Frequently Asked Questions - JD Application Questions

The Application

How do I apply to the JD program?

The online application for fall 2024 JD admissions will be available September 1

What are your JD application deadlines?

Regular Decision (Late April Decision): February 15. Early Decision (Late December Decision): November 15. 

The priority deadline for all programmatic scholarships (AnBryce, Cybersecurity Service Scholarship, Furman Academic Scholarship, Furman Public Policy, Latinx Rights, Leadership Program in Law & Business or Law and Social Entrepreneurship, and the Root-Tilden-Kern Public Interest Scholarship Program) is December 1, and all scholarship applications must be submitted no later than January 1.

Does applying Early Decision increase my chances of admission?

Early Decision candidates are evaluated for admission according to the same selection criteria that apply to regular candidates. While their particular enthusiasm for the New York University School of Law as their first choice law school is considered by our Admissions Committee, Early Decision candidates do not enjoy significant advantage in the keenly competitive selection process. Some Early Decision applicants not offered admission in December will be placed on Hold and reviewed again in the spring as part of the Regular Decision pool; others not admitted in December will be informed that their application for admission has been denied and will not be evaluated again this year.

Do you offer application fee waivers?

Applicants who have received an LSAC-approved LSAT or CAS fee waiver, will have their $85 application fee for the NYU Law JD application automatically waived.

Applicants who are alumni of Teach for America or the Peace Corps are eligible for a fee waiver for the NYU Law JD application. To qualify, applicants must have completed their 2-year commitment to Teach for America or the Peace Corps by the start of the fall semester. Further, Teach for America alumni must have completed TFA's pre-corps training institute and served as a teacher for two years in a low-income community through their TFA placement. Applicants who have completed less than 2 years by the start of law school or those who are just entering Teach for America or the Peace Corps are not eligible.

The application fee for the JD application will be waived for those who have served or are serving in the United States military. (Participation in a foreign country's military does not qualify an applicant for a fee waiver from NYU School of Law.)

Teach for America, Peace Corps and US military participants should send their request for a fee waiver to law.moreinfo@nyu.edu. Applicants must have an account with the LSAC. To request an application fee waiver, please include your L number, and the basis for the waiver (Teach for America, Peace Corps, or US military Service).

Standarized Exams

What standardized test scores are required to apply to the JD program?

All applicants for admission to the JD program are required to take either the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) or the GRE. Scores for both exams are valid for five years. NYU Law requires applicants to report all valid LSAT and GRE scores that they have received.

Note: NYU Law will also accept either the LSAT-Flex or the GRE General Test at Home. Your application will not be penalized if you submit valid scores for either of these standardized tests. Your score(s) for the LSAT-Flex and/or the GRE General Test at Home will be incorporated as part of our holistic review process in the same manner as in-person administration of these exams.  

Applicants who wish to be considered for Early Decision admission must take the LSAT or the GRE no later than October 2023. All other applicants must take the LSAT or the GRE no later than January 2024 in order to apply to enter in the fall 2024 semester. The oldest LSAT score we will accept is from June 2018 LSAT Administration.

When is the latest date that I can sit for the LSAT or GRE exam and still apply for the scholarship programs?

All applicants to scholarship programs must take the LSAT or the GRE no later than November 2023.

If I take the LSAT and/or GRE more than once, does the Committee see the higher score?

The Committee requires the submission of all valid LSAT and GRE scores. The Committee may take special circumstances into account. If a candidate can point out specific reasons why the Committee should consider a test  score aberrant, the candidate should detail those reasons in an addendum to the personal statement.

How does the Committee view a canceled standardized test score?

This has no impact on the evaluation of an application.

 The Admission Process

Is there any particular undergraduate coursework that the Committee on Admissions values highly?

The Committee looks for a broad range of courses, some of which are analytically demanding and others that require heavy reading loads and develop research and writing skills.

What are the grade point averages and range of standardized test scores of your students?

For more information about our current 1L student body, please review our class profile.

How does the Committee view pass/fail grades on transcripts?

The Committee considers the circumstances; were such courses required or optional, how many and in which subjects are such grades, etc. Please include any narratives or course evaluations of such transcripts with your application if they are available.

Applicants who selected to take courses pass/fail or were required to do so during the spring 2020 semester will not be penalized. The context in which your spring semester grades were earned will be taken into consideration and will be incorporated as part of our holistic review process.

Is someone with a graduate degree at an advantage in applying to law school?

The Committee will give consideration to everything included in the application. An applicant holding a graduate degree does not necessarily have a competitive advantage over an applicant who does not have a graduate degree.

What is the average age of an NYU School of Law student?

For the fall 2022 entering class (accurate as of October 2022), approximately 81% of the students had taken at least one year off prior to entering law school.  Approximately 13% of the students had been out of college for five years or more.  The average age of the students in last year’s entering class was 24.

How many letters of recommendation do you require?

Two letters of recommendation are required to complete your application.  Candidates applying for the Root-Tilden-Kern Scholarship must submit at least one additional recommendation that addresses the candidate's commitment to public service and those applying to the Furman Public Policy Scholarship must submit a letter of recommendation that speaks to the candidate's interest in public policy. 

By what method may I submit a recommendation?

The Committee on Admissions prefers the use of the LSAC Letter of Recommendation (LOR) Service. NYU School of Law does not use a recommendation form.

If I have been out of school for a while, from whom should I get letters of recommendation?

A professor or an employer or anyone who can speak to your ability to succeed in a rigorous law school program.  Academic letters on file that are several years old may be helpful to the Committee as well.

Do you grant interviews for admission?

Interviews and/or meetings with members of the Committee on Admissions are not granted at any point during the regular application process. Applicants are encouraged to consult published and online NYU School of Law informational resources for answers to their questions. Applicants are invited to contact the Office of JD Admissions via email or via phone at 212-998-6060 with any remaining questions.

If I am a foreign educated applicant, how can I submit my transcripts?

Foreign transcripts must be submitted through the LSAC Credential Assembly Service. Applicants who completed any post-secondary work outside of the US (including its territories) or Canada, must use this service for the evaluation of foreign transcripts. The one exception to this requirement is foreign work completed through a study abroad, consortium, or exchange program sponsored by a US or Canadian institution, and where the work is clearly indicated as such on the home campus transcript. Please visit www.lsac.org for details. Foreign applicants must take the LSAT or GRE; however, foreign applicants to the JD program need not take the TOEFL. Foreign-trained lawyers should apply for the LLM Program.

 What role does citizenship play in the admission process?

NYU Law welcomes applications from all individuals, regardless of citizenship status, including: individuals who have been granted deferred action under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), individuals who have applied for deferred action under DACA, and individuals who are undocumented. All applicants must take the LSAT or GRE no later than January and apply by February 15. All admitted students, regardless of citizenship, are eligible for scholarships awarded by NYU Law. Those applicants who are unable to pay the application fee and are not eligible to apply for a fee waiver through LSAC due to their citizenship status should contact the Office of Admissions for instructions on how to apply for a NYU Law application fee waiver.

Does having prior involvement with the criminal justice system, such as an arrest, charges, or conviction, or answering "yes" to any of the other Character and Fitness questions on the JD Application, preclude me from being admitted to NYU Law?

No. NYU Law strives to ensure that students in each incoming class bring with them a diversity of experience. All individuals, including those with previous criminal convictions and other prior involvement in the criminal justice system, are encouraged to apply.

Please be advised that in addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Bar examiners consider prior criminal legal history as part of the character and fitness evaluation. This may include charges, convictions, arrests, and other forms of involvement in the criminal justice system.

Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. The National Conference of Bar Examiners provides addresses for all relevant agencies and a Guide to Bar Admissions Requirements.

Applicants who plan to seek New York Bar admission may petition the State bar for an “advance ruling” on the effect of a felony or misdemeanor conviction upon their character and fitness evaluations. Applicants seeking such a ruling are encouraged to contact the Appellate Division of the New York State Unified Court System in which you reside; if you do not reside in New York State, please contact the Attorney Admissions Office of the Appellate Division, Third Judicial Department. Applicants who expect to practice in New York State also are encouraged to review Are You Fit to Be a Lawyer, published by the New York State Lawyer Assistance Trust.

NYU Law will use information shared in the Character and Fitness section of the application to advise and support admitted students. The Law School’s Office of Career Services and Public Interest Law Center will provide counseling to students who have questions on how a criminal legal history may impact a legal career.  

How can I make sure that my application is complete and can I check the status of my application?

NYU Law maintains an online status check function through which you may monitor your application. Please note that the Office of Admissions will not release any information to anyone except the applicant.  Further, the Office of Admissions does not give admissions decisions by email, telephone or fax.  This policy helps to protect the confidentiality of every applicant.

Do you have a part-time or evening JD program?

We do not offer a part-time or evening JD program. Students matriculate in the fall semester on a full-time basis only.

Can I enroll in the spring?

We do not offer spring enrollment.

How can I reapply to NYU School of Law?

If a candidate previously applied to the Law School and has decided to reapply for the fall 2024 admissions cycle the candidate must complete the fall 2024 application form (including the personal statement and a letter of recommendation).  You must also pay the appropriate application fee, register with the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) and send updated transcripts to LSAC for all academic work (undergraduate, graduate and/or professional) undertaken since your last application.  Please note that the Law School Admissions Council has extended its service to applicants for five years requiring a $30.00 report fee to have the LSAT score report and undergraduate transcripts sent through Credential Assembly Service to the NYU School of Law.  For more information, visit www.lsac.org.

Visiting

Can I visit the Law School?

During the fall, NYU School of Law Admissions Officers look forward to meeting you at an on-campus information session and tour or virtual information session. Our capacity for in-person guests is limited for our information sessions and advanced registration is required.

The Office of Admissions also hosts an office hour for prospective students on Wednesdays, 2-3 p.m. This drop-in office hour provides applicants with an opportunity to speak with an admissions representative in a group setting. Please note that these meetings are informational only; they are not part of the admissions process and are not evaluative interviews. Advance registration is not required to stopy by during our office hour.

Representatives from the Office of JD Admissions are also available to answer your questions via email or you may call 212.998.6060, 10 am - 3pm (Eastern Time), Monday - Friday.

General Questions

Can a JD degree from NYU Law fulfill the legal education requirements to sit for any US state's bar exam?

A JD (Juris Doctor) degree from NYU School of Law can fulfill the legal education requirements to sit for any US state's bar exam. For more information regarding law licensure for NYU Law degrees, please review NYU Law's Disclosure about State Lincensure for the Practice of Law.

Where do NYU School of Law students live?

NYU School of Law has two residences in which law students, their spouses or partners and their children live. In most years, we have been able to provide housing for all incoming students who request it. For more information, please visit the Department of Residential Services website.

How much is tuition?

Tuition is posted annually on the Bursar website.