University of San Francisco

Admissions Policy

The University of San Francisco School of Law seeks to admit students who are among the most capable law students in the nation and who will bring a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to the classroom and the legal profession. We recognize that diversity has the potential to enrich everyone's education and to make the law school class stronger than the sum of its parts. We seek students who will work to promote the well-being of society, further social justice domestically and abroad, and contribute to the common good.

The School of Law considers all factors relevant to predicting success in law study and in the profession, including many attributes other than prelaw academic record and performance on the Law School Admissions Test . We consider work experience and career achievement, community or public service, career goals (with particular attention paid to the likelihood of the applicant representing underrepresented communities), significant adversity overcome - including socioeconomic disadvantage, the ability to contribute to law school programs and specializations, evidence of and potential for leadership, language ability, unusual life experiences, and any other factors (except those factors deemed inadmissible by applicable law) that indicate the applicant may significantly diversify the student body or make a distinctive contribution to the School of Law or the legal profession.

The full Admissions Policy can be found here: https://www.usfca.edu/law/admissions/jd/policy.

Application Instructions

This application can be used if you are applying as a new first-year law student (fall only), a new transfer law student (fall only), or a new visiting student (fall and spring).

Before completing the application form, please read the following information carefully to ensure prompt and accurate processing of your application. The Admissions Committee will not consider an incomplete file.

Applications must be submitted online via the Law School Admission Council (LSAC).

If you have any questions regarding the information below, please get in touch with the Law School Admissions Office via email at lawadmissions@usfca.edu or by phone at 415.422.6586.

First Year Applicants

The Law School Admissions Office will begin accepting applications by September 1, 2025. Applications for new first-year law students are accepted for the fall semester only.

Priority Application Deadline: The priority application deadline is February 2, 2026 for the Full-Time Day and Part-Time Day J.D. Program.

In order to ensure a timely review of your application file, be sure to submit all required supporting documents as soon as possible once you have submitted your application form. Supporting documents may be sent after the priority deadline. The School of Law will not accept official documents, i.e., LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS) Law School Reports, transcripts, etc., unless sent directly by the school or LSAC.

Because the Committee uses a "rolling admission" process, submitting your application earlier increases your chances of admission. Maximum consideration for both admission and scholarship will be given to applications received by the Priority Application deadline. The Admissions Committee typically begins reviewing completed application files in early October and reviews continue throughout the following Spring and Summer.

Requirements for Admission:

A. School of Law Application Form

Make only one selection under Entering Status and Division. Do not check the boxes for each division simultaneously nor submit separate applications for each division.
Complete all required sections of the application.
Please be sure to sign and date your application using the electronic certification function. Unsigned applications will not be transmitted to USF.

B. Education

All law school applicants are required to have completed or expect to complete a bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year university or college by the time law school classes begin in August. If you are admitted, your college or university must send an official transcript showing the conferral of your bachelor's degree to the Law School Admissions Office prior to the start of the fall term.

C. Personal Statement

The Admissions Committee requires that each applicant submit a personal statement to supplement the application form. The statement is used by the Committee as both a source of additional information and as a writing sample, but it is not a substitute for the application.

The statement should focus on your interest in and motivation for the study of law. The Committee is interested in your personal experiences, background, accomplishments and relevant obstacles overcome. You might consider sharing with the Committee relevant information about your work experience and career achievement, community or public service, career goals, the ability to contribute to the law school programs and specializations, evidence of and potential for leadership, language ability, unusual life experiences, etc. that indicate you may significantly diversify the student body or make a distinctive contribution to the School of Law or the legal profession.

Personal statements tend to average 2 to 4 pages in length; however, there is no page limit to the personal statement. The Personal Statement should be typewritten, double-spaced, and included with your application as an electronic attachment. You may also attach a résumé to the statement.

Please put your name on the top of each page and include the header Personal Statement on each page.

If there are instances of academic probation, suspension or disqualification, or incidents related to misdemeanor and felony convictions, or if you were party to a civil suit, please explain these situations in a separate addendum.

D. Additional Applicant and Family Information

In evaluating each applicant, the School of Law places substantial weight on traditional measures of academic ability, namely prelaw academic record and performance on the LSAT. We recognize that prior disadvantages provide important context for a candidate's academic performance, test cores and true potential for success. The law school therefore looks at all aspects of an applicant's background, including any ethnic, social, cultural and economic circumstances that indicate a history of overcoming social or economic disadvantage during childhood, deficient early schooling or coming to this country as an older adult, and/or learning English as a second language.

We encourage you to complete this section as fully as possible to ensure a comprehensive and holistic evaluation to assess your academic potential.

E. Credential Assembly Service (CAS)

The School of Law Requires that all applicants must register for the Credential Assembly Service (CAS), a service of LSAC that collects and analyzes academic data and transcripts.

To use the Credential Assembly Service, log in to your LSAC account and follow the instructions for registering for the service. Your CAS registration authorizes LSAC to compile your application documents and send CAS reports to the law schools where you apply. Information about the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) and registration forms are available online at: www.LSAC.org.

USF requires that your letters of recommendation be submitted through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) Letter of Recommendation Service, which serves all member schools. This service is included in your Credential Assembly Service (CAS) registration. Your recommendations will be copied and sent to us along with your Credential Assembly Service (CAS) Report. LSAC will not release your CAS report to USF until two letters of recommendation have been received by LSAC. More information on Letters of Recommendation can be found in Item H below.

Transcripts should be sent directly to LSAC from each school. LSAC analyzes your transcripts and includes them in the CAS Report to each law school you designate. Be sure to print out a Transcript Request Form for each institution and send it promptly to them. The Committee may not consider an application if the CAS report indicates that transcripts are missing. More information on Transcripts can be found in Item F below.

IT IS THE APPLICANT'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THE ADMISSIONS OFFICE RECEIVES ALL SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS.

F. Transcripts

USF requires that you submit transcripts of all college work, both undergraduate and graduate (and previous law school transcript if applicable), and should be sent directly to LSAC from each school.

If you are accepted for admission, you must submit an official transcript showing the award of the bachelor's degree. Your admission may be canceled if the Admissions Office, prior to the first day of instruction, does not receive an official transcript.

If you completed your bachelor's degree or any post-secondary work outside of the United States or Canada, USF requires that your transcripts from international schools be submitted to the LSAC Credential Assembly Service for evaluation. This service is included in the Credential Assembly Service registration fee. An International Credential Evaluation will be completed by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), which will be incorporated into your CAS report.

The one exception to this requirement is if you completed the foreign work through a study-abroad, consortium, or exchange program sponsored by a U.S. or Canadian institution, and the work is clearly indicated as such on the home school's transcript.

More time is usually required to receive international transcripts. Questions about the Credential Assembly Service can be directed to LSAC at 215.968.1001, or LSACinfo@LSAC.org.

G. Two Letters of Recommendation

The Admissions Committee requires two (2) letters of recommendation in support of your application. An optional third letter may be submitted, but no more than three letters of recommendation will be considered for one application.

Although the Committee will accept recommendation letters from any two individuals designated by the applicant, the Committee suggests:

If possible, have the two recommendations completed by college faculty members (or administrators) with whom you have studied. If you have been away from college for a considerable time, you may wish to substitute other individuals, including supervisors and business colleagues, with whom you have had more recent contact.
Choose individuals who have had substantial and recent opportunities to observe your professional and/or academic promise. Recommendations from people who have not had such opportunity are of little assistance to the Committee and your application.

Be sure to follow all directions for submitting letters of recommendation as described on the LSAC website. It is important that you fill out and give each person submitting a recommendation, a letter of recommendation form. Forms can be obtained online atwww.LSAC.org. Your CAS report will not be released to USF until two letters of recommendation have been received by LSAC.

H. Law School Admission Test (LSAT)

Applicants must take the LSAT and have their score(s) reported to the Law School in a Credential Assembly Service report.

USF will utilize the highest LSAT score in the review process if you present multiple test scores. LSAT scores are valid for five years. Any LSAT taken prior to June 2021 is considered invalid for application review.

The LSAT is administered multiple times a year. Early scheduling is strongly recommended and you are advised to take the LSAT no later than the February 2026 test date to receive maximum consideration. Applicants may also take the April 2026 and June 2026 exams; however, applicants may not be given the maximum consideration in such cases, due to the lateness in receiving those test results.

I. LSAT Writing Sample

For your LSAT to be considered complete, you must have at least one writing sample on file ? either from an earlier paper-and-pencil administration of the LSAT or from LSAT Writing.

If you do not have a writing sample on file, we encourage you to complete LSAT Writing as soon as you can. If you already have a writing sample on file, you do not need to complete LSAT Writing.

LSAT Writing will open eight (8) days prior to each test administration. More information on the LSAT Writing is available online at: https://www.lsac.org/lsat-writing

J. $60 Application Fee

A $60 application fee must be paid electronically via LSAC using a valid credit card.

The application fee is not refundable and will not be applied to your tuition if you are admitted. Furthermore, if you decide to withdraw your application before a final decision is made, your application fee will not be refunded.

The required application fee may be waived for an applicant whose financial situation makes it a severe hardship to pay and without which the applicant would be unable to apply to a law school. Applicants requesting a waiver of this fee must submit a brief statement to the Law School Admissions Office explaining your financial situation. Information should include your current monthly income, assets and monthly expenditures. Approval of a fee waiver must be obtained prior to submitting an Application for Admission. Fee waiver requests may be sent via email to lawadmissions@usfca.edu. Please allow five business days for fee waiver requests to be processed.

Applicants granted an LSAC fee waiver will have their USF School of Law application fee automatically waived. Applicants who apply electronically to USF via LSAC will be allowed to transmit their application electronically as long as their LSAC fee waiver is for the current application year.

K. Supplemental Statement (optional)

USF gives serious consideration to all of the ways in which an applicant's perspective, culture, and background might contribute to a diverse educational environment in the law school. In addition to the required Personal Statement, you may submit an optional Supplemental Statement SEPARATE from the personal statement.

In this statement, we invite you to share more about how your unique voice, perspective, and experience will enrich everyone's education and to make the law school class stronger than the sum of its parts.

Supplemental statements tend to average 2 to 4 pages in length; however, there is no page limit. Please be sure to title this statement with the header Supplemental Statement on each page. Use a separate electronic attachment and submit it with your online application.

L. Resume

Please upload a current resume.

First Year Re-applicants

A re-applicant must submit items A-L listed above (item K if applicable). In addition, all re-applicants should submit any updated undergraduate and/or graduate transcripts (including a law school transcript if applicable) of recent coursework to LSAC.

An updated Credential Assembly Service Law School Report will be requested. Re-applicants should be sure to have a current Credential Assembly Service registration and have paid any additional fees to have a Credential Assembly Service report sent to USF.

Transfer Applicants

Applicants for admission with advanced standing must submit all items required of first-year applicants (A-L above and item K if applicable), plus the following:

An official transcript of all law school coursework (including the last term enrolled before transfer)
A letter of Good Standing
An official report of your class standing (rank) if available

Transfer applicants are advised to submit letters of recommendation completed by law faculty. Letters may be included in a Credential Assembly Service report or sent directly to the Law School Admissions Office from your recommenders.

Transfer applicants must have completed the equivalent of two full semesters of coursework (fall and spring) at a law school accredited by the American Bar Association to be admitted. Transfer applications are accepted for the fall semester only.

The Transfer application deadline for Fall 2026 is June 23, 2026

Early Transfer Application Review

USF will begin early application review of transfer applications on April 1, provided that the transfer applicant has submitted the above information as of the fall semester. If class rank as of fall semester is not available, early review can still commence as long as an official transcript and letter of good standing as of fall semester is received by April 1.

Transfer applicants may be offered early admission based on first-semester grades and conditioned on performing acceptably in the second semester of law school. In addition, merit scholarships may be available to highly qualified transfer applicants.

Non-matriculating Applicants (Visiting Students)

Applicants for admission as a non-matriculating Visiting Student must submit all items required of first year applicants ( A-C, E, F, H and J above), plus the following:

An official transcript of all law school coursework (including the last term enrolled prior to the visit)
A permission letter from the Dean of the law school you are currently attending that certifies that you are in good standing and that credit earned while attending the USF School of Law will be accepted toward the student's degree requirements. Any other restrictions and requirements of the degree-granting institution must also be contained in the letter.
LSAT scores can be submitted via a JD CAS report sent to USF from LSAC. As an alternative, the home school may submit directly to USF, the home school's copy of the JD CAS first page, which includes the LSAT score.

Visiting Student Application Deadline for Fall 2026, or a full-year visit, is June 23, 2026.

Visiting Student Application Deadline for Spring 2026 is November 1, 2025.

Application/Character and Fitness Updates

You are required to complete the disclosure questions in the Character and Fitness section of the Application. You must disclose any issues related to academic probation, suspension, warning, and disqualification (particularly from a previous law school), and conduct. In addition, you must disclose any felony or misdemeanor conviction, as well as any juvenile adjudication, or pending charges, including a DUI (or any alcohol or drug-related offense). Information should include the date of each incident, full explanation of the incident, including the name of the charge, and the final disposition of each charge. In addition, you must disclose if you were party to a civil suit.

Convictions include any of the following: (1) a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, (2) a verdict or finding of guilt regardless of whether a sentence is imposed by the court. You must also report any convictions that have been expunged. When you apply to take the Bar Exam, the Bar Examiners will receive reports of any such convictions from law enforcement agencies.

If you have been disqualified from any ABA law school, you must wait at least two years from disqualification before applying to USF Law, and you may apply only as a new first-year law student.

You are required to notify the School of Law if any changes to the information you have included in your Application for Admission occur after you submit your application. In particular, all applicants must immediately notify the Director of Admissions if any new academic probation, suspension, warning, or disqualification issues arise, or if you are convicted of a felony or misdemeanor after you submit your application.

If an incident occurs that requires disclosure after you are admitted, but before classes begin, immediately submit written, detailed disclosures to the Law School's Admissions Office. Information disclosed after an applicant has been admitted will result in a re-evaluation of the applicant's file. If such an incident occurs after you are enrolled and classes have begun, immediately submit written, detailed disclosures to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

Please note that upon submission of your USF School of Law application, you will be subject to the standards set forth in the USF School of Law Honor Code.

Failure to disclose any changes to your application or any of the Character & Fitness information noted above may result in revocation of your admission decision, dismissal from school, revocation of any degree awarded by USF School of Law, denial of admission to the Bar, and referral to the LSAC Subcommittee on Misconduct and Irregularities in the Admission Process.

Materials Eligibility for Bar Admission

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.

Contact information for all of the relevant agencies is available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.

Application Materials

All materials and correspondence relating to admission or your Law School application should be directed to the Law School Admissions Office at lawadmissions@usfca.edu. Once submitted, all materials become the property of the School of Law and will not be returned or copied. Please keep a copy of your application and any supporting documents for your records.

Status Checks

Upon receipt of your application, the Law School Admissions Office will provide notice of receipt and a login and password that will allow you to check the status of your application. You will also be notified by email once your application file becomes complete. All official decision notices will be sent via email.

Contact Information

University of San Francisco School of Law

2130 Fulton Street

San Francisco, CA 94117

415.422.6586

lawadmissions@usfca.edu

Application requirements

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