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When you apply to the University of Oregon School of Law, you are applying to join the ranks of advocates, entrepreneurs, negotiators, visionaries, and leaders who have been driving change in their communities for more than 130 years.

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General Requirements

In evaluating applications, the Admissions Committee at Oregon Law seeks future students who demonstrate potential for success in law school and the legal profession. To be considered for admission to the law school, you must:

• Have earned, or will have earned at the time of enrollment, a bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited U.S. or Canadian college or university or the foreign equivalent whose program has been deemed comparable to that of a 4-year baccalaureate degree.
• Possess an LSAT score from an exam taken within 5 years of the application term. 
• Submit a complete application for admission, as defined below.
• Review the Technical Standards for all JD and LLM students.

Like most law schools, Oregon Law utilizes the services of the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) and their Credential Assembly Service (CAS) to process application materials. Applicant documents, including transcripts and letters of recommendation, are submitted directly to LSAC and then forwarded to Oregon Law at the time of application.

Advanced planning is important to the application process. In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every US 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.

    First Year Students | Double Ducks | Transfer Students | International Students

First Year (1L) Application Requirements

1. Application for Admission – You must submit your application through the Law School Admission Council. There is no application fee.
2. Résumé – You must submit a résumé detailing your background, skills, and accomplishments.
3. “Why Oregon?” Essay – You must submit a short essay explaining why, specifically, you would like to pursue your legal education at the University of Oregon.
4. Personal Statement - You must submit a sample of your writing in the form of a personal statement which shares something about yourself and your goals for pursuing a law degree. You could describe an event, achievement, adversity you have overcome, personal circumstance, experience, or any part of your story that offers insight into your aspirations for the future.
5. Credential Assembly Service Report (CAS) – You must register with the Law School Admission Council’s Credential Assembly Service. CAS reports contain your:
   • LSAT score(s). All applicants must complete the LSAT. Oregon Law accepts your best score from exams taken within 5 years of the application term.
   • Writing sample(s)
   • Academic transcripts
   • Letters of recommendation. We require at least two (2) letters of recommendation. Letters should be from those who have personal knowledge of your academic ability, work ethic, or overall potential for success in law school and the legal profession.
6. Equity and Inclusion Essay (Optional) - You may choose to submit a statement describing how you can contribute to a learning community that works towards addressing systemic inequities thoughtfully, works with differing perspectives, and holds firm to a shared belief that we can learn from each other.

Double Duck Scholars Program

The Double Duck Scholars Program allows applicants from the University of Oregon, who meet certain criteria, to apply to the JD Program without taking the LSAT. If you are interested in applying to the Double Duck Scholars Program, please contact the Law School Office of Admissions prior to applying or registering with LSAC.

In order to be eligible for consideration, the applicant must satisfy all of the requirements below:

1. Your bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon must be awarded no more than 12 months prior to entering the Law School;
2. You must have maintained a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.50; and
3. You must have scored at or above the 85th percentile on the SAT or ACT prior to entering the University of Oregon as an undergraduate student.

Any Double Duck Scholars Program applicants with a valid LSAT score on file with the LSAC will be ineligible for admission through this program and may have their application and/or offer of admission withdrawn.

Transfer and Visitor Application Requirements

Oregon Law accepts transfer and visitor applications from students who have completed their first year at another American Bar Association accredited school. Transfer applicants are evaluated primarily on the basis of their law school record. To be considered for transfer admission, the following documents must be submitted through LSAC:

1. Transfer/Visitor Application for Admission – You must submit your appplication through the Law School Admssion Council. There is no application fee.
2. “Why Oregon?” Essay – You must submit a short essay explaining why, specifically, you would like to complete your legal education at the University of Oregon.
3. Résumé – You must submit a résumé detailing your background, skills, and accomplishments.
4. Credential Assembly Service Report (CAS) – You must register with the Law School Admission Council’s Credential Assembly Service. 

Additionally, the following required documents may be submitted directly to Oregon Law or through the LSAC CAS service:

1. Letter of Good Standing – You must obtain a letter from the registrar at your current law school indicating you are in good academic standing.
2. Official Law School Transcript – You must submit official transcripts from your current law school documenting your academic performance. 
3. Notation of Class Rank – You must submit, in some form, notation of your class rank following the first year at your current law school. This is often found in the letter of good standing or official academic transcript.
4. Letter of Recommendation – One (1) letter of recommendation from a professor at your current law school is required.

International Student Application Requirements

An applicant who is not a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident alien must apply as an international student. In addition to the general JD application requirements, all international students, except those with a bachelor’s degree from a college or university in the U.S. and English-speaking students from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

A TOEFL score of at least 600 on the paper test or 100 on the internet-based test is ordinarily required. The test must have been taken within two years (24 months) of the application term. If you are admitted to the law school, a financial institution must certify that you possess the necessary resources to cover educational and living expenses while in the United States.

Application Deadlines

We accept applications throughout the year, and offer admission on a rolling basis, so long as space remains in the incoming class. However, applications received in late spring or summer may be at a disadvantage in the admissions process.

Admission decisions are historically made between January and May, and applicants are notified of the decision by email. If you are offered admission, you are required to make a nonrefundable seat deposit of $600, payable in two installments, to reserve your place in the class. Deposit deadlines are included in the letter of admission, and failure to meet a seat deposit deadline could result in the loss of your seat.

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