle. The letters should be completed by someone who may evaluate your academic performance (e.g., college professor) or professional performance (e.g., current or former supervisor, client, or co-worker). The Admissions Committee strongly discourages purely personal references.

Please be sure to designate Seton Hall Law as a recipient of these letters through your CAS account.

Standardized Test Scores: LSAT or GRE

Applicants to Seton Hall Law (both day and weekend divisions) must take either the LSAT or the GRE and submit valid result(s) as a part of their application. Valid scores can be up to five (5) years old. You may submit scores from only one test and the LSAT will control if more than one type of test is submitted.

LSAT results are sent directly from the LSAC via your CAS Report. Therefore, if you have taken the LSAT and have a valid score on file, it will automatically be transmitted to Seton Hall Law - it cannot be waived from your application. The LSAT is offered eight (8) times during the 2025-26 application cycle. Applicants may register for the LSAT through the LSAC website.

In the alternative, applicants may submit GRE scores if they have not taken the LSAT and will not have a valid LSAT score on file. If you elect to submit GRE scores and have taken the GRE more than once in the last five (5) years, then you must submit all valid GRE results. ETS requires that we we manually download your GRE Score Report, please use school code 4717 to make the report available. Once we download from ETS, we will request your CAS Report; this takes additional time and should be accounted for by the applicant. You do not need to prompt us to download your GRE Score, members of the office staff typically log into the ETS system once a week during processing periods.

If an applicant applies with a GRE score and receives a decision of ?Admit? but later obtains an LSAT score, the Admissions Committee reserves the right to reevaluate the applicant?s file and make a new decision taking the LSAT into consideration.

Future Scores

If you have a valid standardized test score, Seton Hall Law will not automatically hold your file from review pending a future test unless such a hold is affirmatively requested by the applicant after submission of the application. Hold requests made prior to submission will not be honored. Please send requests to hold your file to admitme@shu.edu and include your name, LSAC Number, the exam type (LSAT or GRE), and exam date. Once your file enters the review process, hold requests will not be honored. New LSAT scores will automatically upload into your file when they are available; if you have new GRE scores, please alert us to redownload your record from ETS.

JD-Next

Seton Hall Law does not accept JD-Next in lieu of the LSAT or GRE requirement. Applicants who have a JD-Next score in addition to a LSAT or GRE may submit the JD-Next score to aid in the Admissions Committee's holistic review process.

LEO Program Admission

This section is exclusively for those seeking admission as a Legal Education Opportunity (LEO) Fellow. If you are not applying for admission as a LEO Fellow, please proceed to the Personal Statement discussion. LEO applicants must abide by all instructions, within and outside of this section.

Candidates may apply to be considered for admission as a Fellow in the LEO Program. The LEO Program provides a pathway and transition to law school for students, including those from historically underrepresented communities, who have overcome educational and personal hardships and show great promise as future lawyers. To be eligible for admission to the LEO Program, applicants must demonstrate resiliency and perseverance in the face of social, economic, or educational challenges, or other hardships, and bring determination, compassion, and leadership to the Seton Hall Law community.

Fellows admitted to the LEO program are required to attend the LEO Summer Institute, a two-week intensive course that provides Fellows with a jump start in their transition to law school. The program also provides LEO Fellows with mentoring opportunities, academic enrichment, and a support network of students, faculty, administrators, and alumni for personal and professional growth.

Applicants requesting LEO consideration should anticipate a longer review process regardless of metrics. If admitted to Seton Hall Law, it may be done with or without admission as a LEO Fellow. If admitted as a LEO Fellow, your notification will specifically indicate it.

LEO Deadlines & Process

To receive LEO consideration, please check the appropriate box in the application and complete the accompanying application section. Additionally, complete the LEO Essay and attach any necessary supplemental documents (as one PDF). For a complete description of the structure and requirements, please visit the LEO website.

The LEO Program has a priority deadline of March 1, 2026, and a final deadline of April 1, 2026. The application and CAS Report must be submitted and complete by April 1, inclusive of an LSAT/GRE score and letters of recommendation. The last LSAT administration acceptable for LEO consideration is February 2026 and the last GRE administration is February 28, 2026.

If your file is not complete by April 1, 2026, your application will receive consideration in the general application pool without consideration for LEO.

LEO Essay

LEO applicants should bear in mind that your application must clearly demonstrate how you have faced social, economic, and/or educational challenges and have responded with resiliency and perseverance. You should utilize the LEO Essay to discuss the challenges you have faced and how you have overcome those challenges. More information and guidance is available in the "Attachments" area of the application portal.

Word limit: 1,000 words.

Required Essay: Personal Statement

Your personal statement is your opportunity to introduce yourself and discuss any factors you feel would be relevant to the Admissions Committee. We encourage that you consider various topics, from personal and professional goals, experiences that have informed your decision to attend law school, to why Seton Hall Law is the best fit for you.

In conjunction with the Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. decision, applicants are welcome to discuss "how race impacted [your] life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise." 600 U.S. __ (2023) (slip op. at 39) when drafting your narrative statements.

When reviewing the application for admission, in particular your personal statement, the Admissions Committee is most concerned about getting to know you and your writing ability. It should represent your authentic self. More information and guidance is available in the "Attachments" area of the application portal.

Word limit: 1,000 words.

Optional Essays

Seton Hall Law has several optional essays applicants can utilize to enhance their application and provide a different perspective or additional information regarding their candidacy. These essays are the Lived Experience Statement, Advocacy Statement, and any other optional statements or addenda.

You will find the prompt and word count for each in the attachments area of the application portal.

Application Filing Period

Applications for admission are accepted starting September 1 and are reviewed on a rolling basis beginning in November. Applicants should complete the application process as early as possible, as an early application often yields an earlier decision. Applicants requesting LEO consideration should anticipate a longer review process which may begin as late as mid-January.

Securing Your Seat in the Class

To secure your seat in the Fall 2026 entering class, all admitted applicants will be required to submit non-refundable seat deposit(s) totaling $1,000 by deadlines provided near the time of admission, which will be credited to the tuition bill upon matriculation. If you need accommodations or considerations in fulfilling your seat deposit requirement, please reach out to the Admissions Office as quickly as possible after notification of your deadlines.

Reapplicants

While Seton Hall Law maintains applications from prior years in accordance with document retention policies, all reapplicants must submit a full application, including updated materials, valid standardized test scores, and CAS Report, for the current cycle.

Required Disclosure

Please note that federal regulations require higher education programs that are intended to meet professional licensure and certification requirements to disclose to students whether the program meets licensure and certification requirements in other states. The regulations, which were enacted on November 1, 2019, can be found at 34 CFR §668.43(a)(5)(v) (https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2019-23129.pdf).