University of New Mexico

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Application requirements

Application fee

$50.00

Recommendations

2 to 4

Updated for 2025-2026 application cycle

IMPORTANT DATES

September 15 - Application Opens
March 1 - Priority Deadline for Admission & Merit-Based Scholarships*
March 1 - Deadline for Application-Based Scholarships**
July 15 - Final Application Deadline (Application Closes)***

*Applicants must take the LSAT no later than February 2026 to meet the March 1 priority deadline.
**Application-based scholarships are available only after receiving an offer of admission and require submission of additional materials. Applicants are encouraged to submit a completed application for admission no later than January 15 to ensure a decision is rendered before the March 1 scholarship application deadline.
***Applicants must take the LSAT no later than June 2026 to meet the July 15 final application deadline.

SCHOLARSHIP CONSIDERATION

ACADEMIC MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS
Admitted applicants are automatically considered for academic merit scholarships. Those who submit a completed application on or before March 1 will be given priority consideration for merit scholarship opportunities and will receive a scholarship offer (if any) within one (1) business day of receiving an offer of admission.

Those who submit a completed application after March 1 will be considered for merit scholarships only as funding remains available. While timing varies each year, candidates who apply after April 15 are typically not awarded merit scholarships.

APPLICATION-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS
The University of New Mexico School of Law offers various opportunities for application-based scholarships. These scholarships have varying eligibility criteria and require submission of additional application materials. These opportunities are provided only after receiving an offer of admission.

The application for these scholarships will open on January 15, and application instructions will be sent via email to all admitted applicants. Admitted applicants who wish to be considered for named scholarships must submit any additional application materials on or before March 1. Admitted applicants will be notified of any named scholarships by April 1.

APPLICATION COMPONENTS

Your application will not be reviewed for admission or scholarships until all required materials are received.

The Admissions Committee will begin meeting in October and will issue decisions on a rolling basis. Those who submit a completed application on or before March 1 will be given priority consideration for admission and will typically receive a decision within two (2) weeks from the date their file is assigned for review.

Those who submit or complete their application after March 1 will be considered for admission based on the number of seats available at the time of application and may experience longer waits for a decision.

ELECTRONIC APPLICATION

Applicants must submit an electronic application available on LSAC.org. There is a $50 nonrefundable application fee.

Application materials and fees submitted directly to the Office of Admissions will not be accepted.

Personal Statement
There is no required topic for the personal statement.

The personal statement should be two (2) or three (3) pages, double-spaced, using standard font and margins. The personal statement should be free of spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors and should demonstrate the applicant's capacity for high-quality written work.

Résumé
A résumé should be well-organized and provide a concise overview of the applicant's academic, work, military, and volunteer histories. Applicants may also include honors, scholarships, extracurricular activities, publications, foreign language proficiencies, and other significant information.

Academic Addendum (optional)
Applicants may choose to provide a brief addendum explaining aspects of their academic performance necessary for the Admissions Committee to understand when reviewing the applicant's file. An academic addendum should be no more than one (1) page, double-spaced, using standard fonts and margins, unless extraordinary circumstances merit a longer explanation.

Lived Experiences Statement (optional)
Applicants may choose to provide a statement sharing any lived experiences which shaped their character and unique ability to contribute to the University of New Mexico School of Law community and to the legal profession.

The lived experiences statement should be one (1) or two (2) pages, double-spaced, using standard font and margins. The lived experiences statement should be free of spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors.

Character & Fitness:
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.

Applicants who answer 'yes' to any of the questions in the Character & Fitness section of the Electronic Application must submit an addendum to fully explain the circumstances, including relevant dates, final dispositions, and other appropriate details. Addenda should be in the applicant's own words. Court documents should not be submitted in place of the applicant's own narrative statement of events.

Many jurisdictions, including New Mexico, require a copy of your law school application be submitted as part of your bar application. Failure to answer the Character & Fitness section of the application truthfully and completely could impact your eligibility for bar admission. Applicants to the University of New Mexico School of Law have a continuing obligation to disclose. If, after submitting your application, circumstances arise that change your answer to any of the Character & Fitness questions from 'no' to 'yes', you must contact the Office of Admissions and provide a written explanation.

CREDENTIAL ASSEMBLY SERVICE REPORT

Transcripts
You must submit, through the Credential Assembly Service, official transcripts from all undergraduate and post-undergraduate institutions where you have been enrolled, even if you did not earn a degree from the institution or the credits from that institution transferred to another institution.

Transcripts sent directly to the Office of Admissions will not be accepted.

LSAT Score
Applicants must have at least one (1) reportable LSAT score. A reportable score is one from a testing date within the past five (5) testing years and not canceled by the candidate. Self-reports of scores viewed prior to cancellation will not be taken into consideration. Applicants may submit the electronic application prior to the release of their LSAT score; however, the application will not be complete until the score has been released to the school.

If an applicant has at least one (1) reportable LSAT score, but plans to retake the LSAT in the future, the applicant must indicate the future test date in the Electronic Application. The file will be held for held for release of a future test score only if the applicant answers 'yes' to Section 5. LSAT, Question 1d. Do you want the admissions committee to hold your file and review after release of your future LSAT score? It is the applicant's responsibility to notify the Office of Admissions as soon as possible if this answer changes after submission of their application, but before a decision is received. Decisions of the Admissions Committee are final and not subject to appeal. If an applicant is denied, the Admissions Committee will not re-review an application in the same admissions cycle, even after release of a future test score. Denied applicants would need to reapply in the following admissions cycle.

The University of New Mexico School of Law does not accept standardized tests other than the LSAT and will not waive the requirement of a reportable LSAT score under any circumstances. Self-reports of other standardized test scores will not be taken into consideration.

Letters of Recommendation
Applicants must submit via the Credential Assembly Service two (2) letters of recommendation, though applicants may choose to submit up to four (4) letters. The Admissions Committee expects letters to be academic or professional in nature and strongly prefers letters of recommendation written within one (1) year of the date of application.

Applicants who are currently enrolled in an academic program, or who graduated in recent years, should have at least one academic letter of recommendation from a professor with personal knowledge of the applicant's academic work. Professional letters of recommendation should come from an employer with personal knowledge of the applicant's workday experience, preferably from a direct supervisor. Letters from a professional mentor for whom the applicant has not worked directly are not persuasive. Personal letters of recommendation, such as those from family members or personal acquaintances, are strongly discouraged.

Letters of recommendation sent directly to the Office of Admissions will not be accepted.

CONTACT US
For more information, please contact us at admissions@law.unm.edu or (505) 277.0958.